The episode begins with a story of being spotted reading Gillian Anderson’s Want in public, opening into a conversation about the ways women construct intimacy when no one is watching.

Between a Nigerian Christian and an Irish Catholic, the conversation around fantasy quickly unfolds. Amile & Phoebe explore confession, contradiction & cultural taboo. They also discuss the complexity of desire & the various tropes (ergo moments of cringe) that shape it.

This episode pairs well with:

• Want by Gillian Anderson
• Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
• The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
• My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday
• A dark negroni, with a single maraschino cherry.
• Finally booking that boudoir photoshoot for your birthday.
• Using your journal to write down the thoughts you were never meant to say out loud.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Pairings, Amile and Phoebe explore the rise of the Manosphere and the appeal of the so-called red pill. They reflect on the promises offered by its figureheads, and the way that insecurity can harden into ideology, and at times extremism. From the pickup artists of the early noughties to the Looksmaxxers and Incels of present day, they trace the shifting language of online masculinity. In doing so, they consider the stories men are being told about themselves, and the world.

This episode pairs well with:

• Lost Boys by James Bloodworth
• The Will To Change by bell hooks
• The Matrix (1999), dir by The Wachowskis
• Adolescence (TV series) dir by Philip Barantini
• A smoky mezcalita in a Tajín-rimmed whiskey glass
• Striking up a conversation with a stranger in real life

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Pairings, Amile and Phoebe explore the cultural scripts shaping modern motherhood and the word every new mother seems to be whispering: Matrescence.

They reflect on the myths that romanticise motherhood, the physical and emotional realities often left unsaid, and the quiet pressures that continue to define what a “good” mother should be.

Along the way, they consider judgment and the burdens that women are still expected to carry.

• Matrescence by Lucy Jones
• Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
• Motherland, series on BBC & Netflix
• A cheeky shot of Irish cream in your hot chocolate.
• Switching jobs for the maternity benefits.
• Choosing the right godparent for your kid.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Pairings, Amile and Phoebe talk through stories that could only come from this modern age: a married woman who falls in love with her chatbot, and an app that helps you pretend to be well read. Moving between intimacy, imagination, and society, they reflect on what technology is reshaping — and what it may quietly be replacing - across childhood and adulthood.

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• Her (2013), dir. Spike Jonze
• Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker
• I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
• Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
• A cold glass of Vermentino, and Salt & Vinegar crisps.
• Re-activating your library membership.
• Reading aloud to the kids in your life.

Ten points if you spotted the em dash.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In their very first episode of Pairings, Amile and Phoebe unpack the stories that shape modern womanhood. From picking up The Second Shift after a full day at work to the performance of beauty and emotional labour, they reflect on how cultural expectations and online life shape women’s inner worlds.

This episode pairs well with:

• The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
• Your Silence Will Not Protect You by Audre Lorde
• Barbie (2023), dir. Greta Gerwig
• The Second Shift by Arlie Russell Hochschild
• A dry gin martini, with a twist.
• Speaking openly with your girlfriends about heteronormative relationships
• Setting expectations with your boyfriends from the get-go.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.