Heard Not Seen

This week, we're talking about Black Lives Matter. Sparked by protests in the United States, conversations about anti-blackness and racism have swept the globe. We're not exempt, because Namibia has its fair share of embedded and institutionalised racism. Join us for a conversation about why white allies need to stop looking for cookies, the evolution of anti-racist activism in this country, and a fun new segment called "Actual Things White People Have Said To Me". Keep an eye on our social media: @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook. If there was ever a time to share thoughts and feelings, it's now! Drop us an email at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.

This week, we're talking about access to safe abortions in Namibia, and why trying to run the country like it's your own personal house is not the same as leadership. Sexual and reproductive health rights in Namibia are woefully underdeveloped, and people have been calling for access to abortions for the last 30 years. Apparently politicians are finally getting the memo. Join us as we talk about how important it is to have feminists in positions of power, what it actually means to be pro-choice, and why abortion is really about self-determination and bodily autonomy. Sign the petition to legalise abortion in Namibia here: http://chng.it/XJPFTmNzrm

Alternate title: The Tangent Tapes. Join us this week as we talk about the daily distractions keeping us sane. We're writing books, we're doing choreography, we're cleaning things. We are also unravelling the secrets of physical space during a hot new section called "Cage-ception". It's a good time. We'd love to hear about your distractions - the more the merrier! Keep an eye on our social media: @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook. If there was ever a time to share thoughts and feelings, it's now! Drop us an email at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.

We're off with a bang. And we're talking about white men, their baffling amount of privilege AND fragility, and why it is such a problem.  Join us for a brief discussion of the four Chrises, the terrors of all-boy boarding schools, and a fun new segment about tips to staying (somewhat sane). Keep an eye on our social media: @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook. If there was ever a time to share thoughts and feelings, it's now! Drop us an email at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.

We're back with an all new, experimental season of Heard Not Seen - The Isolation Tapes! Join Paleni and Ndapwa as they figure out how to use Zoom, talk all things feminism, and try to stay sane during social distancing.   Keep an eye on our social media: @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook. If there was ever a time to share thoughts and feelings, it's now! Drop us an email at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.   Stay safe, stay inside (if you can) and thanks for listening!

We're kicking off the new year (and closing season 3) by looking at relationships - how do you know if it’s time to walk away, and how do you deal with the aftermath? For many women, the pressure to fulfil society’s gender roles and be in a (heterosexual) relationship make it a lot harder to confront toxic aspects of a partnership. Unequal power dynamics and violence within romantic relationships has been normalised to the point that many womxn are encouraged to 'make it work' at any cost. Hell, even friendships and the pressure to ‘be nice’ can produce toxic patterns. New Year's resolutions are a social construct, but it's never a bad time to take stock of the people closest to you. We talk about some of our most memorable break-ups, what we did in the aftermath, and what womxn in particular have to navigate when trying to end toxic relationships. Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! And if you like what you hear, please give our show a review wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we try to cross the probably self-imposed generational gap and try to figure out how feminism is viewed by those who are younger than us. We have a chat with two vibrant 19-year-old women, Ira and Dimpho, who share with us their experiences on what feminism means to them, relationships, gendered roles and their personal safety in an-ever increasing unsafe world. Trust me when we say the kids are clued in on what’s going on and are definitely alright! We also make the fatal older person mistake of asking them how old they think we are, but it’s all in good fun. Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! And if you like what you hear, please give our show a review wherever you get your podcasts.  

Today is human right’s day and this week we are talking about cultural appropriation. Whether it’s a hairstyle, print material or “borrowing” from other culture’s essence without understanding the full context it is a problem. Whether it is meant with good intentions or not we must be aware of how dominant cultures appropriate cultural aspects to the detriment of those who steal it. We share our experiences and pose the question “Is it worth it to represent that which you do not fully understand?” Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! And if you like what you hear, please give our show a review wherever you get your podcasts.

