Willow Sipling (she/they) is a public policy sociologist who generates research and writing on social phenomena in the realm of labor, ethics, sociology of religion, and more.
Willow has experience in higher education, HR, communications, and technology. Willow earned two Master’s degrees in humanities and is a sociology PhD student at Western Michigan University.
In this episode, Willow and I dive into SOGICE, which stands for sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts. So, using frame analysis, we look at how while conversation therapy is one of the most extreme forms of SOGICE, SOGICE can also at times be less overt. An attempt of any kind to make somebody stop being gay; stop being queer; stop being themselves, is SOGICE. And these subtle forms of SOGICE can result in significant harm, too.
Willow and I do touch on some of the more violent forms of SOGICE, so if this could be triggering to you, you may wish to skip those parts.
Willow is funny, engaging, and highly informed. I hope you enjoy the learning and unlearning process.
You can find Willow online:
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My music is written and recoded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington, NZ.
My graphics, website, and illustrations are designed and maintained by MaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo Ontario.
Alicia Ciocca (she/her/ella), is white and Latina, with Puerto Rican and Italian heritage. Alicia has been an educator in the NYC Department of Education for over 10 years, teaching students with disabilities.
Recently, she left to start her own inclusive education coaching practice to bring Disabilities Studies in Education into the classroom. Alicia focuses on embedding disability identity, history, and culture into curricula, and fostering environments where children experience joy, pride in their identities, and success in learning through educator development and systems level change.
In this episode, Alicia shares about the history of disability rights and disability justice, which requires a shift from thinking about disability as a problem with an individual, to a more informed understanding that society has not historically been built with disabled, or neurodivergent folks in mind. The issue is a problem with our spaces, mindsets, and with society more broadly. Not a problem with disabled people. Throughout the episode, we talk about access, inclusivity, and equity, through an intersectional lens.
Alicia aptly points out that if we don’t have supportive, inclusive ways to talk about disability, then a culture of shame is created.
Language conveys power, but how we use language also creates possibility. How we use language in our day-to-day lives creates the conditions, cultures, and world we want to live in.
If we care about the people in our lives, our families, our communities, who share different identities, and want to be together, then that means uplifting the perspectives of Disabled and Neurodivergent folks and thinking about how to make our spaces inclusive.
Resources that Alicia recommends:
, edited by Alice Wong, as well as her
The 10 Principles of Disability Justice (as outlined by
), and their Disability Justice primer,
Emily Ladau’s book,
You can find Alicia at her website: https://www.aliciaciocca.com
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics, illustrations, and website are designed and maintained by MaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario.
Take a look back at season 1 in this short and sweet holiday episode.
Dr. Sawyer Phinney (he/him) is a Senior Labour Economist for the Government of Alberta. Sawyer has a Master's of Political Economy from Carlton University, and a PHD in Human Geography from the University of Manchester.
Sawyer is also deeply involved in advocacy work around trans rights and access to gender affirming care. From his early years grappling with societal expectations of gender to his powerful journey of unlearning the binary, Sawyer shares how transitioning has deepened his understanding of himself and the world around him, which included reflections on how to build emotionally aware and supportive communities that promote healthier masculinity.
On the career front, we dive into his work in economic geography, including fieldwork in the United States, working to understand how race shaped Detroit’s austerity politics after the 2008 mortgage crisis, revealing that Black residents were unfairly blamed for the city’s bankruptcy, and austerity measures, like water shut-offs, disproportionately harmed poor, racialized communities. His stories illuminate the link between economic analysis, and grassroots storytelling.
Sawyer’s journey is one of courage, compassion, curiosity, and reflection.
I couldn’t have imagined a better conversation for my season 1 finale, as together we celebrate unlearning as a lifelong commitment.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics, website, and illustrations are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Lauren Hayes (she/her) is a relationship coach in Salt Lake City, Utah, specializing in supporting ethically non-monogomous couples, including swingers, and the ENM-curious. Lauren shares about her own experience, opening her marriage six years ago, and how this inspired her to begin helping others wanting to do the same.
