Stripped Bear

Maya and Samantha Schwimmer '21 critique institutional problems regarding religion, gender, and sexual violence at Bowdoin. We talk about sexual capital, stigmas surrounding consent (before, during & after an encounter), and rape culture. How can Bowdoin “be creative” to combat these systemic issues? Content warning: mention of sexual assault

Anam Shah & Mishal Kazmi '21 talk Ramadan on campus, anglicized (or just mispronounced) names, Western society's skewed views on Islam, microaggressions, dating and more. Anam, Mishal and Esther reflect on coming into our own at a PWI, and note that it is perfectly normal to be appreciative and critical of Bowdoin at the same time.

Maya invites Mitch Roy '21 to play We're Not Really Strangers, a card game created to spark meaningful conversations. Is it normal to type out all your texts in the Notes app first? Can men have resting bitch face? From first impressions to past relationships and self-care––we talk about it all.

Esther invites Nirhan and Arein to share their journeys to, and experiences at Bowdoin. We discuss career contemplations & “selling out” after college, analyze changes in the portrayal of Asian male sexuality in popular culture (i.e. Glenn from the Walking Dead and the rise of K-Pop), and highlight the diversity of Asian-ness.

Maya and David Calzadillas '23 chat about what it means to be bisexual. David shares his experience with coming out, being a queer man at Bowdoin, and describes an ideal dating world. Maya opens up about her journey with her sexuality.

We have our first Bowdoin men on the podcast to discuss all things male friendships, insecurities, and college dating. Paul and Thomas share insights on emotional vulnerability amongst men, "feminine" interests, dealbreakers, and more.

This week, we sit down with Izzy Miller ‘23 to talk about self-pleasure & sex positivity. Who benefits from hookup culture? How do we unlearn the discomfort surrounding pleasure, and become active, intentional participants in our sex lives? The girls talk sex ed, porn, boundaries, and more. Content warning: brief mention of sexual assault

Esther chats with Kat Chen, NYU Class of 2020. Kat shares her firsthand encounters with failures of the criminal justice system, and the lessons she's learned from protesting for the past year. Esther and Kat discuss how the model minority myth fosters anti-Blackness in the Asian community, and the need for empathetic cross-cultural dialogue in activism. Content warning ⚠️: discussion of attempted vehicular manslaughter

Continuing our celebration of Black History Month, Maya interviews Warren Graver, a Jamaican member of the Freeport community. Warren talks of his experience at Howard University, blind spots in Maine's schooling system, and shares his perspective on the current political climate.

Do we believe in true love? How has the pandemic affected our friendships and self love? On this Valentine's episode, Maya and Esther discuss listeners' anonymous submissions, clichés, and recap their best memories of love.

This week's guest is Safiya Osei '21, a fat, Black, queer woman, and a writer featured on the Bowdoin Orient & PopSugar.com. Esther and Safiya discuss fatphobia and its ties to capitalism, controversies surrounding Lizzo and Chloe Bailey, and the power of radical self-love.

This week, Stripped Bear kicks off its celebration of Black History Month early by sitting down with Jayna Robotham & Jaida Hodge-Adams ‘23, authors of the According to J column on the Bowdoin Orient. Jayna and Jaida discuss friendships after the murder of George Floyd, the political dilemmas that Black women face, the small moments they find joy in and more.

In this week's episode we are joined by our first guest, Dani Quezada! Dani shares her tales of online dating at Bowdoin and beyond. Dani, Esther and Maya empathize over stories of fetishization and stereotyping of Latina and Asian women.

On this week's episode, Maya tells her adoption story and delves into abandonment trauma, the white savior complex and shares therapy insights.

This week, Esther recounts her life in Korea, Singapore and Dubai, and introduces the concept of an “American-passing” international student. With stories about the COVID vaccine, slang, cookies, and more, Esther unpacks her thoughts on belonging.

In this first episode of Stripped Bear, Maya and Esther give recaps on their fall semesters, learn about each others' preferences in chip flavors and music & introduce the overall vision for the podcast.