Woke Lifestyle Podcasts by Women for Women
This lockdown, I have immersed myself into the world of podcasts. As a hyperactive multitasker, I enjoy tuning in when I am cooking, cleaning or commuting. My favourite podcasts are typically ones that engage with the intricacies of pop-culture and explore related themes of feminism, identity and cultural influences.
Below I have listed a few that resonate with me.
1. Bobo and Flex
The dynamic duo look into personal bias with the objective of decolonising the mind. Bobo, a self-coined ‘optimistic nihilist’, and Flex, a ‘woke’ influencer, both critically engage with a plethora of cross-continental topics. As black women from Australia and South Africa respectively, they offer a lens into discourses surrounding feminism, privilege and race. I particularly enjoy their podcasts as they depart from the more trivial subjects to tackling pressing matters of postcolonial identity and spirituality. I wish I had found these girls sooner as they genuinely feel like my good friends!
2. The High Low
The quintessential podcast for the working London girl. Though not particularly outspoken and often shying away from the more controversial topics, Dolly and Pandora offer a thought-provoking sixty minutes of babble. As successful lifestyle journalists, both women effortlessly meander from the low-brow and frivolous to the more pressing of issues such as identity politics in the digital age. I recommend ‘The High Low’ to any Londoner who enjoys keeping up to date with the literary world and for anyone looking for a bit of escapism during their daily commute.
3. Call Your Girlfriend
A cult-classic (since 2014) that looks at the challenges surrounding womanhood and friendships today. From sex, politics to poetry; long-distance besties, Ann and Aminatou, explore various topics pertinent to the daily experience of women. Their podcast is authentic and conversational, almost like an intimate phone call between two friends. As a lover of Zadie Smith’s work, I was recently thrilled to discover their episode interviewing her (See ‘Zadie Smith’ August 7th episode).
4. I Weigh with Jameela Jamil
I recently discovered Jameela’s weekly podcast, which organically evolved after her Instagram handle (@i_weigh) gained increasing momentum. Jameela never strays far from the public eye through her social and feminist advocacy. Her aim, to ‘amplify, advocate and pass the mic’ is well-executed in this provocative weekly podcast with each episode featuring a new guest (including the likes of Munroe Bergdorf, Reese Witherspoon and Demi Lovato). She is unapologetic and unfiltered in her discussion of celebrity diet culture, mental health and gender expectations.