Lauren and I discussed the things we need to have healthy, successful relationships - trust, commitment, and open communication, and reflected on how those are actually quite similar across both monogamous and non-monogamous relationships. Lauren helps us to understand where some of the stigma towards ethical non-monogamy may come from and as always, we discover that the way to avoid letting bias and judgement guide us, is to stay curious.
Lauren’s book, For Better or Worse: 7 Essential Life & Love Lessons from a Non-Monogamist is available for purchase! Find out more about her coaching, resources, and upcoming book at the website below.
https://www.swinginglifestylecoach.com
You can follow Lauren on instagram @swinginglifestylecoach
You can listen to Lauren’s podcast here
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics, website, and illustrations are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Dr. Amethysta Herrick (she/her) is an exquisitely smart and funny transgender woman from Colorado. Ami has been a geneticist, chemist, and software engineer but now dedicates her time to challenging the notion that identity and gender are exclusive to the LGBTQ+ community.
Through the lens of her transgender experience, she uses analogies and storytelling to break down complex ideas about sex, identity, gender theory, and feminism, promoting the essential equality of all humans. Amethysta’s mission is: to make expressing authentic identity safe and accessible for everyone, creating a world where these deeply human experiences are understood and embraced by all.
Ami also generally shares with us about how differently she is received post-transition, as she is now typically read as a cis woman, versus living 52 years as a man. We discuss how vital her perspective is in discussing the unconscious bias that people are often guided by in their daily interactions.
Ami also shares about her powerful experience of receiving gender affirming surgery in Thailand this year, and how incredibly safe, supported, and cared for she felt throughout her experience. This was particularly transformative in the context of how poorly people are cared for in the United States.
Please be advised that Ami and I do discuss serious mental health challenges, including the topic of suicide, though please know, this story has a very joyous ending.
I can’t wait for you to meet Amethysta in this episode. It’s a special one. Enjoy!
https://genderidentityweekly.transistor.fm
My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics, website, and illustrations are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo Ontario.
In this episode, I switch up the format a little, as my wonderful friend, Abdullah Mushtaq (he/him) co-hosts this episode with me. Together, we interview Leah (she/her), an activist with strong roots organizing within communities and labour unions, both in Canada and the United States. We spoke about her earliest memories of social (in)justice, the modern realities of unions, trying to balance negotiating contracts vs campaigning for broader equity, and the process of unlearning the idea that it’s lazy to rest your mind and body.
As you'll hear, Leah is an all around awesome human being and I'm so so grateful she joined us for this important conversation! Enjoy!
I loved having Abdullah as my co-host for this episode. He brights a rich perspective and lived experience that’s different to mine, and I truly think he makes the podcast even better. If you think Abdullah should co-host future episodes with me, let me know. I'm already sold.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics and website are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Lisa Amerongen (she/her) is the Managing Director at We Animals, an organization that shines a light on the often-hidden lives of animals we exploit for food, fashion, and entertainment. Through powerful photojournalism, they make us see how our actions impact animals, challenging attitudes and supporting global advocacy to end animal abuse for good.
Lisa also runs “the good swap”, one of Toronto’s largest, monthly clothing swaps. It’s a non-profit operation, something that Lisa and I bond over, and it cultivates a community of people who want to centre mindful, intentional fashion.
In this episode, Lisa and I discuss falling in love with the process of thriving, “the hunt” for a specific item, and the joy of passing things onto a new home. From a consumption perspective, we talk about centring mindfulness as opposed to bring on autopilot, and the importance of challenging ourselves to “fill our cups” without making purchases at all - little moments of joy that don’t cost anything.
This was such an easy conversation with Lisa, and I’m excited for you to meet her in this episode. Enjoy!
Lisa recommends reading, The Day the World Stopped Shopping, by JB MacKinnon.
