By Bérénice Jolly, Gabrielle Poughon, Océane Lang
The sun is going down by 6pm, and the time has come to spend endless evenings sipping a cup of tea wrapped in your favorite blanket. But there is a catch : finding the perfect occupation to warm up your long winter nights. Fortunately, we are here for you with a selection of the Elephant’s favorite feminist podcasts. Long, short, academic or not, there is something here for everyone, and you will find what you need to accompany your lonely hours.
©Juliette Boissière
La Poudre (“Powder”)
La Poudre is kind of the queen of all feminist podcasts. Created in 2016, the show is now on its one hundred second episode and operates on a simple principle: one episode, one feminist guest. All in an intimate and warm setting, where the journalist takes the time to discover the story, the personality and sometimes the cracks of her guests. Cradled by Lauren Bastide’s warm voice, we are transported at the whim of questions, sometimes intimate, sometimes political, often both, asked to the guest. Even after more than a hundred episodes, the show never goes around in circles and reinvents itself each year by covering different topics: eco-feminism, scholar women, artists, politicians. Besides, the sixth season, dedicated to people who spoke up to denounce sexual abuse in the wake of the #MeToo movement, has been inaugurated by a fabulous episode devoted to the writer and editor Vanessa Springora. She talks about her successful book, Consent, but also about her life, the reception of her work in the media and the impact that denouncing such a personal event has had on the public sphere. We can only recommend this podcast, to listen to without moderation.
Qui est Miss Paddle ? ( "Who is Miss Paddle ?" )
Carried by the journalist Judith Duportail, Who is Miss Paddle ? can be listened to as we would binge-watching a mini-series from Netflix. Short and rhythmic episodes, a gripping and unexpected story: this podcast brings together everything you need to keep you hooked until the end. You dive into it through the figure of Miss Paddle, one of those perfect girls we cannot help but stalk on Instagram, and you come out of it having learnt thousands of things on toxic relationships, self-acceptance and psychological grip mechanisms. Once you start this little audio jewel, time flies by, and you never know whether you should laugh or cry. One thing is certain: it is excellent, and we wish there was more of it. To find comfort, you can read one of Judith Duportail’s two books : L’amour sous Algorithme and Dating Fatigue, both dedicated to dating and its inevitable troubles when being a woman in 2020.
Vénus s’épilait-elle la chatte ? (“Did Venus wax her pussy?”)
The title might crack you up. And leave you wondering, too. It actually embodies this amazing podcast, which aims at « deconstructing Western art history, by proposing a feminist and inclusive point of view ». A vast program, you might say. And you might be right. Led by the journalist Julie Bzauzac and her solid background in art history, it makes you wonder about a multitude of things: should we separate the man from the artist (spoiler alert: hell no!), why are museums full of naked women next to dressed men, why are almost all art great masterminds men, why is racialised people’s representation always different from whites’ one in art? The topic is wide, fascinating, and presented through a unique lens at the intersection of art history and feminist studies. Honorable mention to the last episode entitled “Picasso : separating the man from the artist”, which retraces the life of a man who was as much a genius as a violent, sexist monster, although this is quite unknown to the public. This podcast is deep, balanced, carefully referenced, and it feels really good to listen to.
Quoi de Meuf ? ( "What's girl ?" )
Quoi de Meuf, or QDM for its intimate friends, is the intersectional podcast dedicated to pop culture and feminist news of the moment. There, you will find a great team of journalists in charge: Clémentine Gallot, accompanied by her acolytes Émeline Amétis, Anne-Laure Pineau, Pauline Verduzier or Kaoutar Harchi. Presented as a discussion, this show’ key asset is to alternate between short episodes dedicated to a culturel object - which allows you not to miss out on any of the new feminist releases of the moment - and longer episodes which dissect a theme through an intersectional feminist prism. Politics, music, literature, sociology, pop culture and economics blend with the journalists' voices to present us with an amazing picture of all feminism has to offer. It is informative, funny, and necessary to the cultural arsenal of any experienced intersectional feminist.
Les Couilles sur la Table (“Nuts on Table”)
What about a feminist podcast on masculinities? This podcast only talks about the other half of humanity. Created in 2017 by the journalist Victoire Tuaillon, the podcast takes the lives and experiences of men as a basis to talk about feminism. What could appear paradoxical is actually essential : how could we want deconstructed men without dissecting the very same construction which made them men, in the most patriarchal meaning of the word? Sexuality, politics, fatherhood, food, relation to one’s body, everything sifts through the fascinating discussions between the journalist and her guests. Among them, Virginie Despentes, Titiou Lecoq, Maïa Mazaurette or Paul B. Preciado. Quality people for qualitative rendering which Victoire Tuaillon has now accustomed us to. To slowly dive into the podcast, we especially recommend the episode « Of socks and men » which addresses the way men invest their domestic space.
