We use this episode of thEMPOWER, to discuss the “boys locker room” incident which took place in India. We discuss the details of the case and the reflection of society and our culture that these developments display. We also chat about ways in which we can prevent locker room talk. To wrap it all up, we reflect on conversations with our South Asian friends, which give us hope for a way forward.
Humanity washed ashore.
Drawing inspiration from the Syrian refugee boy who washed ashore in 2015, we dissect the refugee crisis. In this episode, we discuss policies which are preventing refugees from exercising their rights to seek asylum. We also talk about the biggest refugee camp in South Asia and the growing concern of climate refugees.
We hope you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones during COVID-19. Staying apart keeps us together. Thank you for tuning in!
COVID-19; A south-asian perspective
Welcome back! In the latest episode of thEMPOWER, we dissect the situation of the pandemic in our respective home countries in South Asia. We pull apart the approach the Indian and Sri Lankan government has taken to deal with the situation and also explore the effects of the economic divide that exists within our countries and the rest of the globe.
We hope you enjoy this episode and continue to stay safe and keep others safe around you.
CORONAVIRUS.
Are we even a podcasting platform if we don’t talk about the coronavirus?
Welcome to another episode of thEMPOWER where we share our take on COVID-19. In this episode, we discuss topics such as racism, politics, crippling healthcare systems and the wage disparity, all the issues that are associated with this tiny virus, which has impacted our lives in big ways.
We hope you enjoy this episode and please take care of your mental and physical health during this time. Also don’t forget to tune into reliable news resources such as the World Health Organisation, for the latest updates on the virus.
Note: The transcript of our podcasts will no longer be available as we have decided to spice it up a little and go from a script-based delivery style to a more discussion-based approach.
Meet Aunt Flo.
This episode has been posted earlier than promised because that’s how pumped we are for you guys to listen to it!
This episode of thEMPOWER SCREAMMSSSS “badass.” From the girls we interview, to the topic we interview them about! So, what are you waiting for? Grab a snack because we, along with hosts of BitterSweet Podcast, are about to spill the tea on Aunt Flo.
Note: The transcript of our podcasts will no longer be available as we have decided to spice it up a little and go from a script-based delivery style to a more discussion-based approach.
We hope you guys enjoy this episode just as much as we enjoyed recording it!
International Women’s Day Special.
Happy International Women’s Day to all our lovely listeners!
In this episode we are all about celebrating sisterhood, intersectional feminism and the powerful women who have gotten us this far on the road to achieving equality. We have also had the honour of interviewing Na’Imah Bernard Banton, the president of the Women of Colour Society, at the University of Southampton, UK. Through her interview Na’Imah shared her view on society’s journey to achieving equality and what’s yet to come in the near future.
We hope you enjoy this special episode and continue to empower yourself and the millions of women around the world.
Rape Culture.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode of thEMPOWER discusses topics like rape and sexual assault.
In this episode of thEMPOWER we get serious and talk about rape culture. Through our discussion we try and break down the barriers that prevent survivors and victims of rape and sexual assault from reporting their case and also discuss the widespread toxicity of victim-blaming.
Outlined below are some links related to actions and steps you can take if you have ever been subject to sexual assault or if you know someone else and how you can best support them:
Feminism 101.
In this podcast, we take you on a journey depicting the tale of two girls, one brought up in Australia and one brought up in India. We compare and contrast how different their lives are and we also interview Sharanjit Kaur, a huge advocate for feminism, who lends us her view on intersectional feminism.
Censored.
Hello and welcome back to alas, our last podcast for Volume I and for this year. It’s a short and sweet podcast but definitely worth the listen, as this podcast aims to open your eyes to the concealed and censored world of China.
Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/business/china-war-on-fun-earrings-tattoos.html
Transcript.
Brown Skin Girl.
Today, we talk about culture and most importantly the differences between cultural integration into a Western society and the implications it can lead to, especially within our own community.
Poem:
The stories I have read tell me,
that my heritage is something
to be proud of.
the color of my skin
is the resemblance of dirt;
the very foundation of life.
Ma tells me within this skin
lies all the hardships of all the brown women,
who date back a lifetime.
she tells me wherever I am,
I will find a home.
that will remind me of the dusty villages
where I will find tongues of blade and spice.
But no one has ever told me,
these women in me whose bones ached at the touch
are not welcomed.
This land will tell stories
how people like me wear the label
“brown”
as an insult to all the women in me.
Like their shame,
torn from the hem of my dress.
They refuse to tell the stories,
how our mothers have burned their tongues;
so our names are easier to swallow.
But I do not care for their words
to validate the color of my skin.
For I am not just my skin,
but every woman within
And the stories I write will be my own
Forged from the life of every brown woman known and unknown.
– By Zhrah Aziz
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