Podcasting, as we know it today, is still a relatively new medium. The word itself is a portmanteau, devised by a BBC journalist named Ben Hammersley back in 2004 – pod (as in the brand name of that very familiar MP3 player) plus broadcast. Although others prefer using “Portable on Demand” to avoid a direct reference to the company behind that famous MP3 player – which makes sense as download and play isn’t restricted to it alone.
And it is, in 2017, a medium in very rude health. Whether you were one of the millions of listeners addicted to Serial, or can’t imagine not starting your week with Ira Glass and This American Life, the last few years have seen a firm resurgence in podcast popularity.
It’s not hard to see why. Podcasts make a trusty companion on a dreary commute or long drive, whether as a source of entertainment (think of Mark Kermode’s hilariously ranty reviews on the Wittertainment film podcast, or the behemoth popularity of My Dad Wrote a Porno), a ground-breaking method of storytelling (like the mysterious world of Welcome to Night Vale, The Black Tapes, or Homecoming) or a font of knowledge on pretty much every subject you can imagine. And yes, that includes the worlds of kink, fetish and BDSM, with podcasts a-plenty to provide an education for your ears only.
Which makes it an ideal medium for beginning kinksters wanting to explore and learn on their own terms, in their own time. There’s a big degree of privacy, it’s free, and all you need is a way of streaming and a pair of headphones. Voila – at your fingertips is a world full of kinksters sharing with you their personal knowledge, thoughts and feelings, as well as educational facts and impassioned rants and raves.
So, if you’re a fledgling kinkster wanting to broaden your knowledge, have some questions answered or just generally immerse yourself in chatter from likeminded voices, these five podcasts provide a solid foundation to your kinky learnings.
The Dildorks After connecting on social media, bloggers Bex Caputo and Kate Sloan met in person back in 2015, and a beautifully dorky friendship was born. They are the hosts of The Dildorks, an antidote to media depicting sex as “naughty,” mysterious, gross, indecent, or self-explanatory. Their shared enthusiasm and curiosity for the subjects they tackle (which span the gamut from sex to kink to porn and beyond) is utterly infectious, and with episode titles like The Dom Before the Storm and Aftercare Laughtercare... well, you know you’re in for a wonderfully fun (not to mention incredibly dorky) time.
Join Bex and Kate every week if you’re into rhapsodic raves and impassioned rants about everything that’s engaging their hearts, brains, and genitals (as they put it on the website).
The People of Kink What started out as one podcast – The People of Kink, or TPoK, as it’s also known – has evolved into an educational network setting out to educate and reduce stigma on all topics of sexuality. The message here: “you’re not alone”, which is something many fledgling kinksters (no matter what floats your boat) need to hear. The episodes of the original TPoK podcast are still available to listen to on the website (185 of them, no less) in addition to all the new shows and content, and they form a great basis for people wanting to gain some kinky knowledge in addition to some reassurance.
Practically Kinky Wondering just how to incorporate kink into your life and making it work on your own terms? Then browse the archives of Practically Kinky, a podcast devoted to... well, exactly that: hands-on, practical discussions about kink. Sydney and Logan Hart tackle topics like roles in kink, body worshipping and emotional labour. The show seems to be on a bit of a hiatus (the last episode released back in February) but fortunately there’s plenty of back catalogue there to help expand your kink knowledge.
Why Are People into That?! Writer, teacher, media-maker and all-round powerhouse of awesome Tina Horn is the host of the wonderfully titled podcast Why Are People into That?! (or YAPiT, for short). Let’s face it, at one point you will have thought this exact same question: what is it that attracts people to this fetish, or that kink? Each episode sees Tina and a guest interviewee (guests have included Reid Mihalko, Nikki Silver, Micky Mod, Rachel Kramer Bussel, James Darling, Tristan Taormino... seriously, it’s a who’s who of brilliant) non-judgementally explore the nitty-gritty of a particular topic. Want to know what it is that attracts people to spanking, or butt plugs, or pegging? Craving to sate your curiosity on matters of sexting or humiliation play? It’s all there, and Tina is more than happy to tell you just why people are into it.
Loving BDSM Blogging powerhouse Kayla Lords and her Sir, John Brownstone host the Loving BDSM podcast, a mix of opinions, rants and ramblings, and insights into one couple’s 24/7 D/s relationship. Kayla always speaks frankly and openly about her continuing journey of evolution into her sexuality and her life as a submissive babygirl, and brings that frankness, along with a solid pinch of her special own-brand cuteness (it is their superpower, after all) to the podcast. Fun fact – they also have a Redbubble shop for the podcast, in which you can buy some adorable Loving BDSM-themed goodies.
Of course, there’s also Kink Craft’s very own podcast, in which Pixie and Andrew talk about sex news, things seen around the internet, and the latest posts on the Kink Craft blog. Which, when you think about it... kind of makes this a bit of an Inception moment, doesn’t it?