Summary

In this engaging conversation, Gemma Seager and Kate Beavis discuss their Christmas traditions, the nostalgia surrounding analog items, the resurgence of Y2K fashion trends, and the significance of tattoos in personal expression. They explore how these themes reflect a broader cultural shift towards valuing personal connections and experiences over digital ones.

This week on Friday I’m In Bed, Gem and Kate unpack three stories that sound like “helpful advice” on the surface… until you realise who they’re aimed at and what they’re really saying.

First up: the government’s obesity tsar suggesting smaller restaurant portions “for women and others with lower calorific needs.” Is this sensible public health policy — or just diet culture and sexism dressed up as concern? Gem and Kate talk portion sizes, “ladies portions,” calorie labelling, disordered eating, and why being policed on the rare occasion you eat out feels completely backwards.

Next, they dive into copying vs inspiration — and why plagiarism is thriving online. Using the Sweaty Betty “Wear the Damn Shorts” controversy as a case study, they discuss whether you can own a slogan, the ethics of big brands lifting creator work, and why “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” is usually just a polite way to excuse lazy theft.

Finally: Australia’s under-16 social media ban. It’s been widely praised — but has it actually been thought through? Gem and Kate question why platforms like Discord, WhatsApp, gaming chats and Roblox seem to have been ignored, why teens will always find a workaround, and why parenting, boundaries and critical thinking still matter more than a blanket ban.

If you like midlife chat, smart cultural takes, and the occasional rant (okay, quite a bit), this one’s for you.

Topics include: women’s portion sizes, obesity policy, diet culture, calorie labelling, body image, eating disorders, plagiarism and copying online, Sweaty Betty, creator rights, social media bans, teen internet safety, Discord, WhatsApp, Roblox, fake accounts, VPNs, and digital parenting.

We do discuss calories and mention eating disorders in this episode. If you are struggling, contact BEAT

https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/i-need-support-now/helplines/

As Christmas rolls around, Gem and Kate are asking a big seasonal question: is the traditional Christmas dinner over?

In this episode of Friday I’m In Bed, two midlife women pick apart the pressure to produce a “perfect” roast, the rise of alternative Christmas dinner ideas (including takeaways and lasagne), and how much festive stress still lands on women’s shoulders.

They also dive into I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here and the way the media still loves to pit one beautiful woman against another. From “jungle shower” headlines to old-school Britney vs Christina narratives, they explore how this impacts how women see and speak about each other, especially online.

Finally, they unpack the controversy around Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Cloud Dancer, a soft white that’s sparked debate about the “clean girl” aesthetic, purity culture, and what happens when design trends start to echo conservative values. Is white just a neutral design choice, or a reflection of something deeper in our culture?

00:00 Welcome to Friday I'm in Bed

00:54 This week

05:15 Redfining Christmas Dinner

20:45 The Media Portrayal of Beautiful Women

36:59 Pantone Colour of the year

51:51 The Importance of Subscribing and Engagement