Although results vary online, it is estimated that there are over two million active podcasts around the world! With this many podcasts floating around out there, you can find podcasts for every personality and interest. If you love getting down to the nitty-gritty of current social issues or learning about new and upcoming technology, then you’ve come to the right place! Today, we’ll be focusing on the ten best progressive podcasts by Dear Media.

The progressive podcasts featured below often discuss topics that are not featured in mainstream media. Each and every host does a phenomenal job of breaking down complicated topics. You’ll find that most of the podcast hosts mentioned in this blog are passionate advocates, change-makers, and thought-leaders. They talk about a variety of progressive issues like women’s rights, raising the minimum wage, racial equality, gender identity, sexual identity equality, how to influence culture, government policy, and so much more! Let’s dive right in!

12 Best Progressive Podcasts

Let’s Go There

Let’s Go There is all about changing perspectives, encouraging out-of-the-box thinking, and forward progress. Terrell and Jarius Joseph, podcast hosts and social activists, are using their podcast to completely shatter social stigmas surrounding relationships, race, dating, family, work, gender, and more! Think of their podcast as a safe space for discussing all of the progressive topics you’re interested in. In addition, their goal is to encourage guests and listeners to get outside their comfort zone and shatter stigmatizations.

The Dissenters

The Dissenters is an incredibly honest, powerful, inspiring podcast. Created by the one and only Debra Messing and Mandana Dayani, The Dissenters is one of the best podcasts for female entrepreneurs. In fact, each and every episode of this podcast features the story of someone who challenges the status quo. They take action into their own hands. Or they fight injustice and stand up for the people around them! These amazing stories of hardship and triumph will leave you feeling motivated and ready to take on whatever life might bring!

We Met At Acme

Sex, relationships, vulnerabiliy…these are just a few of the topics that you’ll hear about on We Met At Acme. While these topics are deemed too “taboo” for the mainstream media, they are some of podcast host Lindsey Metsalaar’s faaaavorite subjects! Lindsey looooves to debunk all those myths about sex, insecurities, and all her episodes are super relatable. So if you’re looking for a place to start, Would you Rather Be a Troll or Be Trolled? Ft. Audrey Peters is one of our favorite We Met at Acme episodes!

Food Heaven Made Easy

One of the topics currently making waves in progressive circles and conversations is diet, food, and body positivity. Which is exactly why we had to include Food Heaven Made Easy with Wendy and Jess on this list! This podcast is hosted by BFF registered dietitians looking for a sustainable and inclusive path to wellness. This podcast also takes the conversation of food & diet to a whole new, exploratory, informational, & ultimately inclusive level. Some of our favorite episodes include How to Navigate People Who Constantly Use Triggering Diet Talk & The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia w/ Sabrina Strings.

Say Yas to the Guest

Now here is a fun one! There is no way a list of progressive podcasts would be complete without mentioning Say Yas to the Guest with Patrick Starrr! This podcast covers a wide range of topics. So honestly the reason we’re including this show in our list is because of the diverse nature of guests. In fact, Patrick selects guests with incredible stories for a wide range of communities. Think LGBTQ+, drag queens, & varying ethnicities with seriously diverse backgrounds and stories. It’s SO empowering to hear their stories, how they overcome issues facing stigmatized groups, and how they ultimately crush it in life!

Looking Up

Meet Deepika Chopra – podcast host of Looking Up, optimism doctor, and visual imagery expert. Her podcast is about all things happiness, hope, resiliency, and…just being human! Deepika uses a progressive approach to healing by combining holistic medicine and actual science to help people manifest more happiness, positive energy, and an overall healthier state of mind. With Deepika, you may also find that happiness is just around the corner…

Absolutely Not

Heather McMahan takes everyday issues head on and looooves to bitch about every single one of life’s inconveniences. She doesn’t take ANY shit and she’s also here to tell you why you shouldn’t either! Absolutely Not is hilarious and definitely one of the best female comedy podcasts around. So sit down with Heather to bitch about all things life, societal issues, current events, and more. Have a topic you really want to bitch about? Call in The Hotline and leave a voicemail about any topic you’d like Heather to address.

Trading Secrets

With advances in technology and the growing popularity of crypo-currency, it’s clear to see that the tech-world is progressing quickly! Keep up with all the new and emerging information about technology, business, investing, stock trading, saving money, and more with podcast host Jason Tartick. You’ll learn trading secrets from episodes like Secrets From The Red Carpet Fashion Showroom With Celebrity Stylist Lo VonRumpf and hear invaluable advice about how to regain control of your finances. Get ready to step up your game and start working towards financial freedom!

Breaking Beauty 

If you’re looking for the scoop on any and allllll beauty technology and products, Breaking Beauty is THE podcast for you! Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins, podcast hosts and beauty gurus, share their opinions about all the new and emerging beauty products out there and always have the best recommendations and beauty secrets. Check out (Shhh!) The #DamnGood Holiday Gifts We Secretly Want For Ourselves to hear about all the latest and greatest advancements in beauty technology and more!

Share of Voice

Share of Voice, hosted by Karin Eldor, is all about being loud, taking up space, fighting for what you want, and being unapologetically yourself! This podcast is inspiring, authentic, raw, and one of our favorite confidence boosting podcasts. Karin invites listeners to join the progressive movement, think outside of the box, and just go for it! With tons of special guests, each and every episode is a new and encouraging experience that will leave you feeling like you can conquer the world!

Real Pod

Real pod is one the best mental health podcasts out there and we LOVE that each and every episode is super relatable, honest, and encouraging. Podcast host, Victoria Garrick, is a body-image advocate who uses her podcast to break stigmas around mental health and promote self-love, body confidence, and all things mental health. Sit down with Victoria and her many special guests to hear real stories of success, failure, resilience, and challenge.

The Ali Kolbert Show

What’s more progressive than discussing traditionally taboo topics? After all, conversation is one of the best ways to move culture forward. That’s why we had to include The Ali Kolert Show with Ali Kolbert. On her show, Ali and her sister cover all the random journey to adulthood topics we face today. She’ll cover sex, work, dating, & so much more. Our favorite progressive friendly episodes are Who pays on same-sex dates? with Megan Mitchell & Hanging Out With Your Sexuality: The Pride Special.

What is your favorite type of podcast?

As you can probably already tell, progressive podcasts can cover a huuuuuge variety of topics. We’ve heard episodes about everything including, but definitely not limited to, progressivie politics, sexuality, mental health, culture, the democratic party, relationships, and the list goes on and on! No matter what social issues, current events, or advancements in technology that you’re interested in, we can pretty much bet that there’s a podcast out there about the exact same topic. To wrap it up, we hope that our roundup of the best progressive podcasts has inspired you to take a listen to one (or more!) of the podcasts above. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new! And, as always, be sure to check back in for more super helpful blogs, intriguing content, and ground-breaking podcasts!