There’s the joke that’s often made that being a bisexual woman means being attracted to all women and like, one (1) man.
And for the most part, this is alarmingly accurate, except when I’m listening to Thirst Aid Kit.
Thirst Aid Kit is one of my new favourite podcasts, and it’s all about celebrating thirst and the ways women express desire. It is almost entirely focused on cis men (but not entirely! My intro to the podcast was the episode on Stern Men and Power Femmes), and even more than my actual relationship with a dude, it is the biggest reminder that oh yes, sometimes I do like men.
What is really lovely about Thirst Aid Kit, more than the reminder that there are attractive celebrities out there (and that we ought to be following their Instagrams), Thirst Aid Kit reminds me of how much fun it is to talk about crushes. There’s something sustaining about a crush, especially in its early, abstract stages. There’s no real danger of attempting a romantic pursuit, so thinking about them is fun, harmless. It gives you something to daydream about. Like a, what if, one day you’re walking you’re walking down the street with your dog, you pass by your crush and your leashes get tangled, 101 Dalmations-style? Or you realise you forgot your wallet at home, but they’re behind you in line and they pay for your groceries? Or you get snowed in in a cabin, and there’s only one bed? In reality, these scenarious would be outrageous, outlandish, and maybe not even that fun - but it gives you something to think about when you’re doing data entry.
What’s really great about listening to Nicole and Bim is that they KNOW how to talk about thirst. It’s not an objectifying thirst, it’s an appreciative thirst. It’s a thirst that appreciates a person for more than just their attractive body. You have to romance my brain, and that takes more than some well-crafted abs.
My only wish is that there was a similar podcast aimed towards people attracted to women. The unfortunate stereotype is that heterosexual men only talk about attractive women in ways that are either a.) sexist, b.) unimaginative and often c.) both. Listen, I’m not so pretentious that I can’t appreciate a monosyllabic exclamation of appreciation, but what am I meant to take from, ‘hot!’? Or like, ‘she’s got a great rack’? What does that mean? How are they great? Paint me a picture! Tell me you’d die in a battlefield for her!
Listening to Thirst Aid Kit reminds me of being in school and talking about crushes, except without the confusion, anxiety and bisexual panic. It allows me to feel giddy about silly things like that one Chris Evans photoshoot or my favourite spicy meme format:
I listen to different podcasts to learn, to laugh, to engage in story-telling - and I listen to Thirst Aid Kit to feel good. We need more things like this! Life is too short to be ashamed of our desires! Doesn’t it feel good to thirst freely?
I’ve shared a lot of thirst over the course of this newsletter, and I love talking about it. Who are you crushing on at the moment? Feel free to respond! I want to know!
Thanks for reading! There’s been a lot of treats in this newsletter, but you can have one more, non-thirst related treat.
And of course, the seal of approval:
