Secretfeministagenda.com - Podcast Details

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Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Burning Out For no other reason than I felt like it, here’s a bonus episode. This is an audio version of the essay “Burning Out” that I published in 2020, in the Hair issue of Room Magazine. Content warning for discussion of weight loss and disordered eating, suicide and death, and racism and settler colonialism. The podcast theme song is “Mesh Shirt” by Mom Jeans off their album “Chub Rub.” Listen to the whole album here or learn more about them here. Follow me @hkpmcgregor and tweet about the podcast using #SecretFeministAgenda. The additional music in this episode came from...2021-05-2023 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.27 Asking For Help (Again) My face when I’m thinking about asking for help. This week we’re revisiting one of my all-time favourite conversations: asking for help! I’m asking some of the Big Questions(TM) that have been keeping me awake lately, such as: why do I find it so much harder to ask a colleague for help than a friend? What is the relationship between asking for help and being a mentor? How does our willingness to rely on one another make us stronger, rather than weaker? I don’t have any links this week, just a verse from one...2020-10-2311 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.25 Mentorship Thinkin’ mentory thoughts… Are you ready to talk about mentorship? Because that’s what we’re doing for (checks watch) about 18 minutes. While we’re at it, here are a few articles on feminist mentoring: “Feminist Co-Mentoring: A Model for Academic Professional Development” by Gail M. McGuire and Jo Reger“‘Will you be my mentor?’ Feminist mentoring at mid-career for institutional change” by Winifred Curran and Trina Hamilton“Feminist Mentors” by Awino Okech “Collectors, Nightlights, and Allies, Oh My! White Mentors in the Academy” by Marisela Martinez-Cola Read Transcript The podcast theme song is “Mesh Shirt” by Mom Jeans off their album “Chub Ru...2020-09-2517 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.23 Being a Demon Bitch About Justice This is my resting demon bitch face. This week I’m announcing a wee hiatus as I regather my resources to finish up season four. I’m also talking about what it might look like for us to collectively reject civility and instead become a hoard of demon bitches for justice. Also here are some links: For the millionth time I’m recommending the Sandy and Nora Talk Politics podcast, but also recommending that you keep on eye out for Alicia’s Elliott‘s new podcast Why Tho?The title of this episode comes from a line in Lindy West...2020-06-2613 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.22 Disability Art is the Last Avant-Garde with Sean Lee Michelle Peek Photography, courtesy of Bodies in Translation: Activist Art, Technology & Access to Life, Re•Vision: The Centre for Art & Social Justice at the University of Guelph This week I sat down virtually with Sean Lee, Director of Programming at Tangled Art + Disability, to talk about radically accessible curation, the transformative possibilities of disability as disruption, and the exciting work of Tangled and Bodies in Translation. So many links! To learn more about Tangled Art + Disability, check out recent exhibits like “Body Farm” and “HIDDEN”You can read the Canadian Art review of “HIDDEN” here and watch this video to learn...2020-06-1253 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.21 Introducing the Amplify Podcast Network Did I mention it was my birthday? Are you ready to learn all about the Amplify Podcast Network? Great. Read Transcript The podcast theme song is “Mesh Shirt” by Mom Jeans off their album “Chub Rub.” Listen to the whole album here or learn more about them here. Follow me @hkpmcgregor and tweet about the podcast using #SecretFeministAgenda. Want to email me about your killjoy survival kit? Send it to secretfeministagenda(at)gmail(dot)com. Secret Feminist Agenda is recorded and produced by Hannah McGregor on the traditional and unceded territories of the Squam...2020-05-2916 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.20 Producing Queer Media with Stacey Copeland If you give me headshot options and one of them has a cat, you know which one I’m going to choose, right? In this very special cross-over episode, I’m talking to Stacey Copeland, audio producer extraordinaire and the project manager of the SpokenWeb Podcast, which I also host! We talk about our feminist scholarly awakenings, the gendered policing of women’s voices, what queer media sounds like, and why we should be listening to archival audio more. Here are some links: To learn more about Stacey’s work you can check out her website and follow her on T...2020-05-1544 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.19 Listening Never not wearing headphones these days This minisode is dedicated to the newest episode of the SpokenWeb podcast, which it’s preemptively responding to (that episode will be out on Monday, and I’m going to have to insist that you listen to it). That episode is thinking about how we are listening differently right now, and it prompted me to think for myself: how am I listening differently? Why am I compelled to always have my noise cancelling headphones nearby while also becoming fascinated with identifying the birds outside my window by their song? Why am I burning out...2020-05-0120 min

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Secret Feminist Agenda and Peer Reviewing Podcasts at Mount Royal University Another bonus episode coming at you! This one was recorded on April 4, 2019 at Mount Royal University and features me and Siobhan McMenemy interviewing one another about our collaborative work on peer reviewing podcasts. I don’t think there are a lot of links to add beyond that link to our own work, but I do want to point you towards this article on the significance of publicly engaged scholarship in review, tenure, and promotion documents by the scholars at the ScholCommLab. Transcription to Come A note about transcriptions: my goal was to get transcriptions more aligned with th...2020-04-231h 24

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.18 Running out of Fucks to Give with Carolyn Camman This week I’m talking to evaluation consultant and podcaster Carolyn Camman about radicalizing the apocalypse, queering objectivity, learning to listen to our bodies, and what the heck evaluation actually is. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I think you will, too! Here are some links! To learn more about Carolyn, read this recent blog post about re-framing evaluation as an accountability mechanism); listen to the Eval Café podcast; and check out the Evaluation colouring book!To contextualize our conversation about apocalypse, we talked about the podcast “How to Survive the End of the World” as well as...2020-04-171h 08

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Response to Review of Season 3 Those of you who have been following along at home probably already know this, but Secret Feminist Agenda is part of a collaborative project with Wilfrid Laurier University Press looking at ways to edit and evaluate podcasts as a form of scholarly communication. The first two seasons of the podcast received an open peer review, but for the third season we decided to do things a little differently: To cap off our Scholarly Podcast Review project with Season 3 of Secret Feminist Agenda, we tried something different. We asked two of our previous reviewers, Cheryl Ball and Carla...2020-04-081h 06

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Season 3 Peer Review of Secret Feminist Agenda Those of you who have been following along at home probably already know this, but Secret Feminist Agenda is part of a collaborative project with Wilfrid Laurier University Press looking at ways to edit and evaluate podcasts as a form of scholarly communication. The first two seasons of the podcast received an open peer review, but for the third season we decided to do things a little differently: To cap off our Scholarly Podcast Review project with Season 3 of Secret Feminist Agenda, we tried something different. We asked two of our previous reviewers, Cheryl Ball and Carla...2020-04-081h 42

