If Poets Ruled The World - 15.6.26 - Voices Radio

If Poets Ruled the World: The Podcast is hosted by Ruth Elora (also known as The Mayfair Poet) and Salma the Poet. Each month, we explore a different theme and ask one radical question: What would it look like if poets ruled the world? Through honest conversation, cultural critique, and original poetry, we reimagine the world through a poetic lens — one that centres reflection, truth, and imagination in the face of societal pressure and expectation. This month, we turn our attention to beauty and body image — the stories we inherit about how we should look, the standards we are taught to measure ourselves against, and the ways those messages shape our sense of self. In this episode of If Poets Ruled the World, Ruth Elora and Salma the Poet are joined by @nicthepoet for an open and honest conversation about beauty standards, body image, and the pressure women face to look a certain way. Together, they explore the impact of social media, AI, plastic surgery culture, and the tension between self-expression and self-acceptance. Interwoven with original poetry, this episode moves between personal reflection and wider cultural critique, asking what it means to see ourselves clearly in a world full of filters, comparison, and expectation. We also reflect on our journeys towards self-love and self-acceptance, and whether it is ever truly possible to feel at home in our bodies. Trigger warning: This episode includes discussions around body image, beauty standards, and self-esteem. Please listen with care. If you need support around body image or mental health, you may find the following organisations helpful: Beat (eating disorders support): https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk Mind (mental health support): https://www.mind.org.uk NHS (mental health support): https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health