Loudmouths | TED Radio Hour

Intro

In this episode of the TED Radio Hour titled “Loudmouths,” women who have faced challenges for being outspoken share their experiences. From Lily Singh’s journey as a YouTube star to Nadia Tolokonnikova’s activism with Pussy Riot, and Sarah Jones’ exploration of sex work, these women have defied societal expectations and fought for social justice. The podcast also covers other topics such as language learning, AI solutions for businesses, and the relationship between technology and our bodies. Join us as we delve into the power of speaking up and challenging the status quo.

Main Takeaways

Lily Singh’s Journey: Breaking Taboos and Gaining Acceptance

• Lily Singh’s videos on YouTube tackled taboo topics within her Indian community, resonating with young people with immigrant parents.
• She built a large following by speaking about experiences that others hadn’t shared on screen before.
• Her success was also about proving herself to her family, especially her initially skeptical grandfather.
• During a world comedy tour, she visited her grandfather in India, who celebrated her and acknowledged her achievements.
• The accolades she received helped her gain acceptance from her family.

Women Speaking Out: Making Waves and Challenging Expectations

• Women across cultures have been told to stay quiet and find that the only way to make waves is by being loud.
• Three female performers share their experiences of speaking out and making people uncomfortable.
• Lily Singh became the first bisexual woman of color to host a network late-night TV show but found that the expectations were unfair and the support was lacking.
• Girls desperately want a seat at the table and to be treated equally.
• The driving force behind Lily Singh’s career has been to get a seat at the coveted table by any means necessary.

Challenges of Identity and Representation

• Lily Singh faced challenges in her career due to her identity as a woman, South Asian, and queer.
• Some executives criticized her for “over indexing on the South Asian stuff” when she talked about her life and family.
• NBC wanted to tap into Lily’s young, diverse audience but also didn’t want to alienate their current audience used to seeing straight white men.
• Lily doesn’t see the cancellation of her show as a personal failure but a cultural and systemic failure.
• True investment in women means valuing their potential over proof and creating a world where everyone is seated at the table equally.

Nadia Tolokonnikova: Activism and Finding Meaning in Suffering

• Nadia Tolokonikva, a member of the feminist punk group Pussy Riot, was sentenced to prison for her activism in Russia.
• Pussy Riot’s protests were against sexism, the patriarchy, and Vladimir Putin.
• The group’s worst performance, which landed them in court, was a 40-second protest in a prominent Russian Orthodox Church.
• While in jail for two years, Pussy Riot’s members had to choose between letting their spirits be broken or becoming stronger.
• The experience taught them to find meaning in suffering and to fight for a bigger goal than themselves.

Sarah Jones: Embodying Different Voices and Challenging Stigmas

• Sarah Jones is a Tony award-winning actor, writer, and director known for performing a wide variety of different characters in her one-woman shows.
• She bases all of her characters on people from real life, some of whom have historically not had their voices heard in mainstream culture.
• Jones’ play “Sell/Buy/Date” explores perspectives on sex work and challenges stigmas surrounding it.
• Jones faced backlash from sex workers who felt she was appropriating their stories and perspectives.
• The cancelers were concerned that the film adaptation of the play would be disrespectful to sex workers.

Summary

Lily Singh: Breaking Taboos and Gaining Acceptance

Lily Singh’s journey as a YouTube star involved addressing taboo topics within her Indian community. By sharing experiences that hadn’t been shared on screen before, she built a large following. Her success was not only about proving herself to her family but also gaining acceptance. During a world comedy tour, she visited her initially skeptical grandfather in India, who celebrated her achievements. The accolades she received helped bridge the gap between her passion and her family’s expectations.

Women Speaking Out: Making Waves and Challenging Expectations

Women across cultures have been silenced and told to stay quiet. However, the only way to make waves and challenge the status quo is by being loud. Three female performers share their experiences of speaking out and making people uncomfortable. Lily Singh, as the first bisexual woman of color to host a network late-night TV show, faced unfair expectations and lacked support. Despite the challenges, the driving force behind her career has been to secure a seat at the table for women and marginalized communities.

Challenges of Identity and Representation

Lily Singh faced challenges in her career due to her identity as a woman, South Asian, and queer. Some executives criticized her for focusing too much on her South Asian background. Balancing the desire to tap into her young, diverse audience while not alienating the existing audience posed a challenge for networks like NBC. However, Lily sees the cancellation of her show as a cultural and systemic failure rather than a personal one. True investment in women requires valuing their potential over proof and creating an inclusive world where everyone is seated at the table equally.

Nadia Tolokonnikova: Activism and Finding Meaning in Suffering

Nadia Tolokonikva, a member of Pussy Riot, faced imprisonment for her activism protesting against sexism, the patriarchy, and Vladimir Putin in Russia. The group’s worst performance, which landed them in court, was a 40-second protest in a prominent Russian Orthodox Church. While in jail, they had to choose between letting their spirits be broken or becoming stronger. The experience taught them to find meaning in suffering and fight for a bigger goal than themselves. Their activism led to raising millions for independent media and reproductive rights.

Sarah Jones: Embodying Different Voices and Challenging Stigmas

Sarah Jones, a Tony award-winning actor, writer, and director, uses her one-woman shows to embody a wide range of characters, including those historically unheard in mainstream culture. Her play “Sell/Buy/Date” aims to challenge stigmas surrounding sex work and initiate thoughtful conversations. However, she faced backlash from sex workers who felt she was appropriating their stories. The cancelers were concerned that the film adaptation of the play would disrespect sex workers. Sarah decided to address the controversy by turning the camera on herself, creating a hybrid documentary and narrative that explores the real story unfolding in real time.

Conclusion

From Lily Singh’s journey as a YouTube star to Nadia Tolokonnikova’s activism and Sarah Jones’ exploration of sex work, these women have defied societal expectations and fought for social justice. Their stories highlight the importance of being loud and speaking up to challenge the status quo. Women of color often face additional hurdles in their journeys, but their determination and resilience pave the way for a more inclusive and equal world. The podcast episode “Loudmouths” emphasizes the power of giving voices to those who have been denied and encourages everyone to be noisy in the pursuit of social justice.