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.17 It’s Okay Not to Be Okay It’s okay to touch your face if you wash your hands first. It’s time for Feelings 101, aka wow what a completely wild and difficult time to be a person who feels things, let’s talk about that. I’m exploring being okay with not being okay, taking a strange comfort in recognizing my own grief, and building feminist survival kits for a moment when survival is our main priority. Here are some links: The interview with David Kessler is called “That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief.”If you’re doing some SFA relistening, I recommend slowing down, ge...2020-04-0311 min

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Fireside Chat with Alex Ketchum One of many absolutely wild stills from the video of this talk. I’m a real hand-talker, turns out! Welcome to the first of a whole series of bonus episodes coming your way over the next few weeks! This one is a fireside chat with Dr. Alex Ketchum, recorded as part of the Feminist and Accessible Publishing and Communications Technologies Speakers and Workshop Series. If you’d prefer to watch this as a video, you can find all the videos here. No links for this one, pals! Enjoy! Transcript to come The podcast theme song is “Mesh Shirt”...2020-03-241h 27

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.16 Choosing Love with Kai Cheng Thom The original plan was for Kai Cheng Thom and I to talk while she was in town to deliver the keynote at the Growing Room literary festival, but plans change, don’t they? So we talked on Skype instead, about creative ways to sustain communities in midst of crisis, the importance of choosing love, and the hard choices that witches make. This was a really healing episode for me to record, and I hope it brings some of that same energy to you. Also, here are some links: You should be following Kai Cheng Thom on Twitter, for a...2020-03-2050 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.15 #WorldObesityDay In this week’s minisode we’re celebrating #WorldObesityDay by talking about how everything you thought you knew about obesity is wrong and also why fat people are brilliant and gorgeous and worthy of celebration. Links! Here’s the original post by Sofie Hagen on reclaiming #WorldObesityDayHere’s why “Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong”And here’s what went into this week’s killjoy survival kit:The Open Letter from students opposing the suspension of the Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies at McGillThe Argonauts by Maggie NelsonGirl Zines: Making Media, Doing Feminism by Alison PiepmeierAva...2020-03-0616 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.14 #Mood with Hilary Atleo Last week I went to Iron Dog Books after hours to hang out with co-owner Hilary Atleo and talk about settler-colonial mind-fucks, problematic favs, the pleasures of queer feminist sci-fi, why cities thrive on independent arts businesses, and whether or not grapefruits have gotten sweeter. Here are some links! If you want to learn more about Iron Dog Books you can find them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For more on Wet’suwet’en, read this fabulous list of resources put together by genius and poet Samantha Marie Nock. Here are some links about authors that may or may...2020-02-211h 04

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.13 Empathy Fatigue & Hopepunk This week’s minisode is a little more leisurely than last time, as I think my way through empathy fatigue aka burnout in the face of crisis, and whether hopepunk is a possible way through feelings of numbness and overwhelm. And to accompany this slightly longer episode, here are some unusually concise links! Anne Helen Petersen’s “How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation”Alyssa Hull’s “Hopepunk and Solarpunk: On Climate Narratives That Go Beyond the Apocalypse”Donna Haraway’s Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the ChthuluceneSome more context/background on hopepunkSara Ahmed’s Willful SubjectsLauren Berlant’s Cruel Op...2020-02-0718 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.12 Cool Poet Mom with Dina Del Bucchia Photo Credit: Victoria Black To make up for the very mini minisode, here’s an extra-long interview with extra-awesome human being Dina Del Bucchia! We talk about poetry, publishing, cats, farts, and basically everything in between. Here are a million links! First! Check out the rest of Dina’s stuff here on her website, and then subscribe to her awesome podcast Can’t Lit, and then buy all her books! Also go see her (and me, and everyone) at the Growing Room festival this March. ALSO also, check out the archives of Poetry is Dead. ALSO ALSO also, go to...2020-01-241h 15

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.11 Cozy Resolutions I’ve set a new record in this, the first minisode of 2020, for just how mini a minisode can be. Turns out? pretty mini! But that’s okay, it’s a new year and we’re being gentle with ourselves. This week’s topic was inspired by this tweet.And here’s the thread of great responses about how people are being gentle with themselves this January.Finally, Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror, specifically the essay “Always Be Optimizing,” has been challenging me to rethink how we try to optimize our own lives. You can listen to an abridged version h...2020-01-1008 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.10 Our Categories of Knowledge Suck with Tina Sikka This week I’m talking with Dr. Tina Sikka about her work in feminist science studies, from feminist analysis of geoengineering to the intersections of race and the diet industry. This is one of those episodes where I probably learned as much as you’re going to. I love these episodes! Come learn with me. Also, links: You can find Tina’s work at her website; she specifically references this new Wired article about gender and geoengineering as well as her Jacobin article, “Against Twenty-First Century Race Science” We give a brief definition of standpoint theory, but to read more...2019-12-2053 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.9 Abundance This minisode is about taking stock and resisting the urge to turn our own lives into listicles or “best of the decade” featurettes, but instead residing in the messy and complex abundance of it all. You know, just some low-stakes early December thoughts. Also, here are some low-stakes early December links: Much of my thinking about abundance, canonicity, publishing, and artificial scarcity comes from Richard Nash’s “What Is the Business of Literature?”On the topic of media coverage, best-of lists, and what gets left out (and why!) you should read this excellent twitter thread by the brilliant Jen Sookfo...2019-12-0613 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.8 I Wish I Had A Mustache with Max Collins In this episode I’m talking to Max Collins, campus radio advocate and producer behind the new investigative podcast “Dragged Out.” We discuss about four thousand things, including: community-based podcasting, drag performance and gender, Vancouver real estate, funding/monetizing art, and queer community building across generations. Also I say some shit that just might upset Toronto listeners. Sorry Toronto listeners! Here are some links! First off, you can find out about all of Max’s work here. How accurate was my micro-history of podcasts? Compare and contrast!We discuss a lot of podcasts in this episode, and here are some...2019-11-221h 00

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.7 Trans Rights Are Human Rights In this minisode I’m thinking through recent protests agains “gender identity debates,” which institutions need to have values, and how we sustain ourselves when doing organizing or activist work that can feel so completely exhausting sometimes. This feels like a sad episode to me, but also maybe a hopeful one. Also, here are some links: This is officially my final plug for the Vancouver Podcast Festival and Secret Feminist Agenda meet-up. I hope to see some of you there! For some context around the event at SFU, here’s the open letter I co-authored. Here’s some context ar...2019-11-0822 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.6 Rape is Real & Everywhere with Emma Cooper Content warning for discussions of rape and sexual assault as well as a reference to torture. This week I sat down to talk with Emma Cooper, creator of the comedy show Rape is Real & Everywhere, which highlights the comedy and storytelling of rape and sexual assault survivors. I had a chance to see the show during the Vancouver Fringe Festival this year, and then got to sit down with Emma to talk about the cathartic power of comedy, burnout in activist work, the challenges and rewards of producing a show that touches viewers so deeply, getting past o...2019-10-261h 00

