The Gurls Talk Podcast

Before Adwoa (briefly) leaves the chat to welcome her baby (!!!) -- you're in for a treat... In a very special episode of Gurls Talk, Adwoa sits down with acclaimed actress Denise Gough for a compelling conversation about her role in the play "People, Places, and Things." Together, they delve into themes of addiction, trauma, and the portrayal of these issues on stage. Denise Gough won ‘Best Actress’ at the 2016 Olivier Awards and at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for her performance ...

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

Carmen is a social worker, grief counsellor and death doula. Carmen is also the co-founder of BIPOC Death and Grief Talk, along with Kayla Carter, where they run free grief talks and grief education workshops for BIPOC individuals. Carmen and Kayla's goal is to embrace the intricate layers of racialized grief, providing a space for validation and support among fellow grievers. Simultaneously, they seek to challenge and deconstruct Eurocentric notions surrounding death, grief, and loss, workin...

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2024

Paloma Elsesser is a supermodel and advocate for inclusivity in the fashion industry (and beyond). Winner of the British Fashion Council's 2023 Model of the Year award, Paloma is a trailblazer who uses her platform to challenge beauty standards and promote self-acceptance. You can follow Paloma on Instagram @palomija --- Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc. Host: Adwoa Aboah Guest: Paloma Elsesser Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malac...

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2024

Holly Madison is a model, television personality, and New York Times bestselling author. She gained fame for her role in the reality show "The Girls Next Door," showcasing life at the Playboy Mansion. Beyond her entertainment career, Holly is an advocate for body positivity and recently shared her late in life autism diagnosis with the world. Follow Holly on Instagram @hollymadison Follow Holly on TikTok @hollyjeanmadison You can watch Holly on the Investigation Discovery serie...

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2024

​​**This episode of the Gurls Talk podcast discusses sensitive topics surrounding suicide and the experience of losing a loved one to suicide. While we aim to provide a supportive space for these conversations, we recognize that they may be distressing for some listeners. It's important to remember that help is available. In the United States, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. For support in the UK, you can contact the National Suicide Preventio...

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2024

Zoe Terakes (they/he) is a non-binary and trans masculine Australian actor best known for their roles in the movie "Talk To Me" and the TV series "Nine Perfect Strangers." Zoe will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the first trans actor in the Disney+ series "Ironheart." Including being an incredible actor, Zoe is a champion for queer representation in the media and has become a prominent voice in the entertainment industry. Their work not only entertains but also inspires a...

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2024

10 years ago Tally and Adwoa met in recovery. 10 years later Tally and Adwoa reconnect again at The Jo Malone Townhouse to discuss their recovery journey, the challenges they've encountered, and what they've learned along the way. Talitha Fosh is a qualified psychotherapist who primarily works with addiction. She is nine years clean from alcohol and drugs, and a recovered anorexic. Talitha has worked in an addiction rehab centre, as well as with clients in her own private practice, The...

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2024

Born to Hollywood icons Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Tallulah Willis was raised in the glare of the spotlight, a reality that shaped her upbringing in profound ways. As a kid Tallulah faced vicious online bullying that impacted her mental health and led to the development of a years long eating disorder. Today Tallulah uses her platform to shed light on the challenges she's faced in an effort to reduce stigma and promote greater understanding and support for others. You can follow Tal...

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2024

Our dear friend Julia Samuel is here! Julia is a celebrated psychotherapist specializing in grief, who has spent the last three decades working with bereaved families. Julia is a three-time bestseller of the books Grief Works, This Too Shall Pass, and her latest book Every Family Has a Story. She is the host of the acclaimed podcast Therapy Works and the developer of the app Grief Works: Self-care & Love that helps users navigate grief after the death of a loved one. You can follow...

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2024

Freida Pinto is a critically-acclaimed actress, a mother, a women's and human rights activist, and entrepreneur. Today we discuss... pregnancy loss, what people don't tell you about postpartum (but should), the guilt that comes with being a mother and having a career, prioritizing your mental health (no matter what), and what its like to be an entrepreneur... You can follow Freida on Instagram @freidapinto and you can learn more about Anya but heading to www.thisisanya.com ---&nb...

