BDSM can be so much more than what you do in the bedroom. Kink can be playful, supportive, intimate, liberating, and community-based. Our Host AnnaLise talks to Mx Eve and Dreamy about the expansiveness of kink and its connection to queerness and queer spaces.

Contrary to popular belief, the A in LGBTQIA+ does not stand for ally. In our hyper-sexualized world that puts romance on a pedestal, asexuality and aromanticism are frequently forgotten and misunderstood. Join us as we chat with Heidi about queerplatonic relationships, couple’s privilege, and the challenges and joys of being aro/ace.

Have you ever wondered about polyamory? In this episode I chat with Jacob about polyamory and the abundance of love that is possible when we step off the relationship escalator and build intentional relationships with respect, openness, and lots of communication.

July is Pride in London! Pieces of Pride is a special mini season of our Peace by Piece podcast where we’ll be talking about who is included in Pride, who gets left out, and why. Whose identities are made palatable by mainstream narratives, and whose are excluded, disparaged, or just plain ignored? This first episode is a conversation between host AnnaLise and her wife, Holly. They discuss how we’ve had marriage equality for almost two decades now, have by many measures achieved gay inclusion, and how when people think of gay folks now, they think of AnnaLise and Holly’s life: two white women, married with a kid and a house and dog and porch to sip wine on. They discuss how this is homonormativity, and how even though they encounter issues and exclusion, even though the world is still not built for them, they are the goal of so much of Pride organizing. But there are so many other ways of queer living and queer loving that are not palatable to mainstream, that are not understood or recognized. Ways of queer being for which there is no straight counterpart, no direct translation. These will be the focus of the following 3 episodes this month. Stay tuned!

Abortion has been legal in Canada for more than 30 years but it is still a strangely taboo topic in our culture.  Robyn Schwarz, a local activist for reproductive justice in SW Ontario, offers us a practical understanding of Canadian abortion laws, and the realities of navigating reproductive healthcare in our current culture. An open conversation that supports informed decision making for us as individuals and as advocates for accessible healthcare. Content warning: this episode discusses not only abortion but pregnancy loss.

When we witness gender-based violence it can be tricky to know how to respond, even when we really want to help.  Using the 5 D’s of Bystander Intervention, this episode offers practical tools to help identify when and how to respond in a way that is safe and supportive.  We all have a part to play in creating a culture of accountability that doesn’t tolerate acts of gender based violence.

Content warning: this episode contains references to sexual assault from the perspective of a perpetrator We cannot end sexual violence without working with those who cause harm, the perpetrators themselves. In this episode, our host Dr AnnaLise Trudell has a raw and at times emotional conversation with a man who has perpetrated sexual violence. Using Mia Mingus’s four-part model of accountability, they discuss the ongoing process of self reflection, what apology and repair looked like it in his particular case, and how he moves forward with changed behaviour. They also work through some messiness and nuance around “cancel culture”, and discuss his decision to come forward for this interview while remaining anonymous. This is a heavy episode. You will hear both the guest and our host process through some difficult concepts and emotions. Accountability, like healing, is a journey rather than a destination. We invite you to sit with us in the messiness of this process, but we also want to remind you to take care of yourself.

Content warning: this podcast contains references to sexual assault. May is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and this can’t be missed episode will help you gain a better understanding of the issue, the causes and the prevention tactics that work (and those that don’t). 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. If you need help, we’re here for you. Call our 24/7 Crisis and Support Line: 519-642-3000

Period, that time of the month, on the rag… whatever you call it, menstruation is when the lining of the uterus sheds and leaves the body through the vagina. While everyone who menstruates will experience it in their own way, each face many layers of inequity simply because they menstruate (hint – it’s way more than financial). Rachel Ettinger (she/her), is the founder and advocate of Here for Her, a social enterprise that focuses on menstruation education and awareness. We talk about why menstrual equity is essential, harmful myths and shame that persists around menstruation, and the impact these have on gender-based violence. This episode provides some tips and tricks on how you can help normalize menstruation.

Rape fantasies or ravishment fantasies involve acting out “non-consensual” sex (in a way that everyone has consented to). Are they normal? YES! Many people have them, of all genders. We talk about what ravishment fantasies are (consensual) and what they are not (harmful) and address some of the shame we may feel around having such desires. We leave you with some helpful tips and tricks to safely explore power play with consent communication. Disclaimer: At Anova, we support a world without gender-based violence and in no way condone sexual assault.