For years, the “Model Minority” Myth has been used to place South Asians on a pedestal and create a racial divide by treating Asians as a monolith, lauding proximity to “Whiteness”, and continuing to perpetuate racism, inequity, and institutional injustice. This educational podcast challenges South Asian Canadians to reject the myth and point a critical lens inwards and outwards through learning, self-reflection, and informed action. Join your hosts Thulasi Kandiah and Nabila Khan as we explore the many sides of Canada and our place - as South Asians - within them.
In the last few years, the “girlboss” has come to represent contemporary mainstream feminism for many. “Girlboss feminism” suggests that the professional success of individual women is intrinsic to collectively achieving equity for women. Is this true? Is “girlboss feminism” actually feminist? Is it intersectional? And what is its relationship with capitalism? This week, we have two special guests joining us - Monica Ahmed and Onah Osemeke - for a discussion about the “girlboss”, corporate fe...
3 May 2021
Episode 14: The Great Unequalizer: Ontario's Vaccine Gap
When COVID-19 ravaged the world a year ago, it was touted to be the “Great Equalizer” - it was referred to as the disease that transcends wealth, fame, or prestige because everyone is equally at risk. However, over the last year, it has become very evident that we are not equally affected by COVID-19. And this inequality became even more apparent when it came to immunizing populations against the disease. This week, we’re discussing Ontario’s vaccine gap with the help of some of our family, f...
19 Apr 2021
Episode 13: Caged in Canada: Challenging Immigration Detention
As Canadians, we often believe that Canada is a welcoming safe haven for immigrants and refugees. Unfortunately, Canada has a long history of placing migrants - including young children - in detention for extended periods of time under the guise of protecting national security. How do we reconcile arbitrary detention with a country that is purportedly a free and democratic society? And why are immigration detainees treated so differently from detainees under the criminal law regime? This week...
5 Apr 2021
Episode 12: Colonization and the Origins of the Gender Binary
For as long as many of us can remember, man/woman, male/female, and masculinity/femininity have been construed as idealized opposites. And so much of Western society has been organized by this binary - from gender-specific bathrooms to fashion to even colours. But is this how it’s always been? Have “men” and “women” always been divided into distinct categories? Is gender fluidity really a new phenomenon? This week, we’re discussing the origins of the gender binary and the (pretty big) role co...
22 Mar 2021
Episode 11: The Value of University: South Asian Millennials in the New Economy
Familial and community pressures to attend university are nothing new in South Asian cultures. However, South Asian millennials are faced with many new challenges that the generation before us didn't necessarily have to deal with: increasing costs of education, higher student debt, the rising cost of housing and real estate, and higher income disparity among our generation. This week we have two special guests joining us - Sumya and Himel - to give us their perspective on dealing with academi...
8 Mar 2021
Episode 10: Let’s Talk About Sex (Work)
This week, we’re tackling a very divisive topic: sex work. In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada found Canada’s sex work laws to be unconstitutional because the laws deprived sex workers of their right to security. Parliament introduced the controversial Bill C-36 in 2014 in response to this decision. But has this made sex work any safer? Have online platforms, such as OnlyFans, made a difference? Join us this week as we discuss Canada’s sex work laws, OnlyFans, state paternalism, and agency.
22 Feb 2021
Episode 9: Philanthrocapitalism: Changing the World by Changing Nothing
When Black Lives Matter protests erupted around the globe last year, many companies responded by making statements of solidarity on social media, donating hundreds of thousands to dollars to organizations like BLM and NAACP, and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives. This was part of a larger trend of philanthrocapitalism - where corporations and billionaires take it upon themselves to solve pressing societal issues. But are they really making a difference? In this episode, we're t...
8 Feb 2021
Episode 8: In Conversation with Our Mothers: Exploring Generational Identity
As children of immigrants, we often feel stuck between a country that has never accepted us, and a country we have never known. How do we understand our cultural identity in light of this, and how does it compare to our parents? Join us for this very special episode, as we discuss immigration, identity, loss and survival with our mothers, Sadia Gulshan and Pushpa Kanagaratnam.
5 Oct 2020
Episode 7: Asians in Pop Culture: From Yellow Peril to the Model Minority Myth
For a long time, Asian people were either unseen or reduced to harmful stereotypes in mainstream pop culture. While we still have a long way to go, we have more opportunity to create our own stories today than ever before. So, where are we now? This week, we discuss the representation of Asian people in pop culture and how we can do better.
21 Sept 2020
Episode 6: The Promises and Pitfalls of Ontario’s Sex-Ed Curriculum
Ontario’s sex-ed curriculum has been rife with controversy in recent years. In just 5 years, the province has implemented or re-implemented 3 different sex-ed curriculums. So, where do we stand now? This week, we explore the confusing and highly political world of sex education.
8 Sept 2020
Episode 5: Sex, Identity and Racial Fetishization
Sexual fetishes are often harmless, but what about when you fetishize a person based on their racial or ethnic identity? Is this innocuous or something we need to be concerned about? This week we are joined by our friends, Kunal and Adrian, to talk about sex, identity and racial fetishization.
24 Aug 2020
Episode 4: The Human Problem of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Whether we like it or not, this technology is finding its way into our everyday lives, including our workplaces, health care and even policing. But is AI destined to repeat the mistakes of its human creators? Samin Khan, entrepreneur and AI researcher, joins us to talk about the human problem of AI.
7 Aug 2020
Episode 3: Universal Healthcare For... Some?
Canada’s universal healthcare system is widely considered to be one of the best in the world and a source of pride for many Canadians. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. This week we explore health care, identity, and what happens when a “universal” health care system isn’t designed with everyone in mind.
27 Jul 2020
Episode 2: Let's Talk About The Police (Part II)
How do we change Canadian policing for the better when racism, colonialism and violence are so deeply embedded in the policing institution? Join us as we grapple with this question, and discuss police reform, defunding and abolition.
10 Jul 2020
Episode 1: Let's Talk About The Police (Part I)
Let’s start with the basics. How much do you really know about the police in Canada? In this episode, we talk about the history of policing and how much it hasn’t changed.
10 Jul 2020
Episode 0: Introductions
Welcome to the Not Your Model Minority Podcast! Join us as we take you through why we started this podcast and how we hope to help South Asians stay critical and engaged about social justice issues in Canada.
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