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2024

Catherine Hardwicke is an iconic American filmmaker best known for capturing the reality of the teenage experience on screen - from Twilight to Lords of Dogtown. Today we're reflecting on the cultural impact of Catherine's directorial debut "Thirteen" -- which was released over twenty years ago in 2003. Co-written with Nikki Reed, "Thirteen" is a poignant and raw portrayal of adolescence, focusing on the turbulent life of a thirteen-year-old girl named Tracy. The f...

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2024

Today we're talking about the opioid epidemic. 60 million people around the world struggle with opioid addiction and traditional methods of rehabilitation are failing our friends and family. In this episode you'll meet Sarah Laurel the founder of Savage Sisters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After recovering from substance use disorder, Sarah sought to build an organization that would provide thoughtful, trauma-informed resources for those recovering from substance use disorders. Sarah says ...

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2024

Mad excited to have my dear friend Chelsea Leyland on the podcast today. Chelsea is a DJ, cannabis and epilepsy activist, the co-founder of menstrual-health platform Looni, and she's a new mum! We discuss Chelsea's incredibly moving documentary Sisters Interrupted. The doc follows Chelsea and her sister Tamsin as they both battle forms of epilepsy and together fight for access to medical cannabis that could save both of their lives. We also chat about Chelsea's pregnancy journey, becomi...

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2024

Sophie Compton is a BIFA longlisted documentary director and producer who tells women’s stories of injustice and healing. "Another Body" is an 2023 British-American documentary film that follows a college student who seeks justice after finding deepfake pornography of herself online. You can follow Sophie on Instagram @sophietaracompton You can find where to watch "Another Body" by heading to https://anotherbodyfilm.com/the-film/ ----- Executed Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc.&nb...

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2024

It's a dream come true! AOC has joined the chat. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an American politician and the youngest woman EVER elected to the United States Congress. A member of the Democratic Party, she gained national attention for her progressive policy positions, including advocacy for the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. We celebrate AOC for her passion and unwavering commitment to social justice reform. In this episode Adwoa and AOC discuss redefining positions of inf...

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2024

We're thrilled to have Dina Gachman the author of So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and other Grave Concerns on the podcast today. In 2018 Dina lost her mother to cancer and then her sister to alcoholism less than three years later. Dina's own experience with grief led her on a journey to understanding what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss. The holidays are a difficult time of year for so many of us. We h...

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2023

Richie Shazam is a queer model, artist, and activist (and a New York legend!!) who seeks to subvert the gender binary in everything she does. With the holidays around the corner, we're talking about grief, coping with difficult familial relationships, and the beauty of found family. You can buy Richie's book SHAZAM here You can follow Richie here --- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio. Composed by Mikey Long. This pod...

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2023

We're excited to welcome one of Adwoa's dear friends Tilly Lawless on the podcast! Tilly Lawless is a queer, Sydney-based sex worker who advocates for sex worker rights. In this episode Tilly and Adwoa explore the stigmas sex workers face, the gig economy, and grief among many other topics. You can learn more about Tilly by following @tilly_lawless You can also watch her powerful Ted Talk here --- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovn...

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2023

What is the "I" in LGBTQIA+? Today we're giving voice to the long-silenced intersex community. According to Amnesty International, 1.7% of the population is born with intersex traits -- comparable to the number of people born with red hair. On this episode you'll hear from Sean Saifa Wall (he/him/his) a Black queer intersex activist and rising scholar. Saifa is committed to racial equity and a radical vision of bodily autonomy for people with intersex variations. Curren...

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2023

Ai-jen Poo is a next-generation labor leader, award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. Ai-jen is the President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Director of Caring Across Generations, Co-Founder of SuperMajority and Trustee of the Ford Foundation. In this episode we discuss the future of work, gender equality, immigration, narrative change, and grassroots organizing. ---- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Haile...

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2023

Mikki Kendall is an activist, cultural critic, and author of the critically-acclaimed book Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot. I came across Hood Feminism and I knew I needed to have Mikki on the podcast. We talk about the body positivity movement, colorism, banned books, fighting the patriarchy, and much, much more. You can follow Mikki Kendall on Instagram @karynthia and you can buy Mikki's book Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot...

