Listen
I experience an odd disconnect with the usual podcasts that I enjoy these last few months, perhaps due to the media I had to consume for classes and maybe a bit due to depressive feelings, which I’m not entirely beyond. Something switched over the last month or so, however, and I found that the first few episodes I’d been skipping over in my queue were pretty awesome.
First up, Unladylike did a whole series on sexual topics, I think because Planned Parenthood sponsored them. They dove into how female pleasure has been monetized and the (lack of) science behind squirting, among other topics. I also really appreciated a more recent episode, Childfree After Infertility.
Speaking of science, you know I had to listen to The Science of Orgasms on the Sex and Psychology podcast. Dr. Lehmiller interviewed researcher Dr. Nicole Prause to discuss the psychology and biology of orgasms.
Sunny Megatron so often delivers with her American Sex podcast. Andrew Gurza of Disability After Dark and his sister Heather Morrison discussed disability and their new sex toy for disabled folks in an episode earlier this month. Sunny also invited Kitty Stryker onto the show to talk about the “morality war” against OnlyFans.
I think we all know that blue balls are bullshit, but it’s still worth listening to the Science Vs episode about them. Not only is it humorous as always, but Wendy and her guests ponder whether and how people with vaginas have similar experiences.
Finally, I randomly came across How Gender Equality Can Save the Planet from A Matter of Degrees. It’s definitely worth a listen.
Watch
If you’ve got a few minutes, check out Dr. Liz Powell’s take on erotic humiliation in her appearance on Watts the Safeword.
Abortion was definitely a hot topic in my classes this semester, and What It’s Like to Have A Second-Trimester Abortion was actually part of one of my lectures. It’s important to remember that some people have no choice but to abort wanted pregnancies, and seeing and hearing people discuss those difficult decisions is powerful.
Read
I was interested in reading Strange Bedfellows since the first I’d heard of it. I enjoyed a few podcasts where Dr. Ina Park promoted her book, so I was super enthused to learn she also narrated the audiobook. It was excellent; although, I wish I had the ebook to go along with it because I definitely wanted to make a few notations. Dr. Park has a voice that’s really easy on the ears, and her writing is approachable, too. In her book, she puts to bed (sorry not sorry) some myths about various STIs. However, she also provides warnings about the future of STIs, especially those that resist medication. It’s a cautionary tale that so few tell, but Dr. Park does it so well.
I’m going to depart from the topic of my blog for my second book recommendation. I haven’t been in the loop, so I didn’t notice that Mary Roach had a new book until I saw a physical copy in stores. Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law takes on animals and a few plants in Mary’s iconic humorous style. As always, I learned so much. But this time around, I also found myself appreciating the way she notices and describes the people whom she interviews.
I expect I’ll have a few more book recommendations in my next installation for two reasons. I’m on break for nearly a month and my holiday gifts included some bawdy books. You bet Kate Lister’s newest, Harlots, Whores & Hackabouts: A History of Sex for Sale, was one of them!
