Episode 6 Teaser: Decolonizing Queer Canada

A long-awaited topic for Out of Context has finally arrived: drag kings!

Richard Rockhard AKA Courtney Stanley is one of the hardest-working drag kings in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Caitlin first got to know him as a fellow performer in the legendary "Get Your Drag On"  (GYDO) show at Menz & Mollyz bar in 2016, and he carries on that legacy to this day!

In this episode, Caitlin gets the full history of Richard Rockhard the Halifax drag king, but also some insight into how an alter ego has helped Courtney grow and change off-stage.  Although drag itself has become more mainstream in recent years, drag kings still often have to create space for themselves and many still don't know what a drag king even is.  By the end of this episode, you'll be well acquainted with one of the finest out there!

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

A long-awaited topic for Out of Context has finally arrived: drag kings!

Richard Rockhard AKA Courtney Stanley is one of the hardest-working drag kings in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Caitlin first got to know him as a fellow performer in the legendary "Get Your Drag On"  (GYDO) show at Menz & Mollyz bar in 2016, and he carries on that legacy to this day!

In this episode, Caitlin gets the full history of Richard Rockhard the Halifax drag king, but also some insight into how an alter ego has helped Courtney grow and change off-stage.  Although drag itself has become more mainstream in recent years, drag kings still often have to create space for themselves and many still don't know what a drag king even is.  By the end of this episode, you'll be well acquainted with one of the finest out there!

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

Out of Context returns after a LONG hiatus with a brand new guest, Dene Guillas!

Caitlin and Dene met last November during a work engagement.  The Indigenous Mentor at Caitlin's day job invited Dene to a day of talks called "Supporting our 2SLGBTQ+ Youth" that featured speakers from various organisations, as well as individuals who shared their lived experiences.  After hearing Dene speak, they connected afterwards and both were excited to chat about gender identity for Out of Context!

In this episode, Caitlin talks to Dene about what it's like working at Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg (especially during a pandemic) and how his journey of discovering his own gender identity, alongside his cultural identity, has helped him in his work.  

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

Out of Context returns after a LONG hiatus with a brand new guest, Dene Guillas!

Caitlin and Dene met last November during a work engagement.  The Indigenous Mentor at Caitlin's day job invited Dene to a day of talks called "Supporting our 2SLGBTQ+ Youth" that featured speakers from various organisations, as well as individuals who shared their lived experiences.  After hearing Dene speak, they connected afterwards and both were excited to chat about gender identity for Out of Context!

In this episode, Caitlin talks to Dene about what it's like working at Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg (especially during a pandemic) and how his journey of discovering his own gender identity, alongside his cultural identity, has helped him in his work.  

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

This episode marks an Out of Context first - Corey Hickson is someone host Caitlin Hartlen didn't know before recording!  They were introduced online via Twitter by another Out of Context guest.  You may remember him from Episode 3: Found & Chosen Family, Darrin Carr!

Corey is a software developer by day, and tabletop roleplaying games (RPGs) designer by nights and weekends!  RPGs are a world Caitlin is admittedly not familiar with beyond general common knowledge of games like Dungeons & Dragons, so this was an enlightening episode to record.  Hopefully you'll learn something new too!  He also has a Twitch stream where he plays games like Dead by Daylight, The Gardens Between, but also discusses development of tabletop RPGs he's working on.

In addition to learning new things, this was also a discovery of a new era of Out of Context.  Hopefully this will lead to more guests Caitlin doesn't know who are willing to share their knowledge on a variety of queer topics!

This episode marks an Out of Context first - Corey Hickson is someone host Caitlin Hartlen didn't know before recording!  They were introduced online via Twitter by another Out of Context guest.  You may remember him from Episode 3: Found & Chosen Family, Darrin Carr!

Corey is a software developer by day, and tabletop roleplaying games (RPGs) designer by nights and weekends!  RPGs are a world Caitlin is admittedly not familiar with beyond general common knowledge of games like Dungeons & Dragons, so this was an enlightening episode to record.  Hopefully you'll learn something new too!  He also has a Twitch stream where he plays games like Dead by Daylight, The Gardens Between, but also discusses development of tabletop RPGs he's working on.

In addition to learning new things, this was also a discovery of a new era of Out of Context.  Hopefully this will lead to more guests Caitlin doesn't know who are willing to share their knowledge on a variety of queer topics!

Content/trigger warning: residential schools, genocide, abuse

In this continuation of Episode 12, Caitlin probes a bit further into Alicia's thoughts on the news of children's remains being found in hidden burial sites at former residential schools throughout Canada.  Alicia shares her frustrations with how the news is being handled by average Canadians, and discusses her feelings about celebrating Canada Day.  Education is also a topic of discussion in Part 2, as most Canadians who grew up in the same era as Alicia didn't learn much - if anything - at school about the truths of colonization and the realities of residential schools.

