Intersectional Psychology

• IPIS003 Can true crime meet true ethics and true empathy? (w/ Nicole Engelbrecht)

  Can we tell stories of violence without reproducing harm? Aurora sits down with Nicole Engelbrecht of True Crime South Africa to unpack the ethics — and emotional toll — of the true crime genre. ⚠ Content note: This episode includes discussion of violent crime, murder, and hate-motivated violence, including references to the 2003 Sizzlers massacre in Cape Town. While approached with care and respect, some descriptions and themes may be distressing. Please prioritise your wellbeing and listen at your own pace. 📄 Download a transcript of this episode on IntersectionalPsychology.com. 🎁 Support this podcast and get exclusive bonus content Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology Connect with Nicole Engelbrecht Website: https://truecrimesouthafrica.com/ Socials: @truecrimesouthafrica Nicole Engelbrecht (she/her) is the creator and host of True Crime South Africa — the country’s most popular true crime podcast — and the author of several books, including Sizzlers and Bare Bones. Her work has redefined the genre locally by placing victims, not perpetrators, at the centre of the story. I asked Nicole, "If you could design a True Crime Ethics Code, what would be the first four rules?" She referred me to victim advocate Julie Murray's CARE acronym, summarised in this infographic and at the end of this podcast episode. ⏳ Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 Land acknowledgement 00:00:25 Title credits 00:01:06 Content note 00:01:48 Announcement 00:02:08 Welcome and introduction 00:05:57 The storyteller behind the mic 00:18:10 Whose stories get told? 00:24:07 Sizzlers and the silencing of queer pain 00:38:58 Walking the ethical tightrope 00:53:31 The human cost on the storyteller 01:14:16 Audiences and responsibility 01:05:39 True crimer self care 01:08:49 A true crime pro reimagines the genre 01:16:42 End credits 🌈 If this episode resonates, please share it, rate the show, and send us your thoughts at intersectionalpsychologypod[@]gmail.com. Aurora and Intersectional Psychology 🔗 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology or IntersectionalPsychologyPod[@]gmail.com. Resources & Support If you’re affected by the topics discussed in this episode, support is available: Lifeline South Africa: 0861 322 322 SADAG (Suicide Crisis Line): 0800 567 567 / SMS 31393 Triangle Project Helpline (LGBTQIA+): 021 712 6699 SAPS Victim Support: 08600 10111 In the UK: Samaritans — 116 123 International listeners: Visit [findahelpline.com], which lists free and confidential helplines worldwide. You can contribute to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund at https://www.pcrf.net/ See Privacy Policy at https://intersectionalpsychology.com/privacy-policy/

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• IP0305 Do It Scared – Part 2 of Rethinking Autism & Gender Diversity (w/ siv greyson)

  I'm joined again by autistic, Afrikan, trans liberation scholar siv greyson about what it takes to live and love bravely at the intersections of race, gender, and neurodivergence. This episode turns from theory to practice: what safety feels like, how chosen families are built, and why real allyship means doing it scared. Together, we unpack the emotional work of reconciliation, the courage of vulnerability, and the quiet revolution of creating safe spaces at home, in community, and within ourselves. Connect with siv greyson Instagram: @sivgreyson siv (they/them) is an autistic African and transgender liberation scholar, gender diversity and inclusion specialist, and co-researcher on a position paper for Gender DynamiX. They are currently completing a Master’s in Gender Studies at Nelson Mandela University. Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus content 🎁 Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology 🌈 If this episode resonates, please share it, rate the show, and send us your thoughts.  📄 Download a transcript of this episode on IntersectionalPsychology.com. ⏳ Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 Land acknowledgement 00:00:30 Introduction — rethinking autism and gender diversity 00:02:07 Integrating multiply marginalised and compounded identities  00:07:16 Navigating public healthcare while autistic, Afrikan, queer, and trans+ 00:17:33 Finding social, emotional, and physical safety 00:22:08 Building reciprocal chosen family kinship  00:26:49 "Doing it scared": Practical steps for allies  00:32:48 End credits Stay connected to Aurora and Intersectional Psychology 🔗 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology or IntersectionalPsychologyPod[@]gmail.com You can contribute to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund at https://www.pcrf.net/  See Privacy Policy at https://intersectionalpsychology.com/privacy-policy/

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• IPIS002 Psycho (1960): We all go a little mad sometimes?

