Decolonizing Fitness Podcast

Feb 29 2024 11
Decolonizing Fitness Podcast artwork

The Decolonizing Fitness Podcast is a resource for anyone who is interested in divesting from the harmful practices of mainstream fitness culture. Join us to discuss how folks are drawing wisdom from Black, Indigenous and community-led solutions. While cultivating new ways of engaging in physical movement practices that feel supportive, healing, and empowering. 

Hosted by Ilya Parker with recurring special guest Milanda SoulFlower.

To help sustain the work of Decolonizing Fitness:

Join the Patreon Community: patreon.com/DecolonizingFitness
Venmo: @Ilya-Parker





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Episode 10: Decolonizing Sports with Roc of Rooted Resistance

Feb 29 2024 49 mins  
*This episode was recorded in February of 2022, unfortunately part 1 of this chat didn't save but I still felt it was worthy of sharing. In this episode I chat with Roc (founder of Rooted Resistance) as they unpack the history of sport under a white masculinist, destructive and commodifying lens. Roc speaks towards unsettling sport (using the work broadly) with how histories of lan

Episode 9: Anti-Blackness in the Healthcare Field with Alishia McCullough

Apr 22 2021 93 mins  
In this episode Alishia and I talk all about the anti-Blackness we have experienced as healthcare clinicians working in the field while living in the rural south. You don't want to miss this important episode.For full show notes head to: www.patreon.com/DecolonizingFitness

Episode 8: Meet My Girlfriend Crystal

Feb 23 2020 80 mins  
Trigger Warning: Discussion of Weight LossIn this episode I share the mic with my romantic partner Crystal Richardson, Esq. Crystal is an attorney, community advocate and my personal fitness coach. Right now she is currently working to get the CROWN Act passed in North Carolina, which is a bill that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and styles. The CROWN Act names sty

Episode 7: What's in Store for 2020!

Jan 10 2020 86 mins  
Welcome to our first episode of 2020! In this episode Candace and I talk about swimming through all the diet industry bs trying to convince us that we need to shrink our bodies via intentional weight loss. We also share the big things we have in store individually and with the podcast!I know the new year is a time when people often make resolutions about "dieting" and changing thei

Episode 6: Gender Nonconformity in Athletics Part 2

Nov 19 2019 46 mins  
Podcast Episode 6: The Attack on Nonconformity in Athletics Pt. 2 *Explicit Language*In this episode we further unpack human variance especially how it shows up in relation to gender identity/expression. Visible differences in the human expression often cause people to be othered, discriminated against, pathologized, brutalized etc. Right now we are seeing the attack on human varia

Episode 5: Big Box Gyms: From the Trainer & Client Perspective

Oct 04 2019 42 mins  
In this episode Candace and Ilya share their thoughts regarding Big Box Gyms and what makes them huge players in the toxic fitness arena. Ilya also speaks candidly about his very short lived & dreadful experience working for one of the world's largest "Big Box Gyms" (Planet Fitness). Ilya highlights the horrible treatment he received as an employee working for one of the larges

Episode 4: The Attack on Gender Nonconformity in Athletics Pt. 1 (The Rant)

Jun 05 2019 50 mins  
Podcast Episode 4: The Attack on Nonconformity in Athletics Pt. 1 (The Rant)*Explicit Language*I’m very excited to get into this episode because I’ve always wanted to unpack human variance especially how it shows up in relation to gender identity/expression. Visible differences in the human expression often cause people to be othered, discriminated against, pathologized, brutal

Episode 3: What is Toxic Fitness Culture?

Apr 30 2019 57 mins  
**Explicit Language**On this episode Candace and I unpack toxic fitness culture through a social justice lens. We name that fitness like many other oppressive systems is rooted in ableism and the belief that there are "good' and "bad" bodies (with the bad bodies needing to be cured or corrected and the onus being placed on the individual to do these things). Please remember your bo

Episode 2: Meet Ilya founder of Decolonizing Fitness

Apr 01 2019 67 mins  
**Explicit Content**In this episode I’m in the hot seat as I had the pleasure to be interviewed by my new co-host Candace Liger! I open up about how my medical transition (from assigned female at birth to now trans masculine) helped to spark my fitness journey. I also talk about how my work in the healthcare field and as a grass roots organizer shaped what is now known as Decolon

Episode 1: Pleasure & Kink with Candace Liger

Mar 08 2019 80 mins  
CONTENT WARNING: mentions of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Kink & BDSMIn this episode Candace & I unpacked how Kink and BDSM can be used as vehicles of pleasure for folks to reconnect with their bodies through fitness.Candace Liger is the founder of Felyne Fitness and Felyne Fetish, championing creative wellness practices, body activism, and PROACTIVE self care. With o