The final episode of (Un)marginalised Season 2 has been created from our launch event for this season. It includes some audience responses and even a part of our audience Q & A.
In this episode I told the story behind the (Un)marginalised podcast, then spoke with Carly Findlay about ableism, lateral violence, connection & mentorship, curiosity versus nosiness, Intersectional Feminism, disability advocacy, disabled leadership and much more!
Content note for ableism, sexism, racism and sexual violence
If you need support after listening – you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia (24/7). If you’re anywhere else, you can find support here: https://www.befrienders.org
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I spoke with Laura Pettenuzzo about internalised ableism, how using a wheelchair can be easier than walking, physio, writing days, spoons, dating with disabilities, easy English, how our intersections shape our reading and writing, chopped vegetables.
If you need support after listening – you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia (24/7). If you’re anywhere else, you can find support here: https://www.befrienders.org
In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Zoe Simmons about chronic pain, how weight and gender shapes our experience of the medical system, internalised ableism, changing our relationship with mobility aids, mental health challenges, shame, pride and so much more!
Content note: this episode contains discussions about fatphobia, ableism, Mental illness, suicide, sexual harrasment and assault
If you need support after listening – you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia (24/7). If you’re anywhere else, you can find support here: https://www.befrienders.org
In this episode, I spoke with Jess Japuscinski-Evans about sex on premesis access, what’s it like to be queer and disabled, public transport, Activism, allyship, emerging and elders in the arts space, disability-related humour, bringing together the physical disability and psycho-social disability communities, and much more.
Content note for ableism – please take care as you listen.
You can find the complete transcripts of the episodes on http://lkbridgford.com/unmarginalised-podcast
If you need support after listening – you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia (24/7). If you’re anywhere else, you can find support here: https://www.befrienders.org
In this episode, I had an enriching conversation with Sonja Plitt, whose eloquent honesty impressed me. It was particularly powerful to hear their journey with gender, and with national shame.
We talk about national perpetrators and victims, intergenerational trauma, gender, labels, how language impacts and shapes reality, cultural shame, mental health and much more.
Content note: mental health, Holocaust, intergenerational trauma, sexual assault, ableism and transphobia
If you need support after listening – you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia. If you’re anywhere else, you can find support here: https://www.befrienders.org
In lockdown last year while getting into podcasts, I felt like I was traveling a huge gap in societal understanding of intersectionality. I wanted to build within it – to create sign posts around the darkness and shine a light through it, so that others can understand.
That’s how the idea of the (Un)marginalised podcast was born. Within a few weeks, I had the generous help of a few people – friends, acquaintances and even a couple of strangers.
I didn’t know much about podcasting, but I had a vision – of telling stories of lived experience of intersectionality, in a way that was authentic, engaging and moving. The vision grew and materialised with the help of many including Matt McCleish (the first co-producer and editor), Lior Kenigsman and Gilad Etzkovich (who created the perfect logo), and my guests – Emily McIntyre, Sue, Pascha, Julie G., Jennifer Hankin, and Shira.
One day in December 2020 we started. Sue connected and we pressed ‘record’. Sue and I chatted and untangled the complexities of living through intersectionality, of what it means to belong, don’t belong and partly belong. It was a beautiful couple of hours, where we talked about many interesting subjects including Mothers Day, mental health, racism, and more.
First Podcasting Interview! [ID: a photo of Liel sitting at a wooden desk in front of an open laptop and a large microphone. She is smiling, looking down at the laptop and is wearing a black top, brown glasses and a white watch.]
Matt did an initial edit, while I orgniased more recordings. The next recording I did alone, with just my anxiety about technical issues. With each interview, I learned more about my interviewing skills and podcasting goals. Holding space, asking questions and expressing curiosity were already parts of my toolbox from counselling work. But I needed to learn other skills like when and how to disagree, and how to keep the conversation entertaining. I needed to find the light and shade, and I wanted to tell multiple stories simultaneously.
Exploring and telling personal stories through an intersectionality lens has been a reflreshing, invigorating, at times tears-inducing process. Subsequent interviews went well, with thought-provoking conversations which I slowly got more comfortable to direct.
After sourcing out music and helping me find the right tone and structure to the episodes, Matt had to leave the project. He gave me a crash course in editing and soon I’ve spent nights editing. The whole thing took a lot more time than I’d anticipated, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Accessibility has always been a top priority of this project – I wanted to make sure the show reached as many people as possible, and made people feel safe and welcome. One of the ways to do this was to provide full episode transcripts, and it took me several hours per episode to transcribe.
