Bitch Media: Recent Episodes
Bitch Media
Feminist response to pop culture!
We post a new podcast episode every Thursday, digging deep on everything from Beyonce to geek girls. Tune in.
Big bittersweet news! Popaganda host Sarah Mirk is leaving the show. Bitch editorial director Lisa Factora-Borchers talks with Sarah about her favorite moments from four years hosting the podcast and about what's next for her creative life.
Popaganda will return in 2018 with all-new episodes.
We talk with food writer and A Hungry Society founder Korsha Wilson (who got her start in restaurants as an Olive Garden "breadstick girl"!) about her recent article, "Dear White Chefs: Stop Talking and Start Listening."
If you ever heard someone gush about how "Filipino food is so hot right now," then you'll appreciate Thrillist editor Khushbu Shah's take on the problems with declaring an entire cultural cuisine to be an up-and-coming trend.
Soleil Ho joins us to talk about food and cultural appropriation—a topic she often discusses on the Racist Sandwich podcast and recently covered for travel platform On She Goes—and about not catering to white tastes as the chef of her new restaurant, Bonito Kitchen.
Chow down on food politics. On this episode, three food writers of color talk about reshaping food media. It's often tricky to discuss race, gender, and class in the food industry! We hear from chef and "Racist Sandwich" podcast host Soleil Ho, Eater and A Hungry Society writer Korsha Wilson, and Thrillist editor Khushbu Shah.
Sarah hit the clothing-optional beach outside of Portland, Oregon to talk to people about body image.
Jenny Bruso is on a mission: to make everyone feel welcome on the trail. She runs the Instagram account Unlikely Hikers to help highlight the experiences of people who aren't often seen in media about the great outdoors.
Model Sawyer DeVuyst talks with us about presenting visual narratives from trans perspectives... and going to the beach.
The beach is supposed to be a place of relaxation. But, as we all know far too well, it’s also a place of high anxiety. Nothin’ puts body positive feelings to the test quite like slipping into what’s essentially colorful underwear and parading around in the midday sun in front of a bunch of strangers. This episode of Popaganda, “Beach Bodies,” takes listeners from the sandy sun to the woods, to the pool, and back again, all while having conversations about how we feel about our bodies and how to deal with the anxieties people have around having their bodies being on display outside.
We talk with Unlikely Hikers creator Jenny Bruso about diversifying outdoor-industry media, hear from model Sawyer DeVuyst about telling visual stories from trans perspectives, and dish on fat-positive fashion with style blogger Jessica Torres. We also share oral histories of a 1930s resort called Dreamland, which catered to African Americans living in the segregated Jim Crow South.
If you can choose to be invisible, it’s a superpower. There’s nothing more magical than the idea that you could waltz through a room unseen or eavesdrop on anyone without them knowing. But when invisibility is not a choice—when it’s forced on you—it’s a curse.
You ever say something in a crowded room and no one listens? You ever turn on the TV and feel like no one else like you actually exists?
Invisibility is the theme of Bitch magazine’s summer print issue. What are we not seeing in our films? Who are we not hearing from in our media? Who remains invisible, despite having more technology than ever before to broadcast ourselves into the world?
On this episode, we talk with two authors featured in the Invisibility print issue: Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha sets some ground rules for the often-invisible work of emotional labor and lawyer and activist Andrea Ritchie discusses her powerful new book Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color. Plus, musician Julia Weldon shares their new album Comatose Hope, which explores the terrifying experience of falling into a coma after gender-confirming top surgery. Listen in.
As Julia was starting to plan a new album, disaster struck. The genderqueer performer fell into a coma after getting gender-confirming top surgery. Julia shares the story here.
Caring for other people is hard work! Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha sets some ground rules for the often-invisible work of emotional labor.
Lawyer and activist Andrea Ritchie discusses the patterns of police violence against women of color that often remain unseen.
Stephanie Woodward and other disability rights activists are literally fighting for the ability to stay alive -- if Obamacare is repealed, many Americans will lose access to the healthcare they need to live.
The editor of POOR magazine talks about living on the streets and what it's like to make media by and for low-income and no-income people.
Does your family look down on your for not making enough money? What's the way to define "success," anyway? Those are the big questions that community organizer Jessica Lee and Backtalk host Amy Lam tackle.
Too often, we don’t see the ability to stay alive, regardless of your income, as a basic foundation that our society can agree on. The fact that the idea that everyone deserves to have healthcare is controversial—that shows one way American identity is steeped in capitalism.
