Tan and Tanner: Recent Episodes
Tan and Tanner
Monthly episodes on everything and nothing in particular. Listen to us trying to make sense of the world around us and join us in the discussion.
This week I will be talking about the earthquakes that occurred in Turkey and Syria about two weeks ago. This is very personal to me so I took the time to dive into the topic and the reasons why so many citizens are so infuriated now with the governmental response to the disaster.
If you have been feeling lost on the happenings so far, this episode is a good place to start. If you have been processing and following the news closely like me, please let me know if I have forgotten to mention anything.
You can always reach me via email at tan.and.tanner1@gmail.com
Consider donating to the following organisations:
- AKUT - a voluntary, non-governmental search, assist, and rescue organisation
- AHBAP - local NGO network, helping survivors with relief efforts (such as food, accommodation etc)
- Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM) - provides independent and impartial relief and medical care in Syria
- White Helmets - a voluntary rescue organisation
- Kurdish Red Moon - a voluntary organisation, aiming to bring aid assistance at an international capacity to alleviate suffering in Kurdistan
- Jeyetna - an organisation fighting period poverty in Lebanon, which has been collection donations and materials for people affected in the earthquake zones
- Here you can find a wide range of helping organisation which is being updated regularly. Like I mentioned in the episode, keep in mind that if you can contribute to local organisation rather than international ones, it's always more effective in reaching the people who actually need it.
Long time, no episode!
As the new year has greeted us, I wanted to get back to nourishing this podcast - and what better way to start than making a nerdy bookworm episode. If you have read any of these already, please let me know what your thoughts were! And if you have any books to recommend, please drop your recs as well :)
The books I talk about in this episode:
- How to Mend: Motherhood and Its Ghosts - Iman Mersal
- The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House - Audre Lorde
- Khartoum At Night: Fashion and Body Politics in Imperial Sudan - Marie Grace Brown
- Pachinko - Min Jin Lee
- A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara
- Human Acts - Han Kang
If you would like to know more about the Gwangju Uprising, I recommend listening to the four part episode by Working Class History
Shoutout to @alexoftheroof for creating this new intro
In this week's episode I dive into female exclusivitiy and how I apply it in my own life. Roughly two years ago I decided to become a female exclusive bisexual meaning I decided to only start dating women and not pursue my attractions to men. From that moment onward, this concept quickly expanded into other parts of my life, influencing the way I deal with my platonic relationships and even the way I interact within capitalism. And honestly? I have never felt happier in my life.
But what are your thoughts on female exclusivitiy?
*Notes: Some things I forgot to mention while I was talking
1) I have a personal grievances with bisexual women who call themselves lesbians because a) you are taking up space that is not meant for you by using a label that is not yours to use and b) you are simultaneously enforcing bi erasure and biphobia.
2) By no means do I believe or expect everyone to follow the same philosophy I currently apply to my life nor do I believe my way is better than others. The episode was solely to suggest and introduce an alternative to the mainstream way of navigating through the patricharchy and heteronormativity.
You requested, so I shall deliver! Here are five of my favourite books I read in 2020:
- God Dies By The Nile - Nawal El Saadawi
- Women, Islam, and Cinema - Gönül Dönmez-Colin
- My Cat Yugoslavia - Pajtim Statovci
- Khartoum At Nigth: Fashion and Body Politics in Imperial Sudan - Marie Grace Brown
- Orlando - Virgina Woolf
Have you read any of these books? If yes, let me know what you think of them! New book recommendations are always welcome 💖
We are back after a long and not anticipated break!
Mentioning somebody's weight in casual conversation has been so normalised that many people feel comfortable talking about it - but many others do not feel comfortable hearing it, and rightly so. In a society where our worth is directly linked to our weight and certain body images are pushed onto us from a young age, something meant as a "compliment" or a "concern" can have devasting emotional and mental effects on the person who has to hear it. It is counterproductive and perpetuates patricharichal establishments.
It is already hard enough to appreciate, accept, and love yourself as is without having to hear other people's unsolicited opinions - so how can we de-normalise casual commentary on body and weights today?
Three soju bottles in on a Saturday night, we could not resist talking about our good ol' memories around K-Pop - how it carried us through our teenage years, helped us build connections and friendships, and how, not only those memories, but also our love for it has stayed with us until now. Does K-Pop mean anything to you? If yes, share it with us! If not, go listen to SEVENTEEN's discography right now.