Becoming a podcaster has been such a learning curve. It was challenging to balance the funny, positive or entertaining content with the serious, heavy and sometimes even traumatic aspects of the storytelling. It’s not a balance that’s easy to achieve, and especially not in real-time interviewing. I had to get in touch not just with my curious self and the part of me that wanted to connect, but also with the content-consumer part of me that knows what an engaging episode sounds like. There were many different things to think about all at once!
As I listened and moved tracks around on the screen, the importance and power of stories cemented in my mind. There is nothing quite like hearing from someone who has lived experience. To become an ally, to be an effective health professional, an advocate, or a good world citizen, one must engage with lived experience.
My favourite part about the process was connecting with fellow humans. Although everyone has a unique story, there were many similarities. Validating isn’t a strong enough word to express how it feels when you realise there’s another human who shares your thoughts and feelings – it is more like anchoring my body into the ground. The season spoke to the fact that struggles I face are often struggles others face, and highlighted how many of those are avoidable, or at least could be mitigated through social justice. I can’t think of a better way to improve society than storytelling – and so I hope that by listening to those stories everyone can learn something and work towards a more just, equal world.
The wonderful responses helped me feel that the work was worthwhile. Another aspect of podcasting that surprised me was how much money it cost. I’ve been using my personal savings for this, and due to the ongoing financial and time commitment, the season ended at episode seven. Finishing the season was sad, as I felt it was a job unfinished – there were so many more voices and perspectives I wanted to have on the show.
With this in mind, I applied for grant funding, unsuccessfully. With the support of amazing and generous people I tried again a few months later – which brings me to the news part of this post:
A new season is coming, supported by the City Of Melbourne Arts Grants 2022. I am incredibly grateful and excited that the project was selected, and that I get to return to podcasting, producing and interviewing real people who navigate intersectionality.
Season Two Is coming! [ID: a colourful background and white text. The background is made of small colourful shapes in shades of red, orange, yellow, green and purple. The white text reads ‘[UN] MARGINALISED PODCAST SEASON 2’]
The second season will be even better, with a similar format. A couple of small changes are a focus on artists connected with the City of Melbourne, and one live, IN PERSON recording event in Melbourne (crossing all fingers!). So, if you haven’t yet listened to the first season, now is your chance. If you have listened and enjoyed it, please remember to rate, review and subscribe. Most importantly, tell your friends!
The first season of (Un)marginalised has already finished, but lucky for you, I’ve produced a special, bonus episode! In this episode I am chatting with one of my best friends, a fellow immigrant and book lover, Shira.
We talk about immigrating to Australia, slang, accent, making friends, and so much more. We had so many laughs, and I’m sure you’ll find it interesting.
This episode is released only to my supportive patrons who help make sure this website exist, the podcast to be available for free, and my writings to continue.
For the price of one coffee per month, you can access the full episode, as well as support the ongoing making of the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/LielKBridgford
In the final episode for the season, Jen and I explore how the intersection between gender and invisible disability drives a person’s health, employment and education experience. We also talk fashion, music, the Australian disability support system, and what to do when people ask ‘how are you?’.
CW: ableism, mental health issues and family violence
Please note the views expressed by the interviewee do not necessarily reflect my own.
“To flourish as a person I can’t feel like I have to force my way into spaces. I need to feel like somebody had made that space for me.” – Jennifer Hankin on the (Un)marginalised Podcast.
In this week’s episode, I laugh hard many times, as Julie and I discuss dating with a disability, body hair, hiding, growing up poor and disabled, inclusion versus token accessibility, pedicure, ball phobia, and so much more.
CW: ableism, internalised ableism, exercise and body shaming.
Please note the views expressed by the interviewee do not necessarily reflect my own.
“I find that my mental health is cranky…the accessibility isn’t done gratefully…places are not happy to invite the disabeld…there’s a ramp, so what more do they want?…I still feel unwanted…I guess you don’t want my money, and I spend a lot.” – Julie G. on the (Un)marginalised podcast.
![[ID: a photo of Liel sitting at a wooden desk in front of an open laptop and a large microphone. She is smiling, looking down at the laptop and is wearing a black top, brown glasses and a white watch.]](https://i0.wp.com/lkbridgford.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/IMG_4896.jpg?w=525)
