Embracing ‘Pleasure Activism’ this Valentine’s Day
It’s happening. The onslaught of pink and red in store displays... the candy hearts and chocolate sales... the pressure. Valentine’s Day is coming. Whether you love it or want to run screaming, we’ve got you.
This week, we’re honoring love in its many forms. We’ll offer you things to do, places to go, and advice on how to care for friends, lovers… and yourself.
Today, we’re talking about how taking time for your own pleasure can be an act of love.
We talk to Sami Schalk, UW Madison professor and columnist for Tone Madison, about why celebrating joy in daily life is essential for our well-being and how finding your ‘enthusiastic yes’ can help you set better boundaries in love and life.
📚 Sami’s ideas for sharing love and book recommendations: Pleasure Activism, Rest is Resistance, The Body is Not an Apology and Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
📸 Here Sami’s recommendation for a Madison photographer skilled at taking intimate photos
🦉 And check out date night ideas from the library (and not just books!)
Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Latest Episodes
Your Guide to November 2026 in Madison
For lots of seasonal recommendations on the best things to do, places to shop, and ways to give back, don’t miss the City Cast Madison te...

Madison’s Newest Grocery Store, Hmong New Year, and Forward Madison Makes the Playoffs
It's been a long journey for Maurer's Urban Market, but the independent grocery store has finally opened on Madison's south side. Executi...

Wisconsin Youth Take Climate Battle To State Supreme Court
Last year a group of 15 Wisconsin kids filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming the legislature passes and enforces laws worsening the...

What To Know About Nov. 3 Election, Plus 90s Nostalgia Is Strong in Madison
It’s one week until election day and races are (predictably) tight statewide. Dan Shafer, founder of the Recombobulation Area substack, j...

Mayor Drops Out of Race, Madison’s Real Life Shop of Horrors, and What To Do This Halloween
With still months to go before the February primary, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has announced that she’s ending her bid for a thir...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: Is Chicago More Prepared for Climate Change Than Every Other City? — Presented By City Cast Madison
How prepared is Madison to deal with the effects of climate change? In a recent report, Chicago was ranked as the most climate resilient...

Council Fires Police Monitor, a Train Is Coming, and Get Ready To Vote
This week, by a vote of 14-6, the Madison City Council terminated the contract of Interim Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass. Du...

Madison’s Best New Restaurants of Fall 2026
An Asian bistro on the Square, a hibachi and ramen spot on the east side, and a rooftop restaurant at the Madison Museum of Contemporary...

National Geographic Says Visit Madison. Plus What Is in Store for Midwest Vintage Flea
Our dear city of Madison just made National Geographic’s list of “The Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027.” The list highlights...

A Peek Inside Madison’s Jaw-Dropping Concert Organ, Plus What's on Deck For MSO
Madison’s Overture Hall is home to a 30-ton pipe organ that’s so massive that it moves on giant tracks. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Mar...



