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<p>Fungi used to be considered plants. <i>Bad </i>plants. Carl Linnaeus even referred to them as “the poorest peasants” of the vegetable class. This reputation stuck, and fungi were considered a nuisance in the Western world well into the 20th century.</p><p>Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian is trying to rewrite that narrative. Her new book, <i>Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature</i> catalogs fungi that sprout from the shells of beetles, morph with their sexual partners into one being and exhibit as many as 23,000 mating types. </p><p>Patty believes that fungi’s ability to defy our cut and dry assumptions about the natural world is actually their superpower. All it takes is to first accept that they’re queer as heck. </p><p><i>Featuring Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian. </i></p><p>Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.</p><p>SUPPORT</p><p><i>Outside/In</i> is made possible with listener support. <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/nhpr/site...