{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Short description|Comedy podcast on gender and sexuality}} {{Infobox podcast | title = Sounds Fake but Okay | image = SoundsFakeButOkay 2021.png | host = Sarah Costello<br />Kayla Kaszyca | began = July 31, 2017 | website = [http://www.soundsfakepod.com www.soundsfakepod.com] | alt = In the center is text that reads "Sounds Fake But Okay". Above the text are two flags crossing, the right flag is the asexual flag (black, grey, white, and purple stripes), and the left flag is the aromantic flag (dark green, light green, white, grey, and black stripes). Below and to the left of the flags is a pair of frameless glasses symbolizing the aspec lens. Below and to the right of the flags is a piece of cake with white frosting and a strawberry on top. Below the text is a bottle of grapefruit juice and a cow in the shape of a squishmellow. There are soundbars in varying heights in the colours of the progress pride flag (yellow, white, pink, blue, brown, black, red, orange, green, and purple). | genre = Comedy<br />Society & Culture | updates = Weekly on Sundays | length = 50–70 minutes | language = English | num_episodes = [https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/ 353]<ref name="EpisodeCount">{{cite web|url=http://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/|title=Sounds Fake But Okay – Episodes|access-date=August 25, 2025|work=Sounds Fake But Okay|archive-date=August 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250825040828/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> }} {{Asexuality topics sidebar}} thumb|right|200px|Original logo of the podcast from its launch to the end of July 2021
'''''Sounds Fake but Okay''''' is a weekly comedy podcast that focuses on asexuality and aromanticism. The podcast is hosted by University of Michigan alumni Sarah Costello and Kayla Kaszyca. Each Sunday, Costello and Kaszyca "talk about all things to do with love, relationships, sexuality, and pretty much anything else they just don't understand."<ref name="about">[https://www.soundsfakepod.com/about "About"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619020503/https://www.soundsfakepod.com/about |date=June 19, 2020 }} ''Sounds Fake But Okay''. Retrieved May 17, 2020.</ref>
In November 2020, it was honored with the 2020 Discover Pods Award for "Best LGBTQ+ Culture Podcast".<ref name="DiscoverPods">{{cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Kevin |date=November 9, 2020 |title=Announcing the winners of the 2020 Discover Pods Awards |url=https://awards.discoverpods.com/winners-2020-discover-pods-awards/ |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=Awards.discoverpods.com |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217040759/https://awards.discoverpods.com/winners-2020-discover-pods-awards/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==History== Costello and Kaszyca met when they were randomly placed as roommates at the University of Michigan. The pair immediately hit it off and became best friends. They did not discuss sexuality during their freshman year; neither Costello nor Kaszyca had fully figured out their identities yet. The summer after their freshman year, Costello came out as aromantic asexual through a Tumblr post which Kaszyca subsequently saw.<ref name="daily">{{Cite web |last=Francisco |first=Miriam |date=2018-12-04 |title='Sounds fake, but okay': Navigating asexuality on campus |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/statement/sex-issue-asexuality-campus/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=The Michigan Daily |language=en-US |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322064839/https://www.michigandaily.com/statement/sex-issue-asexuality-campus/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
After this, the pair discussed sexuality regularly. As Costello had never dated, she had many questions for Kaszyca about how relationships and dating worked. The conversations that resulted from questions like "why would you date someone?" and "what is the appeal of kissing someone?" became the inspiration for the podcast.<ref name="them">Kim, Michelle (July 18, 2019). [https://www.them.us/story/aromanticism-asexuality-podcasts "These Podcasts Are Paving the Way for Aromantic and Asexual Representation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201193408/https://www.them.us/story/aromanticism-asexuality-podcasts |date=December 1, 2022 }}. ''Them''. Condé Nast. Retrieved May 17, 2020.</ref>
Over the course of the podcast, Kaszyca realized that she was demisexual. Though she had begun to question her sexuality during her junior year of college, she did not come to terms with it until later. In episode 19 of the podcast, titled "Accepting Your Sexuality",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938385-ep-19-accepting-your-sexuality|title=Ep 19: Accepting Your Sexuality – Sounds Fake But Okay|access-date=January 2, 2022|website=Soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com|date=January 7, 2018 |archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102161506/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938385-ep-19-accepting-your-sexuality|url-status=live}}</ref> Kaszyca explained how the podcast and Costello had helped her discover new things about herself.<ref name="daily" />
