11/10 - Justice By Numbers

“To this day, we cannot recover from it.”

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Seeking a secure investment, newlyweds Sara and Ali sank their savings into a dependable, government-backed business - a branch of the Post Office.

That decision led them to lose their income, their home - and even their liberty.

In this intense interview with Olly, they explain how an unacknowledged software glitch put unbearable strain on their marriage, their family and their livelihoods - and made them question why our institutions place so much faith on the accuracy of complex computer systems in the first place…

The ‘Horizon scandal’ has since been described as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in recent British legal history. You can discover more at postofficetrial.com.

Our thanks to journalist Nick Wallis for connecting us with Ali & Sara. We’ve changed their names to protect their appeal for justice.

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Elsewhere, in this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - fresh from deleting all social media apps from his smartphone - has been tasked with getting creative on Cameo.

Can a platform created for celebrities to cash in on personalised video messages serve up something truly inspirational, or is it just for birthday shout-outs?

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Ollie’s celebrity ‘friends’ offering up some inspiration on Cameo

With the help of Blue Peter’s Barney Harwood, Chucklevision’s Paul Chuckle, Hollyoaks’ Annie Wallace, Eastenders’ Ricky Groves, Seinfeld’s Fred Stoller, K-Pop superfan Oli London and The Raconteurs’ Brendon Benson, Ollie does his best to investigate. And the results are… unpredictable.

Our thanks to Laurie Harrison at Green Bird Recordings and Tim Gifford for helping Ollie create a new musical masterpiece.

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by below-the-waist grooming experts Manscaped. For 20% off and free shipping use the code MANN at Manscaped.com.

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Meanwhile, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox explores whether it’s safe, practical and enjoyable to indulge in anal sex when you’re pregnant.

With the help of Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt, author of Womb With a View: Tales from the Delivery, Emergency and Operating Rooms, and midwife and ‘placenta artist’ Deborah Neiger, she dispenses some wise words for those wanting to have bum fun with a bun in the oven.

The Foxhole is sponsored by The Condom People, where you can discreetly purchase premium condoms and lubricants from brands including Wingman. Enjoy 15% off everything with the code FOXHOLE at TheCondomPeople.com.

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Music this month comes from Royal Blood, with their sensational slice of rock-disco, ‘Trouble’s Coming’:

You can find a full Spotify playlist of our ‘record of the month’ selections here.

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This episode of The Modern Mann is supported by Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. Claim your FREE case right now at beer52.com/Modern.

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We’ll be back with something new on Nov 10th - until then…

• write into the show, suggest a future guest, challenge Ollie with a trend, or ask Alix a sex question via our FEEDBACK FORM.

• buy us a beer, and SUPPORT THE SHOW.

• leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and SPREAD THE WORD.

See you soon!

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11/9 - What To Expect When You're Transitioning

“This is actually going to work. I’m going to get to be me.”

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What’s the reality of male-to-female transitioning on the NHS?

Lexi Perry-Weston

Lexi Perry-Weston says the online resources she found didn’t relate to her experiences at all.

In this interview with Olly, she explains how she’s been supported in her trans journey by her family, her workplace and the medical establishment - but also harassed by the public, fetishised by partners and discriminated against by businesses.

From hormones to dating apps, vocal therapy to changing room etiquette, this is one Mann-fan’s experience of gender transition in 2020.

If you would like to share YOUR story on a future edition of the show, contact us now via our Feedback form.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is testing out the ‘No Poo’ trend.

Can he survive one whole month without washing his hair or body using soap or shampoo? 

Along the way, he learns about sebum oil, microbiomes, and a surprising use for cornstarch. And washes his hands, because as we all know good hand hygiene is imperative at the moment. Stay Alert, kids.

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to investigate a contemporary trend, send your suggestion through now via our Feedback form.

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Elsewhere, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a listener who wants to get eco-friendly in the bedroom. Is there such a thing as a truly biodegradable condom? And how many air miles has her favourite vibrator travelled, before it heads down below?

