In The Anatomy of Tenderness podcast, mother and daughter writers Léonie and Sophie Caldecott examine the idea of tenderness in conversation with each other and with a host of friends and guests. Together we’ll unpack what it means, how we can cultivate it in ourselves, and how it could change the world.

In this, our first conversation, we share why we want to make this podcast, what tenderness means to us, and why it matters, as well as what you can expect to hear in upcoming episodes.

This podcast has been a long time in the works; our first conversation about it was back in the spring of 2019, and then I (Sophie) shared the idea with my community on Instagram in July 2020, when the name was still "Revolution of Tenderness". In the intervening years, other podcasts used this name, and so we shifted to "The Anatomy of Tenderness".

Why has it been four years in the making, though? Perfectionism, fear of not knowing the "right" questions to ask, the vulnerability of the subject matter... learning in public. All of these things, and more. But today we're diving in and not looking back. It's time.

We hope you'll join us in our imperfect journey to a more tender world.

Many thanks to Upcycled Sounds and Rosie Caldecott for the music on this episode, and to Sara Fackrell for the artwork.