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We Are Spiraling

von Priya Anand

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We talk about curly hair to learn more about our culture — from how we perceive ourselves to how the world sees us.

Priya Anand, an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured in Bloomberg, Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, Buzzfeed and Politico, turns her investigative eye to her lifelong obsession: curly hair.

You might think: curly hair, how much is there to say?
A whole podcast dedicated to this? I don’t want to hear someone ramble about all their hair lotions and potions!

But there is so much to unravel about why so many people hide their ringlets as secret curlies, how politicians who wear their hair curly are vilified and what Hollywood's hostility toward curls means for our society.

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  1. A Curly Reporter Starts A New Investigation (Refresh + New Notes)

    New notes, one year later: A year ago this show was just an idea. Since then: conversations with lawmakers, comedians and actors, coverage in The New York Times and Business Insider, and MAYURA, the hair care line I talk about here, launche

  2. Comedian Sindhu Vee Dumped A Guy Who Called Her Hair Wild

    British stand-up comedian and actor Sindhu Vee describes the intricate and intimate role hair has played in her life, from her time at boarding school in India to moving to the U.K. and becoming an investment banker, to now as a performer w

  3. Why Are So Many People Secretly Curly? (Refresh)

    People go to great lengths to hide their curls, either through straightening or buzz cuts. We investigate the cultural forces that made, and continue to make, so many feel their natural hair is something to fix. It isn't. Join the MAYURA wa

  4. How The Word Frizz Was Weaponized Against Curly People

    The word “frizz” actually has a benign definition. Priya investigates the history of how this term was co-opted against us, first by a writer in colonial times and later (even now) by legacy beauty brands. She explains her philosophy around

  5. From Rumi To Today, Curly Hair Has Always Been Poetry

    Throughout history, poets have, like me, been inspired to make curly hair a focus of their work. Curls have been used as a symbol of romance, charm and beauty. I share verses from Hafez, Rumi and Ovid, along with works by modern poets that

  6. Hair Is Political: Meet the Lawmaker Putting Hair on the Agenda

    New York state implemented a law this year requiring cosmetology schools to teach students how to work with textured hair. We speak with state assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, who pushed to make it happen. She explains why hair is a key

  7. How'd You Find This Podcast?

    Today’s minisode dives into how we think about making and growing this show with an audio version of a behind-the-scenes story originally shared on WeAreSpiraling.com (https://wearespiraling.com/). I break down what actually happens when yo

  8. Why Are So Many People Secretly Curly: Part 2: Office Edition

    There’s an unwritten dress code across corporate America: everywhere you go, there are secret curlies. We unpack why this isn’t just happenstance, just like how it’s not a coincidence that a disproportionate number of CEOs are white men ove

  9. How Your Hair Changes With Your Hormones

    We unpack the powerful connection between your hormones and your hair through different stages of life with Dr. Jordan Emont, a board certified obstetrician-gynecologist. From testosterone to iron levels, thyroid shifts, pregnancy, postpart

  10. 'The Odyssey" Got Hair Wrong Vs Greek Mythology

    We dig into Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," exploring Matt Damon's representation of Odysseus and Zendaya's Athena, and consider the role of hair in Greek literature and mythology. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabeauty.com/?

  11. The Problem With Disney Erasing Moana’s Curls

    Disney releases its live action Moana remake this week. And while Catherine Laga'aia has natural curls that match the animated Moana’s perfectly, the film puts her in wigs with…not as curly hair at all. And yet the Rock was given a curly wi

  12. Why Are Some Animals Curly?

    Why do some animals -- poodles, alpacas etc -- have curly hair and others don’t? We investigate how hair types help animals do their jobs, from swimming to mating and keeping warm in harsh winters. This episode features poodles, alpacas, li

  13. Dirty Secrets The Beauty Industry Doesnt Want You To Know

    I spent months investigating how haircare products are made — interviewing cosmetic chemists, testing formulas, and learning what it really takes to create a product I’d actually want to use. Here's what I learned. Join the MAYURA waitlist

  14. I'll Never Forgive The Princess Diaries: Why Hollywood Straightens Curly Hair

    With rumors of a third Princess Diaries, we unpack why the original was so damaging for women, and why Anne Hathaway's recent explanation falls flat. This is our first minisode: a shorter, more frequent format we're introducing alongside ou

  15. For Black Women, Hair Has Always Been the Story

    Two listeners of this show share how their hair has been a key part of their stories as Black women. We also discuss why Coco Gauff’s hair became something she had to defend, and what happens when media tries to erase Black hair. Join the M

  16. Why Most Stylists Never Learned to Cut Curly Hair

    New York state law now requires cosmetology schools to teach students how to work with curly hair. We trace the history of haircutting and ask why it took so long for curly hair to be acknowledged. And we talk to Roxy Reaves, founder of Oak

  17. Hair Is An Extension Of Your Spirit: Native American Wisdom

    We speak with two Native American hair artists about the indigenous philosophy that hair is an extension of your spirit and energy. John Parker works on Hollywood films and television shows, and brought that ethos into hair design for Kille

  18. Are Curly People Funnier? We Ask Comedians Noah Grossman, Nemma Adeni & Molly Brenner

    We interview three comedians, Noah Grossman, Nemma Adeni and Molly Brenner, to find out if our hot take holds water and dig into how they think about their appearances while playing themselves. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabe

  19. All The Boys Are Getting Perms

    When did men of all ages get a broccoli cut? And how do they feel about themselves when they get a makeover deep into adulthood? We investigate this shift, from K-Pop to TikTok and the fact that these days more people are swiping right on c

  20. Carla Lalli On Hair, Skin And Life In Hot Kitchens

    Carla Lalli on what happens to your body in a professional kitchen, waking up at 13 and suddenly seeing curly hair in the mirror, and a preview of her upcoming cookbook. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabeauty.com/?utm_source=wea

  21. How To Look Like A Greek God

    Aphrodite: curly hair. Zeus: curly hair. The statue of David: curly hair. Ancient Greeks and Romans knew what we know on this show: curly hair is worth obsessing over. We talk to Janet Stephens, the world’s foremost expert on ancient Greek

  22. Hollywood Hates Curls. Here’s How That Affects All Of Us.

    In movies, the only people with curly hair are often weirdos or witches. Seinfeld icon and 87-year-old TikTok sensation Annie Korzen unpacks how biases affected her career and continue to influence culture. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https:/

  23. The Politics Of Curly Hair

    Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chair of the Democratic National Committee, explains the role her curly hair has played in her life and political career – from the pressure to change it to how opponents have used it as a hook

  24. Why Are So Many People Secretly Curly?

    People go to great lengths to hide their curls, either through straightening or buzz cuts. We investigate why. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabeauty.com/?utm_source=wearespiraling&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=show_notes) for

  25. A Curly Reporter Starts A New Investigation

    A reporter who covered startups for a decade starts her own: the curly hair care product line she’s always wanted. This show investigates curly hair in our culture. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabeauty.com/?utm_source=wearespi

  26. Trailer: We Are Spiraling with Priya Anand

    We talk about curly hair to learn more about our culture — from how we perceive ourselves to how the world sees us. Join the MAYURA waitlist (https://www.mayurabeauty.com/?utm_source=wearespiraling&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=show_notes

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