What’s that? Another bonus episode??? Kind of! On September 22 (I say October in the episode and I’m too lazy to go back and fix it, but it was September) I launched my new book, A Sentimental Education, at Iron Dog Books. The launch took the form of a conversation between me, Minelle Mahtani (Associate … Continue reading Bonus Episode: A Sentimental Education

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 … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Burning Out

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.22 Disability Art is the Last Avant-Garde with Sean Lee

I’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 … Continue reading Episode 1.13 Laughing Disparagingly at the Google Memo Dude with Aadita Chaudhury

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 … Continue reading Episode 1.12 Embracing “Good Enough” with Cynara Geissler PART TWO!

For 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 … Continue reading Episode 1.11 Lazy Women & Eating the Rich with Cynara Geissler

There’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 … Continue reading Episode 1.10 Baby Noises & Decoding Toxic Masculinity with Brenna Clarke Gray

Apologies 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 … Continue reading Episode 1.9 Emoji Faces & Feminist Friendship with Erin Wunker

We’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 … Continue reading Episode 1.8 Rising Signs & Anticapitalist Poetry with Adèle Barclay

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, … Continue reading Episode 1.7 Basic Witches with Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman

Content 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. … Continue reading Episode 1.6 Taking Up Space & Feeling Safe with Leslie Allin

This 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 … Continue reading Episode 1.5 Can(n)ons & Revolutions with Andrea Hasenbank

I 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 … Continue reading Episode 1.4 Hufflepuff Self Care with Kaarina Mikalson

Are you ready to learn all about the Amplify Podcast Network? Great. 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 … Continue reading Episode 4.21 Introducing the Amplify Podcast Network

This 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, … Continue reading Episode 1.3 Little Tiny Things and Big Huge Questions with Rebecca Caines and Michelle Stewart

We’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 … Continue reading Episode 1.2 Social Media & Moana with Lucia Lorenzi

It’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 … Continue reading Episode 1.1 Eyeliner & Astrology with Xine Yao

Welcome 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 … Continue reading Episode 1.0 Let’s Start Something

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.20 Producing Queer Media with Stacey Copeland

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.19 Listening

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 … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Secret Feminist Agenda and Peer Reviewing Podcasts at Mount Royal University

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.18 Running out of Fucks to Give with Carolyn Camman

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, … Continue reading Bonus 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, … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Season 3 Peer Review of Secret Feminist Agenda

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.17 It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

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 … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Fireside Chat with Alex Ketchum

In this, the final episode of Secret Feminist Agenda, I sat down with Eugenia Zuroski to talk about hope, planifestos, collectivity, mentorship, and where we know from. As far as final conversations go, this one felt absolutely perfect. Here are some links! Learn more about Gena’s work on her website, by following her on Twitter, … Continue reading Episode 4.30 Thinking Intergenerationally Toward a Future with Eugenia Zuroski

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.16 Choosing Love with Kai Cheng Thom

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 #WorldObesityDay Here’s why “Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong” And here’s … Continue reading Episode 4.15 #WorldObesityDay

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.14 #Mood with Hilary Atleo

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.13 Empathy Fatigue & Hopepunk

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.12 Cool Poet Mom with Dina Del Bucchia

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.11 Cozy Resolutions

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: … Continue reading Episode 4.10 Our Categories of Knowledge Suck with Tina Sikka

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.9 Abundance

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: … Continue reading Episode 4.7 Trans Rights Are Human Rights

It’s here! The final minisode of season four (and frankly, probably, all?) of Secret Feminist Agenda! Ending this podcast series, in its current form at least, is a way of saying no to one thing so that other things will be possible. So join me for one last exploration of the feminist power of refusal. … Continue reading Episode 4.29 Saying No! Again! Forever!

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.6 Rape is Real & Everywhere with Emma Cooper

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.5 International Day of the Girl

Content warning for discussions of sexual abuse, child abuse, child pornography, racism and ableism. 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 … Continue reading Episode 4.4 Off-Mic Conversations with Khairani Barokka

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.3 ENTHUSED!!!

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, … Continue reading Episode 4.2 Dreaming Big Wild Worlds with Dawn Serra

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 … Continue reading Episode 4.1 Growing Roots

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 … Continue reading Episode 3.30 Brilliant and Disgusting with Brenna Clarke Gray, Lucia Lorenzi, and Erin Wunker

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 … Continue reading Episode 3.29 Feminist Anecdotes

Content 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 … Continue reading Episode 3.28 Living a Feminist Life with Sara Ahmed

This 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 … Continue reading Episode 3.27 Killjoy Survival Kits

Brace yourself for the lively energy of an interviewer who has been pandemic-isolated for too long and an interviewee who really just wants to talk about reality television. I sat down with author and person-I-want-to-trick-into-being-my-IRL-friend andrea bennett to talk about their new book, Like a Boy but Not a Boy, out now with Arsenal Pulp … Continue reading Episode 4.28 Welcoming the Roasting of the TikTok Youth with andrea bennett

This 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 … Continue reading Episode 3.26 Masters of Text with Ames Hawkins

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 … Continue reading Episode 3.25 Keep Podcasting Weird