That’s what today’s show is about: life in late capitalism. “Late capitalism” is a phrase that was first used by Marxist theorists at the turn of the 20th century. Over that time, it’s been used in different ways by different people, but right now, it’s popping up all over as a both funny and cutting term to describe the absurdity and lack of dignity that comes with our world’s gaping inequality.
This show features interviews with disability rights activist Stephanie Woodward, POOR magazine founder Tiny Grey-Garcia, and community organizer Jessica Lee.
The founder of asexuality and agender meetup group ACES NYC shares her perspective on dating. Check out http://acesnyc.org/
Ev'yan Whitney, the host of the podcast "The Sexually Liberated Woman," takes the plunge: she interviews her mom about her sexual history. The conversation bridges a gap between the sexy selfie generation and a woman who was raised in an era when even saying "butt" was forbidden.
How many more trend pieces can you stomach on the theme of "Millennials Killed Traditional Dating"? There's this idea in our culture that this generation has fundamentally changed dating—for the worse. That we’re getting away from “traditional” dating and into some terrible uncharted waters. But a look at the history of dating shows one thing loud and clear: every generation has redefined dating. The idea that there’s a “traditional” kind of dating that’s stayed true for 100 years until the internet burned romance to the ground is just… a myth. Instead, with each new generation, new technological changes, evolving gender norms, and our economy has changed the way we date.
On this episode, we talk about early 20th century freak-outs over young peoples' dating lives with Moira Weigel, author of the "feminist-Marxist history of dating" Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating. Also, the founder of ACES NYC joins us to talk about how rising awareness of asexuality is changing mainstream ideas about what dating means. And Ev'yan Whitney, who hosts the podcast The Sexually Liberated Woman and teaches feminist workshops on taking sexy selfies, interviews someone very special about sex: her mom. Tune in.
For so many years, the only woman you'd see as a main character in a video game was Ms. Pacman.
Writer Sam Riedel talks about the history of sexism in video game culture, the connections between Gamergate and the Trump campaign, and how playing video games helped shape her ideas on gender.
If you haven’t played a video game since the Tetris days — or ever — you’d be very surprised how engrossing and how captivating they are now. The medium is unique in its ability to make people feel like we’re part of a story, rather than just watching it. Video games shape identity in a way that’s distinct from other pop culture. We talk about games from Metroid, Quake, and Tomb Raider to Call of Duty and Pokemon.
This episode features Sam Riedel, Saud Al-Zaid, and music from artist Sammus.
What does the US military have to do with massively popular first-person shooter video games like Call of Duty? Well, a lot, actually. Scholar Saud Al-Zaid talks to us about Arab representation in modern video games and the ways playing out fictional wars onscreen shape players' views of reality.
Dr. Chanda Prescodd Weinstein usually researches dark matter. But in this interview, she talks about a far more down-to-earth topic: the social construction of race and the way science has been used to justify racist exploitation of certain peoples.
Behold! Using the power of science to interrogate societal assumptions around race and gender! We talk with theoretical astrophysicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein about her article "The Physics of Melanin" and how scientific research is always shaped by our human backgrounds. Then, we talk with biologist and sociologist Shay-Akil McLean (AKA @hood_biologist!) about decolonizing science—and the physical marks that inequality leaves on our bones.
The team behind the hit podcast "Criminal" talk about the challenging process of taking what was just a creative idea and turning it into an actual show -- not caring whether it made money or not.
Prolific author Michelle Tea lays down some real talk about her path from railing against the world to figuring out how to live in it. Her memoir detailing these issues is called "How to Grow Up."
There was never enough money to go around when Ashley C. Ford was growing up. But now, she has enough: she's a senior features editor at Refinery 29 and, at age 30, is financially stable for the first time in her life. She discusses the ideas that stick with her about money from growing up poor.
If you had a trust fund, would you consider giving it away? That's the choice activist Roan Boucher made, donating half his trust fund to social justice causes. In this interview, he talks about making sense of capitalism from an activist perspective.
What's your relationship to money? It's complicated.
On the one hand, capitalism is killing us—our economic system is exploitive to its core. At the same time, we all need to earn a living. How do anti-capitalist feminist folks square our feelings about hating the economic system we live in with our need to feel financially stable, take care of our families, and maybe even buy a house someday?
