Out In The Open

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#120: Mona Eltahawy's Seven Necessary Sins

Mona Eltahawy lives by two credos: Defy, disobey and disrupt... and f@#% the patriarchy. In her book "The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls", the Egyptian-American author and activist proposes her manifesto for achieving true gender freedom and equality. This week, Piya speaks with Eltahawy about the society-changing value she sees in anger, attention, ambition, power, profanity, violence, and lust.

Download #120: Mona Eltahawy's Seven Necessary Sins
[mp3 file: runs 00:53:24]

#119: Come to Pass

"Passing" is the ability to be read as something you are not. While is can be a privilege for some people, it can also come with unforeseen consequences for both them and those who see them. This week, Piya explores the good, the bad and the cost of passing.

Download #119: Come to Pass
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:10]

The personal and political tension of 'passing' while transgender

Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard identifies as a transgender woman. But when she walks down the street, she says people often see her as a woman who was assigned female at birth (also known as cisgender). Blanchard tells Piya how passing can be liberating for her, but can also carry dangerous risks... and why the mere term is so controversial among transgender people.

Download The personal and political tension of 'passing' while transgender
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:03]

#118: Believe It or Not

How do you choose what to believe? Most of us are drawn to mainstream consensus, but some don't want to let facts get in the way of their convictions. This week, Piya explores why people believe in things most others would dismiss... and what that says about how they see the world.

Download #118: Believe It or Not
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:10]

#117: We Need to Talk About Stalking

About 1 in 20 Canadians say they've been victims of stalking, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada. And yet, some victims say we don't take it seriously enough as a society. This week, Piya digs into why, with people who have been on different sides of stalking.

Download #117: We Need to Talk About Stalking
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:57]

#90: Allies

The word "ally" is thrown around a lot these days, especially by people who work to support women, people of colour, and those in the LGBT community. This week, we go beyond the buzz of the word to see what it really means to be an ally... and whether it makes a difference.

Download #90: Allies
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:20]

#105: If Truth Be Told

From so-called 'fake news' to reports of gaslighting by survivors of abuse, we're wrestling with the nature of truth on political and cultural levels everyday. This week, Piya speaks with people whose personal truths have been question, dismissed, distorted, and even denied, to find out how they fought back and held on to their reality.

Download #105: If Truth Be Told
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:10]

#99: Opening Up Adoption

Adoption can be bittersweet for everyone involved. At best, it results in a happy, healthy family. But it can also carry a load of conflict, confusion, and unanswered questions. This week, Piya wades into some of those things we don't tend to discuss when we talk about adoption.

Download #99: Opening Up Adoption
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:10]

#91: Crisis Reactors

Between natural disasters, targeted attacks, and everyday run-of-the mill accidents, we hear about crises happening to other people on the news all the time. This week, Piya speaks with people who were there when crisis struck, to find out how they responded... and what their reaction says about them.

Download #91: Crisis Reactors
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:45]

#94: Community Creators

More Canadians are living in cities than ever before. But research shows that as these centres grow, social supports aren't keeping up, and all that crowding leads people to feel isolated. This week, with that ongoing rise in urbanization and isolation, Piya explores how people are creating community.

Download #94: Community Creators
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:45]

#101: Esther Perel

Relationships are central to our health, happiness and even lifespan. And yet, loneliness is cutting across generations, hurting our health, and its rise has been called an "epidemic". So where does that leave us? This week, Piya speaks with world-renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel about why connection is so important, why we're so bad at it, and how we can do better... both within couples and across social and political divides.

Download #101: Esther Perel
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:45]

#87: Inside Haley House

This week, Piya Chattopadhyay visits an Ontario halfway house that specifically caters to older offenders on parole. Prison advocates argue we need more places like it to address the growing number of aging federal offenders in Canada.

Download #87: Inside Haley House
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:40]

#79: Family Tree

We all inherit so much from our families. And whether what gets passed down to you is helpful or hurtful, it's common to want to set yourself apart from what's handed down. This week, Piya asks: How do you branch out from your family tree?