You can find “the good swap” here: https://www.goodswap.ca
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics and website are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
In this episode, my good friend, Abdullah, interviews me (!!) your host, Lindsay Bindman (she/her).
Abdullah asks me about the process of starting this podcast, my vision, how I find my guests, and whether I’ve changed as a host over the course of my first season.
I also read a letter I wrote to myself, seven years ago, with strict instructions to be opened on my 30th birthday. In the spirit of unlearning, Abdullah asks me about what I’m leaving behind in my 20s, as I steps into this new decade of life. How much more reflective could we get?!
We recorded this episode in my apartment, in Little Italy, Toronto, in October 2024. Please enjoy our wonderful, funny, introspective, conversation.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics and website are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Ali Ibrahim-Hirji (he/him) is a first generation Canadian, with Tanzanian-Indian heritage. Ali is an author, performer, and creator. His content blends adventure, poetry, and social activism. His ultimate goal is to create a kinder and more loving world.
Ali uses his platform “Slow Falling” to inspire curiosity and empathy as he addresses heartbreak, masculinity, racism, and social reconstruction. Ali was selected to open for Rupi Kaur in Calgary during her 2022 tour, and has headlined many other shows since then.
For this episode, Ali joined me in my living room, in Little Italy, Toronto. We dove into his creative process, the concept of art, specifically poetry as a tool for resistance, and the ways in which he is inspiring a generation of boys and men to reflect, navigate their emotions, and build healthier communities for themselves. Ali shows us that you can still have fun, while doing the work. We get deep, we laugh, and Ali even performs some of his poetry in honour of our Getting Reflective community.
You can find Ali on Instagram and TikTok @slow__falling
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics and website are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Olivia Hall (she/her) is a poet, activist, and academic from Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). Olivia lived overseas for five years, with her partner, in New York and London. She has a Master’s degree in Gender Studies - her passion area - and runs a sexual health charity.
Carrie Rudzinski (she/her) is also a poet and activist, as well as a teacher, originally from Illinois, but has lived in Tamaki (Auckland) for the better part of the past decade. Carrie works at the University of Auckland, running the NBA program.
Together, they created How We Survive: a poetry collective, and have toured their shows across Aotearoa New Zealand, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2022, Carrie and Olivia created Hysterical, an 80-minute poetry theatre show exploring the myth that women are too emotional by confronting body politics, systemic sexism, and weeping uncontrollable in the supermarket. I had the privilege of seeing Hysterical in Wellington, as part of their New Zealand tour, and I left feeling raw, alive, seen, and connected.
In this episode, we discussed their powerful connection, their creative writing process, and the way intersectionality is baked into everything they do.
https://www.carrierudzinski.com/how-we-survive
You can follow Olivia and Carrie’s work here: @hwsproductions
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics and website are done by MaggsyMayCo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Dr. Josh Caraballo (he/him) is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist in Denver, Colorado. His career trajectory has centred on the themes of inspirational storytelling and applied science for the purpose of human betterment, especially for those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed.
In this episode, Josh and I discussed his relationship with religion, as a gay man, who navigated the experience of “coming out” within the Jehovah's Witness community. We discussed how unlearning has guided him throughout most of his life, and simple ways that anyone can incorporate self-reflection into their day-to-day lives. One of the core themes throughout our conversations is the importance of staying open and curious about other people, perspectives, and communities.
I don’t know if there are just some people we’re meant to meet, but I do know that something special happened when Josh joined our zoom call. I can’t wait for you to listen.
Josh speaks about the transtheoretical model for change
You can find Josh here: www.drjosh.solutions
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Avni Panchal (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and empowerment coach who specializes in assisting South Asians, and other individuals, who find themselves navigating multiple cultures. Avni immigrated from India to California as a teenager, so she has first hand experience with navigating a bi-cultural identity.
Avni is determined to make discussions of mental health just as normal and accepted as discussions of physical health. In this episode, we discussed why humans are resistant to change, the importance of culturally-responsive counselling, coping mechanisms, and how we can all look about at our childhood experiences in order to better understand the patterns present in ourselves today.
