Late in 88

Women in Media Network
Women in Media Network
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

Late in ‘88 is a podcast that explores the blurred lines of truth and memory as two grade school classmates, Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda share their experiences of growing up queer and gender non-conforming in Calgary, Alberta 1988 & 1998, at a time when there wasn't language to describe identities that were fringe and undefinable. By shining a light on their middle childhood and late teens, 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 grade school 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. Late in 88 is created by: Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda Distributed by: Women in Media Network Edited by: Ellefire Media Original Music by: Aaron Hutchinson

  1. 4d ago

    Sex Ed, Silence, and Teaching for Queer Teens in ’90s Alberta

    In this episode of Late ’88, Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda reconnect with Professor Tanya Callahan of the University of Calgary to revisit Alberta’s high school sexual education curriculum of the ’90s—especially the Career and Life Management (CALM) course. They discuss how Catholic and public schools handled (or erased) topics like homosexuality, gender identity, and safe queer sex. Tanya reflects on her time as a Catholic school teacher, the overt heterosexism and homophobia in teacher training, and the quiet forms of resistance practiced by “heroic educators” who risked their jobs to support queer students. The conversation traces the fear-based approach to sex ed, the near-total silence around the AIDS crisis, and the emergence of Gay–Straight Alliances (QSAs/GSAs) in the early 2000s as literal lifelines for queer youth. Elinor’s niece Izzy, a queer Grade 12 student currently enrolled in a small Alberta Catholic school, joins the episode. Izzy shares what it’s like to be “the resident queer educator” for her peers, navigating unofficial support from teachers who quietly defy school board rules, and finding freedom and “vibes” in nature, music, and chosen community. This episode weaves past and present to show how much has changed—and how much hasn’t—while making a powerful case for education, solidarity, and ongoing resistance in the fight against homophobia, transphobia, and fascism in our schools. Episode Resources: Homophobia in the Hallways: Heterosexism and Transphobia in Canadian Catholic Schools, by Dr. Tonya Callaghan [book] Every Teacher Project: On LGBTQ-Inclusive Education in Canada’s K-12 Schools Final Report by/par: Égale Canada [report] How to Create a Safe Classroom for LGBTQ+ Students: For Educators [video] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/ https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88

  2. Jul 31

    Tegan Quin: Coming Out A Little Bit Closer To High School

    In this episode of Late in ’88, Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda sit down with Tegan Quin of iconic alternative band Tegan and Sara to time-travel back to their shared high school years in late-’90s Calgary. Tegan talks about writing the memoir High School, uncovering secret journals that revealed just how differently the sisters experienced queerness, ambition, and teenage chaos. Together, they unpack what it meant to grow up queer and gender nonconforming in conservative Calgary: unstructured days on transit, drugs and rave culture, the safety of moving in packs, and the sharp class divides between neighborhoods and schools. It’s a tender look at identity and the myth of the gay high school experience - and how those years shaped one of Canada’s most iconic musical careers. Episode Resources: Tegan and Sara Foundation [organization] High School, a memoir by Tegan and Sara [book] Tegan and Sara [band] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/ ⁠https://latein88.com/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/⁠  ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88⁠

  3. Jul 24

    The Girl With Gay Dads

    In this episode of "Late in '88," hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda reconnect with Courtney, a classmate from their high school in Calgary, Alberta. Courtney shares her unique upbringing with two gay dads and the challenges of navigating her identity during high school. The conversation touches on tmany high school memories but also, the impact of media on their perceptions of coming out. The hosts reflect once again on their parallel paths and overlapping friend groups that still seemed to somehow keep them at a distance from each other. https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Episode Resources: “The Coming Out Handbook” by The Trevor Project [website] Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens [book] The Queer Family Podcast For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

  4. Jul 17

    Girls, Grunge & Guns: The Dark Side of 1998

    CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains subject matter that some listeners may find triggering. If you or someone you love is struggling please contact the Canadian suicide crisis help line at 988, or kidshelpphone.ca anytime, day or night. Internationally please contact your local crisis assistance centre. Hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda discuss the typical queer story of coming out, that was anything but typical. Bronwin recounts their experience coming out in high school, feeling like “the only gay in the village”, and the influence of representation in the media through a high profile lesbian coming out story. They also touch on a galvinizing moment in Bronwin’s life and character, when their best friend's ex-boyfriend pulled a gun on them. Together, Bronwin and Elinor reflect on the normalization of violence and the challenges of navigating relationships and sexuality in a volitile world. https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Episode Resources: “The Coming Out Handbook” by The Trevor Project [website] Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens [book] YOUth Ending Violence - Battered Women’s Support Services [website] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