Download #79: Family Tree
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:39]

#96: If Memory Serves

We tend to be more confident in our memories than we should be. And yet, memory is still held to be such an important decider in the criminal justice system, social conversations and everyday life. This week, Piya explores just how much you can really trust your memory.

Download #96: If Memory Serves
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:40]

#46: Hyphen State

To mark this Canada Day weekend, we revisit our episode from 2017, in which Piya speaks with people about the words that so often live on the left side of our national identities... and how they can affect our relationships with the identifier on the right: Canadian.

Download #46: Hyphen State
[mp3 file: runs 00:44:50]

#116: Holding On

Soon after Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral burned, a global fundraiser was launched to rebuild it. The effort sparked debate among those who believed in preserving the historic structure, and those who contend we should move on and use the money for other needs. This week, Piya dives into that tension, asking: What's worth holding onto... even when it's almost gone?

Download #116: Holding On
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:36]

#115: The Special Edition

When we call someone 'exceptional', it's often for something enviable, like being top of your class, or most successful in your field of work. But being exceptional also makes you different, which can lead to isolation and a whole lot of expectation. This week, Piya asks: Is being exceptional a blessing or a curse?

Download #115: The Special Edition
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:34]

#114: Support Systems

We all need a hand from other people now and then. But sometimes, admitting that you require support and showing that you're vulnerable can take a lot of mettle. This week, Piya asks: Why is it so hard to ask for help?

Download #114: Support Systems
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:34]

#113: Put to the Test

DNA tests have exploded over the past few years. And while they have a scientific basis, their accuracy is debatable. But what the results have led some people to discover has been truly life-changing. This week, Piya asks: How much does family DNA really matter?

Download #113: Put to the Test
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:34]

#67: Breaking Silence

For months, we've been hearing countless people speak out about sexual assault and harassment, as part of the #MeToo movement. As a whole, it can look very emboldening. But for the people who choose to go public and make their voices heard, that empowerment can come at a great personal cost. This week, Piya asks people in a variety of circumstances: What does it take to break your silence?

Download #67: Breaking Silence
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:34]

#112: Feeling Full

Our celebrations revolve around it. It's taken over reality shows, social media posts and travel guides... and of course, you need it to live. But food can have surprising effects on our sense of self and well being. This weekend, Piya explores how food can lead to fulfillment... and detract from it.

Download #112: Feeling Full
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:34]

#111: Legacy Projects

We all want to build a strong legacy for ourselves - something we can be proud of. But when a wrench gets thrown into your life story, you've got to find a way to make it right. This week, Piya asks: How do you manage a complicated legacy?

Download #111: Legacy Projects
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:39]

#110: Point of Pride

We all want to feel proud of who we are, the work we do and the values we hold strong. But left unchecked, pride can turn into an outsized feeling of self-regard that can even hurt other people. This week, Piya rides that fine line by asking: What's the point of pride?

Download #110: Point of Pride
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:39]

#109: Asylum Seekers

Kaleb, an asylum seeker from Ethiopia, says he fled his homeland to come to Canada as a result of political persecution. Our producer, Sam Colbert, accompanies Kaleb as he searches for work and housing in Toronto, while also preparing for his refugee hearing. Sam takes a deeper dive inside the hearing process to shed light on how decisions are made.

Download #109: Asylum Seekers
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:38]

#83: The Secret Lives of Parents

How well do you really know your parents? This week, Piya speaks with people who discovered bombshells about their folks that didn't just change how they saw them, but how they saw themselves, their childhoods and their places in the world.

Download #83: The Secret Lives of Parents
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:50]

#108: Switching Sides

In this time when people are so polarized, dug into their camps, and listening to their own echo chambers, changing our minds and actions can be harder than ever. This week, Piya asks: What compels us to switch sides?

Download #108: Switching Sides
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:50]

#107: Call-out Culture

A phenomenon known as "call-out culture" has emerged, where people publicly denounce words and actions they consider to be untoward, and often prejudiced. And its rise has led to a lot of conflict about just how healthy that culture is today. This week, Piya asks: What does calling people out really achieve?

Download #107: Call-out Culture
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:50]