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.5 International Day of the Girl This is a slightly unusual episode, inspired by an email I got from Plan International Canada about International Day of the Girl which is, in fact, today! October 11! They shared with me some data they’ve gathered about how girls picture themselves (or don’t picture themselves) in leadership positions, and guess what, I’ve got some thoughts about it. You know what else I’ve got? SOME LINKS: The Vancouver Podcast Festival runs from November 7-10; the Secret Feminist Agenda meet-up will be part of the Podfair on November 8. My conversation with Lindy West is scheduled for December...2019-10-1115 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.4 Off-Mic Conversations with Khairani Barokka Content warning for discussions of sexual abuse, child abuse, child pornography, racism and ableism. Photo credit: Christa Holka This episode was actually recorded in early May, and here it is over four months later, FINALLY seeing the light of day, and I’m so delighted because Okka–poet, writer, and artist–is a goddamn delight. But don’t just take my word for it. Listen for yourself, and then check out some of these exciting and also very extensive links: First off, you should definitely check out all of Okka’s work, including Rope, Indigenous Species, Stairs and...2019-09-271h 01

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.3 ENTHUSED!!! Here are some things to look forward to in this minisode: the sound of my voice with a pretty bad head cold; a characteristic quantity of grappling; and the announcement of the new minisode segment [fanfare sound effect]. And while we’re at it, here are some links: My favourite piece on the culture of academic cool is Lisa Ruddick’s “When Nothing Is Cool,” which was the launching point for my article on podcasting and fandom as examples of “tiny acts of courage in which people say the uncool things.”Want to read more about gender-based bias in student e...2019-09-1317 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.2 Dreaming Big Wild Worlds with Dawn Serra With apologies for its tardiness, I present to you the first interview of season four, and this one’s a doozy. I’m talking to rad queer fat genius, sex & relationship coach, and pleasure advocate Dawn Serra about shame, vulnerability, pleasure, boundaries, joy, imagining radical futures, and so much more. This conversation broke open my brain, and I hope it does the same thing for you! Here are some links! You definitely want to know more about Dawn, so you should check out her website, her instagram, and her podcast Sex Gets Real. And if you’re feeling inspir...2019-08-301h 09

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 4.1 Growing Roots HOLY SHIT IT’S SEASON FOUR! Can you believe it’s season four already? This season there are going to be a few changes. Kaarina won’t be joining us for Self-Care Corner, meaning I’m on the lookout for new segment ideas, plus I’m moving to a fortnightly release schedule. It’s all about sustainability, baby! Plus this season we have a theme, and that theme is, cool feminists in and around Vancouver. If you’ve got guest suggestions, let me know! And in exchange, I will let you know about these links: A lot of my thinking ab...2019-08-0913 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.30 Brilliant and Disgusting with Brenna Clarke Gray, Lucia Lorenzi, and Erin Wunker It’s here! The final episode of season three! This episode responds explicitly to Carla Rice’s peer review of season two, specifically this sentence: “Follow-up episodes featuring panels of feminist scholars, educators and activists could have opened space to reflect on ethical processes of speaking out and listening to criticism—on how critique might engender difficult emotions such as anger and shame in panelists, on how they’ve worked through these emotions, and on how attending to difficult emotions can lead to new learning.” This is that follow-up episode, this is that panel of feminist sch...2019-05-171h 14

