C.J. Janovy

Hiroshima and the End We Refuse to Imagine (Gift Article) Eighty years after the city’s destruction, we seem to be blundering into a new age of nuclear perils. It is time for culture to rediscover “the courage to be afraid.”

I grew up terrified, justifiably, every day, of nuclear obliteration. Artists had the correct response. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

We were all 'Small Town' Forty years ago, John Mellencamp's hit made everyone euphoric — even though we knew we couldn't really be ourselves in small towns.

I wrote about how, 40 years ago, a song made even small town #Midwest #queer kids feel like they belonged. Also, I had the same hair as John Mellencamp. open.substack.com/pub/cjjanovy...

YouTube video by So True with Caleb Hearon Confronting a Gay Historian

Also for the record, so much queer KC history is accessible thanks to Stuart Hinds of the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America, who is not on social so it's pointless to send him love here. But Caleb Hearon recently gave him lots of love here: m.youtube.com/watch?v=4CMh...

Colombia calling For this Midwestern gay-rights pioneer, home is where the adventure is.

For some of us, Jon D. Barnett is legendary in Kansas City #queer history. For younger folks, he should be. Here's a word of gratitude as he heads into his next adventure. open.substack.com/pub/cjjanovy...

'I have forgotten what fruit tastes like': Mass starvation grips the Gaza Strip - The World from PRX After four months of near-total siege by Israel, people in Gaza are starving. According to the United Nations, at least 1 in 3 people are going multiple days without eating. Death from hunger is risin...

“I have forgotten what fruit tastes like” - not sure how many times I reflexively put my hand to my heart while listening to this story theworld.org/segments/202...

From Mexico with love Kansas' first transgender legislator: 'I didn't flee the country — I moved.'

In her heroic efforts to be at peace with us leaving the U.S., my mom has asked a lot of questions. One was whether I knew of other LGBTQ people leaving. Yes, I told her. Here’s the story of #Kansas' first #transgender legislator.

If I were in charge of PBS or NPR I would be doing 24-7 programming right now about the end of PBS and NPR

Book cover for Katie Barnes' "Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates"

The entire USA should be required to read this before saying another word about women's sports, especially trans women in sports. @katiebarnes.bsky.social is a national treasure.

C.J. Janovy on Substack When you start telling people you’re leaving the country, some say they want to leave too but can’t imagine getting rid of all their stuff.

I wrote about how to get rid of all your stuff so you can leave the country. Or at least how I did it. substack.com/@cjjanovy/no...

Leaving home I know how it feels to be from a place Americans call the heartland when your heart leans a different direction. I’ve witnessed some history. I'm learning how it feels to leave.

At the risk of being like everyone else, I went ahead and started this thing ... open.substack.com/pub/cjjanovy...

Same

Let America Be America Again Let America be America again.

Langston Hughes, #America
poets.org/poem/let-ame...

An honor to join you and huge thanks for reading No Place Like Home! Love to all!

Thank you to Kate Sosin and @19thnews.org for this on the anniversary of #Obergefell.

Any theory why he didn't do much for me but I had a crush on David Cassidy?

Contrary to how it often feels in the publishing world there's a whole literary thing in the #Midwest. Thank you editor Andy. I'm honored to be part of this and can't wait to read everyone's stuff.

Just a reminder going forward...

(cartoon from 2003)

YouTube video by Pitchfork Killer Mike - "Reagan" (Official Music Video)

“Same as in Iraq and Afghanistan/
And Ahmadinejad say they coming for Iran“

m.youtube.com/watch?v=6lIq...

Intimidation of State and Local Officeholders Left unchecked, abuse harms not only elected officials but also the public they serve.

Sadly, these atacks are part of a wider trend. Last year, the Brennan Center issued a report showing that more than 40 percent of state legislators of all parties experienced threats or attacks within the previous three years. 2/6 www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Alternatively, “Thousands of Americans expected to take to the streets in defense of their neighbors and their democracy” www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...

Opinion | Obama Isn’t Going to Save You

"The answer will not come from above."

Another brilliant reality check from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/o...

Who else has read the Nebraska writer Mari Sandoz? Her "Love Song to the Plains," first published in 1961, is a history of how the region was colonized. Here she is making an observation about America 175 years ago. Just saying. #booksky

Opinion | Here’s What’s Happening in America, in Six (Mostly) Russian Terms

"It's better — believe us — to name what’s happening than to look on, speechless, as your country goes to ruin." Thank you @storyevtime.bsky.social and Maria Kuznetsova for this
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/o...

What separates journalism from stenography is independent reporting, verification and context. Trump calls in the National Guard for LA — note he did not do so for the insurrection. He says no one will spit on law enforcement, note he pardoned those who physically assaulted law enforcement Jan 6.

Thank you @kendrawrites.com. Let's see if #journalism has learned any lessons since 2020 (🙄) ...

CJ Janovy on Pride Month in Kansas and the Nation – What We Can Do as a Community - University Press of Kansas For many Americans, this June feels different. It’s the month queer Americans affirm our community in Pride celebrations millions of our friends and loved

Thank you to @univpressofkansas.bsky.social for letting me say a few things about #pride and to #Kansas Reps. @brandonwoodard.bsky.social, Susan Ruiz and @heather-jo.bsky.social for their wisdom on #queer activism. (Also included: code for half off book orders.) kansaspress.ku.edu/blog/2025/06...

These eight LGBTQ+ Kansans make Pride Month worth celebrating. And all the other months, too. • Kansas Reflector Us gay people live across all 50 states, in every country around the globe. And we're most definitely here in Kansas.

Aww love you back, @claywires.bsky.social @kansasreflector.com and all the other queers of #Kansas kansasreflector.com/2025/06/05/t...

Rainbow flag's creator didn't celebrate his home state, but Kansans keep his memory alive Gilbert Baker left Kansas as soon as he could. But, as many around the world celebrate LGBTQ pride month, it's worth noting that Kansas also struggled to hold the flag creator dear.

Also he was from Kansas www.kcur.org/arts-life/20...

$105 million trust to be built for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre reparations, city says Tens of millions of dollars will go toward repairing harms from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

Good job, #Tulsa www.publicradiotulsa.org/local-region...

See #America it's not that hard