In episode 35 of the Alt-Normal, we explore the essence of “what it means to live in a female body” from the perspective of branded content, authentic storytelling and feminism with Megan Lierley, the managing editor of Blood & Milk -- a women’s health and lifestyle website created by Cora. The mission of Blood and Milk is to consider and expose the physical, physiological, emotional, spiritual, psychological, social, political, cultural and economic forces that influence the way women exist in their bodies while striving for wellness. She is also a freelance writer and editor with work published in The Lily, The Good Trade, and Women's Wear Daily, among others. She writes a weekly current events and culture digest.

Since 2017, the women’s liberation movement has exploded on the scene with diverse expressions of feminism taking many new forms on the collective and individual level. Brands like Cora have also been instrumental in driving the women’s health conversation forward with both women in the US and abroad, by partnering with NGOs in developing countries like Kenya and India to provide organic tampons and pads to millions of underrepresented girls who on the whole lack access and education. Conversations and curiosities have deepened on all sides -- period poverty has drawn more awareness as a timely issue to reverse (underrepresented girls stay home 25% of the month because of their period, which ultimately affects their future livelihood and the GDP of their home countries) and Western women at home are openly speaking out about their most vulnerable experiences (imagine an article titled “What you need to know about postpartum masturbation” drawing hundreds of thousands of curious female visitors each month).

With a content writing background and a deeply curious feminist lens, Megan helps us deepen into the following questions.

• As a conscious brand, how can you do impactful storytelling justice? Think centering authentic listening and learning over the potentially harmful effects of rushed, performative and exploitative leanings of white saviorism.

• As an empowered women curious to deepen her connection to self, what does it mean to own your authentic expression of what it means to be a feminist and fully inhabit the female body?

Subscribe to Megan’s newsletter at meganlierley.com/newsletter.

Blood & Milk: https://bloodandmilk.com

More about the show: https://www.digseedgrow.com/thealtnormal-podcast

Produced by Resonance™, the creative practice of Dig | Seed | Grow

This show is hosted at Destination Outpost, a coliving and coworking community based out in Bali.