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2023

Eileen Kelly is here! You may know Eileen from her Tumblr days (killerandasweetthang) or maybe you know Eileen as the host of the acclaimed podcast Going Mental with Eileen Kelly. In this episode - we talk about getting into the groove with a new therapist to getting diagnosed and (my favorite) dating horror stories. I loved having gurl talk with Eileen. We have so much in common and I can't wait for you to listen. Enjoy! --- Hosted by Adwoa Aboah Executive Produce...

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2023

This past summer Molly Manning Walker took Cannes by storm with her powerful, feature directorial debut "How To Have Sex." "How to Have Sex" follows a group of teenage girls during a rite-of-passage, post-exam holiday in what should be the best summer of their lives. The film looks at how we learn to have sex through the pressure of friendship, toxic masculinity and societal expectations. In this episode we discuss the film, the state of sex education, and consent in a post-#MeToo e...

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2023

Maddie Ziegler is here! Maddie has been in the industry for so much of her life, and needless to say it hasn’t always been easy. But I’ll let Maddie tell you about it... You can follow Maddie on Instagram at @maddieziegler and you can follow us @gurlstalk. --- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Malach of Wicked Child Studio. Composed by Mikey Long. Special thanks to Charlotte Gilbert. This podcast is proudly supported by Jo Ma...

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2023

**Content Warning** This episode contains a candid discussion about living with bipolar disorder. Your well-being matters and help is always available. If you or someone you know is in immediate need of mental health services, please reach out to the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988. You can also find mental health resources by going to gurlstalk.com. In this episode I sit down with model, mental health activist, and filmmaker Rosie Viva to talk about something we have in common - l...

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2023

We're back! We're kicking off our fourth season with one of my favorite people, Ziwe! Amidst the LOLs we talk about everything from imposter syndrome to some of my favorite essays in Ziwe's debut book Black Friend. Ziwe's book of essays Black Friend is out now. It's one of my favorite books of the year, I know you'll enjoy it too. You can follow @ziwef and you can follow us @gurlstalk. Please send any messages to www.gurlstalk.com and don’t forget to subscribe, so you never...

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2023

In this episode, I spoke to Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alessia Cara. Discovered at the tender age of 18, she’s grown up in the spotlight, and shared that journey with her fans through her music – often showing us a perspective far outside the confident, sexy pop-princess norm. Her unique voice and emotional vulnerability gives her lyrics a power; a sense of relatability for anyone who has ever felt alone or unloved or sad. What struck me about this conversation is her ability t...

Transcribed - Published: 2 December 2021

When you see Little Simz (or Simbi, as I call her) perform, she gives everything to the crowd. Off stage, she has this incredible composed energy. So, how does she find the balance? We talk about how to manage the energy you expel in your work and what to keep for yourself. In a recent interview Simbi said, “my career is very important to me but it’s not my life, I’m doing things differently this time.” And I can hands down relate to that. As I’m sure a lot of you can. Turning up in ...

Transcribed - Published: 16 September 2021

Few books have taken hold of the Gurls Talk team like Three Women and Animal. The vulnerability of Lisa’s writing inspires uncomfortable conversations, encapsulating everything that Gurls Talk is about, so it’s a dream come true to have her on the podcast. Lisa writes with such brutal honesty, we get to see the rawness of her protagonists as they struggle through messy, complicated feelings. We unpick some of the themes in her work in this episode and talk about how trauma impacts ou...

Transcribed - Published: 26 July 2021

Trigger warning: This episode covers difficult topics, which some listeners may find upsetting. These areas include rape, sexual assault, and various types of abuse. Please practice good self-care and listen at your own discretion. If you need additional support, please visit our website at www.gurlstalk.com/hotlines For too long we’ve stayed quiet to the culture that’s normalised and trivialised sexual violence, sexual harassment and misogyny. Girls have been socialised to feel lik...

