Intersections

This week on Intersections, we speak with Terry, aka DJ Tear Bear, founder of Diaxpora FM, where he works to mentor, support and upskill young people.
 
Terry reflects on his personal experience of autism and how this has shaped his understanding of masculinity and what it means to be a man. Drawing on his work with young people, we explore some of the pressures young men face and the importance of creating spaces where they can develop their identities beyond traditional expectations of masculinity.
We also discuss the influence of media and the music industry on how young men see themselves, the messages they receive about masculinity, and the possibilities for creating different narratives.
 
Join us for an insightful conversation about autism, masculinity, music, representation and supporting the next generation of young men.
 
Keep up with Terry’s work:Instagram: @djtearbearDiaxpora FM: https://diaxpora.fm/about-us
 
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Matt Cham, a DEI expert working at Warner Music Group, about his evolving relationship with masculinity as a trans man.
Born in Hong Kong and assigned female at birth, Matt reflects on how his understanding and experience of masculinity has shifted throughout his life. Drawing on both his lived experience and professional work, we explore how expectations around masculinity show up in the workplace, including the ways leadership can become associated with traditionally masculine traits.
 
We also discuss what masculinity could look like beyond some of these expectations, and how both cis and trans men can find ways to feel grounded and secure in their identities without having to perform a particular version of manhood.
 
Join us for a thoughtful conversation about gender, identity, leadership and making space for broader, more expansive expressions of masculinity.
Keep up with Matt’s work on Instagram: @mattiechammy
 
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Helen Styles, a safeguarding consultant and mother of two teenage sons, about the changing landscape of masculinity for young men.
Helen reflects on the generational shifts she has witnessed around teenage boys, mental health and safeguarding, and we explore how traditional ideas of masculinity and gender stereotypes can impact young men as they grow up.
We also discuss the role of social media, the risks some online spaces can pose for boys and young men, and what parents, carers and professionals can do to recognise these challenges and offer support.
Join us for an important conversation about raising and supporting boys, challenging gender stereotypes and creating space for healthier expressions of masculinity.
 
Keep up with Helen’s work: https://stylesandfaalsafeguarding.com/
 
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Dr Paul Taylor-Pitt, author of the upcoming book Still Here! Still Queer! Now What?, which explores ageing, identity and queer wholeness.
Paul reflects on growing up in the 70s and 80s and how his relationship with masculinity has shifted and evolved throughout his life. We explore queer masculinity in midlife, ideas of wholeness within LGBTQIA+ communities, and what happens when some of the expectations and identities we inherit no longer fit who we are becoming.
We also discuss changing social and political attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ communities and ask: what can masculinity look like as we age?
Join us for a thoughtful conversation about ageing, queerness, identity and finding space to become more fully ourselves.
 
Keep up with Paul’s work: 
https://stillherestillqueernowwhat.com/ 
 
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Quaam, a British Nigerian father of two, about cross-cultural masculinity, fatherhood and raising young boys. Quaam reflects on the different expectations of masculinity he has encountered, from navigating cultural ideas of what it means to be a man to moments that have made him think more deeply about race, identity and how he is perceived by others.
We also explore how these experiences influence the way he parents his sons, his hopes for who they will become, and the importance of creating space for boys to express their emotions, embrace who they are and experience masculinity beyond traditional expectations.
Join us for a thoughtful conversation about culture, identity, fatherhood and what it can mean to raise the next generation of boys differently.
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, Lildonia and Harpreet come together to reflect on their experiences and understandings of Black and South Asian masculinity. Drawing from their different cultural backgrounds, they explore some of the messages, expectations and representations of masculinity they encountered growing up.
Harpreet reflects on Sikh men’s community and bonding, the colonial influences that have shaped ideas of Punjabi masculinity, and the pressures placed on Punjabi men to perform particular versions of manhood. Lildonia explores the hypersexualisation of Black men, alongside the role education, culture and racial stereotypes can play in shaping perceptions of Black masculinity.
Together, they unpack how race, culture, colonialism and community intersect with masculinity, while considering what gets lost when men are expected to fit into narrow ideas of who and how they should be.
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:
Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Hakeem (he/him), a yoga instructor and space holder, about his experiences as a Black Gay man and the intersections of identity, spirituality, and healing. Hakeem shares his deep reflections on his connection to womanhood, the nuances between the terms Gay and Queer, and offers beautiful wisdom for Queer and Gay men seeking self-acceptance and community.
It’s a rich and grounding conversation that honours vulnerability, identity, and the power of showing up fully as yourself.
Learn more about Hakeem’s work at keemthedreamyoga.com
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts: Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrence Harpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Laura Sawosko (she/her), a Nashville-based singer/songwriter, about her journey into music and embracing her identity. Laura shares how she brings authenticity to her art and connects deeply with her audience through storytelling and song.
We explore the realities of the music industry in the U.S., and some of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ artists. Laura offers her lived experience and thoughtful advice on choosing authenticity and letting your true self shine through—on and off the stage.
Learn more about Laura’s work at laurasawosko.com
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we speak with Amy (she/her), a research fellow at Brunel University whose work focuses on inclusive ageing across the life-course. Amy shares insights from her impactful research, exploring both the effects of lifelong marginalisation and the often-overlooked joys of Queer ageing.
It’s a powerful conversation that sheds light on an area rarely given the attention it deserves—offering both critical perspective and hope for more inclusive futures.
Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: Amy Prescott
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts:Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrenceHarpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims

This week on Intersections, we are joined by EM (they/them), a non-binary, disabled actor and movement director driven by equity and justice. EM shares their lived experiences navigating the arts industry while holding multiple identities, and the challenges of discrimination and exclusion that often come with it.
We talk about the ongoing lack of Trans, Queer, and disabled representation in the arts, and EM offers thoughtful insights into how we can begin to build more inclusive and accessible practices across the sector.
Follow EM on Instagram: @hellothemwilliams
Keep up with your hosts on Instagram at @intersections.podcast and connect with your hosts: Lildonia – @lildonia.lawrence Harpreet – @rebelsandpilgrims