Hello, Lovelies! With Winter Olympic prep and coverage taking over my work week, this week is a great time to drop a free look at Required Reading, our Patreon-exclusive series all about conversations in media, particularly pro wrestling and cinema. Every episode, I pick a wrestling match and my close friend and collaborator Hollis picks a film for discussion with one another, with both fitting our personal definition of the show's title.

This one is an all Brian selection special as they present a media relationship that has been bouncing around their head for years: historic pro wrestler Sandy Parker and Cheryl Dunye's groundbreaking feature film debut, The Watermelon Woman. We discuss Sandy Parker & Paulla Kaye vs. Chiyo Obata & Terumi Sakura from 1974 and Parker's trailblazing career as a Black lesbian in pro wrestling alongside Dunye's 1996 film focused on discovering Black lesbian history in film, preservation of culture and how the power structures that have been historically in charge of said preservation forget about marginalized people and their stories.

As always, spoliers aplenty in our discussion.

Follow Brian Bell on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @WonderboyOTM

Follow LGBT In The Ring on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @LGBTRingPod

Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/lgbtringpod

Grab LGBT In The Ring merch on Brainbuster Tees

Big thank you to Edith Surreal (@edithsurreal) for the LGBT In The Ring logo

Huge thanks to Sarah & The Safe Word for the show’s theme, Formula 666 from the album Red, Hot and Holy. Find them on Twitter, @STSWBand, and check out their music on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Check out IndependentWrestling.tv for the best in current and classic independent pro wrestling, including live events from top independent promotions worldwide. Use promo code “LGBTRingPod” or visit tinyurl.com/IWTVLGBT

Thank you to Irving West for our "Required Reading" logo and Reverend Rabies for the show's theme song.

Hello, Lovelies! This week we welcome singer-songwriter Semler to the show! They & Brian Bell discuss their song and video essay about Chyna, why her story resonates with them on a personal level, coming to wrestling fandom in adulthood, the push for Chyna's WWE Hall of Fame induction, wrestling as counter-culture & more!

Follow Semler on Instagram & TikTok: @gracebaldridge

Check out Semler on tour: semlermusic.com

Check out "Chyna" and Semler's video essay here

Follow Brian Bell on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @WonderboyOTM

Follow LGBT In The Ring on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @LGBTRingPod

Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/lgbtringpod

Grab LGBT In The Ring merch on Brainbuster Tees

Big thank you to Edith Surreal (@edithsurreal) for the LGBT In The Ring logo

Huge thanks to Sarah & The Safe Word for the show’s theme, Formula 666 from the album Red, Hot and Holy. Find them on Twitter, @STSWBand, and check out their music on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Check out IndependentWrestling.tv for the best in current and classic independent pro wrestling, including live events from top independent promotions worldwide. Use promo code “LGBTRingPod” or visit tinyurl.com/IWTVLGBT

Hello, Lovelies! This week we welcome "The Midwest Muscle Mommy" & "The Babebarian" Juniper Gates! She and Brian Bell discuss the Michigan pro wrestling scene, her constant evolution in character and how it impacted her as a person, pushing the envelope, getting outside of her comfort zone, professional thumb wrestling and more

Follow Juniper Gates on Instagram: @musclemommyjuniper

Follow Brian Bell on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @WonderboyOTM

Follow LGBT In The Ring on Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky: @LGBTRingPod

Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/lgbtringpod

Grab LGBT In The Ring merch on Brainbuster Tees

Big thank you to Edith Surreal (@edithsurreal) for the LGBT In The Ring logo

Huge thanks to Sarah & The Safe Word for the show’s theme, Formula 666 from the album Red, Hot and Holy. Find them on Twitter, @STSWBand, and check out their music on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Check out IndependentWrestling.tv for the best in current and classic independent pro wrestling, including live events from top independent promotions worldwide. Use promo code “LGBTRingPod” or visit tinyurl.com/IWTVLGBT