We're talking religion this week! As three women growing up in a predominantly Christian country, we talk about our family's different approaches to church and faith. Religion is incredibly personal, and can be a huge source of good in the world. But it trickles into various structures in our society. And like all structures, there's always the danger that it can be used to reinforce oppression, including towards womxn and the LGBTQI community. Other highlights of this episode include the part where we try to figure out how the earth was populated according to the Bible, and Ndapwa's wonderful times at church camp! We'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings!  Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!     And if you like what you hear, please give our show a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello dear listeners!    In our tradition of personalising Namibian and global feminist issues, this week we have a discussion around parenting and what that really means. We are joined by Namibian feminist extraordinaire, writer, creative and new parent, Ethne Mudge.    We talk about how majority of the parenting duties, responsibilities and public judgement often falls on those who give birth. Often "mothers" are left isolated to raise their children in order to fit the needs of the patriarchy, while simultaneously denying "mothers" the rights to pleasure, self-care and community support.   We also highlight the issue that women are often left to "mother" men, showing us that there are different institutionalised forms of parenting. So let's talk frankly about how motherhood is simply one of the most monumental and unappreciated jobs in the world.   Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!     If you like what you hear please give our show a review wherever you get your podcasts.        

Hello dear listeners! We are so happy to be back and to welcome you to season 3 of Heard Not Seen.  We're diving straight into it this season: Namibia, like many other countries, has incredibly antiquated laws and policies that do not protect womxn, particularly when it comes to their sexual reproductive health. A lack of access to contraception and comprehensive sex education means that, practically, a person's right to choose what happens to their body falls in the hands of others! What's shocking is that Namibia's teenage pregnancy rates and 'baby dumping' (terrible phrase) are social plights, and yet we refuse to engage in a discussion around safe abortions. This week we try to wrap our mind around these issues and, try to broaden the conversation around sexual reproductive rights and how womxn's health is still in the hands of clueless old men. Boo! Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @heardnotseenpod, and on Facebook at Heard Not Seen. We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us your feedback, comments and topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! If you like our show please write us a review wherever you get your podcasts.    

It's our season 2 finale! This week, we're discussing the #MeTooNamibia movement on social media, and the ways it is changing the conversations we have in our wider circles. We're sharing some of our own experiences, the responses (both good and bad), and the 'name and shame' approach. It's a tough one but we do smile occasionally, and we hope you do too. We'll see you next season, so remember: be nice! (The audio quality is not always great, but thanks for listening anyway!) [TW for discussions of sexual violence and rape.] Heard Not Seen is taking a post-season break, but we're always keen to share thoughts and feelings! Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

This week, we explore what sexuality has meant to us across our lifetimes. Womxn are often raised to see their sexuality as problematic, shameful and a lesser priority than men's pleasure. Mainstream portrayals of sex and relationships don't help - and don't even get us started on porn. But the silence around womxn's sexuality has overshadowed what it should really be about. So let's talk about sex! Consent, pleasure, mutual respect - you know, the really steamy stuff.    TW: We talk about nonconsensual sexual interactions in this episode. Nothing graphic but, there is some Real Talk. Protect yourselves as needed xo   Follow us on @heardnotseenpod on Instagram and Twitter, Heard Not Seen on Facebook, or email us: heardnotseen@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

This week, it's all about bodies. We talk about the kind of messages we have received about our bodies over the years, and where they even come from. What's hot, what's not - and why does it even matter? It's complicated (like every conversation we have), and made even more so because so many things about body image have become part of conversations about womxn's empowerment over the years. Join us as we try to figure out what to do with our hair, what to put in our bodies, and how to be happy with where we are.

We're talking happiness this week, and (unsurprisingly) it's more complicated than it seems! How do we achieve it, and how, if possible, do we maintain it? We live in an era of social media fantasy lives, and it's easy to fall into the trap of comparing our lives to the seemingly perfect ones that are marketed to us 24/7. So how do we create our own measure of "success" or "happiness" while juggling social lives, work and relationships? We aren't experts in any shape or form, but join us as we hash it out to find the pathways to our personal happy places! Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @heardnotseenpod, and on Facebook at Heard Not Seen. We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us your feedback, comments and topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

This week we're talking mental health in Namibia. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately half the world's population will experience mental health problems in the lifetime, But society still tends to discriminate, stigmatise and isolate people who experience it. And for womxn and other marginalised communities, the constant struggle for equality can take a toll on mental health. We discuss some of our own experiences, and what meaningful support looks like. We also touch on the great debate: medication or no medication? In Namibia, mental health practitioners are few and far between. And when they are available, high costs present yet another barrier - medical aid is a luxury for most. The question is, how can families and communities provide support for people who need it? This is a bit of a heavy one, but as always, we find a little space for joy. (Content warning: talk of suicide) Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @heardnotseenpod, and on Facebook at Heard Not Seen. We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us your feedback, comments and topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to 2019! We’re starting off the year with our first live show, recorded in Windhoek last year. We talk about women’s anger in 2018 - what it actually mean for us, and the impact of being angry all the time. It’s not sustainable, but it’s also sometimes better than being sad! We also talk (again) about what men who want to be allies can actually do to be part of the feminist movement (hint: Google is your friend, and don’t let other men get away with being terrible). Most importantly, we think about how to protect the next generation from the same patriarchal trauma we’ve been through. We also laughed occasionally, don’t worry! Thanks to everyone who joined us for our first live event, we look forward to meeting more of our listeners during 2019.   Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @heardnotseenpod, and on Facebook at Heard Not Seen. We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us your feedback, comments and topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

