Saying What We're Afraid to with Founder R29 & A Tiny Apt. Christene Barberich
Aug 13, 2024
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In this conversation, Christene Barberich, a renowned writer and co-founder of Refinery29, shares her insights on creativity and personal evolution. She reflects on her iconic interviews and the lessons learned from her career. Christene delves into navigating motherhood later in life, the societal double standards women face with aging, and her quest to redefine success, emphasizing authentic self-expression. Her new project, A Tiny Apt., captures the essence of creating supportive environments for growth and vulnerability during life's transformations.
The founding of Refinery29 was driven by the desire to create an inclusive platform that empowers women to share their stories authentically.
Christine Barberich's project, A Tiny Apt., highlights how personal environments influence creativity and emotional safety during significant life transitions.
Deep dives
The Journey of Refinery29
The retrospective on the founding of Refinery29 highlights the initial challenges and excitement of establishing a platform that resonated with women's voices. Christine Barberick reflects on how the early years were marked by creative ambitions emerging from a post-9/11 landscape, where digital media was just beginning to flourish. Her experiences managing a diverse, ever-growing team fueled the belief that an inclusive environment could empower women to share their stories more authentically. She emphasizes that the core philosophy behind Refinery29 was to create a community where women's issues were discussed openly, breaking down societal taboos and fostering an environment of understanding and acceptance.
Creating A Tiny Apartment
Christine Barberick's new project, A Tiny Apartment, is centered around the significance of environment in personal growth and creativity, especially during periods of substantial life changes. Having transitioned from her previous role, she embraces the autonomy of building something from the ground up and learning through the process. The newsletter serves as a reflection of her journey as she draws connections between the concept of home and one's identity, expressing how individual environments can nurture creativity and emotional safety. This project invites readers to consider their own stories and the histories imbued in the spaces they inhabit.
Redefining Success and Ambition
The discussion addresses the shifting perceptions of success and ambition, particularly for women navigating various life stages while overcoming societal expectations. Christine articulates that true success goes beyond traditional measures, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and being present in one's life and decisions. By sharing her personal experiences, including the challenges of motherhood and the realities of aging, she promotes a more nuanced understanding of what it means to thrive personally and professionally. This perspective encourages individuals, especially women, to pursue their passions without the fear of judgment, recognizing that ambition can coexist with vulnerability.
The Double Standard of Aging
The conversation around the double standard in aging reveals the persistent societal pressures women face compared to men regarding beauty and career longevity. Christine shares her insights on how the media and industry dynamics often perpetuate unrealistic standards that lead women to feel inadequate as they age. She underscores the pressure on women to maintain a certain appearance, often accompanied by an undercurrent of judgment from society, which can stymie their professional growth and personal expression. This acknowledgment of the challenges faced by women in various industries fosters a dialogue about the need for acceptance and understanding as women redefine their narratives and successes throughout different life phases.
This week I spoke with the iconic writer and editor Christene Barberich. I first knew of her as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Refinery29. I’ve loved her work for years, through R29, her own writing, and the podcast she hosted for many years called Unstyled, so when recent guest Erika Veurink connected us, I was thrilled.
We spoke about starting R29 and what that time was like, reflecting on some of her best interviews with everyone from Linda Rodin to Jenny Slate. She also talked about leaving her role there and the excitement of new beginnings. At the root of her newest project, A Tiny Apt., is how the right environment fosters growth, creativity, safety and vulnerability, particularly as that relates to big dramatic change and leaps of faith. She discussed the changes she’s been navigating: becoming a mom later in life; the double standard of aging especially as it relates to work; how she’s redefining success and ambition as she enters this new era of her work and life. I loved getting to talk to her and I’m eager for her to return. Let us know if you listen!