  5. Jul 10

    The Doctor is In: Unpacking the Teenage Brain with Dr. Kate

    Hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda get back on the couch with clinical psychologist Dr. Kate to unpack the chaos, beauty, and heartbreak of graduating high school in 1998. Together they explore what’s really happening in the brain and body of teenagers. Alongside Dr. Kate’s insights, you’ll hear raw personal stories about navigating domestic violence, chronic depression, and the homophobia present in rural cowboy culture. The trio reflect on attachment, grief, and how teen coping strategies follow us into adulthood. Join us for a journey in ‘repairing’ your inner teenager.  https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Episode Resources: Jamie Windust: “Support for Trans People isn’t Radical, its Urgent” [video] It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living - Edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller [book] Joel Burns - “A Message to Gay Teens: It Gets Better” [video] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

  6. Jul 3

    Grief & Teenage Trauma: Losing Steve

    CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains subject matter that some listeners may find triggering around self harm and teenage substance abuse. If you or someone you love is struggling please contact the Canadian suicide crisis help line at 988, or kidshelpphone.ca anytime, day or night. Internationally please contact your local crisis assistance centre. The episode explores the impact of a best friend's cancer diagnosis and death of a high school classmate on host Elinor Svoboda in 1998. Along with co-host Bronwin Parks, they recount Steve's two-year battle with a rare eye tumor, the fundraising efforts, and the emotional toll on their classmates. The conversation also touches on the lack of mental health support during that era, the challenges of teenage grief, and the importance of understanding and supporting teenagers' complex emotions. https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Episode Resources: Calgary Outlink LGBT Youthline Kidshelpphone.ca For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/ For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

  7. Jun 26

    The Decade That Changed Queer Canada

    Hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda bring back queer historian Kevin Allen to highlight significant advancements in queer history between 1980s into the 90s, touching on the AIDS crisis, the first Pride parade in 1990, and the Delwyn and Vreen case, which ruled against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The conversation also touches on cultural backlash, the emergence of queer community spaces, and the impact of AIDS on societal attitudes and activism. https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Find out more about Kevin Allen and his work: https://calgarygayhistory.ca/author/calgarygayhistory/  https://www.instagram.com/yycgayhistory/  Episode Resources: Queer Legends: an oral history podcast Prairie Fairies: A History of Queer Communities and People in Western Canada, 1930-1985 by Valerie Korinek [book] The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives [resources] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

  8. Jun 26

    Late in 88 in 1998: Queer Goth Cowboys & Grunge Skaters

    CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains subject matter that some listeners may find triggering around self harm and teenage substance abuse. If you or someone you love is struggling please contact the Canadian suicide crisis help line at 988, or kidshelpphone.ca anytime, day or night. Internationally please contact your local crisis assistance centre. Late in 88 returns for a new season, jumping a decade to 1998, the senior high school year of hosts Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda. In this episode, Bronwin and Elinor dive into their teenage world, from goth cowboys to grunge skaters. Bronwin discusses their experiences with coming out and living a double life in a rural setting. Elinor shares her struggles with anxiety, gender identity, and the impact of a close friend's cancer diagnosis. They share their places of joy: horses, nature, art, friends and of course, a good party. Like in their grade school days, Bronwin and Elinor were not friends in high school, they finish the episode asking the question: what if they would have been?  https://latein88.com/ https://www.instagram.com/late.in.88/  https://www.tiktok.com/@late.in.88 Episode Resources: Fyrefly Institute, University of Alberta [organization]  Trans 101, the basics [video]  Queer Family Podcast [podcast] For a complete list of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and resources visit: ⁠https://latein88.com/resources/ Distributed by Women in Media Network https://www.womeninmedia.network/

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5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Late in ‘88 is a podcast that explores the blurred lines of truth and memory as two grade school classmates, Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda share their experiences of growing up queer and gender non-conforming in Calgary, Alberta 1988 & 1998, at a time when there wasn't language to describe identities that were fringe and undefinable. By shining a light on their middle childhood and late teens, 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 grade school 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. Late in 88 is created by: Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda Distributed by: Women in Media Network Edited by: Ellefire Media Original Music by: Aaron Hutchinson

Information

  • Channel
    Women in Media Network
  • Creator
    Bronwin Parks and Elinor Svoboda
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Feisty Creative and Ellefire Media
  • Show Website
    Late in 88

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