Hear me out: cats, witches, and women have been tangled together for as long as we all remember, and it’s not random, cute, or harmless. I thought I’d jump into the conversation mix!

In this episode, we unpack why societies obsessed with control have consistently demonised the same things: feminine autonomy, non-obedience, and power that exists outside patriarchal usefulness. From witch hunts, to 2020 crystal culture, “crazy cat lady” jokes to midwives turned criminals and more, we trace a through-line that reveals how fear gets disguised as preference.

We talk about why independence is treated like a threat, why femininity is only celebrated when it’s useful, and why aging, sexually autonomous women become cultural villains instead of respected elders. Along the way, we look at how female knowledge gets reframed as superstition, how loneliness is weaponised as a warning, and how demonisation softens into jokes that keep misogyny socially acceptable.

Because cats, witches, and the women associated with them weren’t feared for being harmful, they were feared because they couldn’t be owned.

Content Disclaimer:

This episode includes discussions of misogyny, abuse, ownership, control, and historical violence against women which may be triggering. It also contains SPOILERS through references to various TV shows, films, books, and folklore used as cultural examples throughout the conversation.

Listener discretion advised, and encouraged. 🐈‍⬛🕯️

TRIGGER WARNING* mentions of violence

OBVIOUSLY SPOILER WARNING!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Maya’s Mix: Hear Me Out - apologies for a late episode! Uni has been very chaotic and I’m just about keeping up! Today we delve into Wake Up Dead Man (a knives out film) for it’s delicacy and respect in discussing religion as it stands within our world today and what authenticity and inauthenticity looks like within it. As someone who used to be catholic, it really healed my perception on what harm people who weaponise religion can cause as opposed to what it actually is - a beautiful devotion in belief. We talk all things Benoit Blanc to my first ever confession when I was younger! Tune in and enjoy.

TRIGGER WARNING for mentions of abuse and unhealthy environments*

Welcome back to Maya’s Mix: Hear Me Out! Where this week we discuss the, I’m sure you’ve all heard it, the “They Owe You Nothing” mantra, but is that really how relationships are supposed to work? In this episode, we talk about how this mindset shows up in dating, friendships, family dynamics, and online culture, and why it often leaves people feeling unheard and disposable. We explore how boundaries don’t have to mean detachment, and why choosing care, effort, and responsibility isn’t the same as entitlement. We discuss why is came about too, and how we can re wire our thinking to be maybe kinder to each other!

Maya’s Mix: Hear Me Out spins again as we strap in for a brand new episode - The Art Of Capturing. This week, we get into filming at events. Controversial? Yes, but is it really a bad thing? In this episode, we dive into why capturing moments at events can be positive, meaningful, and even powerful. We discuss memories, excitement amnesia, money, choice, generations, exposure, professions, and how videos help events reach more people than ever before. Let’s rethink the camera in the crowd. As always, let me know what you think!

Introduction to my brand new podcast and delving into our first topic of review culture influence on our perception of experience and how we form and verbalise our opinions✨