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.29 Feminist Anecdotes It’s the last minisode of season three, and I’m doing some very specific responding to Anna Poletti’s peer review of season two. Specifically, I’m taking up the genre of the anecdote, and the kind of work it does in Secret Feminist Agenda. I’m thinking about anecdotes as teaching tools and as central to feminist knowledge production, and I’m shouting out some of the writers who model the radical potential of the anecdote. Plus Kaarina is talking to us about self care during conference season. Here are some links! First off, I cite one particul...2019-05-1026 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.28 Living a Feminist Life with Sara AhmedContent warning for discussions of cancer and death. This episode is an absolute dream come true: I spent a full hour talking to Sara Ahmed about feminism. Can you believe it??? Our conversation focused on Sara’s most recent book, Living a Feminist Life (pictured in this photo!). We talked about public scholarship, practical versus theoretical approaches to feminism, finding your people, sustaining your killjoy spirit, and so much more. The conversation gave me some definite feelings, and I hope it does the same for you. Also, links: First off, some links to Sara’s work. You can f...2019-05-0356 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.27 Killjoy Survival KitsThis week’s episode continues our mini-cluster on feminist public scholarship by talking about a feminist genre of knowledge-creation that’s new to me: the killjoy survival kit. Want to know what a killjoy survival kit is? Then you should probably listen to this episode. Also, here’s an unusually short list of links! You can read Sara Ahmed’s blog here, and order her book, Living a Feminist Life. These will be included in the links next week, too! Fun! Kaarina talks in this episode about the work of Charmaine Nelson–and I don’t know about you, but I wan...2019-04-2621 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.26 Masters of Text with Ames HawkinsThis week we’re continuing the mini-arc on feminists who use podcasting for public scholarship, with the brilliant and delightful Ames Hawkins, scholar and artist and podcaster behind Masters of Text (that name tho). This episode seriously pushed forward my thinking on podcasting as creative-critical practice and conversation as the feminist co-creation of knowledge, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Also, here are some links: You can find the rest of Ames’s work at her online portfolio, and you can preorder her new book, These Are Love(d) Letters. My references to the pot...2019-04-1957 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.25 Keep Podcasting Weirdless “lean in” and more “lie down” Collectively, Kaarina and I are bringing you some ~extremely chill vibes~ today. I’m talking about why we need to embrace the radical potential of podcasting as a medium that has yet to be fully absorbed into the mainstream, but I’m lying on my couch while I do it. And Kaarina’s self-care corner features a very special guest star with some important insights on gentleness. It might be my favourite self-care corner yet. And now? Links! Did I mention that you should save the date for the next Vancouver...2019-04-1214 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.24 Trauma Queen with Jimanekia EbornThis episode is the beginning of a mini-cluster or mini-arc that will conclude season three of Secret Feminist Agenda. The coming episodes will focus on other feminist podcasters and/or public scholars, starting with this week’s incredible guest, Jimanekia Eborn, creator and host of the podcast Trauma Queen. We talk about podcasting, sex education, respecting your guests, paying artists, and a whole lot more. Actually, we mostly talk about the silent meditation retreat Jimanekia was about to go on, which I found completely terrifying. It’s a real emotional journey. And here are some links! I refer to a...2019-04-0554 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.23 Paintaking deep breaths through the pain Content warning for discussions of chronic pain and illness, drug addiction, and cancer. I jokingly tweeted a screenshot of the audio file for this episode with the caption “The telltale shape of a hard-to-record minisode.” I was referring to the long, conspicuous gaps that betray how hard I find it to talk about some topics. Episode 2.3 “On Being Seen” had a similar shape, pre-edit. The hard episodes, for me, are usually the personal ones. And this is a personal one. I’m talking about pain and how it links to trauma...2019-03-2927 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.22 Interfering with the Legitimacy of the Settler State with Chelsea VowelHold onto your hats it’s a LIVE EPISODE! This one was recorded at the University of Alberta, as part of the Canadian Literature Centre’s Brown Bag Lunch series. I’m talking to the brilliant Chelsea Vowel, aka âpihtawikosisân. The ostensible topic of the conversation is Refuse: CanLit in Ruins (which I co-edited and to which Chelsea contributed), but we also talk about Indigenous futurisms and social media and lawsuits and how hard it is getting onto high chairs. And here are some links! If you haven’t already, you need to read Chelsea’s book, Indigenous Writ...2019-03-2252 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.21 Citing Your SourcesThis minisode topic is very close to my heart, not just because part of my job is teaching students how to properly cite their sources, but also because I think sound citational politics are both the cornerstone of what’s good about academia and the potential site of massive transformations in how we do our work. And just in case you think citation is only for academics, I *also* think citational politics have a lot to do with how we unevenly attribute authority to different voices. Don’t believe me? Well good thing I made a whole podcast episode abou...2019-03-1523 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.20 A Trojan Horse of Radical Values with Zena SharmanBy Sarah Race, http://www.sarahrace.com For this episode I sat down with the brilliant and luminous Zena Sharman to talk about her work as an LGBTQ+ health advocate (seriously click on that link and look at that website, it is a testimony to femme web design and I am in love). We talk about thinking strategically, changing systems, editing anthologies, and casting spells, plus what it means to be one small person working on great big problems. Talking to Zena always makes me feel better, and I hope some of that comes through in this...2019-03-011h 01 $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.19 Dealing With CriticismOof! This week Kaarina and I are bringing you a minisode with many feelings in it, as we both process difficult aspects of being a human in the world: I’m talking about dealing with criticism, and Kaarina is talking about holding friends accountable when they’ve hurt you. Hopefully these experiences will resonate with some of you, and we’d love to hear your thoughts about dealing with similar circumstances. Also: links! For the academics in the crowd, Laura Moss, long-timed editor of the journal Canadian Literature, has written a fantastically useful editorial on how to increase your chances o...2019-02-2232 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.19 Dealing With CriticismOof! This week Kaarina and I are bringing you a minisode with many feelings in it, as we both process difficult aspects of being a human in the world: I’m talking about dealing with criticism, and Kaarina is talking about holding friends accountable when they’ve hurt you. Hopefully these experiences will resonate with some of you, and we’d love to hear your thoughts about dealing with similar circumstances. Also: links! For the academics in the crowd, Laura Moss, long-timed editor of the journal Canadian Literature, has written a fantastically useful editorial on how to increase your ch...2019-02-2232 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.18 The Monáe Test with Taylor CrumptonContent warning for discussions of police violence. This week I’m talking to journalist and totally-not-a-bot Taylor Crumpton. We talk about how Taylor went from grad student to freelance journalist, how Twitter is a platform for both