Late in 88

In this bonus episode of Late in 88, hosts Bronwin and Elinor dive deeper into the important topic of sexuality education in Canadian schools, featuring expert insights from curriculum scholar Dr. Tonya Callaghan. Dr. Callaghan, who has years of experience teaching in junior high and high school, shares critical reflections on the challenges and gaps in the 1988 curriculum and how schools have handled gender and sexual diversity education over the decades.

They discuss the evolution of sexuality education, the impact of school board policies, and the urgent need for inclusivity in today’s classrooms. Learn about the struggles faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ students, the importance of Queer-Straight Alliances (QSAs), and how homophobic and transphobic bullying still affects students today. Dr. Callaghan also highlights how a lack of teacher training has left many educators unprepared to address sensitive topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity.

Tune in for a powerful discussion on why creating safer and more inclusive learning environments is essential for the well-being of all students.

About Dr. Tonya Callaghan

Prior to joining the Werklund School of Education, Dr. Callaghan enjoyed a varied teaching career at the secondary level with over ten years of experience in national, international, rural, urban, Catholic and non-Catholic environments. She completed a joint doctoral degree in two graduate programs at The University of Toronto: 1) The Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development Program in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT), and 2) The Graduate Collaborative Program in Women and Gender Studies with the Women and Gender Studies Institute in the Faculty of Arts and Science. The recipient of two University of Calgary teaching awards for Curriculum Development, Dr. Callaghan was invited to join the Teaching Academy with the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. 

Dr. Callaghan served as a facilitator with support groups for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) youth in Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto. As a member of the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee, Dr. Callaghan provided input on professional development workshops designed to build safe and caring classrooms, schools, and communities. They serve as an Ambassador for the Canadian Association for the Study of Women and Education (CASWE) at the UCalgary Werklund School of Education, as a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Network (UCalgary Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), and as a Member-at-Large for the Alberta and Calgary Gay/Straight Alliance Networks. They also serve as a peer-reviewer for several scholarly journals, and as an adjudicator for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grants. Dr. Callaghan has also served UCalgary as a Senator. 

Follow Us:

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us for more discussions that bridge the gap between past and present.

In this eye-opening bonus episode of Late in '88, hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda unravel the complexities of middle childhood with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Kate Thomson. Join them as they explore the crucial developmental stage of ages 8-9 and gain valuable insights into how identity and belonging take shape during this transformative period.

What You'll Learn:

Dr. Thomson’s expert analysis offers a deeper understanding of the developmental challenges faced by children, making this episode a must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone interested in child psychology. Whether you're revisiting your own childhood or seeking to support a child in your life, this episode offers essential insights into navigating the turbulent waters of middle childhood.

Follow Us:

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us for more discussions that bridge the gap between past and present.

In this bonus episode hosts Elinor and Bronwin continue the conversation with historian Kevin Allen, founder of the Calgary Gay History Project and author of Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary, who offers a deep dive into Calgary's queer history. Kevin shares his experiences of coming out in the late 1980s, a time when resilience was essential due to societal hostility and the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic. Discover how the queer community in Calgary navigated these challenges, the evolution of 2SLGBTQIA+ culture over the past 30 years, and the importance of preserving these stories for future generations. Don't miss this insightful conversation that highlights the triumphs and struggles that have shaped the 2SLGBTQIA+ community today.

Follow Us:

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us for more discussions that bridge the gap between past and present.

About Kevin Allen

Kevin Allen has been documenting and profiling queer people and events for 30+ years through freelance writing and editing for various queer publications including: Clue! Magazine, QC Magazine, Xtra! West, and Xtra.ca. He is a career arts administrator and has worked for several Calgary organizations. Kevin was the first Historian in Residence at the new Central Library and is the author of the best-selling book: Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary.

Kevin has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, specializing in non-profit management, from the University of Victoria. Additionally, Kevin works as a senior election official for both Elections Canada and Elections Alberta.

Finally, Kevin has created some local queer history himself, as a founder of the long running Calgary Queer Arts Society, which produces many cultural events including the very successful Fairy Tales Film Festival every year in May. 

Remember when hosts Elinor Svoboda and Bronwin Parks explored Olympic fever when it hit Calgary, Alberta with the 1988 Winter Olympic Games back in Episode 2? They were left with some big questions and impressions as eight year olds. In this bonus mini episode, the pair return to Winsport (formerly Canada Olympic Park) and meet Dale Oviatt, Senior Manager, Communications for a ride up the 90-meter ski jump and witness first hand what has become of the relics of Olympic Past.

Follow Us:

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us for more discussions that bridge the gap between past and present.

About WinSport 

The Calgary Olympic Development Association, which operates as WinSport, is a not-forprofit community-based organization that owns and operates Canada Olympic Park. Our vision is to be a world-leading centre for athletic development. We inspire human potential through the spirit of sport by introducing people to winter and mountain sports, helping them develop their skills and thereby igniting a passion for sport and lifelong learning. WinSport does not receive any direct government funding for our operations and we support our purpose by building on the legacy of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and by delivering exceptional value and experiences to our guests. For more information on WinSport please visit winsport.ca

Hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda take the podcast on location and meet up in present day Calgary (2024) and it was a more visceral experience than either one of them expected. They tour their elementary school, explore old artifacts and finally answer the question of the podcast: What if they would have been friends from a more impressionable age in 1988?

