It’s December! If the weather where you are is frightful, it’s the perfect time for a sweet shot of feminism via the ears. Podcasts have taken over the internet, and so often, it seems to be four white bros sitting around collecting that sweet advertiser money while they explain the world to their listeners. Where is the smart, feminist analysis? Here’s my roundup of six sweet listens to keep on heavy rotation.
Popaganda
So, full disclosure, my primary form of self-care is cleaning the house with Popaganda on full blast. Tons of podcasts advertise themselves as smart, savvy takes on pop culture. Popaganda actually delivers.
Start here: This episode on wellness and the continual monitoring of the body is enough to set Goop on fire.
Fainting Couch Feminists
Designed for “witches, bitches and anyone who has ever been called hysterical”, this Vancouver original interviews writers, poets and artists about all the intersections of life and art. This podcast might expose you to poetry, in all the ways.
Start here: Talking poetry, periods and pussies - sounds good to me! Digging into "the right to be gross" is deeply satisfying, especially when it roots right down into taking pleasure in your body.
Another Round
Technically, Another Round is on hiatus, but there are still 75 episodes of goodness for you to listen to, and they’re on a mission to snag Michelle Obama for an interview. Trust me, you want to be subscribed when that happens.
Start here: This chatty and fun episode features all the cool folks (Lin-Manuel Miranda! Padma Lakshmi!) while compiling a gripping portrait of what it means to be an immigrant in America.
otipêyimisiw-iswêwak kihci-kîsikohk (Métis in Space)
Two Métis women, who happen to be sci-fi nerds, break down the “whitest genre of film and television” ever (harsh but true). Packed with hilarious analysis and cool guest stars, decolonizing sci fi has never been more fun.
Start here: This episode veers from Australian sci-fi to yeast infection treatments, and features the writer and badass Gwen Benaway. 💥💥💥
Choice/less
Reproductive rights are, to me, the canary in the coal mine of feminism. Body autonomy is just table stakes for feminism, yet there seems to be a long line of white men working hard to take this right away. Choice/less exposes the human costs of anti-choice laws, in heartbreaking ways. Prepare to be angry.
Start here: This four part miniseries on the history of reproductive health and the historical injustice that came along with that starts with a harrowing look at early contraceptive pill trials in Puerto Rico.
One From The Vaults
Being trans is not a new phenomenon - in fact, there is a rich history of trans lives that proves that the binary has always been bonkers. Hosted by Morgan M Page, Canadian trans writer and artist, each episode delves into another aspect of trans history, making all these untold stories gripping yet accessible.
Start here: This is a great history about COG, North America's first trans organization, which operated in San Francisco in the 1960s, advocating for an end to police persecution as well as for the healthcare needs of trans folks.
