The View From A Broad

Teresa Norton

Hi welcome to The View From A Broad. I'm Teresa Norton and this podcast dives into my past, revisiting columns I wrote for the South China Morning Post between 1993 and 2000 during my 40 years living in Hong Kong.   These often funny, sometimes tender, occasionally provocative musings cover everything from marriage and working motherhood, to national identity and global events. As a weekly columnist I aimed to capture the quirks of human interactions, carve up a few sacred cows and tell it like it is... but did I?  In the 30 years since those columns were written much has changed and... so have I.   In each episode I read a column and talk to a guest about  how the piece stands up today - what still rings true and what feels out of sync with today’s world. They then share a true story from their past that's been unearthed by something in the column.    The result is an engaging and honest conversation about the evolution of social norms, culture and humor, re-examining the past through the lens of today’s values.    By looking back with compassion and curiosity, my hope is that The View From A Broad encourages reflection on how our perspectives have changed... or not... and why. 

  1. 12/02/2025

    Confessions of a Barbie Girl | Teresa talks to Melissa Chan

    Send us a text In this episode host Teresa Norton (a confessed Barbie fan who still has her first and only Barbie doll ) is joined by her guest Melissa Chan as they dive into a nostalgic, affectionate and critical examination of the iconic doll.  Teresa's take in her 1990's newspaper column was that Barbie wasn't built to be a role model... she was a fashion model. Designed to get in and out of fabulous outfits.  The column is funny... the conversation it opens up in the podcast is more serious. They talk about the impact of Barbie on childhood and cultural perceptions of beauty, the evolution of representation in toys and media, and the complexities of identity and the importance of diverse role models for today's children. Melissa shares her unique experience of wanting but not owning a Barbie, and why her parents said "no" to getting her one.   Lack of representation for girls of color during her upbringing in Malaysia and Singapore, contrasts with how her daughter, now 10, is growing up in an era where representation is the norm. Teresa and Melissa remind us that while Barbie may have shaped their childhoods in different ways, the doll opens up important conversations for parents to have their children about the importance of not letting marketing executives set beauty standards for them.   Thanks to Melissa Chan for sharing her own Barbie story and... to Barbie for continuing to be a catalyst for controversy! #teresanorton #theviewfromabroadpodcast #hongkong #portugal #humor #journal #truestories #changingworld #selfreflection #socialnorms #growth

    36 min
  2. 11/04/2025

    Fiction and the Facts of Life | Teresa talks to Crystal Kwok

    Send us a text Separating facts from fantasy, Teresa as a young mother in the early 90's recounts having "the facts of life" talk with her young son. Film maker, broadcaster and University of Hong Kong lecturer Crystal Kwok joins in to unpack her "favorite subject" sex! On both Cable TV and Hong Kong's RTHK radio, Crystal spoke frankly about human sexuality in a way that that shocked some and educated many.  This lighthearted chat delves into some deep topics including how young people are getting their curiosity about sex addressed, the part that culture can play in how or if parents talk with their children about sex, and the impact of Westernization on sexual discourse.  During the break, Crystal shares insights from her award winning documentary, Blurring the Color Line, which unpacks the history behind her grandmother’s family, who owned a neighborhood grocery store in the Black community of Augusta, Georgia during the Jim Crow era. https://www.blurringthecolorline.com In the second half stick around for some true confessions story sharing as Teresa and Crystal recall their personal  experiences of teenage exploration. This is an episode not to be missed, and who knows? It may unearth some steamy memories/hilarious heavy petting mishaps from your own past! #teresanorton #theviewfromabroadpodcast #hongkong #portugal #humor #journal #truestories #changingworld #selfreflection #socialnorms #growth

    34 min
  3. 10/21/2025

    A Match Made in Heaven | Teresa talks to Lindsey McAllister

    Send us a text Teresa talks with theater director, visual artist and Founder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, Lindsey McAllister, about a column written 30 years ago when Teresa and her girlfriend were picking out the replacement wives for their husbands, not in the event they divorced their spouses, but if they widowed them. The conversation covers a everything from euthanasia to a cocktail party dress code SNAFU, an accident during a rehearsal of "Sweeney Todd" that led to a marriage proposal, and the importance of seizing the day. Lindsey shares her amazing journey from Scrambled Legs (a fledgling dance class she started for kids) to the building of a foundation that now offers Hong Kong youth of all cultures, backgrounds, languages and abilities an opportunity to experience and perform theater, dance and the visual arts... for free! Today HKYAF reaches over 800,000 young people each year, making it one of the biggest youth arts events in the world. Lindsey’s creative spirit doesn’t stop there—she writes and directs original musicals, takes work to international festivals, and runs Lindsey McAlister Productions, giving local artists the chance to shine on stage in musicals like Sweeney Todd and Blood Brothers.  In 2024 at the age of 64 she went back to her roots as a fine artist & created Lindsey McAlister Fine Art, she exhibits large abstract paintings in HK & internationally. For her commitment to community arts she was awarded an MBE in 2006 & for her contribution to British Arts Overseas, she’s been honoured with an OBE and named Justice of the Peace in HK. To support HKYAF click here: https://www.hkyaf.com/site/supportus #teresanorton #theviewfromabroadpodcast #hongkong #portugal #humor #journal #truestories #changingworld #selfreflection #socialnorms #growth

    31 min

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About

Hi welcome to The View From A Broad. I'm Teresa Norton and this podcast dives into my past, revisiting columns I wrote for the South China Morning Post between 1993 and 2000 during my 40 years living in Hong Kong.   These often funny, sometimes tender, occasionally provocative musings cover everything from marriage and working motherhood, to national identity and global events. As a weekly columnist I aimed to capture the quirks of human interactions, carve up a few sacred cows and tell it like it is... but did I?  In the 30 years since those columns were written much has changed and... so have I.   In each episode I read a column and talk to a guest about  how the piece stands up today - what still rings true and what feels out of sync with today’s world. They then share a true story from their past that's been unearthed by something in the column.    The result is an engaging and honest conversation about the evolution of social norms, culture and humor, re-examining the past through the lens of today’s values.    By looking back with compassion and curiosity, my hope is that The View From A Broad encourages reflection on how our perspectives have changed... or not... and why.