A Deep Dive Into The Child-Free Vs Motherhood Dialogue

The High Low

Society & Culture

4.8 • 9.6K Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2020

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today we discuss how motherhood and child-free women are culturally discussed and pitted against one another, referencing podcasts, a journalistic series and Emma Gannon's new novel, Olive, along the way. We also answer an Ask The High Low from a woman whose partner wants children, but she's worried about how pregnancy, birth and motherhood may affect her mental health.

Also today, we talk about a candid interview with Thandie Newton, where the actor reflects on a 30 year career often rife with micro-aggressions and misogyny, Nick Hornby's new novel and recommend two social and mentorship networks: City Girl Network and The Black Agents and Editors Group, for people of African descent working in publishing or media.

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Links

https://www.goclimate.com

Reading

Olive by Emma Gannon

Just Like You by Nick Hornby

Thandie Newton interview by E Alex Jung for Vulture https://www.vulture.com/article/thandie-newton-in-conversation.html

Michaela Cole interview by E Alex Jung for Vulture https://www.vulture.com/article/michaela-coel-i-may-destroy-you.html

'Am I willing to risk my mental health to have a baby?' by Bella Mackie for The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bella-mackie-am-i-willing-to-risk-my-mental-health-to-have-a-baby-36pvzdl50

Guardian US series on being child-free https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/childfree

Listening/ watching

Helen Mirren on WTF with Marc Maron

Sian Harries and Grace Dent are ambivalent about motherhood https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jd32d

Networks, petitions and mentorship

City Girls Network https://citygirlnetwork.com

The Black Agents and Editors Group https://blackagentsandeditors.com

Sign the petition to protect free hospital parking for NHS staff https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-free-parking-at-work-for-all-nhs-staff?recruiter=60114810&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=11bcc65d09ce4da697c7beddfbe0a4f7&recruited_by_id=2c992f50-ed5e-0130-e2cf-3c764e044346

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Highlo, the weekly conversation between Dolby Alderton and Pandora Sykes.
0:21.0	And massive congratulations to my co-host who from tomorrow is a published author.
0:28.6	Hola.
0:32.2	Very, very, very nervous.
0:34.2	You shouldn't be nervous, but I do understand it is a very nerve-wracking week.
0:39.1	But I just wanted to say not as your podcast co-host, but one of your best mates.
0:45.4	I read Pandora's essays on modern life in two sittings and I've got to be totally honest.
0:50.4	I don't normally read essays, they're not normally my thing.
0:53.7	And as we know, I have absolutely zero interest in modern life and I'm obsessed with the past.
0:58.8	But that being said, I loved this collection.
1:03.2	I found them so reassuring and funny and sharp and curious and really well researched
1:09.9	with a really diverse range of writers and thinkers incorporated into the conversation.
1:14.2	And it was just generally a delight.
1:16.9	And I'm not just saying that because I'm featured in it.
1:19.4	So sorry to sound like your stage mom, Pandora.
1:23.1	But to our listeners, if you want rational, intelligent, reasonable commentary
1:29.8	on a plethora of our anxieties, then you should buy how do we know we're doing it right tomorrow.
1:36.3	End of paid partnership with Dolly Alderton.
1:43.9	This week's episode is sponsored by Dolly Alderton and her friendship.
1:47.9	Thanks very much to Dolly Alderton.
1:50.5	I'd pay for that.
1:51.5	I'd pay for that.
	...

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