Swimming in Gendered Waters

Let me set the scene; you’ve been in your bed for a few hours, staring at the wall, letting your thoughts float and bounce across the room, and you’re thinking, “how the **** am I not asleep yet?”. oh have I been there... But maybe what you didn’t know (and what I hadn’t realized until recently), is that insomnia and sleeplessness are heavily gendered! And no one seems to talk about it?Join me on this journey of reclaiming and honoring sleeplessness, and normalizing this obscured lifestyle. (but also, don’t let your insomnia govern your life. It’s worth seeing a professional to better understand your sleep hygiene, and even more so if you can no longer live your daily life due to insomnia)The book that inspired this episode: “Sleepless: Discovering the Power of the Night Self” by Annabel Abbs.I also talk about a few different artists, including Louise Bourgeois (the spider sculpture “Maman” I talk about is definitely not in Belgium it’s at the Tate in London right now).

Being friends across genders in a heteronormative society… a constant battle. And it’s almost predictable right? It doesn’t serve the patriarchy for men and women to be friends; the West needs them to produce the workers and consumers of the next generations.This episode is a full-blown Yasmin rant. In a world that has long indoctrinated us in ‘searching for our soulmate’ in every bond, and where the norm of toxic masculinity prevails, my dream is to normalize and celebrate our friendships across gendered boundaries.Book references: "Communion: The Female Search for Love", bell hooks (2002)"Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power", Audre Lorde (1978)

Ever feel like all the music you hear is male voices? I’ve gone (too) many years listening to primarily hetero male artists, and am often disappointed to find that my wrapped at the end of the year is 90% men. But non-hetero/cis-male artists just don't get the same representation. So, I decided to do a week of purification. Join me on my journey of exploring non-mysoginous music and the effects of feeling respected for a week.Some women artists I dove into during my week:R&b: Summer Walker, Yebba, Jasmine Sullivan, Ravyn Lenae, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jorja Smith, SZA, Kali Uchis, RihannaRap (fr): Theodora, Surprise, Creamy G, Lala &ce, Akissi, Davinhor, Kay the prodigy, Asinine, MikiRap: Rico Nasty, Doechii, Little Simz, SZA, Ms. Lauryn HillExtras: The Marías, Nao, Charli XCX, Shygirl, M. I. A, Nia Archives, Brazy