44 episodes

As a British Bengali, many of the experiences faced by women I grew up with have slipped through the cracks of mainstream feminism. Brown Don’t Frown Podcast digs deeper to attract an audience who can relate to us, as well as those with entirely new perspectives and experiences to our own, so that we can engage in open conversations without judgement. While by no means exhaustive, Brown Don’t Frown centres around the dissection of trials and tribulations faced by women, with a particular focus on minority and underrepresented women. We’re grateful to be able to share our stories through personal anecdotes, life experiences and many laughs along the way.

Brown Don't Frown Podcast Tania S H

    • Society & Culture
    • 5.0 • 17 Ratings

As a British Bengali, many of the experiences faced by women I grew up with have slipped through the cracks of mainstream feminism. Brown Don’t Frown Podcast digs deeper to attract an audience who can relate to us, as well as those with entirely new perspectives and experiences to our own, so that we can engage in open conversations without judgement. While by no means exhaustive, Brown Don’t Frown centres around the dissection of trials and tribulations faced by women, with a particular focus on minority and underrepresented women. We’re grateful to be able to share our stories through personal anecdotes, life experiences and many laughs along the way.

    Season 6: Ep 41 - In conversation with Sairish Hussain on finding inspiration, original storytelling and navigating the publishing industry

    Season 6: Ep 41 - In conversation with Sairish Hussain on finding inspiration, original storytelling and navigating the publishing industry

    The first guest of season 6 is Sairish Hussain, author of ‘The Family Tree’ and ‘Hidden Fires’. Sairish shares her writing journey and the inspirations behind the characters and plots in both of her novels. We also discuss the depiction of negative South Asian and Muslim stereotypes in popular culture and how she has defied these narratives in her stories as well as the importance of authenticity and originality. 
    Diversity in publishing has been a longstanding and ongoing conversation. We look at Sairish’s experience of navigating the world of publishing and discuss the progress that has been made since the publication of her debut novel in 2020, including what more could be done, moving beyond tokenism and quotas. 
    Sairish also shares some thoughts and advice for aspiring writers and academics, as well as her future hopes and aspirations. 
    You can find copies of both of her novels ‘The Family Tree’ and ‘Hidden Fires’ online or in most bookstores. 
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it, for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    X - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    • 56 min
    TRAILER: Season 6

    TRAILER: Season 6

    Brown Don’t Frown is back again! Season 6 drops March 2024! Make sure you hit the subscribe button and you will be notified as soon as a new episode goes live. 
    This season is all about empathy and empowerment through various lenses, such as navigating our 30s, not just reaching life goals and milestones but making new ones, parenthood and reproductive health, spinning plates, challenges, fears, surviving, thriving, finding purpose and intention, gratitude, balance, calm, and rest. We’ve got some inspiring women including fellow South Asian podcasters, an acclaimed novelist, a reproductive health campaigner and charity founder, and a co-director of a South Asian women’s empowerment initiative.
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it - for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    X - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast  
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    • 2 min
    Season 5: Ep 40 - March Muses founders Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall on Dragons’ Den, and balancing entrepreneurialism, motherhood and creativity

    Season 5: Ep 40 - March Muses founders Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall on Dragons’ Den, and balancing entrepreneurialism, motherhood and creativity

    To mark Black History Month, the final guests of season 5 are Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall, founders of March Muses, which produces luxury gifts representing people of colour and received backing from Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden. They are the only UK brand to have created a full range of Black Christmas decorations, shining the light on the need for diverse and inclusive figurines and baubles at Christmas time. 
    Alison and Natalie are single mums who also have full time day jobs and share their perspectives on balancing entrepreneurialism, motherhood and creativity. 
    It’s important that we raise our children to value diversity, feel visible and see all humans as equal. As mothers of Black daughters, I ask them why representation is particularly important to them.
    Natalie and Alison also frankly share their experiences with motherhood:
    “As a parent, you’re winging it every day, because you don’t know what you’re going to be faced with and you have to find a solution for it at that moment. You could be tired, you could be hungry, you could be fed up, you could be stressed, but you have to find the answer. And you have to come down to their level with the way that you communicate.”
    “The beautiful thing is, you’re always learning from your children…”
    You can follow March Muses on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marchmuses/ Find out more on https://www.marchmuses.co.uk/
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it - all for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    Twitter - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    Facebook - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast
     

    • 49 min
    Season 5: Ep 39 - Navigating “mum-guilt”, anxiety and life as a stay-at-home mum