==Format and structure== ''Sounds Fake but Okay'' is released weekly on Sundays at 14:00 UTC (10:00am Eastern) and episodes are about one hour long. The topics covered in each episode are inspired by conversations and experiences that the hosts share.<ref name="daily" /> Topics range from those serious, such as asexual people's place in the queer community, to lighthearted, such as discussions of fandom or pop culture.<ref name="about" /> The episodes are typically casual, with Costello and Kaszyca frequently going off on tangents or switching topics mid-episode.<ref name="them" /> They announced during their first episode back from their hiatus that they would be taking breaks in the winter and summer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Episode 212: We're Back! |url=https://www.soundsfakepod.com/transcripts/were-back |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=Sounds Fake But Okay Podcast |date=April 21, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411080933/https://www.soundsfakepod.com/transcripts/were-back |url-status=live }}</ref>
Though the show generally only features Costello and Kaszyca, they are occasionally joined by guests. Guests have included people the hosts met at school,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938398-ep-6-awkward-flirting-feat-a-friend|title=Ep 6: Awkward Flirting feat. A Friend – Sounds Fake But Okay|access-date=January 2, 2022|website=Soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com|date=September 17, 2017 |archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102163009/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938398-ep-6-awkward-flirting-feat-a-friend|url-status=live}}</ref> members of Costello's family (both her sister<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938361-ep-43-living-up-to-lgbtqia-stereotypes-feat-sarah-s-sister|title=Ep 43: Living Up To LGBTQIA+ Stereotypes feat. Sarah's Sister – Sounds Fake But Okay|access-date=January 2, 2022|website=Soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com|date=July 22, 2018 |archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102163011/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938361-ep-43-living-up-to-lgbtqia-stereotypes-feat-sarah-s-sister|url-status=live}}</ref> and her mother<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938340-ep-66-parenting-queer-kids-feat-sarah-s-mom|title=Ep 66: Parenting Queer Kids feat. Sarah's MOM – Sounds Fake But Okay|access-date=January 2, 2022|website=Soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com|date=January 13, 2019 |archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102161508/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/938340-ep-66-parenting-queer-kids-feat-sarah-s-mom|url-status=live}}</ref>), and other creators and activists in the asexual and aromantic communities. In episode 117, they were joined by Yasmin Benoit, a notable aro-ace activist and model.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/2572939-ep-117-an-interview-with-yasmin-benoit|title=Ep 117: An Interview with Yasmin Benoit – Sounds Fake But Okay|access-date=January 2, 2022|website=Soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com|date=January 26, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102161508/https://soundsfakepod.buzzsprout.com/218346/2572939-ep-117-an-interview-with-yasmin-benoit|url-status=live}}</ref> They subsequently removed this episode from their playlists at Benoit's request.
They frequently draw suggestions for episode topics and interact with fans through their Discord server.
==Media and events== * In December 2018, the podcast was featured in the annual Sex Issue published by ''The Michigan Daily''.<ref name="daily" /> * In June 2019, Costello and Kaszyca appeared on the Star Wars podcast ''Friends of the Force: A Star Wars Podcast''. The group discussed the Eleven-Thirty Eight article "The Asexual Awakens – An Interpretation of the Journey to Adulthood", and Costello put forth her headcanon that Luke Skywalker and Rey of ''Star Wars'' are aro-ace.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://anchor.fm/friendsoftheforce/episodes/Asexuality--Relationships-in-Star-Wars-feat--Sounds-Fake-But-Okay--Mumbo-Jumbo-e4dkiv|title=Asexuality & Relationships in Star Wars (with Sounds Fake But Okay Podcast) by Friends of the Force: A Star Wars Podcast|website=Anchor.fm|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217020555/https://anchor.fm/friendsoftheforce/episodes/Asexuality--Relationships-in-Star-Wars-feat--Sounds-Fake-But-Okay--Mumbo-Jumbo-e4dkiv|url-status=live}}</ref> * In October 2019, the podcast was featured in a series of interview blogs written by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) for Asexual Awareness Week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://avenpt.wordpress.com/2019/10/26/aaw-interview-sounds-fake-but-okay-podcast/|title=AAW Interview – Sounds Fake But Okay Podcast|website=Avent.wordpress.com|date=October 26, 2019|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203025704/https://avenpt.wordpress.com/2019/10/26/aaw-interview-sounds-fake-but-okay-podcast/|url-status=live}}</ref> * In October 2019, Costello and Kaszyca gave a talk titled "Creating While Asexual" at the University of Michigan Spectrum Center.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://events.umich.edu/event/67046|title=Sounds Fake But Okay | Happening @ Michigan|website=Events.umich.edu|date=October 21, 2019|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411080933/https://events.umich.edu/event/67046|url-status=live}}</ref> * In February 2020, Costello was featured in a series of interview blogs written by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) for Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://avenpt.wordpress.com/2020/02/20/aro-spec-awareness-week-interview-4-sounds-fake-but-okay/|title=Aro-spec Awareness Week Interview #5 – Sounds Fake but Okay|website=Avent.wordpress.com|date=February 20, 2020|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=April 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403015008/https://avenpt.wordpress.com/2020/02/20/aro-spec-awareness-week-interview-4-sounds-fake-but-okay/|url-status=live}}</ref> * In February 2020, the podcast was featured alongside the aro-ace podcast ''A OK'' in an Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week article by them.