Dear Curious Listener Dear Curious Listener

Dear Curious Listener, this episode we delve into the world of Sior. The Edinburgh artist who leaves paintings all across the country for people to find. I got to speak to the man behind Edinburgh's artistic scavenger hunt. Turns out Sior is Valer, and Valer, has a very very interesting story. 



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You can also support Sior by purchasing his work here

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What does it all mean and how far away are WE from that? In this episode, listener, I found out the answers to both those questions - shocking as they were. Starting with understanding what the overturning of Roe vs Wade meant, I spoke to Rachel Schneeberg. Rachel is a paralegal who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. One of the states campaigning for a 6 week limit on abortions. As well as, Alice Murray. One of the co-founders of 'Back Off Scotland' to understand better Scotland's political climate around abortion and even learn about abortion healthcare in the UK, something I knew a worrying amount about. 



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Back Off Scotland

Back Off Scotland instagram

Rachel's Instagram

Louis Theroux's documentary on alt-right in America 

Dear Curious Listener, every day in the UK, 18 people take their own life. The full picture of how the pandemic has affected this statistic is yet unknown. Collectively, we all seemed to have experienced a negative impact on our mental health however, not sure how to bridge the conversation on those who suffered so greatly that they died by taking their own life. That abyss between depression and suicide is a dangerous gap that has taken too many lives already, it's time to investigate it. Look into that abyss.

While I prepared to walk 18 miles to raise money for the Joshua Nolan Foundation, I spoke to Laura Nolan, the founder of JNF, to understand more about the charity and her process in starting JNF after her son's suicide. Laura's vulnerability evoked necessary conversation around mental health and forced me to look in the mirror when it came to my own past, a journey documented in this episode... 

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Joshua Nolan Foundation Website
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Dear Curious Listener, have you ever sped up walking down a dark street or clutched your keys until your palm hurts? In a year where it seemed like the faces of dead women graced the news more than the faces of movie stars, the world held its breath waiting for the violence against women revolution to start. Almost a year on since Sarah Everard's death, and after countless other senseless murders, we're still holding our breath and clutching our keys. What's changed? Do women feel safe in nightclubs, walking home, taking the tube? And who's responsible to change things?
To find out listener, you'll be hearing from Alice Jackson, one of the co founders of Strut Safe. An organisation that provides a hotline you can call to speak to one of their volunteers while you walk home or even request someone to come meet and escort you. You'll also hear from a bartender who works within nightlife, who has asked to stay anonymous. Ryan (very much not his real name) speaks on the failures of the industry and what needs to be done to better support women but also hospitality staff.
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Strut Safe phone number (available UK wide for calls) 0333 335 0026
If you feel as though you may need support regarding any of the topics mentioned in the episode, please contact women's aid who can help with resources, advice and support: https://www.womensaid.org.uk
https://www.change.org/p/proposal-of-sarah-everard-s-law-criminal-defence-cannot-question-the-victim-s-clothing-as-a-part-of-a-case?redirect=false

Dear Curious Listener, have you ever dissected your own gender, really? 

On the first episode of 'Dear Curious Listener' we go on a journey of investigation to deconstruct the argument around gender and how it plays a role in how we express ourselves. I speak to Anne Spank, a drag artist, who cuts through the 'modern verbiage' (her words) of gender and tries to explain how gender has evolved with society's need for labels. I also reach out to LGB Alliance, a Scottish based organisation that fights for the rights of the queer community, excluding those who don't identify to the same gender they were assigned at birth. Although, that interview doesn't go quite as planned...