In this week's episode, Maura and I talk about our love for Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women, analysing the characters, plot, and cinematic choices. Did you enjoy the movie as much as we did?
In the light of the horrific acts that led up to Sanda Dia's death, I talk about and criticise the reaction(s) of the university in response to what happened at Reuzegom's initiation ritual.
No matter where you have been born or where you currently are, as women we have experienced and continue to experience violence on a daily basis - whether it be in verbal, emotional, or phyiscal form. And even though this one of the most common forms of violence globally, it does not get the recognition, gravitas, or action it deserves. Society has normalised most of these violent acts because that is easier than addressing the issue. But as long as we continue to ignore these acts, there is no hope for women's liberation.
Is it possible to consume ethically under capitalism? Or are we all bound to be vassals of the system even if we try to make consciously ethical decisions? The short answer is yes. The long answer is, well, the episode. What are your thoughts on the topic? Are the ethical choices presented to us under capitalism a elaborate scheme to lure us into staying compliant with capitalism?
I believe #NotAllMen to be one of the most blatant lies in our current times. Women experience sex-based violence every single day - may it be in form of online or street harassment or emotional and physical violence, every woman I have ever met can relate to the fear, anger, and frustration that stems for our prevailing rape culture. We might all experience it in different forms and at different times, but the result is nonetheless the same: the realisation that our bodies are not considered ours. So the question then is: why should we not hold men as a group and as a class accountable if this keeps happening on a global scale?
If you have been a victim of sexual assault, please know that you are not alone. There are people who can help you, whether it is to take legal action or to work through your traumatic experience. Please consider reaching out:
Helpline Directory for Europe
Directory for U.S.
Domestic Violence Agencies for Asia
Domestic Violence Agencies for Africa
International Rape Crisis Hotline DirectoriesHandbook of International Centers for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Harassment
List of National Helplines
In this episode, we discuss what Pride means to us, if and how we participate in Pride, and what changes we would like to see concerning the LGBT community. I think there is this assumption sometimes that just because we are part of a larger community that we have this hive mind and that we agree on everything but I find the opposite to be true and I do believe that it is beneficial for us to share and listen to our different views because that is one part of community growth. What are your thoughts on Pride?
LGBT Resources for Mental Health and Physical Safety (access the direct links on our anchor.fm profile):
ILGA Europe
SAMHSA
Rainbow Street
MOSAIC
OutRight Action International
ILGA World
ACTSA
List of LGBT Organisations in South America
List of LGBT Medical Organisations
Since October 2019, Lebanon's people have been constantly on the streets protesting for their rights. Ignited by the government's decision to levy new taxes, millions of protesters went down to the streets to show their disapproval of the corrupt government, demanding its resignation, the introduction of a non-sectarian voting system, the restoration of the people's money, and a reform for the provision of basic needs. Now, almost 10 months later and despite the Coronavirus crisis, people are still on the streets - many of them feeling like they have no other choice. Yasmine joined me this week to talk about what exactly has been going on, how it all came to be, and where the protests are currently going. We also took some time to discuss women's roles in the revolution as "The Revolution Is Female" has been a slogan prominently used throughout the uprising.
Follow these accounts to stay informed:
Megaphone @megaphonenews
Daleel Thawra @daleelthawra
Lebanon Uprising @lebanonuprising
Chloé Kattar @leb.historian
Myriam Boulos @myriamboulos
I don't know about you but if the lockdown has bubbled up one thing in me, it's my raging desire for change. Whether we are talking about capitalism, education or women's liberation, many of us agree that once the quarantine is over things shouldn't go back to normal, they should transform! Which revolt are you looking forward to?
28th May 2013 was the first day of what became a series of nationwide protests across Turkey. People from all kinds of backgrounds united to fight for a cause. The demands? The resignation of the corrupt, fascist, and authoritarian government, the removal of Erdogan from office, the preservation of green public spaces, an end to gentrification and taking clear steps to stop the increase in poverty.
Instead of listening to their demands, Erdogan condemned the protestors and labelled them as terrorists and looters. Peaceful protesters were met with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water canons. OccupyGezi marked a political tipping point and catalysed the AKP's and Erdogan's power grip on the country.