I really appreciated Avni’s vulnerability and openness throughout this episode. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and anyone who listens to this conversation will benefit.
You can find more about Avni and her practice here.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Neil Laird (he/him) is a multiple Emmy-nominated director of historical films for Discovery, BBC, PBS, the History Channel, National Geographic, and many other networks. He has produced over 100 programs around the globe that feature crumbling Egyptian tombs, lost Mayan cities, and mysterious shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea.
But to his continued disappointment, he has yet to stumble upon a time machine to see these things when they were shiny and new. His book, Prime Time Travellers, aims to remedy that.
Neil and I discussed his experiences travelling the world as a gay man, and how he has been received in different places. We discussed representation in media, the inspiration behind his book, and gay marriage becoming legal in the States. I even had the privilege of hearing the wonderful story of how he and his husband met.
You can find Neil here: //www.neillaird.com
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars in Wellington, New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
In this episode, I interview queer, community organizers, Cris and Capri. Cris Nippard (they/them) is a 19 year old Black, queer, non-binary radical and community activist, born and based in Toronto. Cris has been active and passionate about social justice, community work, and the arts since they were 14. Capri Contreras De-Blasis (they/them) is 24 and born in Canada. Capri’s background is Chilean/Argentinian and Capri identifies as a white Latino. Capri is passionate about community gathering and fostering a sense of belongingness.
In this episode, we discuss their recent event at Hanlan’s Point Beach, on Toronto Island, a space that has been historically queer, but not without a fight. It was powerful to discuss identity, intersectionality, privilege, safe spaces, community, and something both Cris and Capri are working on unlearning at the moment.
You can follow @friendsofhandlans on instagram to stay in the loop!
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Heidi Clements (she/her) is a 63-year-old writer and content creator living in Montecito, California. Heidi’s content is all about empowering women to live their authentic lives. She embraces aging, sobriety, and sustainable fashion. Heidi’s intentionality is contagious, as she showcases her joy as an older, childfree, single woman.
In this episode we discuss how she went viral overnight, how to live a sober, happy, single life, the importance of sitting in discomfort in order to grow, and how to let go of the idea that you need everything figured out by 30.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Kahurangi Carter (she/her) is currently serving as a Green Member of Parliament (MP) in New Zealand. Kahu was raised in a small farming community in the Waikato, and grew up with a deep connection to land, which has informed everything she’s done since then.
Kahu has worked as the National Manager for Para Kore, advocating for a world without waste from a Māori worldview, and she’s led strategic partnerships at the Ministry for the Environment, aimed at embedded sustainable business practices.
Kahu champions marginalized communities and knows we need to change systems so the health of our people and planet are at the forefront.
In this episode, we discuss community over capitalism, and how we can all play to our strengths in a quest to create a better world.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Miguel Landestoy (he/him) is a jazz pianist, educator, and arts administrator in Boston, Massachusetts. Miguel was the first in his family to be born in the U.S., and so he produces art that reflects his unique lived experience, in hopes that it might inspire others to do the same.
You can find Miguel here: www.miguellandestoy.com
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Kristal DeSantis (she/her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Austin, Texas. She also wrote the book, Strong - A Relationship Field Guide for the Modern Man, based on her experience working with men both individually and in their romantic relationships. In this episode, Kristal and I explore the rigid gender binary, and how we can more holistically expand the definition of what it means to be a man in 2024.
You can follow Kristal @atxtherapist and you can find her book on Audible!
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Julie Rose (she/her) has been a radio journalist in the States for 20 years. She also hosts a radio show and podcast called "Top of Mind", where she explores how to make difficult conversations productive. In this episode of Getting Reflective, Julie and I explore the power of curiosity, when navigating disagreements. The goal of our conversation was to identify ways to bridge the gap, in an increasingly polarized society.
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My music is written and recorded by the Kingston High All Stars, in Wellington New Zealand.
My graphics are done by MyMaggsyMayCo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
