Brown Don't Frown was borne out of a personal journey with womanhood. As a British Bangladeshi, navigating mainstream Feminism often felt exclusionary to me because it didn’t seem to value the experiences or views which shaped my grandmother’s, aunts’, mother’s or friends’ lives. Through this podcast, we seek to build a more inclusive discourse, which breaks down presumptions about different cultures, and shines a positive light on the stories of underrepresented women. Featuring new guest(s) from different walks of life in each episode, Brown Don’t Frown seeks to engage ordinary women and facilitate openness towards entirely new perspectives. It hopes to spark honest and meaningful conversations about intersectional feminist themes in contemporary society with the acknowledgement that our views are shaped by our cultural, racial, religious, social and political experiences. Whether it's discussing society's preconceptions about the Hijab with a British-born Jamaican Muslim woman or examining the impact of gendered expectations on our ability to grieve on our own terms, we hope listeners finish each episode feeling more rounded than they did before. Follow us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browndontfrownpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bdfpodcast?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/browndontfrownpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/browndontfrownpodcast
Episodes
Monday Mar 23, 2020
Monday Mar 23, 2020
The disruption caused by Coronavirus only signals what’s yet to come. In the hopes of reassuring you that you are not alone in the challenges you face, in this special episode, my friends and family from different backgrounds and countries share their Whatsapp voice notes. They talk about how they have been impacted and provide tips on staying sane, managing mental and physical health, looking out for others and maintaining productivity during self-isolation.
Hopefully, the COVID-19 pandemic will enable us to reflect and practise greater gratitude for our access to home comforts, food and technology. And who knows, perhaps it will be a catalyst for resetting the world as we know it altogether...
Sunday Feb 16, 2020
Sunday Feb 16, 2020
In the final episode of Season 1, I’m joined by Katie Taylor, Junior Editor of a publishing house focussing on books about mental health and well-being. Although the publishing industry is largely dominated by women, we look at how their prevalence dissipates at the senior and executive levels. We question tick-box BAME representation in publishing, rattle the cage on toxic masculinity, and explore writing as a safe space. I also grill Katie on the criteria for getting a book published.
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Monday Feb 03, 2020
We want to live life with purpose and good intentions, but social media, uncapped advertising and capitalism have left many of us feeling vulnerable when it comes to our self-acceptance, as we find ourselves on the hamster wheel of external approval to validate our own existence.
Join myself and Hanita, as we explore our jouneys through self-reflection, from being young teenage rebels to feeling comfortable in our own skin today.
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
Join me with my friend and former colleague, Immigration Barrister Zoe Bantleman as we discuss the UK Immigration System's impact on women. We start off with domestic violence and asylum and end with the challenges faced by both migrant women in work and British women with migrant partners, such as the gender pay gap, migrant worker salary requirements, maternity leave, the EU Settlement Scheme and of course, life post-Brexit.
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
Recent ONS figures reveal that the number of women not having children has nearly doubled within a generation. Bianca Mihaes and I unpack societal norms and take a detour from the well-trodden path of marriage, children and the traditional family unit. As the definition of family widens through cohabitation, adoption, late parenthood, same-sex marriage and single-parenting, we also discuss our own interpretations of family and its cultural significance as Bengali and Romanian women.
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
In this episode, I'm joined once again by Zed and Ali of www.canttouchmycrown.com. We talk about that ever-pressing question we get asked. Join us as we explain where we're "really" from.
Disclaimer: In case it wasn't clear enough in the podcast, Zed and I don't side with Nigerians or Ghanaians when it comes to Jollof rice. We like both.
Sunday Nov 17, 2019
Sunday Nov 17, 2019
Having both lost a parent, Heather Waterfield and I talk about the impact of losing my mother as a child and Heather tells me about the anxiety and sadness she experienced when her father was mentally unwell. We dissect the gender stereotyping projected on society which clouds the ability to grieve on our own terms. We also explore the sentiments behind "moving on" and "getting over it" and consider whether the 'stiff upper lip' mentality enables toxic masculinity and male suicide.
Sunday Nov 03, 2019
Sunday Nov 03, 2019
Jamaican Muslim Adelah Bilal and I discuss Adelah's motivation for wearing the hijab, how it can be a barrier between herself and non-Muslim women, and defining 'liberation'. We talk about the importance of not only interrogating ourselves when it comes to our own beliefs, but challenging others to challenge their own preconceptions about the hijab, such as its association with oppression and patriarchy. We also chat about my day wearing a hijab and Adelah's mission to make Yoga accessible.
Wednesday Oct 16, 2019
Wednesday Oct 16, 2019
Today I'm joined by Riannah Kelsey. As believers of meritocracy and diversity and as WOC, we deserve our achievements because we've earned them, in spite of our gender/race. Yet when we are tokenised, it undermines our intelligence. Having both worked in the legal/financial sectors, which have historically been catered towards middle class, white men, join us as we discuss our experiences in the workplace and how Riannah confronts the uncomfortable 'angry black woman' stereotype.
Sunday Oct 13, 2019
Sunday Oct 13, 2019
In the first episode of Brown Don’t Frown, I’m joined by Z and Ali of www.canttouchmycrown.com. Join us as we talk and laugh about growing up as Asian and Black British women in the UK.