The Hot Docs Podcast Festival is quickly approaching, so we connected with a few of our favourite hosts, who’ll be there on stage, to ask them our burning questions. The Thirst Aid Kit podcast hosts, Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins, are known (and very much loved) for their unfiltered, unapologetic, hilarious conversations about lust, from celebrity crushes to fantasies, as well as overarching themes on general thirstiness in body and mind.

Though we had a lot of questions to ask, we know how in-demand these two are, so we kept things simple with a couple of queries. Nichole was kind enough to answer both, and they are loaded with sage wisdom. 

SDTC: Since the launch of Thirst Aid Kit, what would you consider to be the biggest lessons you’ve learned when it comes to desire?

NP: One of the first things I’ve learned, or had reiterated since starting Thirst Aid Kit, is to have patience with people’s need for approval. We have so many people email, tweet, or DM us asking for us to tell them it’s okay to desire a particular celeb. We’re not here to tell anyone who to like, or even how to like them. Our hope is that people examine their own reasons for their crushes and [that they don’t feel] ashamed, even if they have controversial choices. You don’t need anyone’s permission to like who you like. You need permission to act on those desires. That’s what’s key. 

I’ve also learned how important communication is for intimacy. Our drabbles often get reduced to erotica, and there is nothing wrong with erotica, but there is hardly ever any sex in what we write. Most often, our drabbles feature couples talking, performing a task together, supporting each other’s work, or knowing when to give a partner quiet. These are all things that happen when you keep communication lines open. Yes, these drabbles are clearly fiction, no matter how much we’d love to cook with Andre 3000 or Mahershala Ali, but they all speak to our desires to be heard, seen, and acknowledged, which can lead to some seriously sexy times.

Speaking of the drabbles, I guess I’ve learned that for all the supportive and encouraging moments we write into our fanfic, actual sexy sex is just as important—LOL. I love writing about sex and romance and Thirst Aid Kit has helped me realize I might be good at it. 

What are you still thirsty for?

A dinner date with Sebastian Stan. 

The Hot Docs Podcast Festival takes place November 1-5, 2018 at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Thirst Aid Kit is set to appear on Friday, November 2 at 9:30 p.m. Get tickets for their live show here! Check out the full lineup and schedule here.