Episode Twelve, Series Two: Giving and Receiving

This week VLW:R discuss giving and receiving, including some gifts for the elderly and missing mooncups.

Episode Eleven, Series Two: Non-monogamy

This week VLW:R discuss the possibilities of non-monogamy, including some very frubbly feelings! 

Featuring special international live band guests Sofia Bolt.



For more information on our musical guests. click below

Episode Ten, Series Two: What is Love?!

VLW wonder into the world of love. Featuring special guest (and bonafide love guru) KatMac and an array of amorous Glaswegians aiding us in our quest to determine "What is Love?".

Featuring the music of Haddaway, The Cardigans and more.

Due to copyright infringement, Haddaway has been cruelly stripped from our show. Please listen to it above  and enjoy our show below!

Episode Nine, Series Two: Obsessions

This week we offer some seriously embarrassing obsession revelations about Buffy, Blink182 and boys from our youth... It's all there! 

With special guest contributions from Nat Kay-Thatcher talking us through her fanatical life in forums, making fan art and being abused by a hero.

Episode Eight, Series Two: Make Up

In this show, Very Loose Women: Revamped talk make up, while celebrating Hallowe'en and assorted Harvest festivals.

Episode Seven, Series Two: Office Politics

In this episode, VLW:R are discussing work place politics, office romances and selling your soul rather than being on the dole. With special guests poet Richard and Civil Servant Helen.

What People Say About VLW:R

Via email 

"Just had a listen to your orgasm show - very much enjoyed! Your show must be the only place on the global airwaves where you can listen to this sort of thing."

Via facebook 

"Very informative"
"Amazing, amazing, amazing."

Via word of mouth

"I love listening to the show and trying to figure out which of my friends they're talking about." Liz E.

A romantic night in: Katherine's review of the Mooncup

There’s a lot to like about the Mooncup. I, for one, like the name’s hippy-ish connotations of communing with nature like a Wiccan goddess. I’m not sure it’s quite what the manufacturers had in mind, but I like to imagine myself starring in an advert for the product, running along a ley-line towards Stonehenge in a pastiche of the you-can-still-be-active-and-no-one-will-know theme of traditional tampon advertising.

I first heard about Mooncups in 2007, during VLW’s first menstruation special. Various friends had given rave reviews of the ‘this will change your life’ variety and we all decided there and then, to give it a go. Fast forwarding to 2013, on our second show on periods, we all had to admit that even after six years we still hadn’t left the tampons or sanitary towels behind. Resolute that this had to change, in August of this year, my Mooncup finally landed.

The Mooncup is marketed as ‘convenient, safe and eco friendly’ and the stats certainly back up the company’s green agenda. The average woman can use up to 22 tampons or pads during a period- something in the region of 11,000 throughout her lifetime. In the UK alone, 4.3 billion of these disposable products end up in landfills or in the sea. Furthermore, an average of 30 sanitary products are found washed up on each kilometre of British beach. Periods and menstrual blood aren’t, and shouldn’t be, disgusting to anyone. But the by-products of menstruation pose a real environmental threat and their disposal simply isn’t sustainable.

The benefits of the Mooncup aren’t just for the eco system; there are persuasive health reasons for ditching the tampons and sanitary towels. The Mooncup’s USP is that it collects rather than absorbs menstrual flow. Of all the fluid absorbed by a tampon, 35% is natural vaginal moisture. As the silicone Mooncup only collects blood, the irritation and dryness associated with bleached and perfumed tampons and pads are avoided.  It is also designed to accommodate blood clots and can hold up to three times as much blood as a tampon- music to the ears of anyone suffering from heavy periods. Handy lines on its sides allow you to accurately measure blood loss in case you need to accurately report the heaviness of your periods to a doctor or gynaecologist- or if would just feel empowered by actually knowing how much you actually bleed during your cycle. Apart from intermittent sterilisation, you simply need to rinse it out in a sink or, like some of Emma’s friends, pour the collected blood into your compost.

I ordered my Mooncup online and it arrived in just a few days. It was discreetly and minimally packaged, fit through my letterbox, and only cost £19.99. That equates to about the same as three months’ worth of sanitary items, but my Mooncup will now last for years. But what is it actually like?

I won’t pretend that I wasn’t nervous about trying the Mooncup. It took me a long time to get used to tampons, and even then I still found them difficult to insert, difficult to remove, and just generally a pain. If I struggled with ‘easy to use’ applicators, how would I fare with something resembling a miniature fake boob or piece of medical equipment? There’s no denying it: for anyone brought up with disposable products, the Mooncup will look intimidating. It’s not bleached an artificial pristine white, and the very fact its circumference is that of a vagina is enough to put off particularly squeamish women.