  ⚠ Content Note: This episode discusses murder, gender-based violence, queerphobia, and ableist tropes in film. Listener wellbeing comes first — take breaks when needed. Aurora Brown and true-crime podcaster and author Nicole Engelbrecht check into the Bates Motel to unpack Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) — the film that redefined horror, shocked censors, and spawned a thousand shower-scene parodies. But beneath the shrieking violins and the chocolate-syrup blood, Psycho is a story about repression, gender panic, and the ways patriarchy pathologises femininity, queerness, and mental illness. Together, they trace Norman Bates from Ed Gein’s farm to Freud’s couch. The episode closes with the Fanon Test for Mental Health Representation. Spoiler: Norman doesn’t score well. Connect with Nicole Engelbrecht Website: https://truecrimesouthafrica.com/ Socials: @truecrimesouthafrica 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus content Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology 🌈 If this episode resonates, please share it, rate the show, and send us your thoughts.  📄 Download a transcript of this episode on IntersectionalPsychology.com. ⏳ Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 Land acknowledgement 00:00:28 Title credits  00:01:14 Content note 00:01:45 Welcome 00:05:17 Introduction: "Am I acting as if there's something wrong?" 00:09:59 Recap of Psycho: "Twelve cabins, 12 vacancies."  00:30:15 Discussing Psycho: "A son is a poor substitute for a lover." 00:52:32 Scene Analysis: Privately trapped in a parlour with Norman Bates 01:00:46 Does Psycho pass the Fanon Test?  01:11:59 Checking Out: "I'm looking for a private island." 01:13:02 End credits Stay connected to Aurora and Intersectional Psychology 🔗 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology or IntersectionalPsychologyPod[@]gmail.com You can contribute to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund at https://www.pcrf.net/  📚 References American Psychiatric Association. (1952). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-I). Washington: APA. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). Washington: APA. Anderson, M. (2003). ‘One flew over the psychiatric unit’: mental illness and the media, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing , 2003, 10, 297–306.  Benshoff, H.M. & Griffin, S. (2021). America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies (3rd ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Chare, N., Hoorn, J. & Yue, A. (eds.) (2020). Re-reading the Monstrous-Feminine. New York: Routledge. Clover, C.J. (1992, 2015). Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the modern horror film. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Clover, C.J. (199, 2015). Her body, himself: Gender in the slasher film. In B.K. Grant (ed.) The Dread of Difference, 2nd ed. Austin: University of Texas Press.  Creed, B. (1993, 2007). The Monstrous-Feminine: Film, feminism, psychoanalysis. New York: Routledge. Doyle, J. (2019). Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers: Monstrosiy, patriarchy, and the fear of female power. Brooklyn: Melville House Publishing. Elliot-Smith, D. (2016). Queer Horror Film and Television: Sexuality and masculinity at the margins. Lndon: I.B.Tauris. Frost, D.M. & Meyer, I.H. (2023). Minority Stress Theory: Application, Critique, and Continued Relevance. Greven, D. (2013). Psycho-Sexual. Austin: University of Texas Press.  Hitchcock, A. (Director). (1960). Psycho [Film]. Paramount Pictures. Hermann, B. (1960). Psycho (Original Motion Picture Score). Packer, S. (2017). Mental Illness in Popular Culture. Santa Barbara: Praeger. Perkins, A., Leigh, J., & Gavin, J. (Performers). (1960). Psycho [Film]. Monster: The Ed Gein Story (2025). [Netflix series referenced in-episode]. Shand, J.P., et al. (2014). The horror, the horror: stigma on screen. The Lancet Psychiatry, Volume 1, Issue 6, 423-425. Venkatesan, S., & Saji, S. (2019). Conjuring the 'Insane': Representations of Mental Illness in Medical and Popular Discourses. Media Watch, 10(3), 522-538. https://doi.org/10.15655/mw/2019/v10i3/49683 Wahl, O.F. (1992). Mass Media Images of Mental Illness: A Review of the Literature. Article in Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(199210)20:4%3C343::AID-JCOP2290200408%3E3.0.CO;2-2 See Privacy Policy at https://intersectionalpsychology.com/privacy-policy/

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• IP0305 Rethinking Autism and Gender Diversity w/ siv greyson (Part 1)

