When looking for a podcast to listen to between commutes or a list of films to watch in the evening, you sometimes come across recommendations from three or four years ago. Quoi de Meuf, the feminist podcast from Nouvelles Écoutes hosted by journalist Clémentine Gallot, is one of those projects that left its mark on conversations about pop culture and feminism.
Launched in October 2017, Quoi de Meuf also inspired a collaborative book published by Marabout in November 2021. Are these still useful resources for women’s everyday lives, or do they function more as cultural archives?
Quoi de Meuf podcast: what you’ll actually find
The podcast has two distinct formats. The so-called “original” format explores social issues related to feminism, including menopause, ecofeminism, femicide, and changing representations. The other, called “Quoi de Meuf de poche,” takes a closer look at cultural releases (TV series, films, and books) through an intersectional lens.
Episodes generally run between thirty minutes and an hour. It’s a long-form format that gives ideas room to develop, but it also requires a dedicated listening slot. It’s a far cry from the five-minute episodes you can squeeze in while doing the dishes.
For a first glimpse into the podcast’s world, By Julie on Quoi de Meuf offers an analysis of the inspiration the project provides for women.
The podcast also introduced a summer format, “Quoi de Meuf Summer Camp,” with shorter episodes focused on specific topics. This variety gives listeners different ways in, but it can also make the catalogue harder for new listeners to navigate.
Quoi de Meuf book: 100 feminist works and how well they’ve aged
The book 100 oeuvres culte à connaître quand on est féministe was co-written by five authors: Clémentine Gallot, Emeline Amétis, Kaoutar Harchi, Anne-Laure Pineau, and Pauline Verduzier, with illustrations by Youliedessine. Published by Marabout on November 24, 2021, it brings together recommendations for art, films, books, and TV series viewed through a feminist lens.
Each work gets a short, illustrated introduction that works equally well for reading straight through or dipping into. Rather than simply cataloguing the podcast, the book builds on it.
Do these references still resonate with women in 2026?
The challenge with a fixed collection is that pop culture moves fast. Some of the TV series mentioned in the book have since been cancelled, debates have shifted, and new feminist voices have emerged. The book is still a good starting point for discovering classics, but it can’t replace keeping up with current conversations.
These pages feature works such as Jordan Peele’s film “Us” and literary references that remain relevant. However, some editorial choices reflect conversations rooted firmly in the 2017–2021 period. Women discovering feminism today may not find current debates about artificial intelligence and gender bias, or new forms of online activism, represented here.
Intersectionality and feminist pop culture: a model that inspired others
What sets Quoi de Meuf apart from many other feminist podcasts is its intersectional analysis of popular culture. It doesn’t focus solely on white, middle-class feminism: questions of race, class, and gender intersect in every episode.
This approach has inspired other content creators. Several French-language podcasts launched after 2020 have adopted this blend of pop culture and an activist lens. Quoi de Meuf helped pave the way for this approach in French-language podcasting.
- Feminist analysis of mainstream TV series and films, not just activist or independent productions
- A consistent exploration of how gender intersects with race and social class
- Multiple voices from a collective of authors and contributors, avoiding the one-note tone of a solo podcast
- Long-form episodes that go beyond oversimplifications and surface-level controversies
This richness has a downside: the tone may feel academic to listeners who are simply looking for quick recommendations. Quoi de Meuf is for people who want to understand why a work matters, not just whether it’s worth checking out.
Quoi de Meuf as an archive or a tool: what women can still get out of it
A podcast with more than a hundred episodes is a substantial documentary resource. For a gender studies student, a culture journalist, or a woman interested in feminism who wants to catch up on years of conversation, this catalogue has real value.
The limitation is that it isn’t updated. Episodes about cultural releases from 2018 or 2019 still offer valuable analysis, but their practical recommendations (where to watch a particular film or find a particular book) may be out of date. Streaming platforms remove content, and books go out of print.
How to get the most out of these feminist resources
Quoi de Meuf can be used in two complementary ways:
- As a reusable feminist lens: the analytical methods presented in the podcast can be applied to any recent cultural release, even if the work discussed in an episode is older
- As a starting point for building your own reading and watchlist, cross-referencing the book’s recommendations with current streaming catalogues
- As an educational resource for running a feminist book club or discussion group, using the collection’s illustrated entries
The book by Youliedessine and the five authors works particularly well for this last purpose. The illustrations make each work memorable and easy to share.
Quoi de Meuf isn’t meant to replace an up-to-date feminist culture roundup. Its value lies in the method it teaches: looking at pop culture through an intersectional lens, then applying that habit to today’s content. It’s less a recommendation guide than a tool for learning to think critically—and that’s probably what gives it a longer shelf life than the works it references.
