Autumn is officially here!
It’s the perfect time to create a cozy fort for yourself inside, away from the cold and gloomy weather, with a cup of your favourite hot drink. And while you are relaxing (pretending not to notice the long list of uni assignments and chores you have yet to complete) why not listen to a podcast or two?
“But Kate”, I hear you cry, “there are so many podcasts out there, I don’t know which one to choose?”
Well, my friends, I have anticipated this predicament and have compiled a list of my favourite podcasts (available on Spotify) for your listening pleasure. I have everything from true crime to social activism, so you are guaranteed to find something you like. Although, if you don’t find something you like you will, at the very least, have gained a rare insight into my personality.
Happy listening!
Doing It! With Hannah Witton
In this podcast, the wonderful sex educator Hannah Witton talks to guests about a wide range of topics. These include but are not limited to: sex, relationships, sexuality, gender, bodies, disability, dating, periods, and pregnancy/fertility!
The interviews all feel very personal as the guests provide open and honest answers that are based on their personal experience of the topic they are discussing. Conversations flow naturally, as though they are long-time friends, and are engaging as well as informative. Hannah’s own excitement at talking to the guests, all of whom she admires/follows online, is also very contagious and you can’t help but be sucked into their discussions.
If you look at the podcast description that accompanies each episode Hannah also includes a written description of the guests and their platforms so that you can learn more about them and the content they make.
The Last Podcast On The Left
With their unique brand of dark humour and comedic re-enactments, these three friends (Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski) give accurate, but entertaining, accounts of true crime stories and supernatural events.
The trio’s passion for all things horror is unmatched, albeit slightly terrifying. They provide sources for every episode and also give warnings when the topics become very grisly and graphic. However, be warned, most of these podcast episodes are gruesome and not for those of you with weak stomachs.
Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby
Hosted by mythology enthusiast, Liv Albert, this podcast covers the most controversial and interesting mythological stories from Ancient Greece/Rome. Liv tells it as it is, using an intersectional feminist lens, as she and her guests pick apart all the crazy things the gods got up to.
All discussions are very conversational, as Liv likes to follow the guest’s interests. What I love most about these episodes are how accessible the discussions are, no big words and weird terms, just honest comments and thoughts. That being said, while the ‘Liv Reads’ episodes are good for newbies with no prior knowledge of these topics, the ‘Conversations’ episodes are more for people who are already familiar with the topics/myths being discussed.
However, it should be noted that a lot of these stories contain potentially disturbing topics as the Gods got up to a lot of horrible things so keep that in mind when picking out an episode to listen to.
The Way We Are with Munroe Bergdorf
Munroe Bergdorf is an accomplished writer and activist. In her podcast she interviews celebrities from marginalized communities who have inspired her, using her platform to make their journeys and experiences heard.
The guests share their stories of growth where they turned “trauma into triumph and adversity into opportunity”. These honest accounts of the big and small moments, ups and downs, of people’s lives are very raw and moving. It really is wonderful to hear their reflections on life and celebrations of their accomplishments.
Munroe also provides trigger warnings at the start of each episode as she and her guests often touch on some uncomfortable topics.
Gender Reveal
In their podcast, Tuck Woodstock interviews LGBTQIA+ artists, activists, and educators and together they try to figure out ‘what exactly is gender?’.
Tuck and their guests answer listeners questions and discuss current events. The topics covered are driven by questions and interests they have themselves which is really cool and makes the podcast very engaging. The conversations are informative in an easy-to-follow way that also doesn’t baby you, almost as if you are getting an insight in their own journey of self-discovery
The YIKES Podcast
Hosted by friends Mikaela Loach and Jo Becker, this podcast covers a wide range of topics centred around social activism, resisting oppressive systems, and crises in the world. Basically, all the issues you should care about!
The two are both students and social/climate activists in Scotland with their own platforms which you should definitely check out. They break down topics so that they are easy to follow and discuss them in a chatty/friendly but informative way. They dissect their topics using an intersectional feminist lens and even in the face of overwhelming adversity, make sure to give you hope for the future.
Just Between Us
Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn bring you this chatty, advice-based podcast complete with professional guests that give practical advice and helpful information.
The duo describes their podcast as a “reality podcast filled with heartfelt advice, ridiculous games, and brutal honesty” and I’m inclined to agree. Their podcast is very high energy and filled with fun and games while they cover a wide variety of topics from sexuality to mental health. They also manage to give honest good advice based on their own experience.
My favourite part of this podcast though is the fact that they include transcriptions of all their podcasts in the description of the episode!
En(BA)BY: A Podcast About Gender
Gara Lonning, assisted by their ‘best-thems’ Maggie Dunleavy and Basil Lee, use this podcast to discuss everything about gender.
Together they answer questions, conduct interviews, and provide lots of honest/raw conversations about their own experiences/journeys with gender identity. The podcast is light-hearted and fun whilst being incredibly informative. It’s like listening into a group of friends having a normal discussion.
My favourite part of their podcast is the ‘What is your gender today?’ segment where they describe how they feel about their gender that day using abstract pop-culture references.
Mythology & Tales
I’ve grouped these last two podcasts together because they are made by the same company, Parcast. Both podcasts are episodic audio dramas that will surprise and amaze you as they bring to life some exciting and chilling myths, legends, and classic fairy tales.
The voice acting is very well done and really draws you into the universe. You can seriously lose hours listening to these. In some cases, they also give you analyses of the pieces they have just read. However, be warned, some of the episodes are quite disturbing (especially the Tales) so listen with caution.