RomComment
RomComment is one of the newbies among feminist podcasts, and we already love it. The two journalists Flore and Clara - who are also two buddies - analyse, the construction of our favorite romantic comedies, through a feminist and inclusive prism. Each episode sheds the light onto a « Trop », a mechanism of creation of classic pop culture narrative schemes. Grease, Twilight, L’Arnacoeur or even Notting Hill are scrutinized under the facetious analysis of the journalists. The episodes, of at least an hour each, are a moment of relaxation and lightness that we share with Flore and Clara, who we even end up considering as our buddies. If you are looking for a podcast that is not too academic but informative and joyful, RomComment is the one for you.
Rends l’argent ("Give the money back")
This podcast, sweetly called « Give the money back », made by Titiou Lecoq and produced by the online magazine Slate, focuses on financial issues in heterosexual couples. How do we pay the bills as a couple? Should a « feminist tax » be raised? Are women getting scammed? In eight episodes of about thirty minutes each, it addresses a specific aspect linked to money management in couples, starting with the taboo that surrounds this notion. A concrete approach, made of testimonies of individuals concerned by the topic addressed, is enriched by theoretical and sociological explanations which help understand different phenomenons. To go further on the subject, you can read the book Le couple, l’amour et l’argent, by Caroline Henchoz. And if you enjoy Titiou Lecoq’s work, you can also read her book Freed, which addresses inequalities and women’s role in daily life.
Un podcast à soi (“A podcast of one’s own”)
Each first Wednesday of the month, Charlotte Bienaimé proposes an in-depth investigation on a feminist issue. Thanks to testimonies and experts and particularly well written narratives, Charlotte Bienaimé succeeds in making accessible some extremely diverse topics: from ordinary sexism to the silence surrounding incest and pedo-criminality, including ecofeminism, women in prison or LGBT fights. This podcast produced by ARTE Radio enlightens listeners on issues that are sometimes miles away from our daily life, such as the reality of feminist and LGBT fights in Tunisia, by taking the time to discover and wonder about some unexpected facts.
Yess
Yess is a podcast of warriors. Carried by Elsa Miské, Margaïd Quioc and Anaïs Bourdet, it showcases portraits of women who have resisted and triumphed against sexism. Far from initiating injunctions, Yesss frees women by showing that there is a multitude of ways to answer to sexism and that they are all okay. By giving the mic to those women to raise awareness about what is unacceptable, the authors reverse the trend and address feminism through an optimistic angle. They don’t focus on the perpetrators of sexist actions, but promote those who have resisted to them by listening to what they have been through and by underlining the difficulties they were faced with. Through one or two episodes each month, this podcast produced by La Podcast Factory sheds light on brave women’s stories.
Le Coeur sur la Table (“Heart on Table”)
After Les Couilles sur la Table (The balls on the table), which questioned masculinities, Le Coeur sur la Table (“Heart on the table”) offers to reinvent our relationships to our lovers, but also to our family and friends. In each episode, Victoire Tuaillon guides us through testimonies coupled with sociological or psychological research, in order to question gender dynamics. The podcast addresses our roles in our relationships, the resulting imbalances of these roles, as well as the complexity in finding one’s place in an affectively dysfunctional society. Discussions are paved by Victoire’s personal reflections and interrogations, which makes the podcast rich and dense. The format of the episodes can seem nebulous, as testimonies and academic content are quickly interlinked and intertwined on a background of enigmatic music. What makes the podcast more special are the numerous moments of silence through the episodes, which make the content even more powerful, because it allows us to take a breath in the middle of this storm of ideas and this vertigo of possibilities. Everyone can relate to “Heart on table”, and that is what makes this podcast powerful.
Kiffe ta race ( "Dig your race" )
Kiffe ta race is the podcast which helped open my eyes. On pain, traumas which I had not experienced but are implemented in our societies. The question of minorities and race is addressed with bravery and without detours. This podcast, animated by Rokhaya Diallo and Grace Ly, two women concerned by the oppressions and discriminations they bring to light, allows one to listen, to denounce. To amplify minority voices in public debate, to take them into account to make these intolerable violences stop. In each episode, the discussions with the guests are uninhibited and issues of privileges and hierarchies are tackled without embarrassment or fear of taboos. Kiffe ta race is the perfect podcast to think about your place in society and all facets of power relations surrounding racial questions.
Illustrations by ©Juliette Boissière