Taboo on the Bus

Whatzaraloves

Sit down with Zara McIntosh to chat taboo topics from the front seat of the bus. Taking an unfiltered stance on pop-culture, society, culture, and queer issues, she candidly shares her opinion as passengers around her go about their every-day life, overhearing snippets of these unspoken taboos. The viral TikTok series has launched on Spotify after demand for lengthier episodes, so you can tune in to taboos on your next bus journey.

  1. Physical media and the fate of 'micro-trends' (everyone is going 'analog') - Taboo OFF the Bus

    JAN 16

    Physical media and the fate of 'micro-trends' (everyone is going 'analog') - Taboo OFF the Bus

    Physical media will not replace your phone (is ‘analog’ the next internet micro-trend…) Taboo OFF the Bus is back! Woo! `Sit down with me today to discuss the rapid rise of the 'analog' trend and return to physical media. We're watching rising consumption of DVDs, CD's, resorts back to old generation Apple IPods and IPhones, and all it says is that we are fed up with the current state of technology, AI, and brain-rot content. But will this rising consumption lead to overconsumption? Will physical media fall to the same 'micro-trend' fate of Labubu's, or Stanely cups - hyped, over-consumed, then discarded on to the next trend? Let's discuss the fate of physical media, and where it I think this is heading... Instagram - whatzaraloves Tiktok - whatzaraloves Email: whatzaraloves@gmail.com

    40 min

  2. JAN 16

    The trend of 'physical media' and getting offline [Taboo ON the Bus]

    Sit down on the bus with me for the mini digest of physical media, 'analog', and going offline. (Long episode OFF the bus will be live today) We're watching rising consumption of DVDs, CD's, resorts back to old generation Apple IPods and IPhones, and all it says is that we are fed up with the current state of technology, AI, and brain-rot content. But will this rising consumption lead to overconsumption? Will physical media fall to the same 'micro-trend' fate of Labubu's, or Stanely cups - hyped, over-consumed, then discarded on to the next trend? Let's discuss the fate of physical media, and where it I think this is heading... Instagram - whatzaraloves Tiktok - whatzaraloves Email: whatzaraloves@gmail.com

    3 min
  3. Why do we hate ageing women? Let’s talk “retired baddies”, the anti-ageing industry and how “old” became an insult

    09/23/2025

    Why do we hate ageing women? Let’s talk “retired baddies”, the anti-ageing industry and how “old” became an insult

    I cannot escape the deep, seething hatred and humour online surrounding women ‘looking old’. Girls feel pretty and post online only to be attacked for ageing and appearing older than they are. It is an inescapable trap that we all fall to as women, yet we are continuing to tear down each other instead of challenging these expectations within wider society and from the very capitalistic anti-ageing industry. Let’s sit down today to discuss why we are so scared of ageing as women, how society treats ageing women, the paradox of ‘natural’ Botox, and unpicking the anti-ageing industry.    I really loved dissecting this topic, it feels like a very fitting follow up to the episode I previously did discussing whether we can view cosmetic procedures and Botox from a feminist lense.  Email – ⁠⁠whatzaraloves@gmail.com⁠⁠   Reading list/mentions: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a38813523/baby-botox/Facing Age: Women Growing Older in Anti-Aging Culture - By Laura Hurd Clarke Holstein, M. B. (2001). A feminist perspective on anti-aging medicine. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 25(4), 38-43.   https://www.spacenk.com/uk/skincare/treatment/serums/c-firma-fresh-day-serum-MUK200031988.html

    40 min

  4. 09/23/2025

    Why do we hate ageing women? "retired baddies" and the insult of "old" - mini bus version

    Join me on the bus for the mini-deep-dive version of this week's topic. Full 40 min version is live too! I cannot escape the deep, seething hatred and humour online surrounding women ‘looking old’. Girls feel pretty and post online only to be attacked for ageing and appearing older than they are. It is an inescapable trap that we all fall to as women, yet we are continuing to tear down each other instead of challenging these expectations within wider society and from the very capitalistic anti-ageing industry. Let’s sit down today to discuss why we are so scared of ageing as women, how society treats ageing women, the paradox of ‘natural’ botox, and unpicking the anti-ageing industry. I really loved dissecting this topic, it feels like a very fitting follow up to the episode I previously did discussing whether we can view cosmetic procedures and Botox from a feminist lense. Reading list/mentions:https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a38813523/baby-botox/Facing Age: Women Growing Older in Anti-Aging Culture - By Laura Hurd ClarkeHolstein, M. B. (2001). A feminist perspective on anti-aging medicine. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 25(4), 38-43.https://www.spacenk.com/uk/skincare/treatment/serums/c-firma-fresh-day-serum-MUK200031988.html

    3 min
  5. My boyfriend is AI - dissecting the ethics of relationships with chatbots (is ChatGPT the new hinge?)

    09/12/2025

    My boyfriend is AI - dissecting the ethics of relationships with chatbots (is ChatGPT the new hinge?)

