Elizabeth Oldfield speaks with writer and columnist Sarah Ditum

Sarah Ditum delves into her journey through the strands of feminism, the misogynistic "upskirt decade" - the invasive celebrity culture of the late 90s and 2000s that often exploited and shamed young women, and her views on the role of pornography and its impact on mainstream culture.

Sarah is a critic and columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times, and author of the book "Toxic: Women and the Noughties."

This wide-ranging conversation provides a nuanced look at the evolution of feminist thought, the power of media narratives, and the personal experiences that have informed Sarah Ditum's worldview.

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💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

📕 See Sarah's book "Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61783796-toxic

Referenced text: Choice Feminism and the Fear of Politics http://www.jstor.org/stable/25698532

CHAPTERS

00:00 What is Sacred to you? Sarah Ditum answers
02:54 Navigating Gender Identity and Journalism
06:14 The Importance of Disagreement in Politics
09:10 Childhood Influences and Upbringing
11:48 Feminism and Personal Identity
15:11 The Impact of Motherhood on Feminist Views
19:11 The Upskirt Decade: Media and Women
28:03 The Intersection of Privacy and Gender
34:03 The Reasonable Expectation of Privacy
35:56 Cultural Norms and the Sexualisation of Women
39:05 Cultural Poisoning and Media Influence
41:53 Nihilism and the Impact of 9/11 on Culture
44:10 Changing Narratives: Celebrity Women Today
47:59 The Evolution of Language Around Abuse
51:21 The Normalisation of Sexualisation and Pornography
57:50 The Exploitative Nature of the Porn Industry
01:01:35 Cultural Stories and Their Impact on Identity

Keywords

pornography, feminism, gender identity, motherhood, media, privacy, women's rights, sacred values, upskirt decade, journalism, privacy, cultural norms, sexualization, sexualisation, media influence, nihilism, celebrity culture, abuse language, pornography, exploitation, identity