On this episode, "Money Feelings," feminist artists, activists, and entrepreneurs discuss their personal relationships to money. The show starts off with social justice educator and artist Roan Boucher, who cofounded the online journal Enough and now works for the worker co-op AORTA. Then, Refinery 29 senior features writer Ashley C. Ford joins us to talk about the lasting impacts of growing up poor. Prolific author Michelle Tea lays down some real talk about her path from railing against the world to figuring out how to live in it. And, finally, the hosts of the popular podcast Criminal talk about the finances of turning their dream creative endeavour into a stable business.
"Family values" has been co-opted by right-wing folks. But what the hell! Feminists have strong values and we have strong families, too. On this episode, we're queering family values. We talk with two queer feminist activists about how they've redefined family values for themselves: Magaret Jacobsen and Yasmin Nair.
Fake news and Donald Trump's constant deceptions have changed the landscape of journalism. Media analyst Carlos Maza walks us through reading the news in this new reality.
Reality TV always presents a distorted version of reality. But the stakes are much higher when the star of the show is running for president. Media critic Jennifer Pozner, author of the book Reality Bites Back, talks about how "The Apprentice" framed Trump as someone who could run the country.
The line between fiction and reality, between what was once unthinkable and what is now happening, comes across as very blurred in news coverage of Trump. But a lot of lines shouldn’t be blurry. There are things that are true. And there are things are totally made up. Sorting through them and making sense of complicated issues is the job of journalism… right? We talk with media critics Carlos Maza and Jennifer Pozner about how to report on the president in an era when nothing can be trusted.
Donald Trump and Mike Pence say they want to ban abortion in the United States. But they seem to have a hazy idea of what that will actually mean. Millions of people around the world know all too well what happens when abortion is criminalized: 25 percent of people live in countries with very restrictive abortion laws. On this episode, we bring you a dispatch from one such country, Chile, where abortion is completely illegal for all reasons. While abortion is banned for everyone in the nation, the reality is much different. As three Chilean women explain, whether or not you can safely get an abortion in the country comes down to one thing: money.
This show features interviews with members of Chilean abortion-information hotline Linea Aborto Libre and reproductive rights group Miles.
Imagine coming home from school one day and your dad is gone. On today’s episode, we talk with two women who fought to keep their families together—as our immigration system tried to tear them apart. Their stories give us an insight into something we don’t often hear about in the political rhetoric around immigration—the human impact of deportation.
Doctors show a pattern, now and throughout history, of dismissing and disbelieving women's pain. We hear from a woman who spent eight years getting a diagnosis for endometriosis, share stories of trans women who experience PMS-like symptoms, and talk about the science of diminishing women's pain. The show closes out with a special story from wonderful podcast The Heart.
A brief history of doctors disbelieving women's pain. We talk about how PMS was seen as "hysteria" in previous generations and then call up writer Sam Riedel to discuss how transgender women are reporting PMS-like symptoms after starting hormone replacement therapy.
Editor and writer Maya Dusenberry talks about her upcoming book called Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick.
Caroline dealt with a mysterious pain for most of her life. After eight years, she finally got a diagnosis. It's a disorder that five million American women have. Why does it take so long to get treatment?
Journalist Sarah Jaffe explores the methods and impact of modern day protests in her book, Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt. We talk about the influence of Occupy, how young people engage in politics beyond voting, and why you can't just dismiss protesters.
People often describe natural disasters as random acts of God. But human activity contributes to floods, earthquakes, and other "natural" disasters. And when disaster strikes, race, class, and gender inequalities determine who suffers most. Writer Bani Amor walks us through the human causes and impacts of "natural" disasters.
Writer Cate Young discusses the power and meaning behind ironic misandry, the recent trend of embracing performative man-hating.
Disaster, dystopia, misandry, oh my! On this episode, we feature three writers from the Chaos print issue of Bitch—Bani Amor, Sarah Jaffe, and Cate Young—who talk about what we can learn from upheaval.
Amy and Sarah talk about how white supremacists have effectively branded themselves as hip "alt-right" folks rather than straight-up racists. They also talk about the ongoing activism at Standing Rock and hear from a youth organizer on the scene in North Dakota.
Plus, love for musician Jay Som, writer Rebecca Solnit, and the TV show Chewing Gum.
