In Polite Company
By Ella & Kieron
In Polite CompanyJan 05, 2024
BONUS EPISODE: New Year, Same Us
The Struggle is Real
In this episode, we are discussing mental health in the Black community. Why do Black men in the UK have higher rates of mental health issues than their white counterparts? To what extent does racism shape not only the development of mental health crises within our communities, but our ability to access help and support?
Join us for a wide-ranging conversation in which we discuss everything from schooling, to the origins of Black mistrust in medical institutions, to the impact of internet voyeurism (in which the ability to see violence enacted on Black bodies has become more and more commonplace).
Just a heads up that this episode contains discussion of some difficult topics. So take care while you're listening.
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Links:
You Can't Be What You Can't See
We're super excited to be back for season 2! In our first episode of the season, we discuss the importance of diverse representation. What is the power of visibility? Does having leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds and walks of life always lead to positive outcomes? And in what circumstances does the phenomenon of 'representation' equate to hollow tokenism?
From the governmental halls of power, to pop culture and TV, we delve into the nuances and contradictions - and explore what it means to feel truly represented.
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Further Reading:
- The Handmaid's Tale - by Margaret Atwood
- What White People Can do Next - by Emma Dabiri
- Ernst Röhm, The Highest-Ranking Gay Nazi - JSTOR article by Matthew Wills
- Oscar’s First Black Winner Accepted Her Honor in a Segregated ‘No Blacks’ Hotel in L.A. - Hollywood Reporter article by Seth Abramovitch
Further Watching:
- Small Axe - dir. Steve McQueen
- Black Panther - dir. Ryan Coogler
- Queer As Folk; It's a Sin; Cucumber, Banana & Tofu - all written by Russell T. Davies
- American Horror Story, S3: Coven (see here for further history on the real life serial killer whose story is told in this season)
Season 2 Trailer
We're back for another season of insightful and occasionally challenging conversations, all through the lens of our unapologetic Blackness and Queerness.
As always, you're invited to a conversation with (opinionated) friends who are here to share as well as to learn, and who are always up for a laugh - or a cry! This season, we're also excited to have some special guests behind the mic for the first time.
We're excited to have you join us for what promises to be another interesting and enjoyable season of In Polite Company.
BONUS EPISODE: Behind the Mic with Kieron
Join us for a special bonus two-part episode, in which we go behind the mic to learn a little more about our co-hosts; who they are, what they do, and the experiences that shaped them.
Next up, Kieron chats to Ella about his career in design & how his childhood tendency to take apart his toys led him down this path; his life growing up in London in a diverse environment (but one often still steeped in bias); how being surrounded by female role models impacted him - and much more!
Expect laughter alongside deeper discussions about trauma, family & what it means to be a sensitive boy growing up in a patriarchal society. Enjoy!
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
BONUS EPISODE: Behind the Mic with Ella
Join us for a special bonus two-part episode, in which we go behind the mic to learn a little more about our co-hosts; who they are, what they do, and the experiences that shaped them.
First up, Ella chats to Kieron about her career journey; her life growing up in Leeds in a mixed-heritage household; some failures and hard lessons - and much more! Expect laughter and RuPaul's Drag Race tangents alongside deeper discussions about therapy & personal growth. Enjoy!
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
Trust Me, I'm an Ally - Part 3
Happy Pride Month! The month of June is a month in which allyship often becomes a buzzword, as corporations in particular rush to declare their solidarity with LGBTQ+ folks. In this episode, we discuss allyship more broadly; what it means to be an ally to any marginalised community, beyond the performative posturing that happens once per year.
In part 3 we dissect a couple of examples of car crash corporate allyship, and discuss what went wrong and why; we give our take on what good looks like; and we explore why allyship is often rendered ineffective when it comes from a place of shame and guilt.
- The clip we play in this episode is from Nilay Patel's Decoder podcast interview with Chris Best, CEO of Substack. You can listen to the whole conversation here.