highlighting marginalized voices and exploiting Black women’s labour, and why it might not be a good idea to burn the flag (hint: the reason might surprise you). In fact, we touch on so many topics that I’m anticipating an extra-long list of links. And here it is! First off, go read everything Taylor has written and then share...2019-02-1548 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.17 On VeganismMe + Vegan Pizza = Content warning for a brief discussion of disordered and restrictive eating. In this week’s minisode I’m tackling a topic that I’ve been putting off for approximately two and a half seasons of this podcast: veganism. I talk about why I chose to be a vegan fourteen-and-a-half years ago, why it still brings me joy, and why I also think it’s an incredibly fraught identity. Along the way I touch on the different histories of the vegan and so-called “clean eating” movements, the problem with white animal rights activists, and the links between veganism...2019-02-0825 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.17 On VeganismMe + Vegan Pizza = Content warning for a brief discussion of disordered and restrictive eating. In this week’s minisode I’m tackling a topic that I’ve been putting off for approximately two and a half seasons of this podcast: veganism. I talk about why I chose to be a vegan fourteen-and-a-half years ago, why it still brings me joy, and why I also think it’s an incredibly fraught identity. Along the way I touch on the different histories of the vegan and so-called “clean eating” movements, the problem with white animal rights activists, and the link...2019-02-0825 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.16 Being That Bitch Sometimes with Julie FrancesTwo and a half years ago, at a Witch, Please meet-up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I met a rad artist and Harry Potter nerd who offered to tour Marcelle and me around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter if we ever made it down to Florida. A year ago we took her up on it. And this year Julie Frances and I continued our history of border-crossing collaborations by recording a discussion of tattoos, unpaid internships, transforming industries, and making art. Oh, and crystals and energies and the moon and stuff. Here are some links! First up, you should che...2019-02-0145 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.15 Doing Feminism in the ClassroomIt’s minisode time, and this week I’m picking up some of the threads from last week’s episode plus the peer review for season two plus conversations from my own classroom and pulling them together in either a beautiful tapestry or a tangled knot. Either way, I’m talking about teaching and the politics of the classroom. I touch on why I love talking about teaching, how this podcast might blur the boundaries between teaching and research, and some of the most important lessons I’ve learned from teaching thus far. If you’re a teacher or a s...2019-01-2527 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.15 Doing Feminism in the ClassroomIt’s minisode time, and this week I’m picking up some of the threads from last week’s episode plus the peer review for season two plus conversations from my own classroom and pulling them together in either a beautiful tapestry or a tangled knot. Either way, I’m talking about teaching and the politics of the classroom. I touch on why I love talking about teaching, how this podcast might blur the boundaries between teaching and research, and some of the most important lessons I’ve learned from teaching thus far. If you’re a teacher or a student I h...2019-01-2527 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.14 Getting Shit Sandwiched with Vivek ShrayaIn this long overdue (and also slightly late) episode, I talk to brilliant musician, writer, artist, and teacher Vivek Shraya about touring difficult books, finding more equitable ways to run your classroom, and the enduring power of the shit sandwich. And here are some links! Vivek’s newest book is I‘m Afraid of Men, which Vanity Fair described as “cultural rocket fuel” and Bustle called “The Book Title That Best Describes 2018″. We also talk a whole lot about her debut poetry collection, even this page is white, and you can find out more about all of her books here. Vive...2019-01-1852 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.13 Understanding White SupremacyMy NYE look / the energy I’m bringing into 2019 Content warning for discussions of racial violence. Happy 2019, you gorgeous humans. I hope everyone got a chance to take some time off and refresh before the calendar reset. I don’t really believe in resolutions, but I do like the way significant dates give us a chance to pause and refocus on what counts. And we’re starting off strong in 2019 with an episode about what is and isn’t white supremacy, the recent resurgence of race science, and the responsibility white folks have to keep educating ourselves and working actively a...2019-01-1123 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.13 Understanding White Supremacy My NYE look / the energy I’m bringing into 2019 Content warning for discussions of racial violence. Happy 2019, you gorgeous humans. I hope everyone got a chance to take some time off and refresh before the calendar reset. I don’t really believe in resolutions, but I do like the way significant dates give us a chance to pause and refocus on what counts. And we’re starting off strong in 2019 with an episode about what is and isn’t white supremacy, the recent resurgence of race science, and the responsibility white folks have to keep educating ourselves and work...2019-01-1123 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.12 Not Nice, Not White, and Not a Lady with Tara Robertson CW for discussions of transphobia and violence. In this, the final episode of 2018, I got to talk to weightlifting pal and femme genius Tara Robertson about her work on diversity and inclusion at Mozilla — and like a million other things, including why we want an open Internet, whether libraries are neutral (hint: they’re not), the conservative politics of tone policing, the danger of corporations replacing the public sphere, and more! That’s a lot of topics, so here are a bunch of links! First up, if you want to hear more from Tara (which you obvious...2018-12-2152 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.11 Make Baby CozyIIIIIII’MMMMM SIIIIIICCCKKKKK and hoo boy can you ever hear it in this episode. Sorry for the garbage voice this weeks folks, and also for the very short episode, but for all my whining and rasping, I’m actually delighted to be sharing with you the new theme for all of our winters: make baby cozy. Coined by former guest of the podcast Baby Groot, this phrase is a reminder to treat yourself with tenderness and care, and to ask for what you need. It’s also tacit permission to baby yourself, to be a baby, to let go, at lea...2018-12-1413 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.11 Make Baby Cozy IIIIIII’MMMMM SIIIIIICCCKKKKK and hoo boy can you ever hear it in this episode. Sorry for the garbage voice this weeks folks, and also for the very short episode, but for all my whining and rasping, I’m actually delighted to be sharing with you the new theme for all of our winters: make baby cozy. Coined by former guest of the podcast Baby Groot, this phrase is a reminder to treat yourself with tenderness and care, and to ask for what you need. It’s also tacit permission to baby yourself, to be a baby, to let go, at least...2018-12-1413 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.10 A Trickle of Ladies with Amber Nash Look at this straight up celebrity who totally agreed to talk to me! Amber Nash, the voice of Pam Poovey on Archer and a renowned improviser, joined me to talk about improv and gender, learning how to be body positive from fictional characters, and exactly what time of the day you should take your baths. Other topics include how improv is like psychology, what it means to improvise like a man, and the degree to which playing a character known for saying incredibly filthy things might upset your mother. Amber is delightful! Here are some links! First, on g...2018-12-0747 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.9 Dungeons & Dragons & FeminismFUN FACT November is my least favourite