7 years after the protests, the consequences of our loss still haunt the nation.
Growing up between cultures is hard. Whether you grew up as the child of immigrants, as a mixed child, or you just moved around a lot, figuring out your cultural identity only gets more complicated as you mature. In this episode, Lisa and I talk about how growing up between cultures has shaped our understanding of ourselves and the world, how our surroundings influenced our self-perception, and how identity is never really black and white. Did you ever struggle with your heritage and identity or did you always knew exactly who you were? Let us know in the comments!
I was on a hunt for good lesbian/sapphic movies since last month. Was I successful? Depends on how you define successful 👀 but nonetheless I thought I'd share my journey so far! Also this is me hoping you guys might have some good recommendations on what to watch next, so please feel free to share your favourite movies with me and if you have watched any of the movies mentioned let me know what you thought of them 📽️
You requested, I deliver. This week I am talking about how our school systems are outdated, why a reform is urgently needed, and what possible solutions might be useful for implementation. What do you think needs to change about the current system?
Ramadan Mubarak to everyone!
The holy month of Ramadan started this Friday and growing up Muslim in a Western country taught me one thing for sure: many people have no clue what Ramadan really is.
So in this epiosde, I will try my best to explain what Ramadan is, why and how we fast during this time, and answer some of your questions about it!
For those of you who are fasting: I wish you a peaceful and healthy Ramadan with many blessings. And please continue to stay safe!
If you have more questions, feel free to approach me any time!
Last week, I talked about my views on feminist body politics. This week I invited our listeners to send me their thoughts on the topic so that we can keep the conversation going and oh boy you guys did not disappoint! We talk about experiences with body hair stigma, definitions of feminism, navigating feminist conversation with friends, personal empowerment, and make-up.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen, reflect and share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences with us ❤️ This episode would not have been possible without you.
This episode serves more as food for thought than absolute truths as each of the topics could have been more elaborated on than what was possible within the framework of this episode.
When I turned 16, my mom started telling me to shave my arm hair which, if you ask me, is pretty f***ed up. And even though I told her no, I later felt subconcisiouly pressured into doing it to feel desirable. A lot of what is presented to women as a choice these days, is still enforcing the patriarchal box that has been created for us. Is it really a choice if you're conditioned to believe that one of them is the right one? Is it really a choice if women's bodies are still not respected and have no bodily autonomy because of that? This episode serves as a starting point of a very complicated and long discussion that is necessary. I hope you'll join me in shaping it.
P.S.: I am not crying in this audio - I just forget to breathe when I'm talking sometimes.
Going a bit crazy during this quarantine? Yeah, me too. That's why I have been indulging in a lot of movies lately. ESCAPISM BABYYY! Have you watched any of these movies or can you recommend me some to continue this streak? Let me know!
This week's episode is all about food! We will be talking about favourite cuisines and dishes, first experiences, and food politics. A dash of inspiration for your own kitchen adventures. Share your most loved recipes with us❤️
I am sure everyone is already tired of hearing about the COVID-19; I am certainly tired talking about it so this episode will be a short rant about the behaviours we should avoid and the systems that are failing us followed by some random bee facts and piano music to keep our sanity in these bizarre times.
This week's topic is about the ongoing protests in Hong Kong! What are the protesters fighting for? What are the political implications? And how did it even come to this? We will discuss it all.
Check out the following links if you want to help the protesters in their efforts:
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For Donations
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612 Humanitarian Relief Fund (612人道支援基金) (PayPal: 612fund@atd.hk)
- Spark Alliance HK 星火同盟 (PayPal: hkworkxshop@gmail.com)
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Hong Kong Free Press
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For Petitions
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Request Permanent Court of Arbitration to Investigate Unlawful Force of Hong Kong Police
- Condemn HK Police for Excessive Force against Citizens & Call for Independent Inquiry
- Petition to Jean Yves Le Drian, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic calling for concrete actions against China
- Write to Your Members of European Parliament (EU)
These are just a few! If you know any other organisations you know, please do share them with us.
The second part of our conversational adventure talking through the film world of the last decade. Buckle up!
In this first episode, Maura and I attempt to go through the last decade of film, talking about our own favourites, which movies left the biggest impressions on us, and what was most talked about in each year. Let's ride!