Such an open-hearted, authentic, clean and clear communicator, Marianne Banda was a joy to meet. She taught me with grace some terms about race and let me in on her experience of being brought up in South Africa, which I greatly appreciate. I found her balance between humour and grounded humanity really lovely.

Talking about your sexuality and sex life with a stranger in a bath isn’t your everyday experience but she rose to it with zeal. This is Marianne: a joyous ray of sunshine who wears her heart on her sleeve and has a lot to give.

She feels life deeply, through the lense of neurodiversity and I know that this isn’t an easy ride at times. We dive into her transition to the UK, her parents' relationship and the impact upon her, race and neurodiversity and of course, Virgin Island, the cast and crew and what an amazing experience this was for her sexual awakening and sense of self.

P.S. I want to apologise for my feet appearing in the camera shot. I know there are some who find feet rather unappealing and I am sorry when they emerge out of the water. For those that loved it.. Enjoy! 

In this episode, Marianne mentions the Loop Experience earplugs that help cancel background noises. They can be a life-save for neurodiverse people or people with anxiety, whether it’s at a festival, a party, a concert or a walk through a big city. You can find them here: https://www.loopearplugs.com/ 

You can find Marianne on:
https://www.instagram.com/mariannebanda/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mariannebanda
https://www.facebook.com/bandamarianne
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-banda-25ba35141/ 

Want to learn how to listen and connect with people from all walks of life like Beth does? You might have noticed us mentioning the ART Affiliate link. We highly recommend their training for everyone who wants to improve their communication and understanding of each other. The ART International courses are there to help you nourish your relationships and the world around you. 

It’s easy and accessible, online and in person, across the world. On behalf of this world, thank you for wanting to be better!

Get a 5% discount on Level 1 ART courses. Use our code BL: 
https://authenticrelating.co/courses/level-1/artpartner/BethHardwick/