After reading the leaflet provided I felt much less apprehensive. For one thing, as the Mooncup is worn much lower than a tampon and held in place by pelvic floor muscles, there’s no chance of it getting lost and having an embarrassing trip to the GP. If it does move a little higher than it’s meant to, you can use your muscles to gently push it down to the right place before removing. If this takes a while, as there’s no threat of TSS, you can lie back and collect your nerves without having a full- on panic if the GP surgery is closed. It was a bit odd for my flatmate to see me sterilising my Mooncup over the hob, but once that was out the way I could focus on the task in hand and overcome a last minute bout of nerves.

With the help of a relaxing scented candle and some lubricant, I was surprised at how easy it was to use. The Mooncup is inserted when folded, and in this position its size is really similar to a tampon. And like a tampon, if properly positioned, you can’t feel it at all. Once inside the body, it sort of springs open and its rim seals around the vaginal walls. It’s easy to remove too. It glides out quite slowly and very cleanly into your hand as you release the suction with no spillage.

I’m aware that words like ‘suction’ are rather unfortunate given the context, but I’d argue that one of the Mooncup’s great merits is the intimacy it gives you with your body. You can monitor your menstrual flow and it’s consistency, all whilst knowing that you are using a device designed with the shape of your body in mind.  One side effect reported by many Mooncup users is a reduction in menstrual cramps, possibly due to its lower position than tampons. Others describe how periods they had thought to be unnaturally heavy were actually perfectly manageable with a Mooncup instead of a tampon. I did feel an entirely unexpected wave of self- confidence once I’d tried it a few times. It just felt like rather than working against my body I was finally managing my period without the usual disasters of ruined bed sheets, accidental tampon leakage whilst at work, and the chilling feeling of realising there’s no sanitary bin.

So am I convert? Well, sort of. As much as I love my Mooncup, my workplace only has one toilet with a sink inside the cubicle, and I don’t think my colleagues are ready to see my menstrual blood swirling down the communal plug- hole just yet. I can’t imagine cleaning it in a public toilet, so that discounts usage more or less anywhere other than my house. I’d like to be trailblazer for the Mooncup, but I need a bit of help. We need to make sure girls learn about periods properly in schools, and how their sanitary choices impact on their health and the environment. We need to talk about our periods more, and be unafraid to ask our employers to make more private sinks in female toilets, and encourage the NHS and other health bodies to promote eco-friendly, natural alternatives to disposable sanitary methods. All of this starts with all of you too, and I hope that you're inspired to give the Mooncup a go at least some of the time. 

My scented candle helped relax me for what I presumed to be a nerve wracking experience

My flatmate was surprised to say the least...

Episode Six, Series Two: Orgasms

In this week's show, VLW:R are very publicly discussing some very personal issues! Listen in as we talk about the big O, self-pleasure and incredibly emotional intercourse... 

This is one of our favourite shows that we've ever done and one of the ones we feel most proud of.

 

If you're interested in the two events we briefly NEWSFLASHED at the beginning of the episode, please click on the links below: 

Ladybeard Magazine Launch 





Infanticide UK Premiere 


We also had a wonderful interview from the cast and crew that we simply didn't have time to air, but if you're interested in the play then this will give you a taster of some of the issues it brings up.


 

Episode Five, Series Two: Literary Heroines

In this week's episode, VLW:R get lost in literary worlds as they discuss their favourite books and inspirational heroines. They are joined by special guest literary enthusiast and anecdotalist extraordinaire, Virginia. This episode also features an embarrassing feminine hygiene query that's sure to entertain and astound!

 

Episode Four, Series Four: Contraception

Episode Three, Series Two: Heartbreak

This week's episode is all about broken hearts. And birthdays. And Miley Cyrus.

Very Loose Women: Revamped delve into the mysteries of broken hearts, sharing anecdotes and advice on how to overcome them, with musical interludes from David O'Doherty and some Euro-dance sensations of the 90s.

Episode Two, Series Two: Underwear

This week we're delving into what lies beneath and fixating on breast bags and beyond...

Join us for a look underneath your clothes, and our clothes, as we talk matching sets and the dreaded thong...

p.s. Sorry- COPYRIGHT infringement removed our first song, by Pulp. Just hum it to yourself perhaps!

Episode One, Series Two! Silly Season

We're back on air for a bumper seventeen weeks! We hope you can join us for more fun, frolics and feminine hygiene product discussions.

This week we're having a silly season after a long summer of mishaps and new developments- especially in the world of armpit hair, acting school and the inevitable mooncupdate from Katherine.

Episode Fourteen: Loose Ends.

Here Emma and Katherine take a look back at some of their favourite moments and discuss a bit of Crime and Punishment, all washed down with a few rounds of Ladies' Night.