Resources:

It Gets Better by Dan Savage (book - youth) - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/309525/it-gets-better-by-dan-savage/9780452297616

One In Every Crowd by Ivan Coyote (book - youth) - https://www.amazon.ca/One-Every-Crowd-Ivan-Coyote/dp/1551524597

Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children (book - adult) – Diane Ehrensaft https://a.co/d/g8BYE5H

The Family Acceptance Project (organization) - https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/

How to talk (and listen) to transgender people by Jackson Bird (video) - https://youtu.be/HbQZ7jAvgoI?feature=shared

Grade 4 brings the onset of puberty, burgeoning crushes and big questions. Host Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda discuss how an encounter with ‘the question box’ in health class changed Bronwin's middle childhood. This leads the hosts to investigate how the Alberta curriculum approached homosexuality in 1988. Spoiler: It hasn’t really changed 30 years later. 

This episode includes interviews with: Associate Professor Dr. Tonya Callahan from University of Calgary, and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Kate Thomson.

Resources:

Homophobia in Hallways by Dr. Tonya Callaghan (book - adult) -https://utorontopress.com/9781487522674/homophobia-in-the-hallways/

Teaching About Gender Diversity by Susan Woolley & Lee Airton (book - adult) - https://www.teachingaboutgenderdiversity.com/

Queer There And Everywhere by Sarah Prager (book - kids) - https://sarahprager.com/queerthere/

Amaze (website - organization) - https://amaze.org/

How To Talk And Listen To Transgender People (video) - https://youtu.be/HbQZ7jAvgoI?feature=shared

Hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda explore the complexity of gender roles and social expectations in adolescence, with a focus on the impact of patriarchy on gender-nonconforming behaviours. Clinical psychologist Dr. Kate Thomson helps them navigate identity during middle childhood, as they reflect on changing social constructs around friends who were boys, despite their identifying as “tomboys”.

Along with special guests including Elinor's son and classmates from grade school, the hosts emphasize the need for safe spaces where kids can express themselves without fear of judgment or shame. They also highlight the significance of proper vocabulary and supportive environments in helping kids honour each other's identities.

Bronwin and Elinor are left to wonder: Did anyone feel like they belonged? 

Resources:

Tegan & Sara Foundation (organization) - https://www.teganandsarafoundation.org/

It Gets Better by Dan Savage (book - youth) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/309525/it-gets-better-by-dan-savage/9780452297616

Seeing Gender by Iris Gottlieb (book - adult) - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43885853-seeing-gender

Podcasts on Racism in Canada:

Canadaland: The Commons - https://www.canadaland.com/shows/commons/

CanadaLANDBACK - https://www.canadaland.com/shows/canadalandback/

Sandy and Nora talk politics - https://sandyandnora.com/

Polite Conversations - https://www.patreon.com/nicemangos

Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham (CCDI) - https://ccdi.ca/podcast/

Alberta has always been known as one of the most conservative provinces in Canada. Imagine growing up as a queer kid in Calgary in the 1980s...there were definitely some challenges. In this episode of Late in 88, hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda explore the impact that Olympic fever had on their friends when the Winter Olympic games came to town in 1988. Olympic tales are told between childhood classmates, sporting events are remembered (looking at you ski ballet), and historian Kevin Allen joins Bronwin and Elinor to add some historical context. 

Find out more about Kevin Allen and his work: https://calgarygayhistory.ca/author/calgarygayhistory/

Follow Kevin Allen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yycgayhistory/

Episode Resources:

For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: https://latein88.com/resources/

How much can you remember from your childhood? Say, when you were eight years old? It may be a bit fuzzy, but this is where we meet the hosts of Late in 88, Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda. They travel back to grade four; a time when they both identified as tomboys but never really understood where they belonged. Through discussing their shared challenges surrounding gender identity and queerness, they arrive at the question: what if they would have been friends? Would it have made a difference? They take turns recalling the pertinent moments of these formative years and invite old classmates, Kate, Amanda, Shalini, and Dave, to join the conversation. 

Episode Resources:

For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: https://latein88.com/resources/

Introducing Late in ‘88: a new podcast hosted by Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda. The two grade school classmates will share their experiences of growing up queer and gender non-conforming in Calgary, Alberta 1988, at a time when there wasn't language to describe identities that were fringe and undefinable. By shining a light on their middle childhood, Bronwin and Elinor explore the impact of historical context and the gift of contemporary language that allows more freedom of self expression. The series will welcome many special guests and experts including gradeschool classmates, professors, doctors, and experts in their fields.

Bronwin Parks is a Calgary city kid who grew up to be a rancher, rodeo cowboi, and the founder of the award-winning Feisty Creative, a top-notch creative agency for the music, film, television, and digital media industries. Through Feisty, Bronwin has worked with brands, award shows, and all of Canada’s major music labels. Since coming out as queer in 1996 at the age of 16 and later in 2020 as non-binary, Bronwin has fought hard to be a much-needed and outspoken champion for diversity and equity. Their dedication in fighting for systemic change has led them to serve on several music and creative industry boards, pushing DEI initiatives, creating inclusive spaces, and bringing more opportunities for 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

Elinor Svoboda is an award-winning filmmaker, sound designer, educator, with over 20 years of experience. Her work has been nominated for both Grammy and Juno Awards, shortlisted for the Berlin Film Festival, and premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival. Notably, her 2012 short Documentary Tegan and Sara: INDIA was broadcast and distributed internationally via Warner Brothers Music. Alongside her directorial and sound work, Elinor works as a dedicated educator, having previously served as a sessional professor at Sheridan College and an instructor at York University. She has also been a faculty member of the Training in Power Academy of Meditation and Healing for the last 20 years. Having spent several years in Toronto, Elinor recently returned to her home province of Alberta, where she is developing several television and feature narrative projects under her company, Ellefire Media.