Category: Woodstein Media Podcast

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 21: Sista Patricia discusses the work of Drag Storytime Guardians

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Since May, a group of concerned citizens known as the Drag Storytime Guardians have supported Drag Story Time and Pride events throughout Southwestern Ontario. At the heart of the guardians is a 70-year-old biker, Sista Patricia, who has been putting what she has learned, marching for the rights of women and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, into action to protect families and drag queens from far-right fanatics who show up at libraries to protest Drag Story Time.

In this episode, Sista Patricia discusses how she came to be involved with the Guardians, the work they are doing and her thoughts on why the protesters are feeling bold enough to show their hate without regard for how they are perceived in this era.

In a related theme to the main focus of this episode, Woodstein Media also wishes respect and love to the Minneapolis, Minnesota music scene based around the 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly punk music venue Nudieland. Sadly, on August 11, the house venue was the scene of a mass shooting that injured six people and killed one beloved member of the scene, August Golden.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 20: Yeastie Girlz Part 2: Vaginacore hits dance clubs, stadiums, social media

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

The friendships that pulled the Yeastie Girlz together in the 1980s have stood the test of time. Although Cammie Toloui, Joyce Jimenez, Jane Guskin, and Kate (Rosenberger) Razo now live in four cities, making it tough to pull together gatherings in person, recent events brought them together online regularly.

The Yeastie Girlz have accomplished much in their life experiences over the past 35 years. In this episode, they talk about the group’s legacy – how the songs and ideas have aged, connecting to new fans via social media and old-fashioned postal mail, books, bookshops, bands, and the possibility of new raps.

Woodstein Media Podcast episode 19 Yeastie Girlz Part 1: The birth of vaginacore a cappella rap

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Many bands were formed from friendships at the Gilman Street Project in Berkeley, California. The Yeastie Girlz was one of them that stood out from the crowd. Performing what they called vaginacore a cappella rap.

Most bands in the Gilman scene were made up of young men, with a smattering of women. So, although one of the club’s stated missions was to combat sexism, there was still much of it. During some shows, there were pits of aggressive males shoving and circling in front of the stage, and many women found themselves in the back of the club, excluded from the fun of the mosh pit due to overly aggressive behaviour.

In this episode, all four Yeastie Girlz speak about the impetus for getting up on the Gilman stage to start rapping, the elation and the terror of performing, and standing up to the violent misogyny of bands like The Mentors.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 18: Sue Spahr discusses the Wishbone Animal Rights Lab and veganism  

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

“We come together with this common caring of respect for animals and our planet,” states Sue Spahr, one of the founders of the Wishbone Animal Rights Lab in Toronto, which opened its doors at the end of March.

This episode features a conversation with Spahr about the lab’s role as a hub for animal rights activists, a lending library of equipment and information and a studio for making animal-positive podcasts and videos.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 17: United Way’s Kristin Crane discusses living wage, universal basic income, food insecurity and more

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

This episode features a conversation with Kristin Crane, director of Social Research & Planning for United Way Perth Huron, about the living wage, which leapt over $3 from $17. 55 to $20.70 when the most recent calculation was announced in November 2022. The numbers used in this discussion are from the area in which this podcast is produced: Perth and Huron County.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 16: Bonez Poley promotes other people, and mentions something about a debut comedy album

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Episode 16 features a conversation with Toronto comedian Bonez Poley, who learned their performance chops in the Ontario punk and metal music scenes before crossing over into stand-up.

Poley’s debut comedy album is set for release on May 30, and in the discussion, there are hints at several other surprises to be announced soon.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 15: Bruce Duncan Skeaff assesses the SPCC role in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and promotes Stratford’s “big gay 2023”

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

In episode 15, Bruce Duncan Skeaff, the president and chair of the board at the Stratford Pride Community Centre, assesses how things have been going as it approaches the one-year mark since opening. He discusses what he had expected the role of the community centre would have been for the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community and how it has been utilized as a resource to help people.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 14: Garth Mullins talks overdose crisis, safe drug supply, defunding the police, starting drug activist groups, and more

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On episode 14, Garth Mullins, host of the award-winning Crackdown podcast, drew on his experience as a drug user and activist to discuss harm reduction and the overdose crisis, the challenge of distributing a safe unadulterated drug supply, defunding the police, the positives and negatives of British Columbia’s decriminalization pilot, starting a grassroots drug user activist group, and his new band Low Dead Space.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 13: Steve Ignorant discusses the relevance of CRASS songs, modern motivation with Slice of Life and ongoing creative plans

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On episode 13, one of the founding members and lead shouter of the renowned anarcho-punk band CRASS, Steve Ignorant, discusses the protest songs they wrote over 40 years ago, which he continues to perform.

“Sad thing is, those songs are still relevant; you’ve just got to change a few politicians’ names.”

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 12: Punjabi singer Hira Dhariwal speaks about passion for music and helping community

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On episode 12, Punjabi singer Hira Dhariwal speaks about making changes in his early 50s to follow his passion for music and how he gives back to his community through volunteer work with the Multicultural Association of Perth Huron. His music has been received quite well by audiences worldwide with millions of listens to his songs on Youtube.