PODCAST COMING SOON! SOMEWHERE IN OUR FILES.

Episode Thirteen: Having Kids

Episode Twelve: Our Dads in 2007

This week, we have a special edition of Very Loose Women: Revamped.

The same four - Emma, Katherine, Lucy and Lili - had a show on our University radio called Very Loose Women, and we only recorded and stored one episode from that heady time. Here, for your listening consumption is a vintage show from 2007. There's mention of msn, disc errors and other era specific technology. 

As presenters, we are less organised, more high pitched, more giggly and perhaps (if possible) more deluded. There is however something compelling about it - the frankness, the dads' life advice, and our own peculiar late teens behaviour. 

Listen above on Soundcloud.

Episode Eleven: Body Modifications

Menstrual art!

Here is an article about a menstrual art project that spanned five years and involved Chilean artist Carina Úbeda Chacana collecting her own menstrual "rags" over that time period. (Period!) Weirdly enough, the most comprehensive article I could find on the project (in English) was actually on the Daily Mail's website. Click on the image below to read more!




Here's an interesting article on some other menstrual art projects... Before you click for the link, maybe try to work out what this image's link is to menstruation....

 

What do you think? Art or gross or gross art?

Music from the show

Here is all the music we have featured thus far, with a few bonus tracks we didn't have time to play!

Episode Ten: Everyday Sexism

A video about how sexism concerns men:





The story of the Everyday Sexism project




Some links on the topic:

The website of Everyday sexism.

On the Everyday Sexism project(Guardian article)

On Nick Griffin's reaction to the Nigella/ Saatchi incident and a tabloid article on the subject.

On making your legs hairy to detract attention.

The Bechdel test website.

Sexism in politics (Guardian article)

The "I NEED FEMINISM BECAUSE" project


Some points that Very Loose Women discussed on the topic of sexism outside of the show


"The very acceptance of these things as norms is sexist. Women are taught, as young girls, to accept their position in society as weak, subject to male domination. They are taught to be flattered if considered beautifuul (their value as a sexual object is prized over everything else). This is why commenting on a politician's dress is inherently sexist as the implication is that it is in some way indicative of their sexual value. The expectation is that women should prioritise men / finding a spouse, and this is implicit in many of the conversations women are depicted to have in films / TV etc - the reality is that when confronted by this image of women daily (bombarded by media which reinforces this role for women), many women conform to those expectations. The fact that women behave in a stereotypically female way is arguably a product of nurture as opposed to nature. These assumptions about what 'men' and 'women' should be are bollocks in my view."


"Commenting on male politician's dress: Sarkozy's heels (his height), Sarkozy's jogging wear ("le President bling-bling") But I agree with everything you said. And obviously women's dress is more frequently commented on that Sarkozy's. Also this is what I mean when I say I am incapable of producing good retorts for antifeminist schpiel that I know is wrong in my gut but can't formulate it in words. This morning I did a poor job of convincing this guy he was being a twat. I'm also afraid of antagonising antifeminists because I know that as soon as I step too far in one direction they stop listening."


"My feeling is that it's all fairly obvious that not everything is black and white, that sometimes women attack men, that some women are awful. I like to use words like "twat." Some women like S&M. It's not a one size fits all way of interacting as humans. BUT there are clear overarching problems - many more women are raped than men. 5% of those rapes are prosecuted. 25% of women will suffer domestic violence. We don't know the context of the Nigella/Saatchi relationship but we do know that her throat was grabbed and she cried in a public restaurant and that is distasteful if not categorically abuse. Men are more aggressive than women in most societies and proportionately more likely to suffer from violence from other men. A lot of sexism/misogyny is based around entrenched cultural attitudes- e.g fgm, honour killings, and other socio- economic factors which lead to gangs and gang rape initiations, or violent teenagers. Across all society are problems like alcoholism which can cause violence. At the other end of the scale, a similar example is - door holding open and other acts of chivalry designed to make women feel special. Some women hate it, others love it. The reason the media has 'femail' sections etc and so many mags commenting on womens bodies is that people buy it. In this case- women. No one knows the roles genetics and environmental stuff plays in creating a male and female mind with allegedly different skills. As a women being a CEO is incredibly difficult/unlikely. Why? Is it hormones, is it a skill set? Is it becauyse men don't like it. Is it because women have a better sense of work life balance? Is it maternity leave? The fact is, the upper echelons are ruled by men."

