Relatable teen talks and life skills; some heavy subjects.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Discussions in any given episode can be intense in nature. While some episodes focus on educational topics, real-world issues like child sex-trafficking, sexual harassment, racism, sexism, eating disorders, abuse, and harassment are often discussed.
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Mid-episode sponsors for nonprofit charities occur in each episode.
Educational Value
a lot
Topics range from political, environmental, and social issues, but all episodes are designed to be educational to the teen listener. Facts and stories are backed up by sources, and hosts include experts in their discussions to add an extra layer of credibility to educational discussions.
Positive Messages
a lot
Life skills, saving the environment, and overcoming obstacles are common topics. Themes of communication, empathy, and curiosity are present throughout. Messages are positive and tend to focus on changing the world (or yourself) for the better. When heavier topics are discussed, they're quickly reframed to encourage listeners to push through their struggles.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Teen hosts dedicate each episode to either education or life skill guidance, sometimes combining the two, and are passionate about their topic. Episodes frequently feature other teens and adults who are professionals in the topic they're discussing. Professionals include doctors, teachers, authors, and more. Listeners can hear from their peers, while the featured experts shift the topic into positive outcomes. Teens on the show often share their art (e.g., poetry or stories they've written), encouraging self-expression and creativity.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Frequent discussions about social injustice in regards to gender and race. Teen hosts openly speak about how civil rights issues affect teens specifically, where we can find places in history that were set up to see others fail. Teen hosts and adult guests vary from episode to episode, representing different genders, races, nationalities, ages. Diverse topics could be elaborated on further, so the podcast is more of a conversation starter than a master class in these topics. Both adults and teens interact with respect for one another's opinion and voice.
Parents need to know that Express Yourself! is a podcast produced by and for teens. It features teens casually discussing world issues, using dialogue and lingo that's meant to be relatable to teen listeners. Themes of empathy, curiosity, and communication are highlighted throughout this emotional skill-building show. Topics range from pollution, health, politics, internet safety, and more. More serious real-world discussions can be heavy -- child sex-trafficking, sexual harassment, racism, sexism, eating disorders, abuse -- but are surface level only. Episodes are diverse in perspective as well as in topics, as talking through social justice and equity issues is common. Both educational and relatable, Express Yourself! could be beneficial for teens who may need guidance in social issues or who would like to hear another teen's perspective.
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What’s It About?
Advertised as a podcast "by, for, and with creative young people: a platform to give teens a voice," EXPRESS YOURSELF! is a life skills and education-based podcast geared toward 13- to 17-year-olds. Produced by youth nonprofit Be the Star You Are! and VoiceAmerica Empowerment, this podcast prides itself on featuring topics that teens actively discuss in their daily lives. Topics can range from politics and social issues to environmental issues and more. Each episode features a variety of different teen hosts and frequently includes an adult's professional opinion on the subject matter at hand. For example, in an episode about vaccinations, an adult author who's written about vaccinations is invited to provide their opinion. Episodes are frequently broken into various segments, with a different teen host providing their opinion, research, or original work (poems, songs, etc.) for each one.
This podcast is a thorough attempt at encouraging teens to be passionate and proactive about worldly issues. Topics may be too advanced or uninteresting for younger kids, but for the budding tween or teen advocate, Express Yourself! fits right in. Segments occasionally drag in energy and pace, but the authenticity of an unscripted teen opinion will grab the attention of teens and parents alike. The producers of this podcast and its parent nonprofit have made it their mission to encourage teens to speak up about issues that affect them and the world they live in. This lesson, paired with Express Yourself!'s variety of topics, makes for a hopeful future for generations to come.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Express Yourself! frequently advocates for a better world. What's something you'd like to see changed in the world right now? What are some ideas you have for how to enact this change?
Teen and adult opinions are valued equally in this podcast. What can adults in your life do to make you feel that your opinions are valued?
Difficult topics may be introduced to younger teens in this podcast for the first time. Do you have a trusted adult you can speak to if you are experiencing violence or sexual harassment?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Claire Crossman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