    A reddit forum titled: ‘My Boyfriend is AI’ recently gathered a lot of attention, leading me down the rabbit hole of relationships with humanised chatbots. Millions are forging intimate, emotional connections and relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots, creating boyfriends, girlfriends, best-friends, deceased replicas, and more, and today I sat down to analyse it. Is it ethical to build apps and systems that sell relationships to potentially vulnerable or lonely users? Users who will never own that connection, and rest solely upon tech companies not stripping that away now…   We’re fashioning towards a society where the elderly will cure loneliness with chatbot partners, and women are ditching Hinge and failed talking stages for the chatbot man of their dreams.    Let’s deep dive this from both and ethical and moral perspective, considering the risks, the harms, and the alternatives to artificial connections.  Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171924338  Instagram: Whatzaraloves Tiktok: Whatzaraloves6 Podcast: Taboo on the Bus Email: collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk Reading/Referance List: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00348-8 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/15/she-helps-cheer-me-up-the-people-forming-relationships-with-ai-chatbots https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/30/replika-ai-chatbot-update/ https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5073962/exploring-concerns-around-users-building-emotional-dependence-on-ai-chatbots https://jamesmuldoon.org https://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/

    38 min

  6. 09/12/2025

    My boyfriend is AI - dissecting the ethics of relationships with chatbots [Mini bus version]

    Join me on the bus for a mini version of this episode as we dissect the ethics and harms of forging relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots. Longer episode is also live for a fuller, broader deep dive. A reddit forum titled: ‘My Boyfriend is AI’ recently gathered a lot of attention, leading me down the rabbit hole of relationships with humanised chatbots. Millions are forging intimate, emotional connections and relationships with artificially intelligent chatbots, creating boyfriends, girlfriends, best-friends, deceased replicas, and more, and today I sat down to analyse it. Is it ethical to build apps and systems that sell relationships to potentially vulnerable or lonely users? Users who will never own that connection, and rest solely upon tech companies not stripping that away now… We’re fashioning towards a society where the elderly will cure loneliness with chatbot partners, and women are ditching Hinge and failed talking stages for the chatbot man of their dreams.  Let’s deep dive this from both and ethical and moral perspective, considering the risks, the harms, and the alternatives to artificial connections. Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171924338 Instagram: WhatzaralovesTiktok: Whatzaraloves6Podcast: Taboo on the BusEmail: ⁠collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk⁠Reading/Referance List:⁠https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00348-8⁠⁠https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/15/she-helps-cheer-me-up-the-people-forming-relationships-with-ai-chatbots⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/30/replika-ai-chatbot-update/https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5073962/exploring-concerns-around-users-building-emotional-dependence-on-ai-chatbotshttps://jamesmuldoon.orghttps://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/

    4 min
  7. You are what you can afford: the privilege of a healthy diet, and the broken UK food system

    07/09/2025

    You are what you can afford: the privilege of a healthy diet, and the broken UK food system

    Consider this an expansion to one of my recent episodes: Food as a Status Symbol, where I discussed how food is increasingly becoming a luxury item as it becomes more inaccessible. Today I HEAVILY deep dive the broken UK food system, discussing how healthy eating and foods remain a privilege as opposed to a right amid our current climate. Join in for a discussion about the barriers to healthy foods, food poverty, the appeal of ultra-processed foods, and what the government is trying to do to improve the UK’s diet.    Thank you so much for listening and creating space for this important discussion. Unless something upstream is done to tackle access to healthy, nutritious food then we will see widening health and nutrition gaps between those who can and can’t afford these items.    Some notable references from this episode are: -       Food Fight by Stuart Gillespie  -       Source quoting Wan et al., (2014) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953615300629 -       Broken Plate 2025 https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2025 -       https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking#tabs/Round-16 -       The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/30/obesity-crisis-uk-healthy-food-affordable-government-prices?utm_source=chatgpt.com   Find me online:   Instagram – Whatzaraloves TikTok – Whatzaraloves Taboo on the bus Email – ⁠whatzaraloves@gmail.com⁠

    44 min

  8. 07/09/2025

    You are what you can afford: the privilege of a healthy diet [mini bus version]

    Full deep-dive episode is also live, join me on the bus for a mini discussion. here. Consider this an expansion to one of my recent episodes: Food as a Status Symbol, where I discussed how food is increasingly becoming a luxury item as it becomes more inaccessible. Today I HEAVILY deep dive the broken UK food system, discussing how healthy eating and foods remain a privilege as opposed to a right amid our current climate. Join in for a discussion about the barriers to healthy foods, food poverty, the appeal of ultra-processed foods, and what the government is trying to do to improve the UK’s diet.    Thank you so much for listening and creating space for this important discussion. Unless something upstream is done to tackle access to healthy, nutritious food then we will see widening health and nutrition gaps between those who can and can’t afford these items.    Some notable references from this episode are: -       Food Fight by Stuart Gillespie  -       Source quoting Wan et al., (2014) ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953615300629⁠ -       Broken Plate 2025 ⁠https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/broken-plate-2025⁠ -       ⁠https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/food-insecurity-tracking#tabs/Round-16⁠ -       The Guardian article: ⁠https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/30/obesity-crisis-uk-healthy-food-affordable-government-prices?utm_source=chatgpt.com⁠     Find me online:   Instagram – Whatzaraloves TikTok – Whatzaraloves Taboo on the bus Email – ⁠collective@bricksmagazine.co.uk⁠

    4 min
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About

Sit down with Zara McIntosh to chat taboo topics from the front seat of the bus. Taking an unfiltered stance on pop-culture, society, culture, and queer issues, she candidly shares her opinion as passengers around her go about their every-day life, overhearing snippets of these unspoken taboos. The viral TikTok series has launched on Spotify after demand for lengthier episodes, so you can tune in to taboos on your next bus journey.

Information

  • Creator
    Whatzaraloves
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Whatzaraloves
  • Show Website
    Taboo on the Bus

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