Life-giving podcasts of 2022
by Jade Green
Photo by Sound On for Pexels
Whether you use podcasts to alter your mood, distract you from boring housework, simulate the presence of other human beings or cope with your soul-crushing job, there’s no denying the significance of podcasting in contemporary culture (and contemporary self-care). To me, the podcast affords a level of intimacy that separates it from other art forms, and a person’s podcast selection offers a window into their psyche.
Here’s my 2022 window, in no particular order:
The Bechdel Cast
Still going strong after six years, this is a must-listen podcast for feminist cinephiles. Hosts Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus use the Bechdel test as a jumping-off point to spark wider discussion of the representation of women and marginalised genders in movies. Their commitment to intersectional feminist values and skilful balancing of humour, rage and informative analysis make this the kind of podcast I can listen to any time, any place.
Favourite episodes: ‘The Social Network with Demi Adejuyigbe’, ‘10 Things I Hate About You with Laci Mosley’, ‘500 Days of Summer with Brandie Posey’
Visible Women
In this brand-new entry for 2022, Caroline Criado Perez continues her exploration of the gender data gap following the release of her fundamental book on the subject, Invisible Women, in 2019. The show blends investigative journalism with personal stories and an undercurrent of rage that is vital to Perez’s mission of closing the gap and designing a world that works for everyone. I listen to this when I’m feeling angry about the ‘default male’ design of things like playgrounds, PPE and car crash testing.
Favourite episodes: ‘Can playgrounds be sexist?’, ‘Deadly injustice: Why cars aren’t safe for women’, ‘Privacy vs the gender data gap’
Buffering the Vampire Slayer
This Buffy-watch pod has survived a Trump administration, a world-altering pandemic and the divorce of its two hosts, Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo, flourishing through adversity to become so much more than a podcast about a TV show. Jenny and Kristin discuss the show’s portrayal of patriarchy, lack of racial diversity and queer subtexts while bringing together a loving community of Buffy fanatics. It’s coming to an end this year, and my inner 17-year-old nerd will be lost without it.
Favourite episodes: ‘0.28: Race in the Buffy & Angelverse’, ‘4:10 – 4.10.02: Hush’, ‘5.22: The Gift’
Baby Geniuses
Sometimes you just need to listen to a podcast that simulates the feeling of hanging out with a few likeminded friends, chatting about nothing in particular. This is the state of being a human woman in 2022, and Baby Geniuses is my cure-all for loneliness, anxiety, and pandemic fatigue. Genius hosts Lisa Hanawalt and Emily Heller discuss run-ins with annoying neighbours, ponder how to tank their ‘wikiFeet’ ratings, and attempt to decode Martha Stewart’s Instagram posts. This unique brand of joyous, often insightful nonsense is guaranteed to lift my spirits when the horrors of the world are closing in.
Favourite episodes: ‘Hobby Tunneling’, ‘Top Euphemisms for “Period” by Language’, ‘List of Sandwiches’
Scam Goddess
To be honest, the subject of Scam Goddess isn’t important, because I’d listen to Laci Mosley talk about different varieties of paving slabs and still be entertained. The podcast calls itself ‘true fun crime’, digging into the lives of the most prolific scammers throughout history and keeping the audience abreast of current cons to watch out for. Scamming is explored as an art, rather than simply a crime, giving the show a special kind of nuance. I listen for a good laugh, and to learn something, too!
Favourite episodes: ‘The Lupine Liar with Conan O’Brien’, ‘Return of the Deacon with Jacquis Neal’, ‘Oops! I Scammed You Again: The Britney Spears Conservatorship with Tess Barker & Babs Gray’
The Curl Squad’s Curl Power Podcast
Healing from trauma forms the basis of Zoe Fox’s inspirational podcast, aimed at underrepresented women seeking growth and empowerment. Zoe candidly shares the crucial lessons she has learned from a lifetime of challenging experiences, including the sudden death of a partner and a life-changing spinal cord injury. Her resilience and commitment to personal development is infectious, and the podcast is a much-needed resource whenever those pesky limiting beliefs are getting in my way.
Favourite episodes: ‘How to Show up When You’re Lacking Motivation’, ‘Imposter Syndrome’, ‘Anxious Thoughts?’
We Are Childfree
Options are limited if you’re a childfree person looking for role models in the public eye, and the We Are Childfree community sets out to bridge the gap by celebrating childfree lives, one story at a time. On this companion podcast, Zoë Noble speaks to childfree people around the world about the challenges and obstacles they face – including judgemental family members, flippant doctors and oppressive cultural expectations. I listen when I want to feel empowered in my lifestyle choices!
Favourite episodes: ‘“Normal” doesn’t exist, with non-binary, neurodivergent Daze’, ‘No regrets, with 78-year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-Davis’, ‘Totally Tubular with Caitlin Durante’
SelfHealers SoundBoard
Sometimes the pressures of life, and the expectation that we must be making progress at all times, can be overwhelming; this podcast is a reminder to slow down, give yourself space, and practice self-compassion. The SelfHealers SoundBoard, hosted by Dr. Nicole LePera and Jenna Weakland, provides a safe and supportive forum in which challenging topics can be explored, such as generational trauma, people-pleasing, and building healthy relationships. I’ve found answers to huge life challenges in these episodes, and the pod is a valuable resource for healing.
Favourite episodes: ‘Episode 37: Healing the Mother Wound’, ‘Episode 44: The Cocoon Stage of Healing’, ‘Episode 50: How to Deal with Toxic Situations’
Pop Culture Detective: Audio Files
If you’ve enjoyed Pop Culture Detective’s seminal long-form YouTube essays, exploring damaging gender tropes in popular movies and TV shows, this podcast is a must-listen. Host Jonathan McIntosh and a range of cinephile guests continue to break apart regressive tropes and messaging in contemporary film and TV, discussing toxic masculinity, homophobic jokes, Disney’s racist history and much more. Like his video essays, the pod is thoroughly researched and deeply informative; I listen when I want to feel like a smart cinema person.
Favourite episodes: ‘Indiana Jones and The Case of The Ancient Aliens’, ‘The Case of The Cursed Jungle Cruise’, ‘The Multiversal Case of Everything Everywhere’
Pivotal Slice
You didn’t think I’d leave out my own podcast, did you? We’re approaching our one-year podcasting anniversary for Pivotal Slice, a space for us to discuss all things creativity. Jade Green (writer) and David Mackenzie (composer) speak to creators from a range of industries, including filmmaking, writing, music and dance, as well as delving into issues affecting the mental health of artists. We’re busy compiling our next season, where we’ll talk about imposter syndrome, the pain of self-promo, and social media fatigue. We also have more incredible guests lined up!
Favourite episodes: ‘Comedy with Bill Oakley’, ‘Short Stories with Irenosen Okojie’, ‘Why Meditate?’
We hope you’ve enjoyed this journey through the mind of our editor, and discovered something new for your own podcast portfolio! Join the conversation on social media; we’d love to know your favourite feminist podcasts.
Find more of Jade Green’s work here.