I've been a faithful listener of this podcast for quite some time now, but I have to be honest – lately, it's been increasingly difficult to stomach. While I used to appreciate the host's passion for feminist discourse, I now find myself questioning the authenticity of everything she says.
In her most recent episode, which focused on the Bondi attacks, I found myself nodding along initially, particularly when she addressed the Islamophobic rhetoric circulating online prior to the revelation of the attacker's identity. However, any semblance of agreement quickly dissipated as she began to frame the attacks through a lens of misogyny and anti-women sentiment.
One of the first things that struck me was her tone – why is she yelling? It seems like a significant portion of her podcasts consist of her shouting into what feels like a pitiless void, especially considering she herself acknowledges that the people she's trying to reach likely aren't tuning in. This aggressive delivery only serves to exacerbate the frustration and divisiveness of her rhetoric.
Furthermore, I can't help but feel that she's perpetuating a very black-and-white, men-vs-women narrative that's all too common on social media these days. While I didn't expect subtlety from a self-proclaimed feminist who openly weeps over men and alludes that that one man is the best thing to ever happen to her (a display of desperation and irony/contradiction that's frankly off-putting ), I was hoping for a bit more nuance regarding such a complex issue.
The assertion that the Bondi attacks were inherently anti-women strikes me as overly simplistic. Yes, women (and a man) were tragically killed and others injured (including a baby), but at its core, this was an act of violence perpetrated by a disturbed individual against vulnerable (such as women, babies, children, men) individuals. This vulnerability extends beyond one gender, identity, class, race etc alone. That fact that different individuals lost their lives underscore the indiscriminate nature of the violence and highlights the fact that vulnerability knows no gender boundaries.
Instead of using her platform to offer constructive solutions or foster understanding, she seems content to lambast men as inherently violent and irredeemable. It's a self-defeating approach that only serves to alienate the very people she claims to want to reach. After all, who would want to engage with someone constantly yelling at them they're the problem and need to do better?
What's truly disheartening is the number of impressionable young Australian women who may be internalizing this divisive rhetoric. By painting men with such a broad brush, she's perpetuating harmful stereotypes and fostering resentment rather than genuine progress. As someone who genuinely believes that most people, regardless of gender, are inherently good, I find her relentless vilification of men deeply troubling.
Moreover, it's difficult to ignore the commercial aspect of her brand of feminism. It seems that controversy and outrage are her bread and butter, and her willingness to exploit societal divisions for profit is both disappointing and disheartening. If her audience were to stop buying into her divisive rhetoric and disengage from her content, I wonder how quickly her views would change.
Additionally, her constant complaints about trivial inconveniences – like her Telstra/Optus situation or her apparent disdain for living in one of the most beautiful places in the world – come off as incredibly entitled. It's hard to sympathize with someone who enjoys such privilege (wealthy, white, able bodied, conventionally attractive) yet seems perpetually dissatisfied with their lot in life.
In summary, while I once saw this podcast as a beacon of feminist thought and advocacy, it now comes across as the petulant rantings of an entitled child in desperate need of some real-world perspective. I can only hope that her audience will eventually see through the façade and seek out more nuanced, constructive voices in the feminist discourse.