Episode Nine: Menstruation

We played an extract from this 1947 Walt Disney film:




We also played some of this Mooncup versus Tampon rap battle:




We didn't have time to play Christian Drake's poem, Bloodbath:




And it came in like the barking of dogs in your belly,
the lunatic dogs that bark every full moon on the dot.
The clock in you unwound, the little room collapsed,
and the blood trickled out in a thin red ribbon,
licking the white sheets.
They call it a period, but it’s really a run-on sentence
babbling on all week. It’s the definition of womanhood
reduced by repetition to the tedium of tampon commercials,
punchlines, and the day-long math test of cramps
shooting through you like swimmer’s stitches
while you’re in the middle of the river.
And I watch you fight to swim to the other side
of the bed, kicking, gasping hard between gulps of chamomile tea.
But when the blood is calm, it is beautiful
as a bone-handled knife. It dreams, and as it dreams
it drools like a baby. It’s the drip-drip of a faucet
as we go to sleep, it’s a bee beating itself against the glass.
It’s a presence, not like a ghost but like a memory
in your skin, changing the pitch and timbre
of your body to my ear as I pull my fingers across
your belly and you find my lips in the dark like a magnet
and I slip my fingers through your hair as gently as thoughts
and you say,
“Baby, not tonight. I’m on my period.”
And I say,


Baby, I will make love to you until we look like a war zone.
Give me the sweet murder of your body
until they string up crime scene tape across the bedroom,
because period sex is awesome.
I will love you like surgery and I will transplant your heart.
I will love you like a horror movie,
’cause it’s about to be a bloodbath in here.
Because I need a hot transfusion of your love, type A-positive
because you can’t B-negative when I’m giving you my O, O, O…
I want to surf your crimson wave,
and invite your Aunt Flow for a threesome.
I want to reverse your curse, because the Red Sox are in town.
I want to make this a “special time.”
I want to put my submarine in your Red Sea
and hunt for Red October, and do not hesitate
to ask me to go snorkeling down there.
Because if I’m going to order the finest steak,
I’m going to eat it rare.
Yeah, because I crave the taste of blood,
and I want your nerves raw like a bullet wound valentine.
And whether it’s hard or sweet, we’re going to leave
skid marks on the sheets
and handprints on the walls.
So throw that tampon in the air like a cotton Sputnik, just lob it,
’cause in the end, I want to be bloodier than John Wayne Bobbitt.
Your time of the month has perfect timing
because you open like the elevator doors in “The Shining.”
I like some ketchup when I’m dining,
but I want to taste copper like I’m dying.
So let the woman in you make a man out of me.
Let’s get unclean. Because this lovemaking is no less perfect
than the moon rising in you, and this lovemaking is the gospel music
made by the rhythm of flesh and blood and flesh and blood,
and this blood is the closest I will ever be to making love
to your insides, sailing through your veins and arteries.
This blood on my skin is the photograph I take
when I visit your heart

Episode Eight: Hair

Episode Seven: Housing

An episode in which we spoke of accommodation disasters, squatting and protest groups.


Here is a video by one of the protest groups:

Episode Six: Women and Comedy

This show was with guests Caspian and comedian Rosie Wilby who also hosts the Resonance LGBT show Out in South London.





We mention Mae Martin a couple of times...



...as well as Josie Long

Episode Five: Teen years

Episode Four: Virginity

Episode Three: Body as Protest

Episode Two: Internet Dating

Episode one: Religion

Listen to us on Soundcloud

Here's our set:

We were in Time Out!

Very Loose Women in 2006

We started making this show at University. Our shows were four times as long and our voices four octaves higher.

What is ResonanceFM?

Look to your right, and you'll see a link to listen to ResonanceFM.

ResonanceFM is not just a station that broadcasts Very Loose Women: Revamped. 
It's a volunteer-run, non-profit radio station.  It broadcasts sounds of people who aren't always broadcasting sounds in London, as well as broadcasting experimental music. It has no adverts. Beat that, ClassicFM.

In their own words:

"Imagine a radio station like no other. A radio station that makes public those artworks that have no place in traditional broadcasting. A radio station that is an archive of the new, the undiscovered, the forgotten, the impossible. That is an invisible gallery, a virtual arts centre whose location is at once local, global and timeless. And that is itself a work of art. Imagine a radio station that responds rapidly to new initiatives, has time to draw breath and reflect. A laboratory for experimentation, that by virtue of its uniqueness brings into being a new audience of listeners and creators. All this and more, Resonance104.4fm aims to make London’s airwaves available to the widest possible range of practitioners of contemporary art. Resonance104.4fm is the world’s first radio art station, established by London Musicians’ Collective. It started broadcasting on May 1st 2002. Its brief? To provide a radical alternative to the universal formulae of mainstream broadcasting. Resonance 104.4 fm features programmes made by musicians, artists and critics who represent the diversity of London’s arts scenes, with regular weekly contributions from nearly two hundred musicians, artists, thinkers, critics, activists and instigators; plus numerous unique broadcasts by artists on the weekday “Clear Spot”."