Changes with Annie Macmanus

Miranda July’s staggering new novel ‘All Fours’ might just completely change the way you think about your life. Miranda is not one for sticking to the rules. An LA based artist, writer and award-winning filmmaker, she has been creating unapologetic, boundary pushing work since her involvement in the Riot Grrrl feminist movement of the 1990s, where she gained recognition for her zines and performance art. She has gone on to create across many mediums, including her breakthrough 2005 feature film debut, "Me and You and Everyone We Know," which she wrote, directed, and starred in. The film garnered critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. You might have noticed Miranda July’s name popping up all over the place since the release of ‘All Fours’ last month, and there is a reason why. This book is astonishing. It takes everything you think you know about what it means to be a woman in mid life, a mother, a lover, a friend, and makes you rethink it all. The story follows a woman in her forties who embarks on a physical and metaphorical journey of rediscovering herself. In this episode Annie and Miranda unpick some of the brilliant themes from the book including the institution of marriage, motherhood, perimenopause, hormones, sex, as well as real experiences from post menopausal women (positives and negatives). They also discuss Miranda’s upbringing, her personal changes and how her life bleeds into her work. Listen to this episode and then go and buy this book immediately. Warning: this episode discusses suicide, please be mindful if this could impact you.Buy a copy of 'All Fours' and find out more about Miranda and her work here:https://mirandajuly.com/all-fours/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

On 22nd October 2023, Ahmed Alnaouq woke up to the unthinkable news that 21 members of his family had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.Ahmed Alnaouq is a Palestinian journalist from Gaza and the co-founder of We Are Not Numbers - a non profit organisation that specialises in sharing Palestinian stories. In this episode, Ahmed shares his story. He explains how the war in Palestine didn’t begin last year, but has been ongoing throughout his entire life. Ahmed talks about family members who have been killed, how this horrific experience has changed him and his outlook, the importance of sharing stories to incite change, what the end of this war could look like and what he thinks people in the West can do.Changes is fundamentally about the power of sharing stories. It is through stories that we find hope, connection and spread empathy and that is what we hope today’s episode will do.Warning: This episode contains explicit and upsetting content about the war in Gaza that some listeners may find distressing.Find out more about We Are Not Numbers and read the stories here:https://wearenotnumbers.org/about/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

Sara Pascoe has a magic ability to take life’s absurdities and turn them into comedy gold, but how does she approach change? Sara’s quick, intelligent wit has seen her competing on many of the UK’s most popular comedy panel shows such as QI and Taskmaster and she also hosts ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’. Not only is she one of the country’s foremost comedians, Sara is a bestselling author too, having written three books - ‘Animal’, ‘Sex Money Power’ and her debut novel ‘Weirdo’, which is out on paperback now. She’s also a book fan and co-hosts the podcast ‘Sara and Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club’ with her friend, and previous guest on Changes, Cariad Lloyd.In this refreshing and light hearted conversation, Sara opens about her untraditional upbringing, her transition to vegetarianism at a young age and her changing relationship with her parents after her Dad left when she was seven. Reflecting on her latest novel, "Weirdo,", Sara also discusses her evolving relationship with her own confidence, detachment from show business as a new mum and her self-worth as a comedian.Buy 'Weirdo' here:https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/weirdo-unlike-many-debut-novels-this-one-will-stick-with-you-for-a-long-time-guardian-main/sara-pascoe/paperback/9780571374540.htmlListen to Cariad Lloyd's Changes episode here:https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/59c1bc1991700462b988d47248a3ce8831095b5b/viewGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

George Mpanga, aka George the Poet, is a voice for change but, is it enough to just be a successful Black man in the war on Blackness? From his humble beginnings in North London with Ugandan parents, to graduating from Cambridge University as well as visiting Uganda, George knows a thing or two about the big changes that can shape your life’s direction.George is best known for his work as a spoken word artist, rapper and podcaster with the multi award-winning podcast ‘Have You Heard George’s Podcast?’. He is also a PHD researcher, recently became a father and is now an author with his recent memoir "Track Record: Me, Music, and the War on Blackness." It is essential reading. In this deeply personal and engrossing conversation, Annie and George unpack the complexities of his identity as a Black entertainer, his shift from Black liberal to Black radical and why, for him, radical thinking is essential to bring about systemic change, the power of honesty, their shared experience of imperialism (Annie of course from an Irish perspective), falling in love, and Black music and the restrictions he felt on his own creativity in the industry. From challenging the status quo of capitalism to advocating for equality and justice, George leaves us with a message of hope and empowerment, oh, and his favourite Nas lyric.Find out more about George here: https://www.georgethepoet.com/Order George's book 'Track Record: Me, Music, and the War on Blackness' here: https://lnk.to/TrackRecordGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

