Brown Don't Frown Podcast

Tania S H

Brown Don't Frown was borne out of a personal journey with womanhood. As a British Bangladeshi, navigating mainstream Feminism often felt exclusionary to me because it didn’t seem to value the experiences or views which shaped my grandmother’s, aunts’, mother’s or friends’ lives. Through this podcast, we seek to build a more inclusive discourse, which breaks down presumptions about different cultures, and shines a positive light on the stories of underrepresented women. Featuring new guest(s) from different walks of life in each episode, Brown Don’t Frown seeks to engage ordinary women and facilitate openness towards entirely new perspectives. It hopes to spark honest and meaningful conversations about intersectional feminist themes in contemporary society with the acknowledgement that our views are shaped by our cultural, racial, religious, social and political experiences. Whether it's discussing society's preconceptions about the Hijab with a British-born Jamaican Muslim woman or examining the impact of gendered expectations on our ability to grieve on our own terms, we hope listeners finish each episode feeling more rounded than they did before. Follow us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browndontfrownpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bdfpodcast?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/browndontfrownpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/browndontfrownpodcast

  1. 06/09/2024

    Season 6: Ep 47 - India Rakusen on uncovering myths and sharing experiences to improve the lives of mothers, children, and families

    In the final episode of Season 6, I sit down with India Rakusen, a renowned audio and TV producer and presenter. She is best known for her work on BBC's highly acclaimed productions '28ish Days Later', 'Witch', and more recently, 'Child' where India delves into the journey of conception, pregnancy, birth, and the first twelve months of a child's life, exploring the science and history behind our creation. We discuss the influences of mothering, and the interplay between discipline and affection. India reflects on the image of the Virgin Mary and how it has shaped perceptions of perfectionism and selflessness in motherhood. She also examines the influence of different waves of feminism, from 1970s’ attachment parenting to today's challenges balancing women's independence with mothering. We touch upon childcare, nuclear versus multi-generational families, and the emotional impact of giving and receiving advice. We also reflect on the bifurcation of medicated and unmedicated birth and the importance of compassion and empathy in recognising that every birth is a unique, special experience. Join us for a discussion that transcends "pregnancy" and "motherhood" and highlights the broader implications for social cohesion, happiness, and economic prosperity. You can find all episodes of '28ish Days Later', 'Witch' and 'Child' on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. 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  LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    37 min
  2. 04/29/2024

    Season 6: Ep 44 - In conversation with Mitali Dargani on outward success, inner flaws, and straddling stability with taking risks

    Mitali Dargani is our next guest. As creator and host of Brown Game Strong, an interview show spotlighting creative South Asian minds, Mitali tells us how the show originated from a place of community support and encouragement, and is an embodiment of lifting each other up. Yet, Brown Game Strong is not just about showing outward success, but equally, recognising the flaws, demons, and challenges we all face.  This was a really enriching discussion in many ways as we uncovered our thought processes in being sandwiched between two mindsets: stability and taking risks, as reflected in our life choices.  As fellow creatives in the storytelling space, we also spend some time reframing how we perceive ‘success’, sharing a sense of conscientiousness about ourselves and the world. We ask - is the need to be constantly productive the antidote to unfulfillment or the antithesis to happiness? Finally, we take an introspective look into how we think our 30s will define us.  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  LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    1h 12m
  3. 04/01/2024

    Season 6: Ep 42 - Seetal Kaur on motherhood: learning and unlearning from traditions, defying complete selflessness and setting good examples

    Seetal Kaur is our next guest. She is Co-Director of Forward Culture, a social initiative focussing on the empowerment of South Asian women. Seetal explains Forward Culture exists not just for finding pride in our South Asian heritage, but also about critically evaluating previous traditions and evolving them in line with our own empowerment and identity. In this episode, we talk about our shared experience of something that nothing and no one can ever prepare you for: motherhood. We begin with learning from previous generations, examining what has fallen away and what has stood the test of time. We discuss how soul destroying complete selflessness can be and why we shouldn't put it on a pedestal in South Asian cultures in the way that we do. We also explore setting good examples for our children, ‘unlearning’ and ‘reparenting’ and the contrasts between gentle parenting/validating emotions vs authoritative parenting/disciplinarian approaches. Seetal also shares how therapy for her has been a necessary antidote to emotional barriers and improved self-awareness. Forward Culture offers an enriching Mentorship programme for South Asian women and runs regular workshops, events and research. You can find out more and get involved through www.forwardculture.co or head over to its Instagram @forward.culture. 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  LinkedIn - @browndontfrownpodcast

    1h 7m
  4. 03/17/2024

    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

    57 min

Trailers

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Brown Don't Frown was borne out of a personal journey with womanhood. As a British Bangladeshi, navigating mainstream Feminism often felt exclusionary to me because it didn’t seem to value the experiences or views which shaped my grandmother’s, aunts’, mother’s or friends’ lives. Through this podcast, we seek to build a more inclusive discourse, which breaks down presumptions about different cultures, and shines a positive light on the stories of underrepresented women. Featuring new guest(s) from different walks of life in each episode, Brown Don’t Frown seeks to engage ordinary women and facilitate openness towards entirely new perspectives. It hopes to spark honest and meaningful conversations about intersectional feminist themes in contemporary society with the acknowledgement that our views are shaped by our cultural, racial, religious, social and political experiences. Whether it's discussing society's preconceptions about the Hijab with a British-born Jamaican Muslim woman or examining the impact of gendered expectations on our ability to grieve on our own terms, we hope listeners finish each episode feeling more rounded than they did before. Follow us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browndontfrownpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bdfpodcast?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/browndontfrownpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/browndontfrownpodcast