month of the year for all kinds of reasons, and by the end of this month I’m usually pretty worn down and exhausted (this year being no exception, as the quality of my vocal production in this episode demonstrates). But in this episode, instead of telling you how tired I am, I’m going to tell you about something that I use to nourish my weary self and make sure I’m spending time NOT working. And while we’re at it, Kaarina is bringing you extra cozy vibes and reminding you t...2018-11-3022 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.9 Dungeons & Dragons & Feminism FUN FACT November is my least favourite month of the year for all kinds of reasons, and by the end of this month I’m usually pretty worn down and exhausted (this year being no exception, as the quality of my vocal production in this episode demonstrates). But in this episode, instead of telling you how tired I am, I’m going to tell you about something that I use to nourish my weary self and make sure I’m spending time NOT working. And while we’re at it, Kaarina is bringing you extra cozy vibes and reminding you to st...2018-11-3022 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.8 There’s Secret Feminism Under Everything (including lawyering) with Gloria Ng and Colleen Elden This week’s episode is the first ever live Secret Feminist Agenda, recorded at the VPL as part of the Vancouver Podcast Festival. Don’t worry though, we all sound great and the sound of laughter/applause really adds something special. I’m considering having an audience at all future recordings. Anyway, I sat down in front of sixty of my closest friends to talk to criminal defence lawyers Gloria Ng and Colleen Elden about charter rights, feminist friendship, and whether the law is a tool that can be bent towards justice or is inherently aligned with the oppressive function...2018-11-2345 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.7 Refuse: CanLit in RuinsOkay I obviously don’t normally use this podcast to promote my side hustles but I want very badly to tell you about this project I’ve been working on for the past year and a half, and which launched just yesterday! Refuse: CanLit in Ruins is a collection of essays and poems and dialogues and stories that tackle the contemporary state of Canadian literature, that interrogate the link between CanLit and systemic forms of power and violence, and that imagine our way forward into something else, something better. I’m so proud of this book, and so moved by the...2018-11-1618 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.7 Refuse: CanLit in Ruins Okay I obviously don’t normally use this podcast to promote my side hustles but I want very badly to tell you about this project I’ve been working on for the past year and a half, and which launched just yesterday! Refuse: CanLit in Ruins is a collection of essays and poems and dialogues and stories that tackle the contemporary state of Canadian literature, that interrogate the link between CanLit and systemic forms of power and violence, and that imagine our way forward into something else, something better. I’m so proud of this book, and so moved by the ge...2018-11-1618 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.6 Dismantling the Patriarchy Has to be a Vocal Game with Clayre Sessoms Content warning for discussions of sexual assault and transphobia. Like so many good things, this episode started one way and ended up another. I invited Clayre to chat about singing, and we ended up talking about community and harm and silence and what we do (or don’t do) to feel like we belong. Oh, and we talk about performative allyship, which is so complex a topic I could probably make an entire season about it, but in the meantime here are some LINKS: There are about a million things to read about the complexities of all...2018-11-0938 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.5 Ableism and Doing a Bit Better Every DayIt’s been another rough week, folks! But rather than getting bogged down in despair at the seeming indestructibility of the goddamn patriarchy, I’m think about something that brings me a little bit of hope: the generosity of critique, and the possibility of doing a little bit better every day. That’s something we can all manage, and it’s something that makes me feel a little less impotent. You know what else is hopeful? Kaarina’s beautiful meditation on the pleasures of fall. Here are some links! If you want to know more about the law suit I...2018-11-0216 min $Library of the World\'s Best Mystery and Detective$ Library of the World's Best Mystery and DetectiveEpisode 3.3 Reading for Alternative Futures, or Hannah’s Sad Bookclubthis is the face I make when I’m having a bad week Not quite a content warning but definitely a heads up, that I’m talking a little bit this week about death and grief and apocalyptic despair. But only a little! Mostly I’m talking about the books that have been not just blowing my mind this year, but helping me to think differently about death, loss, climate change, and other hard topics. I’m talking Afrofuturism and Indigenous Futurism, queer horror, magical realism, and the way the work of queer, trans, and BIPOC writers opens up possibilities...2018-10-1924 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 3.1 JURASSIC PARK! Important update I dyed my hair brown Welcome back! I missed you! I think you’re great! I think this podcast is great! And in keeping with the sheer exhilaration I am experiencing at the beginning of season 3, I’m going to tell you about a movie that holds a very special place in my heart. In fact, it was deeply formative in my thinking about feminism. That’s right, it’s obviously Jurassic Park. Want to read more hot takes on this 25-year-old movie? HERE YOU GO: Feminists everywhere love Jurassic Park so you should go read Lindy West’s...2018-10-0627 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.29 Rereading/Rewatching/RethinkingGet ready, because this is one of those extra-fun minisodes where I’m kind of figuring something out, out loud, as I record, so it’s a bit more like a word collage than a well-wrought urn, but it’s definitely ~20 minutes of me talking so you can’t say it doesn’t count as a minisode. Links! The Buffy episode I talk about is Pangs, which is also the topic of episode 1 of Métis in Space, and is soon to be covered by Buffering the Vampire Slayer and I bet they’ll also have some *issues*. Here’s an articl...2018-08-1722 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.27 Slow Down!This week I’m talking about slowing down within capitalism’s poisonous culture of speed, and how we can make our own slowness sustainable for ourselves and our communities. It’s complicated! It’s probably worth figuring out! Here are some links! First, I cite a bunch of articles about the slow movement in its various permutations, so let’s tackle those. This interview with the authors of The Slow Professor sets out the basic premises of the book, while this follow-up letter is a good example of the critique. Here’s Rob Nixon’s article about slow violence, and h...2018-08-0320 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.26 Getting Deeply Into Sourdough with Emily HovenIt’s hot as heck in Vancouver (and, apparently, most of the world) right now, but in this episode I’m harkening back to cooler days (i.e. May) when the ever-delightful Emily Hoven visited me to talk (and make) sourdough. We chat about the ethics of care, sourdough science, the new domesticity, and why everyone just wants to move to a commune in the woods. I also took some short videos of Emily explaining (and modelling) aspects of sourdough-making, which you can check out below. The quality is… not great. But you know what are super high quality? These...2018-07-2750 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.25 Soft Bois aka Tender MasculinityHey! Let’s talk about gentle men (not gentlemen) and how they’re subverting patriarchal expectations of masculinity and creating a wider range of possibilities for masculine-type-folks! Here are some links! First, in praise of tender masculinity Second, a video about how great Karamo Brown is Third, that final scene in Moonlight where Kevin strokes Chiron’s head Fourth, the episode of Judge John Hodgman I mention Fifth, Vivek Shraya’s new book I’m Afraid of Men Sixth, and last, an interview