In our first bonus episode we chat to a musician, performer, comedian, and just all-round great human: Miss H. She starts the show by giving us a little taste of No women No Cry and the goosebumps just keep coming. During our chat, much to our surprise, we find out that Miss H doesn’t do conventional interviews and now we know why! As soon as she starts speaking you are immediately lost in her passionate take on music and love for other people, which is why the three of us, who are usually the chattiest people in the room, could only listen in awe, with our mouths fully open. We talk about her musical childhood in Swakopmund, the Namibian music scene, how her all male white band likes things, and she shares music with us that is very close to her heart. And if that wasn't enough, she is on her way to becoming one of Namibia's top stand up comedians. She really is everything!

In the final episode of the season,  Paleni, Ndapwa and Brigit talk about men. The contradictions, confusions and calamity that comes with loving them and how the #notallmen movement is a real vomit bucket.  Also, as an end-of-season-finale-folly we play that classic game, Truth or Truth! We open up about out lives, and get more hashtag real than even we expected to. What was Paleni’s favorite life fail? How the heck did Ndapwa end up here? And does Brigit even like her life? Find the answers to these questions and more, along with a few words of wisdom - please learn from our fumbles. Thank you for listening and coming along on this journey. We’ll be back for an even ‘litter’ season 2 soon! (This joke will only make sense if you listen.)

This week we have a look at white feminism.   What is white feminism and how does it affect people of colour? We have a chat about our personal experiences when navigating the feminist space and race. We take a look at the #MeToo movement and go way back to the Suffragettes and discuss how inclusive these waves of feminism were.   White feminism opened the door but for who? 

In this episode we take a look at some of the womxn who have inspired us over the years: historical and current, real and fictional.    Join us on a journey that covers stories from Namibia's past and present, the exploits of witches (and less competent wizards), and an animated character who has inspired girls of all ages for almost 30 years! (Disclaimer: none of us said our moms, because that goes without saying. Our moms are great.)   Have your own stories of womxn who have left their mark on you? Share them with us on Twitter (@heardnotseenpod), Facebook (Heard Not Seen), or really dig in and write to us at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.   Thanks for listening!

The regional TotalShutDown march took place on 1 August 2018 in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Namibia. We joined the Windhoek leg of the march and then recorded this week’s episode. We take a closer look at our broken system and how badly we are failing women and gender non-conforming individuals on a daily basis. We cannot seem to get BASIC protection and care services right. And that’s before we have even begun to try prevent the violence our society seems to just accept as a normal part of Namibian life. WTActualF? We ask some hard questions directly to our government and to the Namibian public at large. Follow us on Twitter @heardnotseenpod and on Facebook heardnotseen and send us an email with your comments, feedback or topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode we discuss the "Male Gaze" and share stories on our experiences with this global lens that influences how we all look at women in the world. Coined by film critic, Laura Mulvey, in 1975 the male gaze informs how and why women are objectified in mainstream media. So strap in for emotional ride of feelings as we look at what the potential of a "female gaze" could mean for us, and whether we even want to objectify men in the same way. Also, we learn that staring at people isn't as easy as we thought it was! Follow us on Twitter @heardnotseenpod and on Facebook heardnotseen and send us an email with your comments, feedback or topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Heard Not Seen! Each week Brigit, Ndapwa and Paleni try to grapple with life from a Namibian women's perspective. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we'll cry and sometimes we might be incoherent but it's a whale of time. In our first episode we take a look at the complexities of "feminism". Is it a bird, is it a plane, is it a feeling? All in all we try to discuss (slash yell) on what being a feminist means to us collectively and as individuals. We talk about inclusivity, equality and safety in Namibia. If you have ever wondered what three women sound like trying to debate the meaning of life over a bottle of champagne then this is the podcast for you! Mind the dick jokes. Follow us on Twitter @heardnotseenpod and on Facebook heardnotseen and send us an email with your comments, feedback or topic suggestions at heardnotseenpod@gmail.com.  Thanks for listening!