<ref name="them" /> * In May 2020, Costello and Kaszyca hosted a livestream fundraiser to raise money for the World Health Organization/United Nations COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. They were joined on the livestream by YouTuber Emi Salida, members of the Aromantic-spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy (AUREA), blogger Rose Sinclair, YouTuber Daniel Walker, comedian Eliott Simpson, podcaster Courtney Lang, activist Yasmin Benoit, and AVEN founder David Jay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUbEp0Z0c8|title=6 Feet of SpACE: An Aro / Ace COVID-19 Relief Fundraiser|date=May 2, 2020 |access-date=January 2, 2022|via=YouTube|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129222708/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUbEp0Z0c8&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> Ultimately, $4,111 was raised for the cause.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tiltify.com/@soundsfakepod/6feet/donate|title=Tiltify – Made for Fundraisers|website=Tiltify.com|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308094520/https://tiltify.com/@soundsfakepod/6feet/donate|url-status=live}}</ref> * In September 2020, Costello and Kaszyca were panelists at the UK Asexuality Conference 2020 Edition. Costello spoke on the Aro Aces panel while Kaszyca spoke on the Romantic Relationships and Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality panels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/view/uk-asexuality-conference-2020/home|title=UK Asexuality Conference 2020|website=Sites.google.com|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102161646/https://sites.google.com/view/uk-asexuality-conference-2020/home|url-status=live}}</ref> * In January 2021, Costello and Kaszyca were guests on the podcast Queery, discussing aspec identities, getting excluded from the queer community, and their private and public instances of coming out.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.earwolf.com/episode/sarah-costello-kayla-kaszyca/|title=EP. 175 — Sarah Costello & Kayla Kaszyca|date=24 January 2021|access-date=20 May 2023|website=Earwolf|archive-date=April 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416152626/https://www.earwolf.com/episode/sarah-costello-kayla-kaszyca/|url-status=live}}</ref> * In March 2024, the Michigan magazine ''Between the Lines'' published a front page article about Costello and Kaszyca and the creation of the podcast in the March issue of the magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Why Two Friends From Ann Arbor Created a Podcast About Asexuality|author=Erin Hug|url=https://pridesource.com/downloads/3210.pdf|magazine=Between the Lines|date=March 7, 2024|volume=3210|access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref>
==Book== On December 8, 2020, the show's official Twitter account announced that Costello and Kaszyca would be releasing a book, focusing on "the aspec lens, asexual relationships, and how the aspec mindset can apply to every aspect of your life."<ref name="Book">{{cite web |date=December 8, 2020 |title=We have some NEWS ... |url=https://twitter.com/soundsfakepod/status/1336376804471427074 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |publisher=Sounds Fake But Okay/Twitter |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208184054/https://twitter.com/soundsfakepod/status/1336376804471427074 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On February 21, 2023, the book ''Sounds Fake but Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else'' was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Sarah |last1=Costello |first2=Kayla |last2=Kaszyca |date=21 February 2023 |title=Sounds Fake But Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else |publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers |isbn=978-1839970016 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/1342623375 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219095332/https://www.worldcat.org/title/1342623375 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Awards and recognitions == * In November 2020, Costello and Kaszyca, along with their podcast, were honored the 2020 Discover Pods Award for "Best LGBTQ+ Culture Podcast".<ref name="DiscoverPods" />
* In April 2023, ''Cosmopolitan'' recognized the podcast as one of the "14 best podcasts of 2023".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/g42449334/best-podcasts-2023/|title=The 14 Best Podcasts of 2023 If You're in the Market for a New Listen|date=6 April 2023|website=cosmopolitan.com|access-date=21 April 2023|archive-date=April 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422051802/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/g42449334/best-podcasts-2023/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also == * List of LGBTQ podcasts
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.soundsfakepod.com/}}
{{Aromanticism topics}} {{Asexuality topics}}
Category:2017 podcast debuts Category:Audio podcasts Category:LGBTQ-related podcasts Category:Asexuality-related works Category:Aromanticism