with Terry Crews who should absolutely have been in this episode about the cult of toxic masculinity ...2018-07-0620 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.22 Cameras & Kalashnikovs with Alba SotorraContent warning for some discussions of violence. This week I sit down with filmmaker Alba Sotorra to talk about her newest documentary, Commander Arian (shout out to Hot Docs for setting up the interview!). We tackle being a woman documentarian and what it means to be a feminist filmmaker, as well as the work of the YPJ (the Women’s Protection Unit). Here are some links if you’d like to find out more: Read more about the YPJ here and here. Alba also wants all of you to learn more about Jineology, so here’s an introdu...2018-06-1524 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.21 KITTIES!When I sat down to record this episode, I was thinking about travel and family visits and how they take a toll on my mental health. I didn’t know that by the time I finished editing it, Doug Ford would have won a conservative majority in Ontario that threatens the livelihood, health, and safety of many people I love. And in that light, the need for forms of security and tenderness in our own lives feels only more urgent; we’ve got work to do, my friends, but we can’t do that work if we don’t care for...2018-06-0820 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.19 Growing UpContent warning for discussions of death and family loss. HI IT’S MY BIRTHDAY! Listen, I know a lot of adults don’t like to make, like, a THING out of their birthdays, but I am not one of those adults. Let’s just blame it on my Leo Rising, which likes attention. Don’t worry though, this episode isn’t just about me and why everyone should pay attention to me, it’s mostly about this complex business of growing up / getting old(er), and how it intersects with all kinds of other messy things like the normativ...2018-05-2530 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.18 Landwhales and Fat Liberation with Jes BakerContent warning for discussions of diet culture, mental health, and suicide. This episode is a real Momentous Occassion for me because I have been a fan of Jes Baker‘s work for YEARS. She was probably the first body positive activist who crossed my radar, and her “Attractive & Fat” campaign felt revolutionary to me. So it was a goddamn joy to talk to her about the release of her new book, Landwhale, the ongoing journey of activism, what it means to be an ally, and more. ALSO FEATURED is an invitation to the first ever #SecretFeministAgenda meet-up, in Regi...2018-05-1847 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.17 Brooklyn Nine-NineLook at that I dyed my hair This episode is late because I am so so tired and couldn’t think of anything to talk about and then Fox cancelled Brooklyn Nine-Nine and my task was clear. Here’s a short article about why people love the show and whether it might be picked up elsewhere. This is the Twitter thread I mentioned about Jake Peralta and toxic masculinity! Probably the most important tweet yesterday? RENEW BROOKLYN NINE NINE I ONLY WATCH LIKE 4 THINGS THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS#RenewB99 2018-05-1122 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.12 Getting Fucked Up on Learning (& Roller Derby) with Gillian RobertsBy popular request, and despite my personal disinclination towards sports, I’m finally talking about roller derby! With none other than brilliant and badass literature-scholar-slash-derby-player Gillian Roberts. After she very patiently explains to me what exactly roller derby is and how it differs from Whip It, we chat about women in sports, the link between hobbies and mental health, and why it’s good to keep learning new things, even (especially?) when you aren’t very good at them. Here’s some stuff to read: First off, here’s Gillian writing about roller derby as part of a whole...2018-04-0647 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.11 Emotional BurritosIt’s a short one this week folks, but don’t worry, the feelings/minute ratio is exceptionally high. This episode isn’t about playing–not even in the killjoy sense of being about losing. Actually, it’s kind of about being sad, but it’s also about friendship and forms of care and what to do when someone you love is sad. Recording it made me feel better, and if you’re sad, I hope it makes you feel better, too. Here are some links: The webcomic I referenced is called “HOW TO: CARE FOR LITTLE SAD PERSON” by John S...2018-03-3012 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.9 Knowing Your LimitsGosh, first failure and now limits, I’m just a barrel of fucking laughs, aren’t I? Anyway, this week I’m talking/thinking (talk-thinking) (thalking?) about both feeling out my personal limits — in terms of energy, emotional labour, etc. — and feeling out my limits in relation to others, especially where my whiteness leads me to believe that I can know and contain all the world’s truths. I obviously didn’t arrive at any of this thinking alone, so let me cite my sources: First off, shout out Vancouver’s Growing Room festival for working to build important space...2018-03-1620 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.8 Being Bad at Poker with Emily RiddleTo clarify, I’m not claiming that the very brilliant Emily Riddle is bad at poker, but in this conversation we talk about dealing and playing cards, women’s relationship to recreational fun, and the liberating possibilities of being enduringly bad at something. We also talk about whether casinos, reparations, care work, tech bros, and cake. It’s a good time. Links: Last week I linked you to Emily’s piece about Colten Boushie. This week you should read her article “Forms of Freedom,” on Alutiiq artist-choreographer Tanya Lukin Linklater’s engagement with the work of Osage prima ballerina Maria T...2018-03-0942 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.7 Playing, Losing, FailingThis minisode is the beginning of a short thematic arc on play, and like the good feminist killjoy I am, I decided to start it off by talking about failure. Specifically, I want to talk about a brilliant book — The Queer Art of Failure, by Jack Halberstam — that turned my understanding of failure inside out. (One of these days I’m going to do an episode on why I love critical theory. And an episode on Dungeons and Dragons. And an episode on taking tap dancing lessons as an adult. And an episode on feminism’s relationships to potato chips.) An...2018-03-0216 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.5 FUN!This is my “fun” face. It’s a little rusty. Three guesses what the theme for this week’s minisode is. Seriously, though, we need to talk about fun, and why it can feel so goddamn hard some time, and how it isn’t quite the same thing as self care, and whether there are sustainable ways to build more of it into our lives. Fun! It’s not just for kids anymore! Fun! It’s surprisingly hard to articulate on a podcast! First, priorities: go look at some of my pictures from Orlando ...2018-02-1615 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.4 Bringing Yourself to Work with Baharak YousefiContent warning for references to sexual violence. We’re back with another interview episode, and this week I’m chatting with the smart and cool and smartly cool Baharak Yousefi. We tackle what it means to bring your (whole) self to work, why emotional labour can transform a workplace (and why it might be threatening to white supremacist heteropatriarchal capitalism), and why some of us are drawn raccoon-like towards dumpster fires. And oh my gosh we reference so many things in this episode so this is basically just a works cited list: First and most importantly, here’...2018-02-0942 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 2.3 On Being SeenIf you don’t follow me on Instagram, you’re missing A LOT of side-eye GOSH this was a hard episode to record. For serious, I put it off until 9:30 at night and then had to edit these huge long silences out of the recording. This one made me feel really vulnerable, folks, but I wanted to talk to you about some incredible pieces of writing that have made me feel seen. And guess what, you can read this amazing work too, right here: “On Spinsters” by Briallen Hopper “On Being Queer and Happily Single — Ex...2018-02-0220 min