After the election of Trump, a lot of people are asking "What now?" For today’s show, we talked to 10 people about things we can all do—right now—to help prepare for Trump’s presidency. Some of these ideas are about working with elected officials and policies. But calling your senators, as I’ve been doing, is only way to get active. A lot of these ideas are about building strong communities and connections, stuff everyone can do, even if you don’t have a lot of money, power, or influence. It’s about working in small ways, and big ways, and taking time to make sure we stay safe and loved in Trump’s America.
Links to all the people and organizations highlighted in this episode can be found at Bitch Media: https://bitchmedia.org/article/popaganda-guide-trump-resistance
The photo on this episode is Lorie Shaull.
We get rageful even hearing Donald Trump's voice on the damn radio. Amy and Sarah vents some grief and anger over the election, talk about the role of white supremacy in the vote, and discuss the tough work ahead.
We are here to to make the future less terrible.
This episode features guidance on talking to kids about open relationships from writer Margaret Jacobsen, advice on discussing queerness from Everyone is Gay co-founder Kristin Russo, and lots of ideas from Bitch listeners.
The band featured on this episode is Flock of Dimes. Featured photo is by Danny Hammontree.
Writer Margaret Jacobsen talks to her two kids about everything, including polyamory. In this interview, she talks about navigating the difficult conversations around jealousy, feelings, and sexuality with her family.
Find Margaret Jacobsen's writing and photography here: http://margaretjacobsen.com/
Ask 100 people for advice on raising feminist kids and you'll get 100 different answers. Popaganda listeners called in and explained one thing they do to help kids grow up to be future feminists.
Photo by Amy Gizienski
Kristin Russo is the co-author of "This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids" and the co-founder of LGBTQ youth organization Everyone is Gay. She offers advice for talking to kids about queerness and how parents can raise kids to be accepting from a young age.
On Backtalk, Bitch editors Amy Lam and Sarah Mirk talk about this week in feminist and pop culture. On the docket this week: The surreal brilliance of Black Mirror, a show that forces us to think about the way technology shapes our emotional lives. Then, we talk about the role race places in the treatment of the protesters at Standing Rock compared to the recent acquittal of seven militia members who staged an armed takeover of federal land in Eastern Oregon last spring. Plus: People who think Hillary Clinton is a literal demon.
The song on this week's show is "Joke" by Flock of Dimes.
More people who've had abortions are finding the support to tell their stories publicly -- and it's changing the political rhetoric around reproductive rights. In this interview, Renee Bracey Sherman talks about the power of telling abortion stories and what she's seen in the way politicians discuss abortion in the 2016 election.
Follow Renee on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/RBraceySherman
Sociologist Gretchen Sisson spends her days at the office doing what we'd all probably like to be doing: Watching TV at our desks. But she watches TV with a giant spreadsheet open, documenting how shows portray characters who get abortions.
In this interview, she discusses the patterns seen in narratives about abortion in shows like Call the Midwife, Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, and Bojack Horseman.
Read more about Gretchen's recent work here: http://bit.ly/2dKv037
Okay, pop quiz: What a legal medical procedure that’s performed roughly 1.6 million times a year in the United States but that still seems to rather terrify and scandalize Hollywood? In recent years, though, there’s been a big shift in the way we talk about abortion. People who’ve had abortions have been able to share their stories widely on social media. And it’s helping change our pop culture, too.
On this episode, we talk with researcher Gretchen Sisson about abortion narratives in film and TV, then discuss abortion rhetoric in the 2016 election with Renee Bracey Sherman.
The band featured on this episode is Tacocat.
A true Halloween horror show! We discuss the horrors of Donald Trump and how traumatic it is for many women to read every day about news of his history of sexual assault and harassment. Shout-out to Tamara Winfrey Harris's column on the race and gender dynamics in the discussion around Trump's bigotry. Then, we talk with resident horror film buff Dahlia Grossman-Heinze about recommendations from our readers for feminist-friendly horror films to watch.
Check out the list of 20 horror films Bitch readers recommend: https://bitchmedia.org/article/halloween-horror-movies-feminist-netflix-hearken
SAW: Issa Rae's brilliant new HBO show "Insecure" hits all the marks.
READ: Jesamyn Ward's powerful memoir Men We Reaped.
HEARD: The Blow has a new single! Check out "Think About Me."
Long-time journalist and About Race podcast co-host Anna Holmes talks about her experiences navigating subtle sexism and racism
We asked Popaganda listeners and GeekGirlCon attendees to share stories about navigating sexism and strategies they have for dealing with discrimination.