    Season 5: Ep 39 - Navigating “mum-guilt”, anxiety and life as a stay-at-home mum

    Katie Pearson is an old classmate from Sixth Form. She talks frankly about life as a stay-at-home mum,  the societal stereotypes and stigma associated with it, “mum guilt” and how she manages her anxiety and negative thoughts. 
    The negative perceptions of stay-at-home mums have been created by women. We are the gatekeepers of this narrative.  It often feels like whatever women do, they’re not good enough. If you’re a working mother, you’re neglecting your children, and if you’re a stay-at-home mother, you’ve failed to achieve your full potential. A lot of women calling themselves feminists are part of the problem of this women-shaming. We ask, do we have a problem with internalised misogyny? 
    Raising children is one of the most undervalued roles in life. Author of Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez, says “Women’s unpaid work is work that society depends on, and it is work from which society as a whole benefits[...]The unpaid work that women do isn’t simply a matter of “choice”. It is built into the system we have created – and it could just as easily be built out of it”. ONS analysis of time use data shows that women put in more than double the proportion of unpaid work when it comes to cooking, childcare and housework. I ask Katie whether this resonates with her and she shares her typical day of taking care of her children, and working around the house.
    We round off with Katie sharing the best thing about being a mum, the hardest thing and a piece of advice she’d give to expectant or new mothers: be kind to yourself.
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it - all for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    Twitter - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    Facebook - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    • 1 hr 4 min
    Season 5: EP 38 - In conversation with Jane Chelliah: Feminist mothering, identity loss and empty nest syndrome

    Season 5: EP 38 - In conversation with Jane Chelliah: Feminist mothering, identity loss and empty nest syndrome

    Today’s guest is Jane Chelliah, a South Asian midlife influencer and blogger who talks candidly about motherhood, feminism and transforming the female midlife crisis into a happy phase in life. Jane didn’t always see herself as a mother but found that she was absolutely besotted in love with her daughter when she was born. 
    Jane describes herself as a Feminist mother. I ask her what that means to her and she shares an evocative metaphor: “It’s about putting that oxygen mask on yourself first before putting it on your child, and that way, you can not only be the best version of yourself but you can be the best for your child. It’s about empowered mothering.” 
    Motherhood can make women lose that sense of self, of who they were before they became mothers. When I ask Jane about whether motherhood affected her identity, she explains how it added further dimensions to her ability to be more compassionate and thoughtful towards another human being and for herself too. Contrary to societal preconceptions of motherhood, it actually sharpened her ambition and empowered her to be more motivated. 
    We also examine the “motherhood penalty”, assumptions and prejudices in the workforce, how austerity has rested disproportionately upon mothers from economically deprived groups, and the hollowness that comes with becoming an empty-nester.
    You can read more about Jane on www.amidlferinlondon.com  and www.ambitiousmamas.co.uk.
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it - all for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    Twitter - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    Facebook - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    • 54 min
    Season 5: Ep 37 - Pregnant Then Screwed Founder Joeli Brearley on pregnancy discrimination, fixing childcare and creating a fairer workplace for mothers

    Season 5: Ep 37 - Pregnant Then Screwed Founder Joeli Brearley on pregnancy discrimination, fixing childcare and creating a fairer workplace for mothers

    The first guest of this special series on the joys and challenges of maternity and motherhood, is Joeli Brearley, Founder and Director of Pregnant Then Screwed. It started off as a safe space for mothers to share stories of their pregnancy discrimination and has evolved to become a one-of-a kind charity that lobbies against the gender pay gap, maternity discrimination and aims to be a voice for working mothers.
    Joeli shares striking examples of pregnancy discrimination she’s come across through PTS’s Advice Line and how she’s used these examples to galvanise change in maternity policy. She also talks about the work PTS is doing to reach underserved groups and more Black and Brown women.
    Childcare in the UK has been unfit for purpose for a long time. We ask, how do we fix the system? And how can we better engage with employers to encourage them to make their workplaces the best they can be for working parents?
    We finish with Joeli sharing her thoughts on the best thing about being a mum and the hardest thing, and one piece of advice she’d give to expectant or new mothers.
    You can join the March of the Mummies protest on childcare reform and better parental leave on 29 October, taking place across 11 cities in the UK: https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/event-march-of-the-mummies/ 
    RESET 2022 Online Festival of motherhood and mental health takes place from 12 - 16 September: https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/reset-2022-festival-of-motherhood-and-mental-health/ 
    Follow Pregnant Then Screwed:
    Instagram - @pregnant_then_screwed
    Twitter - @PregnantScrewed
    Sign up to our newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/186e92c0ae06/browndontfrownpodcastnewsletter 
    If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please consider supporting it - all for as little as the price of a coffee! You can donate here: www.patreon.com/browndontfrownpod.
    Follow us on:
    Twitter - @BDFPodcast 
    Instagram - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    Facebook - @browndontfrownpodcast 
    LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    • 51 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

Hev_<3 ,

Empowering, insightful and informative, a must listen!

Tania is a eloquent host who addresses so many truly important issues in our society. Her podcasts and the guests she interviews are a delight to listen to. I was lucky enough to be featured on one of her episodes, discussing grief, which was therapeutic for both of us. You will laugh, maybe shed the odd tear, but an all round brilliant and uplifting podcast.

nickhill18763 ,

An insightful podcast which I’ve learned a lot from

I have enjoyed how in-depth every episode is and that the interviewer asks meaningful and engaging questions. I am making my way through the first couple of seasons and am looking forward to listening to new episodes.

FellowGriever ,

Stories of underrepresented women.

Hugely relatable podcast featuring women that are underrepresented and often don’t get the platform to speak and engage in open conversations without judgement. A much needed space that is dispelling stereotypes and making room for stories that matter. Listening to BDF makes me feel less alone in a White and Eurocentric world.

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