'Feeling My Flo' is using periods to start conversations
Host Kamilah Kashanie (left) and Executive Producer Mia Warren (right)
Periods are as paradoxical as it gets — they’re a routine part of millions of people’s lives (literally since forever!) and yet a major, life-changing event. Some people’s relationships with them are simple, while others’ are incredibly complex. And even though they’re completely natural, they’re still treated as taboo.
It is for all those reasons that periods are the perfect conversation starters for the team behind Feeling My Flo, a reported podcast where “periods are so much more than punctuation.” We caught up with the show’s co-creator and executive producer, Mia Warren, to get insight on how the show came to be and why TRAX listeners need to hear it.
What’s the origin story of Feeling My Flo?
Menstruation has fascinated me for a long time. I wanted to make a podcast about periods — to explore all the different ways folks experience them, especially young people, who may be waiting for their first one. I was introduced to Juleyka Lantigua-Williams [Feeling My Flo’s executive editor] in the summer of 2018. On our very first phone call, I unexpectedly ended up pitching her the idea. She said, “So when are we going to make this podcast?” Shortly after that, we brought Kamilah Kashanie on as our host, and two years later, here we are.
Who is Feeling My Flo made for? What can listeners expect to hear throughout the show?
We make Feeling My Flo for listeners aged 9 to 13, but it’s always been a show for families to enjoy together. Many of our episodes focus on parent-child relationships, like López Family Values. We want our episodes to be the jumping-off point for young people to start conversations about what can sometimes be a tricky or embarrassing topic. Our tagline is, “Menstruation is an event that happens to all types of bodies.” In our first TRAX season, listeners will meet all kinds of people: a period activist who’s nonbinary and trans, a woman who lost her period for 10 years, professional athletes who have broken records while menstruating, and two teens who designed a tampon-themed video game. Feeling My Flo acknowledges the full range of complexities that come up when people talk about periods.
What’s your favorite story from the process of recording?
I think my favorite recording session was with the Eisenhardt-Kulleseid family — this is for an upcoming episode where two dads and two daughters sat down to talk periods with us. Mark and Erik are cis gay men, and when they first decided to have children, they initially wanted boys. But having two daughters opened them up to the world of menstruation. When the girls started their periods, their dads were eager to learn all about pads, tampons, cramps, and unexpected leaks. It’s a beautiful journey this family takes together, and it was really special to hear them reflect on the experience in the interview.
What are some challenges you faced while creating the show?
One of the best things about working on Feeling My Flo is learning how willing people are to talk about periods, even if they don’t have the language or don’t know exactly how to start. Despite being uncomfortable with the topic, people are generally willing to try talking about it.
From episodes one “Just in time for Lola”
What makes Feeling My Flo different from other podcasts you’ve worked on?
This is the first podcast I’ve made for young people, which is super exciting! It’s a unique challenge because we want these episodes to be accessible and informative — but also fun and a joy to listen to. It’s also been unexpected but rewarding to hear from older millennial listeners, who often tell us how much they love the show — and how much they wish they’d had Feeling My Flo as a resource when they were preteens.
Why do you think audio is a good vehicle to tell stories of menstruation? What do you want to impart to your listeners?
We want our listeners to know that there isn’t just one way to talk or feel about menstruation, and everyone’s period journey is different. We’d like Feeling My Flo to be a vehicle to starting longer and deeper discussions about menstruation, which for some reason is still such a taboo subject in our culture.
What makes TRAX a good network for Feeling My Flo?
We are so happy to be part of TRAX! TRAX’s commitment to diversity really rings true to the spirit of Feeling My Flo. When we set out to make this show, we knew we didn’t want to make a podcast that focused exclusively on cisgender women and girls. We didn’t want to exclude non-menstruators from the conversation.