This week, Kate and Larkin are thrilled to chat with professional cosplayer Alia Pyatt, aka Magical Black Girl Alia, who discusses her experiences as a Black female cosplayer. While her time in cosplay has been overwhelmingly positive, she’s also seen her fair share of racism, sexism, and ableism in the community. Tune in to learn about the rampant gatekeeping that has driven many cosplayers out of a hobby that was once an escape for them.

CW: Suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, visit this support site for help.

Support legal aid in Minnesota: https://legalrightscenter.org/

Support the People's Bail Fund of Minnesota: https://pbfmn.org/

Support the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/now

Support Magic Wheelchairs: https://www.magicwheelchair.org/

Follow Alia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magicalblackgirlalia/

Follow Alia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@magicalblackgirlalia

References

https://www.csustan.edu/sites/default/files/2023-11/borjonashley_article-the-social-phenomenon-surrounding-b_ashley-borjon.pdf

If you know something we can ruin, send the topic and a brief hint at how it's ruined to nowitsruined@gmail.com. Let us know if you'd like us to credit you if we choose your topic!

Follow us on Patreon for updates, video episodes, and lots of fun bonus content (even for unpaid members). You can also follow us on YouTube and Instagram.

You can also follow Kate and Larkin! Kate is on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Larkin is on TikTok and Instagram.

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Gynecological exams and procedures are notoriously unpleasant, and the field is frustratingly under-researched. It seems like it’s already ruined, so why do an episode on it?

Well, Larkin has an abundance of unpleasant history to add to the mix, including a long line of men known as the “fathers” of the practice, who committed horrific acts while barely advancing their understanding. From murdering the poor to performing unanesthetized surgeries on enslaved people, graphic atrocities abound.

Listener discretion is definitely advised.

Content Warning: Medical Trauma, Birth Trauma

References

If you know something we can ruin, send the topic and a brief hint at how it's ruined to nowitsruined@gmail.com. Let us know if you'd like us to credit you if we choose your topic!

Follow us on Patreon for updates, video episodes, and lots of fun bonus content (even for unpaid members). You can also follow us on YouTube and Instagram.

You can also follow Kate and Larkin! Kate is on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Larkin is on TikTok and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Year’s Resolutions are a common way to set goals for the upcoming year. But they can also cause self-doubt and unnecessary pressure. Anti-burnout coach Rhia Batchelder teaches Kate and Larkin about the puritanical origins of the tradition and gives tips on how to make resolutions that will actually motivate you, without driving you into a shame spiral.

Book a free assessment with Rhia on her website, rebuildwithrhia.com, and follow her on TikTok and Instagram for more amazing insights and advice.

References

https://www.history.com/articles/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions

https://www.almanac.com/history-of-new-years-resolutions

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/when-did-new-years-resolutions-start

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/history-of-new-years-resolutions

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/luxury/article/a-history-of-new-years-resolutions-times-luxury-dst9n092x?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqd3VPsIuXrvrVZDRfOJpxE_ulWWU5iKyynDv6QwyftHeRPphJwesshI5wjSa2k%3D&gaa_ts=6942ec2c&gaa_sig=xPzgGd7NZVEVRoniYVBzX4kxeH9-W1m5nhlMrd0zoLJQrX-ON8w4VrbgDEd4S5owePl-xdZXxtTbTKCNWfisiA%3D%3D

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/31/health/new-years-resolutions-history-wellness

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7725288/

Norcross JC, Ratzin AC, Payne D. Ringing in the new year: The change processes and reported outcomes of resolutions. Addict Behav. 1989;14(2):205–212. 10.1016/0306-4603(89)90050-6

https://www.britannica.com/procon/New-Years-resolutions-debate

If you know something we can ruin, send the topic and a brief hint at how it's ruined to nowitsruined@gmail.com. Let us know if you'd like us to credit you if we choose your topic!

Follow us on Patreon for updates, video episodes, and lots of fun bonus content (even for unpaid members). You can also follow us on YouTube and Instagram.

You can also follow Kate and Larkin! Kate is on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Larkin is on TikTok and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.