Love is a verb. Queer is a verb. Ally is a verb. Super wise actvist/writer/poet Janani Balasubramanian is our guest of honor this time. Janani shares a bit about their journey, the importance of slow-hard-awkward conversations & quiet acts of solidarity, and how activism doesn’t feel like a choice for them. We grapple with the civil rights fires that are raging across the nation, the intersections between race/class/gender oppression, and we talk about on-ramps to getting engaged (or getting even more engaged) in working toward undoing that oppression. We collectively address listener questions about preferred pronouns, language around ethical non-monogamy, and how not to fetishize trans and gender non-conforming people if/when you are into them. We feature an amazing poem of Janani’s (find more at queerdarkenergy.com)! Plus, shout outs about the beauty and importance of chosen family, the Women of Color Sexual Health Network, Al Qaws (a queer community organizing platform in Palestine), and self-care as a radical act. Happy ALL of the holidays to everyone!