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Women in the podverse

There's an orchestra of voices out there, female, non-conforming, trans, queer...and okay, yes, men too. But today we are--ritualistically--celebrating the gender that draws from Chromosome X, and the one that society has constructed in multiple marginalising ways, constructions that over decades we are dismantling, brick by brick, sometimes whole walls at a time. The podcasting universe has a ton of shows that are made by women, and some specifically focusing on the huge range of experiences of being women, so if you have a little time on your hands here are some to listen to. As I run through the list on my regular feed, I find some that I listen to routinely, others I dip into when the mood strikes, and yet others that I save for days when I really want to immerse myself in something deep.

One that launched just two days ago (disclaimer: I am somewhat involved) is Pinjra Tod Kar, tells the stories that have shaped (and been shaped by) Shaheen, an organization founded by poet and activist Jameela Nishat. Shaheen works with women in the old city area of Hyderabad, trying to bring about a change in attitudes toward gender roles and helping women resist practices such as "sheikh marriages" (where girls, often underage, are practically sold in marriage to much older men from the Gulf). Produced by Suno India in collaboration with Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad and Bol Hyderabad (University of Hyderabad's community radio), the show will feature the stories of the women whose lives have been impacted by Shaheen, as well as the challenges and victories seen through the eyes of its founder. The first episode is a reflective conversation between Suno-India's Padma Priya that offers a perspective of gender politics and life in Hyderabad's historic district.

Fat.So? is another show from the Suno-India stable that just ended the first season. Spunky and upbeat, despite a fair amount of ranting, this is a spirited and unself-conscious conversation between Ameya and Pallavi about the joys and challenges ("high on the joy") of being fat women in India. No topic is off limits as they talk about clothes, travel, food, relationships and health--as these aspects of life are experienced by fat women. There's a lot to learn from these two as they discuss with disarming honesty their navigation through a world that is not built for those who fall outside the narrow limits of the socially constructed "normal".

Coming up soon is a series I am looking forward to--City of Women--from another female duo, Radhika Viswanathan and Samyuktha Varma of Vaaka Media. The trailer promises an exciting and thought-provoking journey as we listen to how women occupy the city and make it their own, despite the city's attempts to control and curtail their movement. Recent feminist work has raised questions about women's access to public spaces and the structural and social barriers that limit movement and occupancy. Rebecca Solnit's reimagination of the New York subway as a map (also titled City of Women) from her book "Nonstop Metropolis" asks us to think about what it would be like to grow up and traverse a city named for its female icons. In India, Shilpa Phadke (Why Loiter?) and others have provided the conceptual underpinnings of women's right to the streets, fueling movements like #WeWillGoOut and #PinjraTod.

And remember the feisty Mary Robinson. former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights? Teaming up with comedian Maeve Higgins, she hosts the podcast Mothers of Invention, which celebrates the "amazing women doing remarkable things in pursuit of climate justice." Combining smart comedy, some sharp storytelling and intelligent conversation, the podcast offers a feminist perspective on climate change and the many environmental battles being fought around the world.

The New Indian Woman podcast is a year-old show hosted by Krishna K that sets out to "examine the challenges faced by today's woman and proposes actionable strategies in the Indian context." Drawing on conversations with women representing a diversity of life situations and backgrounds, she explores such themes as work-life balance, menstruation, family relationships, parenting, and entrepreneurship.

There's plenty more out there, made by women on women and made by women on a wide range of topics ranging from current events to science to archaeology and technology. In fact, podcasting seems to be one of those spaces that has a large number of female voices both in the corporate and independent sector--and one can examine the political economy of that, too (lower cost of production, flexible work arrangements, etc.).  So this women's day, let's toast these voices, and turn the knob just a little higher on them!







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