What ’puppygirls‘ know (and we wish we didn’t), with Eva Kurilova

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This week, Colin is joined by Canadian writer Eva Kurilova to tackle one of the strangest academic papers we’ve ever read: “What Puppygirls Know? The (in)Human Pedagogy of a Trans Feminine Style,” published in the journal Australian Feminist Studies by Taylor & Francis.

Yes, you read that right—puppygirls. As in, trans lesbians (i.e., straight men) who identify as puppies. The paper earnestly explores this “erotic style” as a legitimate transgender identity and even suggests that defining transness with humans as the point of reference is “ciscentric.” We go through the author’s immersion in “puppygirl culture,” their claims about consent and dehumanization, and wonder how in the world this paper got published as serious peer-reviewed scholarship.

Along the way, we’ll ask whether this is just fetish blogging dressed up as scholarship, laugh at some of the paper’s more absurd passages (complete with ridiculous figures), and reflect on how far gender studies has strayed from reality.

Collar up, grab some treats, and watch one of the most awkward and disturbing episodes we’ve aired.

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