  What does it mean to be trans, autistic, and Afrikan in South Africa today? In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, host Aurora Brown talks with siv greyson — an autistic, Afrikan, and transgender liberation scholar — about navigating identity, healthcare, and everyday life at the intersections of race, gender, and neurodivergence. Siv shares powerful insights into the realities of being a neurodivergent trans person of colour in the South African public health system. From microaggressions in clinics to joy in small moments of connection, this conversation unpacks how racism, ableism, and transphobia shape care — and how joy, rest, and resistance offer healing alternatives. This episode challenges us to rethink what liberation really means — not only for trans and neurodivergent people, but for all of us living in systems built on exclusion. Connect with siv greyson Instagram: @sivgreyson siv (they/them) is an autistic African and transgender liberation scholar, gender diversity and inclusion specialist, and co-researcher on a position paper for Gender DynamiX. They are currently completing a Master’s in Gender Studies at Nelson Mandela University. 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus content Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology 🌈 If this episode resonates, please share it, rate the show, and send us your thoughts.  📄 Download a transcript of this episode on IntersectionalPsychology.com. ⏳ Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 Land acknowledgement 00:00:30 Introduction — rethinking autism and gender diversity 00:01:21 Meet siv greyson: trans, neurodivergent, Afrikan scholar 00:03:59 Understanding intersectionality as lived experience 00:09:28 Racism, transphobia, and ableism in South African healthcare 00:13:28 Everyday othering — from clinics to grocery stores 00:18:06 Joy as resistance: cats, ice cream, sunshine, and Fortnite 00:20:57 Imagining an inclusive and caring public healthcare system 00:25:09 Hope, activism, and the fight against fascism 00:28:45 End credits Stay connected to Aurora and Intersectional Psychology 🔗 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology or IntersectionalPsychologyPod[@]gmail.com You can contribute to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund at https://www.pcrf.net/  See Privacy Policy at https://intersectionalpsychology.com/privacy-policy/

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• IPIS001 Does Your Favourite Film Pass the Fanon Test?

  How do films and TV shows shape the way we think about mental health? From harmful stereotypes to ethical storytelling, representation on screen has real consequences for stigma, care, and justice. In this episode, Aurora introduces the Fanon Test for Mental Health Representation in Media — a new tool inspired by the Bechdel Test, grounded in intersectional and decolonial psychology, and designed to hold our screens accountable. Tune in to learn why representation is public health, what the five Fanon Scales are, and how your favourite films might measure up. 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus content Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology 🌈 If this episode resonates, please share it, rate the show, and send us your thoughts. Together we can break the silence and change the narrative. 📄 Download a transcript of this episode on IntersectionalPsychology.com. ⏳ Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 Land acknowledgement 00:00:28 Title credits 00:00:59 Welcome and introduction 00:04:43 Media shapes minds: The power of representation 00:12:48 Introducing the Fanon Test 00:17:46 Breaking down the Fanon Test's five scales 00:25:53 Application of the Fanon Test 00:28:59 Intersectional Scenes 00:32:31 End credits Stay connected to Aurora and Intersectional Psychology 🔗 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology You can contribute to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund at https://www.pcrf.net/  📚 References Di Michele, D.; Guizzo, F.; Canale, N.; Fasoli, F.; Carotta, F.; Pollini, A.; Cadinu, M. (2023). #SexyBodyPositive: When Sexualization Does Not Undermine Young Women’s Body Image. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 991. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020991 Leon, C.M.; Aizpurua, E. (2023). Do Youth Dream of Gender Stereotypes? The Relationship among Gender Stereotyping, Support for Feminism, and Acceptance of Gender-Based Violence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2023, 20, 2439. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032439 Lyons, A.C. (2000). Examining Media Representations: Benefits for Health Psychology. Journal of Health Psychology, 5(3), 349–358. Maier, J. A., Gentile, D. A., Vogel, D. L., & Kaplan, S. A. (2014). Media influences on self-stigma of seeking psychological services: The importance of media portrayals and person perception. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 3(4), 239–256. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034504 Nairn et al. (2006). Media, Racism and Public Health Psychology. Journal of Health Psychology, 1(2006). Papageorgiou, A.; Cross, D.; Fisher, C. (2023). Sexualized Images on Social Media and Adolescent Girls’ Mental Health: Qualitative Insights from Parents, School Support Service Staff and Youth Mental Health Service Providers. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 433. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010433 Sanson, A., Duck, J., Cupit, G., Ungerer, J., Scuderi, C., & Sutton, J. (2000). Media representations and responsibilities: psychological perspectives. Australian Psychological Society Position Paper, 1-68. https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/media-representations-and-responsibilities-psychological-perspect Santoniccolo, F.; Trombetta, T.; Paradiso, M.N.; Rollè, L. (2023). Gender and Media Representations: A Review of the Literature on Gender Stereotypes, Objectification and Sexualization. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2023, 20, 5770. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105770 Simalchik J. (2021). Disrupting legacies of trauma: Interdisciplinary interventions for health and human rights. Health and Human Rights, 23(1), 11–25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34194198/ See Privacy Policy at https://intersectionalpsychology.com/privacy-policy/

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