Niko Stratis on Dad Rock, Glasswork, Depression, Addiction, and Becoming Herself

Niko Stratis knew a couple of things growing up in the Yukon in Canada: that she was, in truth, a woman, despite being regarded by the world as male, and that being trans or different in any way was absolutely not okay. It wasn’t just a matter of identity, it was a matter of safety too, as she worked with guys who vowed that if their child was gay or trans, they would kill that child. Niko discovered some other things, too: the trade of industrial glassworking, the numbing effects of the alcohol she became addicted to, and the redemptive power of music. Niko Stratis’s book, The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman , is a memoir and a playlist, tracing the inspiration of songs loosely tagged as dad rock as Niko battles setbacks and depression and suicidality, lives all over Canada, and finally makes the big, nothing-to-lose move of coming out as a trans. She tells her story and what was behind choosing a name that feels wonderful to say loud and openly. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun . Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com ! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org . Depresh Mode is on BlueSky , Instagram , Substack , and you can join our Preshies Facebook group . Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: Thanks to everyone who participated in this year's MaxFunDrive! Still want to get in on the action? Follow this link to support this show (and get in on our limited-time keychain sale to benefit the Center for Constitutional Rights):

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Niko Stratis on Dad Rock, Glasswork, Depression, Addiction, and Becoming Herself is an episode from Depresh Mode with John Moe by Maximum Fun.

This episode is 00:58:03 long.

This episode was published on Feb 9, 2026.

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