Podcasting as a feminist space for the disclosure of trauma and intimate embodied experience: The Heart as a case study of quiet activism

Abstract

The ‘#MeToo’ movement established the disclosure of sexual violence via social media as mainstream and offered participants space to share experiences, receive support and create a sense of community. As a response, we explore the use of podcasting as a conduit to describe embodied experiences and how non-visual media can provide a safe environment to reveal deeply personal experiences. We use the podcast The Heart (mini-series No) as a case study to highlight patriarchal power and sexual violence myths. The result is profoundly discomforting but also emancipatory – talking about sexual violence can constitute a revolutionary act given the stigma and victim blaming prevalent in western society. The Heart makes private, intimate experiences public and centres female perspectives, highlighting disparate, gendered perceptions. As ‘#MeToo’ underscored the universality of women’s experiences of male harassment, we argue that The Heart is an example of ‘quiet activism’ and public scholarship that challenges patriarchal assumptions.