- And the Jane Elliot speech in which she's asking a white audience whether they would be happy to be treated as society treats Black people can be watched here.
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
Trust Me, I'm an Ally - Part 2
Happy Pride Month! The month of June is a month in which allyship often becomes a buzzword, as corporations in particular rush to declare their solidarity with LGBTQ+ folks. In this episode, we discuss allyship more broadly; what it means to be an ally to any marginalised community, beyond the performative posturing that happens once per year.
In part 2, we talk further about performative allyship and the importance of intention; how understanding systemic oppression as a disease which harms us all is key to having resilience as an ally; whether the term 'ally' is even helpful; the concept of 'good trouble'... and lots more.
The clip we play in this episode is from Glennon Doyle's 'We Can Do Hard Things' podcast, with guest Dr Yaba Blay - and you can listen to their conversation in full here.
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
Trust Me, I'm an Ally - Part 1
Happy Pride Month! The month of June is a month in which allyship often becomes a buzzword, as corporations in particular rush to declare their solidarity with LGBTQ+ folks. In this episode, we discuss allyship more broadly; what it means to be an ally to any marginalised community, beyond the performative posturing that happens once per year.
In part 1, we cover some of the research around allyship, and the discrepancies in perception between self-identified allies and the communities they are seeking to help; the pitfalls of allyship from the perspective of accruing 'good person points'; the importance of having resilience and staying power... and much more.
The NPR 'Life Kit' podcast episode we reference in this discussion can be listened to in full here.
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
TERF Wars - Part 3
TERF Wars - Part 2
In this episode we talk all about the current anti-trans climate, and the urgent necessity of allyship and solidarity with our trans siblings. As cis queer people, we discuss how the gender binary impacts us, as well as the responsibility we have to use our privilege in spaces where we have it, to fight for trans rights and liberation.
Part 2 covers issues of prejudice & exclusivity within our own ranks (i.e. within queer spaces); zero-sum thinking as a potential explanation for transphobia within so-called feminist circles; Trump & online polarisation... and much more.
The audio clip we play in this episode is a short excerpt of Sylvia Rivera's speech at the 1973 Gay Pride Rally, and you can watch it in full here.
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
TERF Wars - Part 1
In this episode we talk all about the current anti-trans climate, and the urgent necessity of allyship and solidarity with our trans siblings. As cis queer people, we discuss how the gender binary impacts us, as well as the responsibility we have to use our privilege in spaces where we have it, to fight for trans rights and liberation.
Part 1 covers the gender binary and its colonial roots; our perspective on how the gender binary is harmful; intersectionality; Sam Smith... and much more.
Just a heads up that sometimes we might use some colourful language or talk about things that could make you feel some type of way. So, be cool and take care while you're listening.
Where Are You Really From? - Part 2
We explore some of the potential consequences, in particular for Black and brown folks, in expressing our full authenticity in spaces that are not as psychologically safe as they might purport to be.
Where Are You Really From? - Part 1
We explore some of the potential consequences, in particular for Black and brown folks, in expressing our full authenticity in spaces that are not as psychologically safe as they might purport to be.
Last In, First Out - Part 2
Join us as we look into the impact of mass tech lay-offs on DEI efforts. With 'last to join is the first out the door' adopted as common practice when it comes to redundancies, how does this impact the wave of recent hires that companies made, in the wake of the BLM protests of 2020? Are people from historically marginalised backgrounds bearing the brunt of tokenistic policies that are now being scrapped at the first sign of difficulty?
Last In, First Out - Part 1
Join us as we look into the impact of mass tech lay-offs on DEI efforts. With 'last to join is the first out the door' adopted as common practice when it comes to redundancies, how does this impact the wave of recent hires that companies made, in the wake of the BLM protests of 2020? Are people from historically marginalised backgrounds bearing the brunt of tokenistic policies that are now being scrapped at the first sign of difficulty?
