Soapbox Shower Thoughts

In today’s episode Carmen and Serena speak on their opinions on representation in the media and what it means for us as women of colour. Has representation changed throughout our lives, and if so, has that influenced our feelings about our identity? When does it become pandering? Join us as we discuss these questions and more.

Happy Earth Month everyone! In this episode, Serena and Carmen share some of their favorite "green" habits; from sustainability to anti-consumerism, we are all trying to do our part. 

Serena and Carmen are back with another episode. Today we talk about our insecurities growing up and our journey with our bodies.       

In the wake of the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, Serena & Carmen discuss their experience with grief and loss throughout their lives.

In this episode, Serena and Carmen discuss the criticism that Cardi Bi and Megan thee Stallion’s WAP has been receiving over the past month, as well as female sexuality in mainstream culture. They then invite some friends to share their thoughts on the song

In today’s episode, Serena and Carmen explore the complexities of perfectionism and anxiety, including what it is and how it has played both an adaptive and maladaptive role in their personal lives. Serena Williams' Comments About Perfectionism https://bit.ly/3laMzfy Dr. Marton Antony TEDxRyersonU Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTbnBmwKuCI&t=1s Smith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Chen, S., Saklofske, D. H., Mushquash, C., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2017). The perniciousness of perfectionism: A meta-analysic review of the perfectionism-suicide relationship. Journal of Personality, 86(3), 522-542. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12333

In this episode, Serena and Carmen discuss what it means to treat yourself in today's consumer culture and what "sparks joy" in their lives.

After spending some time processing and learning, Serena and Carmen talk about the black lives matter movement and their own privilege. They have learned a lot over the past weeks, and are continuing to educate themselves on how to become a better ally. They discuss the importance of long-term change and impact, versus performative allyship. This is definitely a complex and intersectional issue, more episodes to come. - White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Peggy McIntosh https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf Black lives matter - the black community has become victims of the “justice system” https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBh1eSjhQ9/ Vox -Protests aren’t what they look like on TV  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnA3cNTsXQ&t=0s Black Lives Matter https://blacklivesmatter.com/ National Bailout https://www.nationalbailout.org/

In this episode, Serena & Carmen continue their conversation about loneliness and their personal experiences with it, whether it be in the context of friendships or romantic relationships. They also delve into the complexities boundaries and deal breakers. 

Canadian Mental Health Week is from May 4-11 and 2020’s theme is social connection. CMHA has also launched the #GetReal campaign. “Every time we just go through the motions, we miss out on the chance to connect for real.  In times of crisis like this , we need each other more than ever.”  Serena and Carmen take this opportunity to talk about loneliness and social connection in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what it means to get real with others and ourselves. The power of vulnerability - Brené Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o How to practice emotional first aid - Guy Winch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2hc2FLOdhI https://cmha.ca/mental-health-meter http://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/mental-health-for-life/ https://bouncebackontario.ca/ https://mentalhealthweek.ca/

Serena and Carmen go back in time to explore the beginnings of their friendship. They play a game of “we’re not really strangers”, and somehow still learn something new about each other after 8 years of friendship. https://www.werenotreallystrangers.com/ http://36questionsinlove.com/

Today Serena & Carmen talk about the name of the podcast and how that came about, and one of the reasons why they decided to start a podcast - to stop being complacent. The man who rigged America’s election maps - Vox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpamjJtXqFI Violence against women: it's a men's issue - Jackson Katz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTvSfeCRxe8

Now more than ever we are turning to social media for connection, but often it leaves us feeling even more lonely and isolated. In today's episode Carmen and Serena talk about the irony of social media and how it has changed throughout our lives. They end the episode with a conversation on their experiences using dating apps and dating in a world of overwhelming choice.

Today, Serena and Carmen talk about their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. How have they navigated a world where they were taught, since a very young age, to fear men? What are the harmful misconceptions of sexual assault and how has that shaped their behaviours? How have they balanced speaking their boundaries to men without fearing repercussions? Tune in to hear their answers to these questions and more. Trigger warning: SA Video mentioned by Anna Akana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxCntTmdfJ8&list=LL&index=704

For Carmen and Serena 2020 has been full of growing pains; changes that they had to get used to, conversations that had to be had. Join them in their season 1 finale where they delve into these growing pains, as well as look back on the holiday season and look forward to new year's resolutions!

In this episode, Serena and Carmen talk about the insidious nature of shame, and the role it plays in everyone’s lives. They talk about the important lessons they’ve learned through Dr. Brené Brown’s research and storytelling. Brené Brown Videos “Listening to Shame” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psN1DORYYV0 “The power of vulnerability” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o Brené Brown Books:  Daring Greatly, I Thought It Was Just Me.

Serena and Carmen go back in time to discover the origins of the invention of the vibrator and find out some interesting things. They extend this conversation into their real life and touch on their own experiences. Sources: The History of Hysteria https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-quackery/history-hysteria The Strange (But True) History of Hysteria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JefYnYIXY_8 https://journalofpositivesexuality.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Failure-of-Academic-Quality-Control-Technology-of-Orgasm-Lieberman-Schatzberg.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/opinion/vibrator-invention-myth.html https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181107-the-history-of-the-vibrator https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/enterprise-and-society/article/selling-sex-toys-marketing-and-the-meaning-of-vibrators-in-early-twentiethcentury-america/22E463A1B220B723BEFE776F605DB64B/core-reader

For too long, they have felt ashamed and uncomfortable to share their experiences with mental health. In this episode, Serena and Carmen learn to unapologetically speak about their own personal battles with mental health and experience with therapy. They also delve into the complexities of utilizing labels and the surrounding stigma of mental illness. "Shame derives its power from being unspeakable... it keeps us from asking for help" - Brene Brown. TW: suicide & depression.