DIDIHOOD ~ Issue 47

Happy New Year Didis! 

Though, it hasn't exactly been the happiest of new years — we know. We hope all of you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy as we collectively face this fifth wave of the pandemic. If there's anything we can do to help you through (virtual girls night?), let us know! 

Meet the Didi: 
To kick off our first Meet The Didi of 2022, we have Sadaf Ahsan. Sadaf is a TV and film reporter for Canadian Press, co-host of Frequency's culture podcast The Reheat, sex columnist for Best Health, and she covers everything from women and business to diversity and health, and has written for The Globe & Mail, Chatelaine, Bitch, and more. 

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in media? 
Rory Gilmore? (Honestly, though). But also, ever since I was a kid, I was more curious than most, and I was a very big storyteller. I'd explore my parents' backyard like a National Geographic reporter and troll my neighbourhood "hunting for crimes" — needless to say, I never found any. Since then, I read voraciously, and wrote a lot — diaries, short stories, poems, songs (which were terrible), you name it. As I got older, I realized I could do it for a living, which was daunting because I also knew there weren't a lot of people who looked like me in the field I wanted to be in. Still, I'd watch and/or read women that included Pauline Kael, Joan Didion, Christiane Amanpour, Lisa Ling, Lillian Ross, Gwen Ifill, Sahar Ghazi, even Oprah, and I'd feel like it could be done, but perhaps in my own way.
What really made me want to take this avenue of media was realizing journalism is like a backstage pass to some incredible stories and people I would never know otherwise. I've gotten to write about everything from secret societies to the inside workings of a family-run funeral home to chronicling the last days of one of Toronto's last video stores. As I've grown, too, I've realized this is a way I can bring a platform to voices that don't otherwise get to be heard, to push the stories not many are telling, like why Canada still has a ban on blood donations from gay men, or how banker ladies in Black and brown communities are building their own financial systems. That's a crucial part of my job and my responsibility as a journalist of colour, and I'm proud to have it. 

What are the biggest pros and cons of working as a freelancer?
The greatest pro to freelancing full-time, which I did for a year and a half before starting my new job, is the flexibility. I made my own schedule, I could go out for brunch or lunch in the middle of the day or take a nap if I wanted to, as long as I made my deadlines. But the other facet of the flexibility is being able to have a more fluid beat. With my freelancing (which I will always do to some degree for the following reason), I cover health, sex, business, diversity, TV, movies, real estate, you name it. I get to dip my toes in everything I love, and learn about other beats entirely that a full-time job won't allow me to. That's been my favourite part, and it's also made me much more valuable to editors. And it gives me the comfort that I can always expand if I ever need to. 
Now, something you don't realize until you're deep in it is that 40 per cent of freelancing is sending emails! You're hustling to pitch stories and then hustling to collect cheques. But that's a routine that makes you bolder and less afraid to step on anyone's toes, especially when you've done the work and you've done it well. 

Tell us about your podcast, The Reheat:
My pride and joy is this podcast, which I created and co-host with my wonderful friend Sarah Sahagian, who is an excellent writer herself, in early 2021. Each week, we tackle a different celebrity scandal, and examine it through a feminist lens, asking how would we react if it happened today. It's about critiquing a media narrative. We've covered everything from Bruce Lee and the long history of anti-Asian racism to Whitney Houston and George Michael's struggles with homophobia in the music industry. We see pop culture as a great way to look at the systems (patriarchy, bigotry) holding us back in society itself, and how simply being who we are and the choices we make grant us either a platform or obstacle. It helps us understand how we can move beyond, and develop greater media literacy. As a woman of colour, it means a lot to me to be able to do that for marginalized audiences and pop culture figures who've always deserved more and who we've needed just to feel that we are represented in some way. It's also so fun, and our listeners have said it's a lot like joining me and Sarah for a drink and a chat and, honestly, yes please. We start our second season this year, and I promise there's an episode you'll connect with. 

What obstacles have you had to overcome while pursuing your career goals? 
Media in Canada is a very white space, which I know is not news to many. With every newsroom I've been in, those who lead have always been white, and that sets a certain tone. I got my footing at a national newspaper, where I worked for five years as an arts reporter and editor. And while I adored my team and the work I did there tremendously, it wasn't always easy. When I started there, I was one of very few people of colour. I felt myself code-switch the moment I entered the building, and I knew from that moment that I'd have to be a very loud voice to be heard, especially when I wanted to tell certain stories or fight for a fair salary (which was especially difficult). It was that phrase we all know — I was working twice as hard for half as much. While I learned a ton, and it's an experience I largely will always cherish, it also pushed me to understand my value, to know how to fight for myself and demand better. It showed me just how relentless I can be when I want something, and that's pretty cool. It also showed me it's crucial to find allies where you can, because that's a lot to carry on your own. 

Do you have any other big projects we should look out for? 
I start work today (Jan. 10) as a TV and film reporter for the Canadian Press, which is incredibly exciting. I'm looking forward to working with an amazing team, and also focusing on the beat where I started and that excites me most. As always, I'll be making diversity on screen my priority, and getting to be that voice for CP is a pleasure. I've also missed having co-workers! But I will indeed be continuing freelancing on the side, it's just too great to give up. 
In fact, what I think might interest Didis especially is an upcoming profile I wrote of The Sex Lives of College Girls star Amrit Kaur (who hails from the GTA) for The Globe & Mail. She's so charming and funny, and it was a joy getting to speak with her and share her story. I also write a monthly sex column for Best Health (shout-out to fabulous editor and fellow Didi Ishani Nath), which examines subjects and questions we all might be a little too nervous to Google, so I bring the answers to you. It is one of my absolute favourite gigs, so keep an eye out for that. 

What advice would you give to younger Didis hoping to follow a similar path?
It's going to be difficult as a South Asian woman in this field, I don't want to deny that. But what I always want to remind younger journalists is that if you really love this then you can make it happen, but you have to be willing to work incredibly hard and be relentless. And also know that a career in journalism/media can look like just about anything in 2022: it can be writing, podcasting, social networking, producing, blogging, vlogging, anything you want it to be. This a field where you get to shape what your career looks like and make it work for you and with your unique strengths and personality. Remember, too: it's okay to ask for help and mentorship. In my experience, people — especially my fellow Didis — are always happy to provide an ear, an eye, and any kind of advice or helping hand. When you get to a place you're proud of, you can pay that energy forward, and that will be the best feeling. We're in this together. 

What we're reading:

Are You Using Astrology as a Coping Mechanism? by Roohi Sahajpal in Best Health 

Priya Ahluwalia on Changing the Fashion Narrative in the Business of Fashion 

Vivek Shraya on the Transformative Power of Fashion in Chatelaine 

Sex and the sari: Investigating And Just Like That's Diwali episode debacle by Arushi Sinha in Vogue India

What we're watching: 

Hot Mess Holiday starring Surina Jindal, Melanie Chandra and Kal Penn 

The Sex Lives of College Girls starring Amrit Kaur and created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble 

— Nikkjit Gill

Issue 47 
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
 [email protected]