Standard Issue Podcast

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The making of an icon, with Beatriz Garcia-Velasco Jul 13, 2026

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In her short lifetime of just 47 years, Frida Kahlo was a relatively little-known artist. Now, she's a global icon. And while her actual work is hard to come by, her image is not.

Tate Modern's Frida: The Making of an Iconexploreshow Kahlo's iconic status came to be and her enduring influence on generations of younger artists.

Co-curator Beatriz Garcia-Velasco, talks to Jen about the exhibition, Kahlo's life and work, and the way in which she's been adopted as a cultural icon in feminist, LGBTQ+, and disabled communities.

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Nicky Denson-Elliott is a professional feminist Jul 10, 2026

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Nicky Denson-Elliott knows that a high tide lifts all boats. She first came to our Mick’s attention because of her current campaign to replace ‘hysterectomy’ with ‘uterectomy’ in NHS patient materials (you can sign the petition here), but it quickly became apparent how many different projects Nicky's got going in order to raise that tide for all boats. And by boats, we mean women.

In this episode, Mick chats to Nicky about bigging up women, medical language rooted in misogyny, a documentary she’s got in the pipeline, tackling internal misogyny and much more.

£5 and above Patreons can have even more so much more. Join here.

Check out The Wilder Collective, Nicky’s excellent community for female founders and freelancers, and indeed her podcast Women’s Business, here.

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The Bush Telegraph: Leathery arses all around Jul 09, 2026

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Mickey and Hannah bring you a veritable rogues gallery this week: Farage, Trump, Infantino, a vigilante cat shaver. Shall we go on a 2,400-mile rowing trip to get away from it? Sure. But don't forget to pack your vaginal oestrogen!

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Rated or Dated: Escape to Victory (1981) Jul 08, 2026

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Hollywood giant John Huston directs Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and – wait – Pelé, in this sports-war drama, reimagining the 1942 “Death Match”. But how bad can a prisoner of war camp be when all you have to do is dick around playing football? How solid is the history? And can you really do that with a sub?

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Havoc and hysteria, with Rebecca Wait Jul 07, 2026

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Author Rebecca Wait makes a return visit to the podcast to chat to Hannah about her latest book Havoc, a dark comedy about a mystery illness that breaks out at a girls' boarding school in 1984. They chat about Cold War anxiety, hysteria and, of course, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Grab a copy of Havoc here
Or Suzanne O'Sullivan's The Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories of Mystery Illness here

Want to join the Standard Issue Club? Standard Issue Podcast | creating a magazine for ears, by women for women | Patreon

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A not-dying art form, with Leyla Nazli and Lisa Logan Jul 06, 2026

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This summer marks the 19th year of the Arcola Theatre’s seminal Grimeborn festival, a season of new and reworked operas.

Jen chats to the Arcola’s executive director, Leyla Nazli and Lisa Logan, the composer behind new work After My Breath, about bringing opera to Dalston, why people find the art form intimidating, and those comments by Timothée Chalamet.

The Grimeborn Opera Festival runs from 15 July to 5 September at the Arcola Theatre, London.

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Get Ahead of Being Dead, with Evie King Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

After her first book - Ashes to Admin - was published, a lot of people got in touch with Evie King to tell her they'd been inspired to get plans in place for the end of their lives. If that's what she could achieve without trying, she thought, why not write a book to help people through the whole process? Hannah chats to Evie about Get Ahead of Being Dead, wills, funerals and why the hard conversations are always worth it.

You can buy Ashes to Admin here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ashes-to-admin/evie-king/9781915306302
And Get Ahead of Being Dead here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/get-ahead-of-being-dead/evie-king/9781804193785

* Join the Standard Issue Club here: Standard Issue Podcast | creating a magazine for ears, by women for women | Patreon

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The Bush Telegraph: Watch out, beavers about! Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

Is too much screen time really the scourge of the under-twos? And exactly how excited should we be that the first ever female Labour Prime Minister is Andy Burnham, a man who isn’t even Prime Minister yet? Jen and Mick tackle these hot button questions and more in this week’s flirt with the news, which also includes another heinous rape trial, legitimately great news for young women, and Greg Cotswolds.

Here's that BBC news story on the men named in the Stockport rape trial: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv9er181lno

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Rated or Dated: The King & I (1956) Jul 01, 2026

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No-one's going to argue that Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical doesn't have issues, but does it still have things to recommend it? Is Anna an early feminist? Does it contain a banger? Is The Small House of Uncle Thomas a masterpiece? And why was young Hannah so fascinated by Yul Brynner?

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Rachel Fairburn is a class act Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Working-class, feminist comedian Rachel Fairburn has long been a guaranteed good laugh on the comedy circuit, and a must-listen on All Killa No Filla, her smash hit true crime podcast with fellow standup Kiri Pritchard-McLean.

Rachel’s new show, Vexy Beasts, moves her into the ‘character comedy’ bracket, as she introduces hairdresser Leanne, fighting for her salon’s life while spilling the T on her clients, in the fictional Manchester suburb of Harpurvale. Our Mick was keen to find out more.

Give Rachel a follow on Instagram, or visit her website for forthcoming gig details.

As ever, there is bonus natter for our £5 and above Patreons, which includes more class chat and a whole load of Blackpool love.

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