By Elizabeth King
I am a podcast nerd. I listen to them as often as I can. Podcasts are how I glean most of my pop culture and current events knowledge. I actively worry about losing friends because my sentences so often start with “I heard in this one podcast…” I fell in love with this medium about three years ago when I discovered they were an A+ stress reliever, with the added benefit of being super informative.
The other subject I am forever seeking new material from is the feminist discourse. I get energized when I am learning about the successes, strategies, problems, and future of women’s rights, as well as getting the female perspective on news and the arts. So when I listen to women-centric podcasts, I am basically in my own little heaven. Thankfully, there are a number of high quality lady-casts out there for us to explore.
Here are 4 podcasts guaranteed to up your girl power factor:
1. Popaganda
This one is a no-brainer. Popaganda comes to us from Bitch Media (I bow to thee!), and is hosted by their online editor, Sarah Mirk. This podcast is very inclusive in its feminist perspective, honest about issues within feminism, and overall is intelligent and enjoyable. If you like to analyze pop culture through a feminist lens, you will love Popaganda.
2. Nerdette
I swoon for Nerdette. This podcast is hosted by Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda, both of WBEZ in Chicago. Nerdette seeks to empower everyone, but especially the ladies, to own their nerdiness and share their interests with others. No-shame nerdery! Plus: they always provide a booze recipe (for those of us inclined to imbibe), AND they give homework! AKA cool stuff for listeners to check out between episodes.
3. Black Girls Talking!
Black Girls Talking! features four women: Alesia, Fatima, Aurelia, and Ramou. The girls talk about pop culture (they have some hilarious things to say about TV) and the portrayal of black people in popular media. They recently had a great interview with Janet Mock, and gave a great collective review of “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” This podcast doesn’t have a huge listenership right now, so give them some love and support.
4. Stuff Mom Never Told You
Stuff Mom Never Told You has grown a lot since their earlier episodes. One of the best things currently is that hosts Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin are not at all afraid to go there about topics related to gender and sex, and really make women’s history shine. The breadth of topics they cover will keep you coming back for more: From BDSM safety tips to the history of women in the arts, it has something for everyone.
There are certainly more podcasts out there that are hosted by and empowering to women. I get a lot out of the ones listed above and am always looking for more. On that note: ladies! audiophiles! I want to see more of you out there in podcast land. If you have an idea for a podcast, go out there and make it—we need more women’s perspectives out there.
About Elizabeth King
Elizabeth King is a mid-20s environmentalist, feminist, dog and Futurama-loving writer, and non-profit lady warrior living in Chicago, IL. She also is working to bring back the low-five.
