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WHAT IFF? Podcast, Season 3

WHAT IFF? PODCAST

AMPLIFYING VOICES AND SPARKING DISCUSSION

WRITTEN BY SEASON 3 PRODUCERS, EMILY CURREY (she/her) AND MOLLY DICKERSON (she/her)

WHAT IFF? is a podcast in which we explore intersectional feminist futures (“IFF”) and discuss social activism’s role in our everyday lives. In spring 2024, we produced and released two episodes.

Season 3 Producers, (L to R) Emily Currey and Molly Dickerson, of the student-run podcast What IFF? Exploring Intersectional Feminist Futures with Women’s and Gender Studies at CofC. Photo Credit: Reese Moore

Our podcasting process aims to educate not only others but also ourselves. We begin work on an episode by researching our topic to understand better what we’re discussing and to give us ideas for questions to ask our interviewees. One of our favorite parts of creating this podcast is facilitating interviews with specialists on the subject matter we’re talking about. Both of the interviews we’ve done have been extraordinary experiences. Our interviewees have been informative, exciting, and enjoyable to speak with.

Our first episode of the season is a conversation about chronic pain, the myth of the wandering womb, and hysteria through an intersectional feminist lens. We interviewed Dr. Sandy Slater (History) and asked her about the historical background of the intersections among ableism, sexism, and racism.

The most unexpected part of the podcasting has been how much we learn in post-production. While editing our first episode, we became aware of how we were using the word “women” to refer to primarily cis-gendered women’s experiences; thus, we made sure to acknowledge our mistakes in the language we used throughout the interview and clarify that cis-sexism is an additional system of oppression that affects patients’ treatment.

Be sure to tune into our latest episode! In partnership with the 1967 Legacy Scholars program, we interviewed Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, Dean of Liberal Arts and Communication at Arkansas State University, “binya”Charlestonian, and College of Charleston alumna. A professor of History, Jones-Branch specializes in uncovering Black women’s activism in the rural South. She is an outstanding role model, not to mention a funny and irreverent interviewee!

We have loved getting to do this experiential learning work in WGS and would like to thank our site supervisors, Dr. Cristina Dominguez and Priscilla Thomas, for their guidance and support throughout the process.


WGS podcast, magazine, and editorial content producer interns are recipients of WGS student awards thanks to the generosity of donors.

What IFF?: Creating Communities for Change with Mika Gadsden

The new episode of What IFF? features the Women’s & Gender Studies’ Community Leader-In-Residence, Tamika Gadsden. As a well-traveled activist and grassroots mayoral candidate, Mika calls attention to current issues impacting CofC students and the Lowcountry. Learn how to be more active in your democracy through the support of local organizations, historical archives, and community relationships as catalysts for change!

Also learn more about What IFF? on Wednesday at Feminism in Motion! Bria, this season’s podcast creator and producer, will be presenting about the podcast. And hear more from Mika who will be saying a few words as well!

Feminism in Motion is being held in Stern Center Ballroom on Wednesday, April 19th from 3PM-7PM. Drop-in or stay the whole time; we hope to see y’all there!

What IFF?: Transvisibility with Denver Tanner

In spring 2022, student, Marissa Haynes (she/her), launched a new podcast in conjunction with WGS. What IFF? is dedicated to sparking discussion about making change in our campus community and beyond by centering intersectional feminist thought and uplifting members of our community who are actively moving toward justice, and inspiring those of us who want to learn more. What IFF? WGS Podcast

Today we’re revisiting What IFF?’s initial episode where Marissa interviews fellow CofC student, Denver Tanner (they/them). They discuss activism, trans rights and mental health, and so much more. Read a brief excerpt from the episode, and click over to What IFF? to listen to the entire interview!

Excerpt from What IFF?, episode 1 – Transvisibility with Denver Tanner:

MH: How do you feel like the classes that you’ve taken, or the work that you’ve done has prepared you for the life that you dream of?

DT: I think it definitely has . The College has provided me so many great opportunities. I’m actually this year, joining the gardening club, so we’re circling back to the learning how to grow your own food with that one. But academically, one of my favorite projects was my anarchy capstone with Dr. McGinnis for my political science end of the year project. I wrote a thesis paper called Be Gay, Do Crime: An Analysis of Queer Anarchy.

MH: Okay, wow, love that. Queer anarchy? Can you expand on that.

Denver TannerDT: Yes, definitely. So, queer anarchy is, in essence, studying how your identity as a gay person or a trans person, is an act of rebellion against the state. So, for example, in my research for this paper, I learned that the City of Charleston, back in the seventeenth century, used to outlaw dressing of an opposite sex, which obviously is transphobic inherently but even racist as it dates back to origins and not allowing people of a different socioeconomic class to dress as if they were wealthier.

MH: Wow! I love that, too, because what you’re talking about is that this innate just being and walking in life is activism, right? Like, walking and existing as a queer person. That in and of itself is activism. I wanted to ask you: What does it mean to be an activist? What does it take to be an activist?

DT: What a great question! Because if you asked me that a couple weeks ago I would have said, “Oh, I don’t know. I’m not an activist.” But now that I sit here and have this dialogue with you and think about my college experiences and what motivates me every day. I realize: to be an activist, you really just have to care about something. You have to have an identity with something and a passion. And I think activism is much simpler than we perceive it to be, and it really can be a part of your everyday life, just like Women’s and Gender Studies.

Introducing WHAT IFF? Podcast

What IFF? WGS Podcast

At What IFF?, we are dedicated to sparking discussion about making change in our campus community and beyond by centering intersectional feminist thought and uplifting members of our community who are actively moving toward justice, and inspiring those of us who want to learn more.

 

 

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