This episode also delves more into the impacts still being felt today by Indigenous communities, and poses many questions about the future of a settler population trying to undo its historic wrongs, while many among that population feel there's nothing more to be done.   As Vie Jones pointed out in Episode 6 of Out of Context, "Reconciliation is a settler concept."  In many spaces, the word has become a salve for white people to make themselves feel better about how their ancestors treated the  first inhabitants of this land.

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

Content/trigger warning: residential schools, genocide, abuse

In this continuation of Episode 12, Caitlin probes a bit further into Alicia's thoughts on the news of children's remains being found in hidden burial sites at former residential schools throughout Canada.  Alicia shares her frustrations with how the news is being handled by average Canadians, and discusses her feelings about celebrating Canada Day.  Education is also a topic of discussion in Part 2, as most Canadians who grew up in the same era as Alicia didn't learn much - if anything - at school about the truths of colonization and the realities of residential schools.

This episode also delves more into the impacts still being felt today by Indigenous communities, and poses many questions about the future of a settler population trying to undo its historic wrongs, while many among that population feel there's nothing more to be done.   As Vie Jones pointed out in Episode 6 of Out of Context, "Reconciliation is a settler concept."  In many spaces, the word has become a salve for white people to make themselves feel better about how their ancestors treated the  first inhabitants of this land.

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

Content/trigger warning: residential schools, genocide, abuse

Over the last month, several discoveries of unmarked gravesites on the grounds of former residential schools have been made.  Thousands of Indigenous children (and counting) are being found 25 years after the final closure of the last residential school in 1996, confirming what Indigenous people and activists have been saying for many years.  These "schools" were institutions of torture, abuse and the systemic attempted genocide of an entire people.  The intergenerational traumas of many First Nations people are a direct result of these horrid places, and this confirmation of the evil that took place there has caused a fervent national conversation to finally begin.  Those who would otherwise turn a blind eye to the atrocities our nation committed in the name of religion and power can no longer deny this happened (though many are still trying to).  

Perhaps the most important piece of this though, is that colonization and the attempts of residential schools are still occurring NOW.  Indigenous people are disproportionately represented throughout the Canadian criminal justice system and foster care, many First Nations don't have access to clean water, and the list, sadly, goes on and on.  Alicia Montague comes from a family of mixed heritage, both Inuit and Métis, as well as white.  Growing up in Labrador, she faced difficulties navigating rural life as an Indigenous queer person, and eventually became disconnected from the culture her older family members had shared with her.  In this episode, she talks with Caitlin about the realities of her past, and how the news of the residential school findings affected her.  

This was a long, honest conversation, and be warned - it's a difficult listen at times throughout.  Alicia's story is one of many, and these stories need to be told and heeded, so the future can be met with understanding.  The attempted genocide of the caretakers of this land should have never happened, but not talking about it won't make it go away.

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!

Content/trigger warning: residential schools, genocide, abuse

Over the last month, several discoveries of unmarked gravesites on the grounds of former residential schools have been made.  Thousands of Indigenous children (and counting) are being found 25 years after the final closure of the last residential school in 1996, confirming what Indigenous people and activists have been saying for many years.  These "schools" were institutions of torture, abuse and the systemic attempted genocide of an entire people.  The intergenerational traumas of many First Nations people are a direct result of these horrid places, and this confirmation of the evil that took place there has caused a fervent national conversation to finally begin.  Those who would otherwise turn a blind eye to the atrocities our nation committed in the name of religion and power can no longer deny this happened (though many are still trying to).  

Perhaps the most important piece of this though, is that colonization and the attempts of residential schools are still occurring NOW.  Indigenous people are disproportionately represented throughout the Canadian criminal justice system and foster care, many First Nations don't have access to clean water, and the list, sadly, goes on and on.  Alicia Montague comes from a family of mixed heritage, both Inuit and Métis, as well as white.  Growing up in Labrador, she faced difficulties navigating rural life as an Indigenous queer person, and eventually became disconnected from the culture her older family members had shared with her.  In this episode, she talks with Caitlin about the realities of her past, and how the news of the residential school findings affected her.  

This was a long, honest conversation, and be warned - it's a difficult listen at times throughout.  Alicia's story is one of many, and these stories need to be told and heeded, so the future can be met with understanding.  The attempted genocide of the caretakers of this land should have never happened, but not talking about it won't make it go away.

To submit a ConTEXT (ideas for future episodes, jokes, stories - whatever!) send an email to outofcontextpod@gmail.com!