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Tis the Season for Feeling FeelingsHappy Solstice! We’re right in the thick of the holiday season (with the whoop-de-do and hickory dock) and all of the rich complexities of emotional experience that accompany this time of year. So in honour of all of that, Kaarina and I are bringing you a festive minisode about taking care of yourself at the holidays. And to get yourself into the festive mood, why don’t you check out this very special playlist I made for just this occasion? Warning: it has made me cry every time I’ve listened to it. https://secretf...2017-12-2121 min

Secret Feminist AgendaBonus Episode: Podcasting, Public Scholarship, and AccountabilityDID YOU MISS ME duh of course you did. I’m back temporarily to share with you a talk that I gave in October for SFU’s Open Access Week. This talk delves a little deeper into what I’ve learned about public scholarship from podcasting, and why I think community accountability ought to matter more than institutional gatekeeping. If you want to follow along, here are a few useful links: A lot of my thinking on this topic is inspired by Moya Bailey‘s work, particularly her paper #transform(ing)DH Writing and Research: An Autoethnography of Digital...2017-11-2434 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.15 Rethinking Podcasts with THIS GUY (Points at Self)Welcome to the end of the beginning! By which I mean, it’s time for a wee little break in this here podcast while we sort a few things out, most especially how we’re going to go about peer reviewing it (surprise! this podcast is going to be peer reviewed! maybe! somehow!). If you’d like to be part of the amazing process of helping me to develop new forms of public, feminist, community accountable peer review, here’s your chance. Just comment on this post. Here are some questions you might consider: What do you think of the fo...2017-10-2712 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.14 Doctor Who & Planning Podcasts in Pools with Eugenia and ToyaContent warning for sexual violence. Hahaha remember when I wasn’t sick for a second there? I do. Those were the days/lungs. Anyway, I’m here, and I’m a little late but I’m super pumped to bring you my conversation with Eugenia and Toya, the brilliant women behind the podcast Woke Doctor Who. We talk about finding space for critique within your fandoms and why more women of colour need to start podcasts. Before we get to that, I spend a little time thinking out loud about #metoo and what it tells us about the unspoke...2017-10-2238 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.13 Laughing Disparagingly at the Google Memo Dude with Aadita ChaudhuryI’m back, babes, and better than ever, or rather, not actively sick any more. And after spending some time talking about sickness and rest (with some reading recommendations below), I’m thrilled to be bringing you my conversation with PhD student and feminist shit-talker Aadita Chaudhury. After Aadita tells me exactly what STS is (you have to listen to find out), we smack talk Radiolab and sing the praises of Hidden Figures. You’re gonna love it. You know what else you’re gonna love? These links: First off, go follow Aadita on Twitter. You won’t regret it. I...2017-10-1336 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.12 Embracing “Good Enough” with Cynara Geissler PART TWO!Content warning for depression and suicide. HEY GUESS WHAT there was still so much good stuff leftover from last week’s conversation with the very brilliant Cynara Geissler that I just went ahead and made it a two-parter. In this episode we ask what it would mean to embrace “good enough” and to learn to be much more tender with ourselves. I also spend a whole bunch of time talking about de-stigmatizing mental health issues in professional and academic settings and, I’m not gonna lie, it gets pretty real. You know what else is real? These really g...2017-09-2929 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.11 Lazy Women & Eating the Rich with Cynara GeisslerFor this episode, I made an extremely fancy vegan charcuterie board and invited the always-immaculate Cynara Geissler over to talk about that thing where we’ll all slowly working ourselves to death in a desperate bid to prove our worth. You know, just a light summer afternoon chat. In addition to being a brilliant thinker on the intersections between class, gender, and disability, Cynara is also the marketing manager at Arsenal Pulp Press and the writer of many wonderful things. Here are links to some of them! Cynara’s iconic piece on Toddler Grandma Style is a must-read, but i...2017-09-2236 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.10 Baby Noises & Decoding Toxic Masculinity with Brenna Clarke GrayThere’s a lot of really great stuff in this episode: a wide range of exciting sounds from Baby Groot, discussions of feminist and academic mothering, and of course some generalized rage directed toward toxic masculinity. Not to mention our illustrious guest, Brenna Clarke Gray, academic and author and public intellectual. All that, framed by my thoughts on navigating diet culture, and the first ever instalment of Kaarina’s Cozy Self-Care Corner! And of course, some readings: Brenna’s writing is all over the danged Internet, including BookRiot and Graphixia and her own TinyLetter Her piece on UBCAccountable is part...2017-09-1536 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.9 Emoji Faces & Feminist Friendship with Erin WunkerApologies if I sound a little drunk on the sheer joy of friendship in this episode. I was. Come hang out with me and Erin Wunker — academic, activist, award-winning author, and all-around treasure of a human being — as we talk about the politics of accessibility in feminist writing and also make emoji faces at each other for five minutes. If you want to learn more about her, or other topics this episode covers, here you go: Read about Erin’s book Notes from a Feminist Killjoy: Essays on Everyday Life, and then order yourself a copy You should probabl...2017-09-0833 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.8 Rising Signs & Anticapitalist Poetry with Adèle BarclayWe’re back, and only a little late, to talk about astrology, witchcraft, poetry, and queer love with the brilliant Adèle Barclay. You’ll probably want to: Read some of Adèle’s work (and buy her book!) Figure out your own rising sign Find out the details of this Joss Whedon nonsense Read up on UBC Accountable And on the off-chance that you don’t already, go listen to Buffering the Vampire Slayer https://secretfeministagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/sfa-1-8.mp3 Download Episode / Read Transcription The podcast theme song is “Mesh Shirt” by Mom...2017-09-0136 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.7 Basic Witches with Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman This week I’m joined by authors/witches extraordinaire Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman to talk about their forthcoming book Basic Witches (preorder it here!). If you’re in the New York area, you can head to the launch at The Astoria Bookshop on August 29th! If you think Jaya and Jess sound dope as heck (which they are, why not check out some of the other stuff they’ve written? Jess references this piece about cultivating ugliness, which is part of her “Role Monsters” series (go read all of them, they’re all great) Want some more Jes...2017-08-2533 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.6 Taking Up Space & Feeling Safe with Leslie AllinContent warning for racial violence and sexual assault. This week I’m joined by my dear friend Leslie Allin. We did our PhDs together, but we actually didn’t get together to discuss white masculinity in Victorian adventure fiction. Leslie is also a Wen-Do instructor, and she joined me to talk about women learning to claim our space. Before we get into that, here are some relevant readings (as promised) on whiteness and white supremacy: Get started with some essential reading on fighting white supremacy by the ever-brilliant Ijeoma Oluo, then go pre-order her new book Learn...2017-08-1836 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.5 Can(n)ons & Revolutions with Andrea HasenbankThis episode is a first: that is, the first podcast episode I’ve recorded with brilliant scholar and politicker Andrea Hasenbank in which we were both stone cold sober (if you want to know what I’m talking about, give this and this a listen). It’s charming nonetheless, and so coherent, as we get into questions of which knowledges are valued and which aren’t, how to build a sustainable democratic society, and what feminists have to contribute to academia, activism, and politics. If you want to follow up on some of the topics in this episode, here are some s...2017-08-1140 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.4 Hufflepuff Self Care with Kaarina MikalsonI wanted you to hear this episode so badly that I went and got new cords for my recording set-up AND THEN I upgraded to the “Pro” level of Hindenburg so I could get noise reduction. Just saying. Come hang out with me and Kaarina while we drink wine on opposite sides of this big dumb continent and talk about self care, Hufflepuff style. LINKS! If you don’t have a personal Kaarina, or even if you do, here are some questions to ask yourself before giving up And here’s one of my favourite poems of all t...2017-08-0429 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.3 Little Tiny Things and Big Huge Questions with Rebecca Caines and Michelle StewartThis episode is brought to you courtesy of backyard wine and BBQ tacos! Sit in on my conversation with Rebecca Caines and Michelle Stewart, brilliant academics and artists and activists and collaborators from the University of Regina. Our conversation ranges from leg hair to police brutality with a few stops in between. As per usual, here are a few links relevant to the episode: Go learn about the work Rebecca and Michelle are doing Check out the resources I mention on what to do instead of calling the police (shout-out to Sylvie for sharing them!) Read some more a...2017-07-2837 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.2 Social Media & Moana with Lucia LorenziWe’re back, and this time we’re chatting with academic, activist, and artist Lucia Lorenzi about her love for Moana and Maleficent, Twitter as a platform for feminist activism, and why sometimes it’s okay to not be okay. Here’s some conversation-adjacent reading: A few thoughts on Why We Need a Female Doctor in Doctor Who Some articles from teen-led feminist magazine Affinity about Why Moana Is Important and What It Missed A fantastic article/podcast about Self Care As Political Warfare — especially for Black women https://secretfeministagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/sfa-1-2.mp3 Download Episo...2017-07-2138 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.1 Eyeliner & Astrology with Xine YaoIt’s here! The first official episode! Join me as I talk cut-creases, deadlifting, and ill-advised teenage atheism with academic and podcaster Xine Yao. If you want more to read/listen to on these topics, here are some suggestions: Check out Virgie Tovar’s Take the Cake column on Ravishly Learn more about What We Mean When We Say Femme over on Autostraddle Read Why Do Queers Love Astrology by Chani Nicholas Listen to Xine’s podcast PhDivas! https://secretfeministagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/sfa-1-1.mp3 Download Episode / Read Transcription The podcast theme song is...2017-07-1427 min

Secret Feminist AgendaEpisode 1.0 Let’s Start SomethingWelcome to Secret Feminist Agenda! Every week* I’ll be interviewing a feminist about how they undermine the cisnormative heteronormative ableist imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy in their own lives. Mostly I just want to talk to amazing humans about how they enact resistance in both large and small ways. Get ready for laughter and tears and extensive profanity. So tell me: what’s your secret feminist agenda? *(ish) https://secretfeministagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/sfa-1-0.mp3 Download Episode / Read Transcription Theme song is “Mesh Shirt” by Mom Jeans off thei...2017-06-2900 min