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2021

It was a total fangirl moment talking to Elsa, who has got so many of us through lockdown with her videos. Her real, honest, universally relatable, hilarious videos. Saying the things we say in our own heads but never out loud. It’s this energy that has taken the world by storm over the past year. Elsa has a refreshing take on being unashamedly herself, refusing to fit into the mould that’s out there. A 19-year-old African woman who clearly won’t take any shit from people who think her youth...

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2021

It’s easy to spiral from the seemingly smallest things during the pandemic. Life has been really tough for a long time now. But one thing, one huge thing, has helped immeasurably: being sober. And in this episode, Brandon shares his experience of leaning into the AA community and reaching his first year of sobriety. Choosing a life of sobriety, he says, has been the hardest and most gratifying thing he’s ever done. Brandon is a brilliant human, an empath, and an authentic voice on an...

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2021

Remember being squished in a sweaty crowd with thousands of people watching an insanely talented music artist performing on stage? And the artist’s energy, and the crowd’s energy feeding one another, and in that moment, your body’s buzzing with joy – you feel alive. Yeah, us too. For Rosalía, she misses the energy from performing to a large audience, she misses being around people. I think most of us do. In this episode, we talk about how performances have had to adapt in this upside world. ...

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2021

On this week’s podcast, I catch up with two formidable ladies in the fields of women’s health and sport. Stacy Sims, PhD is an expert in sex differences, and globally acclaimed for her research and TED Talk, ‘Women are Not Small Men’. She’s dedicated the last 20 years to educating women, and men, on the female body, and how it responds differently to athleticism than the male body. Joslyn Thompson Rule, a woman with many strings to her bow, is a Nike Global Master Trainer, a Sports Therapist...

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2021

Fangirling Rupi is an easy thing to do. If not for her raw, intimate poetry, for the way she talks about the power of her friendships and platonic, familial love. It makes talking (and listening) to Rupi feel like you’ve been friends forever. As we ruminate life in lockdown – me in London, Rupi in Toronto – we talk about making sense of our identity in the stillness and being gentle with ourselves. In home body, Rupi’s recently released, brilliant third book of poetry, she dedicates a whole ...

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2021

On this week’s episode, I spoke to the incredible, inspiring Michaela DePrince. The epitome of poise and grace, Michaela is a dancer, author and War Child ambassador. She has overcome tremendous challenges over her lifetime, including grief, war, racism, bullying and more, all in the pursuit of what she calls ‘her soul’ – her passion for dance. What stands out for me is her unmistakable grit; a burning desire to prove critics wrong and succeed against all odds. But that dedication is n...

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2021

Warning: This episode covers difficult topics, which some listeners may find upsetting. These areas include sexual and physical abuse, child sexual abuse, addiction, the death of a child, police brutality and systemic racism. Please practice good self-care and listen at your own discretion. If you need additional support please visit our website at www.Gurlstalk.com/hotlines This week’s episode is a lesson in perseverance. Susan Burton is an activist and advocate for women caught in the cyc...

Transcribed - Published: 3 December 2020

She’s known as the supermodel turned actress turned writer who’s sick of being put in a box because of how she looks. This episode with @Emrata is a biggie for anyone who’s sick of being told how they should behave, how intellectual they should be, and what they should or shouldn’t have an opinion on. While the world is on fire, my conversation with Emily Ratajkowski gave me a whole lot of love. She’s taught me how to appreciate myself, and to realise my impact on the world. We spoke just bef...

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2020

They say don’t meet your idols. But for this week’s episode I was lucky enough to do just that, and it was completely exhilarating. Bernardine Evaristo, the acclaimed author of one of my all-time favourite books, Girl, Woman, Other, joined me to chat about everything from her win of the 2019 Booker prize, to understanding her proximity to whiteness, to her work in theatre in the eighties. Bernardine is a force of nature, and I spent most of this episode enthralled by her passion and vi...

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2020

On this week’s episode, I was lucky enough to speak to Ada Hegerberg, the first woman in history to win Football’s most coveted individual prize, the Ballon d’Or. Ada’s positivity and sense of perspective is infectious. While discussing her recent ACL injury, she explains how she viewed the healing process as an opportunity for gratitude and mental strength, as well as a chance to understand her body in new, enlightening ways. As a passionate advocate for gender representation and equ...

