Studies show that the average smartphone user checks their screen up to 150 times per day, scrolling through an Eiffel Tower’s worth of posts. Meanwhile rates of anxiety have soared in young people, and scientists tell us that we’re lonelier than ever. But movements like #MeToo and BLM have shown that social media can also be a powerful tool in the fight for inclusivity and social justice.

In Part One of this special bumper episode of the podcast, Blaine sits down with non-binary activist and writer Jamie Windust to hear how Instagram allowed them to find an online community which supported their journey towards discovering their true authentic self. Jamie also speaks about being a part of #IWEIGH, as well as their campaign to give trans and gender non-conforming people the right to self-identify on legal documents in the UK. 

This bumper episode of ‘Things Worth Fighting For’ was brought to you by Acast and produced with Matthew Twaites. Thanks to Isabel Offler as well as Courtney Aiesha Mortimer and Kate Jones at UROK for production assistance and coordination. 

Follow Jamie Windust on Instagram

Pre-Order Jamie’s book ‘In Their Shoes’ (Waterstones)

Watch Jamie Windust’s TEDx Talk (youtube)

BBC film on Jamie’s passport campaign (youtube)

Watch: Ivan Pavlov ‘classical conditioning’ (Youtube)

Forest Bathing in Japan (National Geographic)

Edward Snowden: How your smartphone spies on you (Youtube)

Read: Shoshana Zuboff speaks about survillance capitalism (theintercept.com)

Watch Adam Curtis’ documentary ‘HyperNormalisation’ (IPlayer)

Support the amazing MermaidsUK Charity

LGBTQI+ Glossary (Amnesty International)

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