Alix consulted Gabrielle Lods, founder of Green Condom Club, for advice.

If YOU have a question of sex - you can remain entirely anonymous if you like - reach out now via our Feedback form.

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Music this month comes from Creeper, and their song, ‘Poisoned Heart’:

You’ll find it on their compelling theatrical rock album, Sex, Death & The Infinite Void, out now.

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Remember, The Modern Mann is a completely independent podcast, supported by listeners like you. If you can afford to contribute, we’d be astonishingly grateful. BUY US A BEER.

And/or, do tell your friends about us on Twitter, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts…

… and we’ll be back with a new episode on October 10th.

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CONTENT WARNING: interview contains references to rape, suicide, abuse, recounting of transphobic language and gender dysphoria. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.

11/8 - The Kinetic Effect

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The British Army is recruiting gamers, 'phone zombies', and 'selfie addicts' as it broadens its skills for modern military ops. But who are the young men getting these jobs, and what impact does it have on their lives? 

Former Grenadier Guardsman Julian Perreira served as a J-TAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) in Afghanistan. As he monitored a 60-inch TV screen relaying live feeds from surveillance balloons and drones, it was his job to decide when and where to deploy ‘kinetic effects’ that could, and did, kill people. 

It was, he tells Olly, ‘a bit like playing a computer game’. The experience inflicted lasting damage on his mental health; now being treated with CBT only thanks to the philanthropy of a fellow veteran. 

Julian is now a journalist who blogs at jakbrew.co.uk - where he has also established an outdoor drinkware company.

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Elsewhere, for this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart chats to couples who are ‘child-free by choice’.

Along the way he discovers ‘antinatalism’, swots up on some intriguing statistics about parental unhappiness, and disrupts a childfree web forum that definitely ISN’T ‘a movement’…

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Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from judging a talent competition that is unlikely to be televised - considers the dilemma of a listener who ‘bears down’ during orgasm, frequently finding herself the victim of inconvenient farts.

Our thanks to pelvic floor physiotherapist Elaine Miller, AKA ‘Gussie Grippers’.

If you think you may be suffering from a hypertonic pelvic floor, resources and support are available via the International Pelvic Pain Society and the Pelvic Pain Support Network.

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Music this month comes from Modern Mann favourites Another Sky and their new song, ‘Fell In Love With The City’:

You’ll find it on their new album ‘I Slept on the Floor’, out Aug 7th.

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If you love our show, and value what we do, here are THREE GREAT WAYS to support us:

1. TELL YOUR FRIENDS! We’re @themodernmann on Twitter.

2. POST A REVIEW for the show on Apple Podcasts. It helps others find us.

3. SEND US MONEY. We know times are tight at the moment - but we are an independent podcast, and every contribution, no matter how small, helps us create the best show we can. Buy us a beer now.

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If YOU have a story you’d like to share with Olly, a sex question you’d like to ask Alix, or a trend you’d like Ollie to investigate, get in touch with us via our Feedback form.

That’s it for the Summer - we’ll be back, as per our new release schedule, on September 10th. See you then!

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11/7 - I Invented Friends Reunited

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Four years before Facebook, long before anyone knew what ‘social networking’ was, Julie Pankhurst had an idea...

What if, without trawling through message-boards or working your way through The Phone Book, you could reconnect with all your old school friends, via one simple database?

Friends Reunited rapidly became one of Britain’s biggest ever start-ups, attracting 23m users at its peak, and a reputation for reigniting old flames.

In her first ever podcast interview, Julie reveals to Olly how a family separation inspired her invention, why she’s spent the last twenty years shunning the limelight, and how rival bidders tried to woo her - before she and husband Steve sold the company for £120m.

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Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Julie recommends the programme provided by Overcoming MS. 

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Meanwhile, in this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explores Britain’s burgeoning love affair with e-bikes.