Rounding off this miniseries on Bodies, the incredible journalist, broadcaster and bestselling author Afua Hirsch unpacks Eurocentric beauty standards and discusses unlearning some of the myths around women’s bodies. Why do western cultures think body hair is bad? How do non western cultures treat puberty and aging? Can we change how we view our bodies from our ancestors? Certainly, what we think we know about women's bodies is very narrow.Afua Hirsch is at the forefront of discussions about race, history, and culture in Britain today. Her book ‘Brit(ish)’ was an award winning Sunday Times bestseller and delves into the uncomfortable truth about race and identity in Britain today. Her latest book is called ‘Decolonising My Body: A Radical Exploration Of Rituals And Beauty’.  It was a 2023 political book of the year for Waterstones, described as 'ground-breaking' by Bernardine Evaristo and makes her perfect for discussing Bodies and change. Originally training as a human rights barrister, since being a journalist, Afua has presented documentaries for the BBC, been a regular contributor to Sky News debate show The Pledge and current affairs programmes including Channel 4 News, Newsnight, Question Time, and CNN. She has also written for multiple prestigious publications including British Vogue where she interviewed Rihanna! In this incredibly enlightening episode, as well as covering different cultural views on bodies, Afua and Annie discuss Afua’s view of her body as a young black girl and how that has changed, a life altering moment with Oprah and why she personally wanted to unlearn and then relearn everything when it came to understanding her body.Find out more about Afua Hirsch and order her book ‘Decolonising My Body’ here:www.afuahirsch.comwww.amazon.co.uk/Decolonising-My-Body-radical-exploration/dp/1529908663Other books and people mentioned in this episode:Maisie Hill - Period Powerwww.maisiehill.comLaurence Moniassewww.moniasse.com/about-meGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

As part of our Bodies Mini Series, renowned gynaecologist Dr. Jen Gunter tackles your burning questions about your bodies as she and Annie delve deep into the complex world of women's health and the changes involved. Dr. Jen Gunter is the author of bestsellers "The Vagina Bible" and "The Menopause Manifesto," and is the ultimate authority on all things bodies. Her new book “Blood” mixes her trademark blend of expertise and accessibility, empowering readers to understand their bodies better than ever before. Listen to this special Q&A style episode for a wealth of information on orgasms, libido, period symptoms, hormones, menopause, incontinence and plenty more. It will leave you feeling more informed, empowered, and ready to navigate changes in your body. Find out more about Dr. Jen Gunter, order her books and read her blog here:https://drjengunter.com/Other books mentioned in this episode:Emily Ngowski - Come As You Are https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-You-Are-surprising-transform/dp/1925228010Dr. Lori Brotto - Better Sex Through Mindfulnesshttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Better-Sex-Through-Mindfulness-Cultivate/dp/1771642351GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

To open a new mini series on Bodies we welcome boundary pushing musician, CMAT whose low cut, bum crack exposing dress created one of the most viral moments at the BRIT Awards this year. Her unapologetic attitude towards body image caused a storm on the internet attracting a wave of opinions.CMAT, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is a one in a million artist. She writes songs that are both hilarious and heartbreaking, and she is utterly captivating on stage. She’s a future superstar in the making. Both of CMAT’s albums have gone straight to number 1 in the Irish Charts, she is part of the BBC Sound of 2024 longlist, she has been described by NME as Dublin’s answer to Dolly Parton and she was at the Brits this year having been nominated for Best International Artist alongside Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and SZA. This is the first of three open and candid conversations in our Bodies mini series in which we explore body image and weight, unrealistic beauty standards and ageing covering everything from menopause to weight loss and much more. Here, Ciara talks to Annie about her changing relationship with her body from her teenage years experiencing acne and eating disorders to being a pop star in the spotlight. They discuss a wealth of issues including societal pressures and social media, the problem with capitalism and Ozempic diets. Ciara is completely unfiltered and very funny. We hope that you will leave the conversation feeling relieved that you are most definitely not alone when it comes to any thoughts you may have about your body and inspired to care less. Content warning: eating disorders/anorexia, addiction to painkillers.Buy CMAT's music and find her tour dates here: https://cmatbaby.com/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

Spring is here(!) and we begin our new season with global phenomenon Marian Keyes. Marian is one of Ireland’s most prolific and successful writers of all time with her books having sold over 35 million copies worldwide.Marian has won multiple awards and is an expert in honest storytelling. She writes characters you’ll love with imperfections you’ll recognise and her wisdom is felt in every story she tells. In this refreshing, funny and unfiltered conversation, Marian discusses her upbringing in Ireland and how this affected her aspirations in life, her experience of addiction in her 20s, the monumental change of becoming sober, especially when it comes to love and self acceptance, being 60, a woman’s right to enjoy sex and and ultimately why she refuses to hide or lie about anything (hello botox). How lucky we are to have Marian Keyes in the world! Marian’s new book ‘My Favourite Mistake’ is available to buy now.https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316031/my-favourite-mistake-by-keyes-marian/9780241441145GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes

In this week’s Changes Focus we are zooming in on parenting. Whether you are a parent yourself or not, we have all been parented in some way and many of us spend time around people who are parents. We therefore all have experience of parenting and the huge effect it has on our lives. It is no surprise that many of our guests on Changes choose becoming a parent as the biggest change of their adult life. In this hilarious and heartwarming episode, author Zadie Smith gives her profound thoughts about why having children has changed her outlook on freedom, Annie’s husband Toddla T talks about his ADHD and how this affects his parenting, comedian Jen Brister gets into the difficulties of talking about porn with kids and comedian and host of the ‘Parenting Hell’ podcast, Josh Widdicombe, remembers his misguided thoughts about labour and gets real about the reality of being a father. Has parenting changed you? Let us know at changespod@gmail.com