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 2020

This week, I’m honoured to introduced the Gurls Talk community to my dear friend, the talented iO Tillett Wright. This autumn, he releases a new book, Self Evident Truths: 10,000 Portraits of Queer America. It documents a 10-year journey across America where he has photographed thousands of people from every walk of life. Centred on the tenet that ‘familiarity is a gateway drug to empathy’ his pictures are a deeply powerful glimpse into the lives of people marginalised by oppressive systems....

Transcribed - Published: 3 September 2020

The experience of Black girlhood is a difficult one. We are thrust into spaces and organisations that aren’t built for us, that do not understand us and that deny us agency. Few people understand this more than my guests this week. Ebinehita Iyere founded Milk & Honey to create spaces where young Black girls could connect with their feelings and vulnerability at that pivotal point in their lives — before they are forced into the trope of ‘strong Black woman’. With her colleagues Sophie ...

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2020

As protests calling for racial justice sweep the globe, people are becoming increasingly aware of the ongoing impact racism has on the mental health of Black communities. However, less attention has been devoted to understanding how this abuse manifests and is exacerbated in online spaces. My guest this week, Seyi Akiwowo, is the founder of Glitch UK, a charity that aims to end online abuse. In this episode, we discuss how online abuse impacts vulnerable populations, the lack of acc...

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2020

If you’re anything like me, then you were in awe of the dedication and focus shown in Netflix’s Cheer. Lexi Brumback (@lexisbrumback) was the tumbler with a natural ability to fly through the air like an actual goddess. This episode, Lexi will wow you with her honesty as we enter the world of her teens. After running away from home at 16, Lexi credits cheerleading for turning her life around, coming back and setting her life back on track. The Gurls Talk Podcast is available on Spotify, App...

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2020

Growing up biracial in Britain is something I have in common with this week’s guest. Afua Hirsch and I are both proud of our Ghanaian heritage, but growing up in predominantly white spaces meant we both struggled to express that pride and protect ourselves from the microaggressions of our white peers. This episode explores some deeply personal themes of acceptance and identity, and reflects on the exhilaration and exhaustion that has come with the recent wave of anti-racist awareness and act...

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2020

Ever since the tragic murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade, the Black Lives Matter movement has protested against police brutality and racism in all 50 US states and more than 18 countries (and counting). But activism cannot be achieved without vulnerability and sacrifice, which is exactly what my guest this week epitomises. Janaya Future Khan talks about how their past shaped, but didn’t define, their future and how they’re unpacking the narrative around bla...

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2020

I just love episodes like these… where I know I’m going to talk to someone who will change my entire outlook on life. Hollie Arnold is a record breaking, gold medal winning javelin thrower who loves makeup and was born without her right arm. She’s an absolute force of pure joy and she puts it all down to her love for sport and the positive people in her life. We talk about how finding something you’re good at it is one of the most freeing experiences you can have. If you’re trying a new spor...

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2020

The maneater, the glamour model, the sexy one. Well, that’s the role the producers of Love Island put on Megan Barton-Hanson when she was in the villa in 2018. But as we all know, reality TV is a heavily edited version of what really happens, and Megan and I dive into this and how sudden fame affected her mental health. We talk about how women are still being judged against each other in the media and online, and how this toxic negativity needs to stop. Like, NOW. Megan tells us about her st...

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2020

This is a special one for me as I’ve always wanted to introduce my wonderful mum to the Gurls Talk community. She’s an inspiration to me and many others, not only as my mother, but as one of the mothers of the fashion industry. Her talent agency CLM represents some of the biggest names in the business, and watching her juggle a career and being a parent has taught me so much about what’s possible. We talk about how she got through the darkness of finding out that her daughter was batt...

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2020

“The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.” I read this Mark Twain quote in Lucy Sheridan’s new and utterly brilliant book ‘The Comparison Cure’ and it really resonated with me, because we can all get stuck in a compare and despair space. Lucy’s a great friend of Gurls Talk, and I loved having her back on the podcast as she really is a deity of building up self-worth. We talk about her incredible new book which is a much-needed guide for today’s world, helping us ove...

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2020