Can bone conducting technology alleviate the tedium of his two-wheeled commute? Why does a premium pedal-assist bicycle cost the same as a car? And was it really wise to chuck out all his lycra?

If YOU have a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to test out on the show, just fill out our Feedback form.

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Elsewhere, in this month’s Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener who fears his wife is addicted to sexting.

What are the best ways to save their relationship? Should a text-only ‘affair’ be considered an act of betrayal? And, if you’re addicted to sexting, how can you give up?

Alix discussed the nature of addiction with Dr Suzi Gage, whose book Say Why To Drugs is out now, and sex and relationships therapist Sarah Berry. 

If YOU have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer on the show, fill in our Feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Our record of the month is the gorgeous ‘Roman Candles’ by Dizzy, freshly available to add to your Summer playlists NOW:

You can listen back to every tune we’ve ever played in our special Spotify playlist here.

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BEER MONEY: In these uncertain times, it is YOUR SUPPORT of this show that makes it possible for us to still make you a fresh new podcast each month - please DONATE if you can. Just fill out our secure form here.

Wanna be a Mannbassador? Buy us a beer, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - and then drop us a line and tell us about yourself.

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Stay safe, keep well, and we’ll see you with something new on August 1st!

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11/6 - The Night Before The Meeting

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Lottie Woods. Photo: Josh John.

Lottie Woods was in her early twenties when she was sent, alone, to meet a powerful buyer for a high street fashion brand in Guangzhou, China.

They went out for a drink. The next morning, they had a meeting. In this interview with Olly, she recounts what happened in between.

Along the way, she reveals the pressures of designing garments for the ‘fast fashion’ sector, the challenges of raising ethical standards, and the fallout from one fateful evening in a country she didn’t know, in a language she couldn’t speak.

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Lottie is now a freelance designer, working with ethical brands, and blogs about slow fashion and sustainable awareness at intotheeco.com

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Meanwhile, in this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes his first awkward steps into the world of videogame development. 

Is a month long enough for him to develop a story that’s ‘credible, coherent and dramatically meaningful’? Has the opportunity afforded by a sprained ankle and a third month of lockdown given him enough time to to make a genuinely playable 2D platformer?

(Spoiler: yes. PLAY THE MAC VERSION NOW!).

Thanks to ‘sprite’ designer Mr Gordo, Unity’s ‘Global Head of Evangelism Content’ Mike Geig, and online videos from Brakeys and Code Monkey for helping Ollie on his journey.

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The Zeitgeist is remote-recorded on fabulous Yeti X microphones provided by our sponsors, Blue Microphones. Get yours here.

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Elsewhere, in this month’s Foxhole, Alix Fox has advice on Zoom-based dating, ‘Buddha machines’, lockdown libidos and low-effort BDSM for those who fancy an X-rated session but need to catch some ZZZzzzs.

Such enquiries this month led her to consult professional Dominants Master Dominic and Moira Mona, and also the advice issued by the Faculty for Sexual and Reproductive Health for those using Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives, like coils and implants, during the Covid crisis.

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Our record of the month is ‘Begin Again’, by Mercury-nominated songwriter Nick Mulvey. It’s part of an EP of the same name, released on June 5th.

If YOU have a story you would like to share on the show, do what Lottie did - fill out our Feedback form. It’s the same form to use if you’d like to suggest a trend for Ollie to test, have a sex question for Alix, or have any ‘matters arising from the minutes’ you’d like Olly to address in the Intro. You can remain anonymous if you like.

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BEER MONEY: In these uncertain times, it is YOUR SUPPORT of this show that makes it possible for us to still make you a fresh new podcast each month - please DONATE if you can. Just fill out our secure form here.

Wanna be a Mannbassador? Buy us a beer, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - and then drop us a line and tell us about yourself.

__________________

Stay safe, keep well, and we’ll see you with something new on July 1st!

If you have been affected by the issues raised in our middle feature - know that there is always someone you can talk to in confidence. A good place to start is Safeline.

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