A man, a plan, a sex advice column, 'Savage Love A-Z'

Thirty years ago, on a bit of a lark, something started in Seattle that would come to revolutionize how many people around the United States — and the world— explored and talked about their sex lives. A 20-something gay man named Dan Savage started giving mostly straight people sex advice in a weekly column, Savage Love. The column was nationally syndicated by the late nineties.

The advice was funny, brash, and sometimes controversial. Savage has copped to occasionally giving patently bad advice — especially early on — but along the way he took more responsibility for the impact his musings and suggestions had. In 2010, Savage and his husband Terry Miller created the It Gets Better Project, a campaign to support and inspire LGBTQ+ young people and prevent suicide.

Savage is marking this 30th anniversary with a new book, Savage Love from A to Z: Advice on Sex and Relationships, Dating and Mating, Exes and Extras. It’s a collection of 26 never-before-published essays, illustrated by Joe Newton. In this interview with KUOW’s Bill Radke, Savage celebrates his milestone with Champagne, cake, other edibles, and reflections from his journey. He also reminds us that he’s still the fairly introverted man who once considered becoming a priest, who happens to enjoy playing the magpie. Fans will be happy to know he has no intention to stop.

Dan Savage and Joe Newton spoke with Bill Radke on September 24, 2021 at Town Hall Seattle. Index Media and The Stranger presented the event.

Please note: This recording contains unedited language and themes of an adult nature.

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