Pictured: 15-year-old GeekGirlCon attendee Julia, who's featured in this segment talking about making a uterus pinata.
The author of "Feminist Fight Club," Jessica Bennett, talks about recognizing everyday sexism for what it is and how to effectively deal with sexist dynamics at work.
"Emotional" is a word used to describe "how women are perceived when they express anger or displeasure at work, while a man who does the same is simply viewed as 'passionate,'" writes journalist Jessica Bennett in her new book Feminist Fight Club. On this episode, we share ideas for navigating sexism and racism at work, with help from Bennett and About Race podcast co-host Anna Holmes. We also hear stories from Popaganda listeners and attendees of feminist nerd convention GeekGirlCon. If you've ever dealt with mansplaining coworkers or been written off as "bossy," this is the episode for you.
The band featured on this episode is Shannon and the Clams. The illustration featured here is by Saskia Warner and is published in Feminist Fight Club.
This week on Backtalk, Amy and Sarah get into the nitty gritty of calling out the centering of white voices in popular media, and chat with our special guest and Bitch Media Global Feminism fellow Maneo Mohale about the queer web series of South Africa.
On Backtalk, we always share one thing we read, heard, and saw this week.
SAW: Amy is watching the latest Marvel series on Netflix, Luke Cage features a majority Black cast in this superhero saga without a cape in sight.
READ: Kiese Laymon's collection of essays, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, is Amy's recommended read as it feels like a love letter to his younger self and to Mississippi.
HEARD: Jenny Hval's Blood Bitch is the vampire-themed "menstruation concept album" you've been waiting for.
If you're a woman married to a man, people will often assume you're straight... even when that's not the case. #GoodMuslimBadMuslim co-host and stand-up comedian Zahra talks about how she decided to come out as bisexual to her parents at age 56.
Hear more from Zahra at #GoodMuslimBadMuslim: http://www.goodmuslimbadmuslim.com/
Youth Radio reporter Nanette Thompson shares this dispatch from her high school in El Cerritto, California, about a transgender classmate and a gender-fluid elementary school student.
Check out Youth Radio's great stories and projects here: https://youthradio.org/
A buzzed-about recent study, titled “Sex Beyond the Genitalia: The Human Brain Mosaic,” helps debunk the notion that there are distinct male and female brains. The 2015 study shows that brains cannot be categorized as male or female based on their structure. Instead, we should see brains as a big, heterogeneous group, and each brain as a “mosaic” that may have any combination of characteristics.
Read Rebecca Koon's article about the study here: https://bitchmedia.org/article/brain-science-male-and-female-debunk-problems-feminism-neuroscience-hearken
Illustration by Aimee Chang
Sins Invalid is a performance group whose work centers on disability and sexuality, highlighting the work of artists of color and queer artists. Writer s.e. smith talks with Sins Invalid co-founder Patricia Berne about the how the group helps create more dynamic and dimensional perceptions of people with disabilities.
Sins Invalid has a brand-new show debuting this October in San Francisco: "Birthing, Dying, and Becoming Crip Wisdom" is going up at the ODC Theater. Details here: https://www.odcdance.org/event_view.php?param=717
The photo on this segment is of performer Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha.
It's good to get complicated. On this episode, we rethink binary approaches to brain science, sexuality, gender, and disability. Featuring a moving story from stand-up comedian and #GoodMuslimBadMuslim co-host Zahra Noorbakhsh, a dispatch from transgender students in a California high school, and an interview on being "hot and disabled" with Sins Invalid co-founder Patricia Berne.
The band featured on this episode is British trio Shopping.
We hear from a writer on the scene at the indigenous-led movement against the North Dakota Access Pipeline and talk about the killing of Terrence Crutcher—and what white people should do to help change the culture of police violence in our country.
Plus: Love for Netflix show Lady Dynamite, the song "Soy Yo," and the band Japanese Breakfast.
People don't always see prison activism and feminism as linked - but it's important to understand how mass incarceration plays a big role in making our country more unequal.
Andrea James co-founded the activist group Families for Justice as Healing while serving time in Danbury, the women's prison made famous by Orange is the New Black. Here, she tells the story of what it was like waking up to the realities of life in prison.
Right now in the United States, there are more people with psychiatric disabilities in jail or prison than there are in psych hospitals,
Writer and filmmaker Cheryl Green explores that reality.
The United States imprisons more people than any other country in the world. But there are big systems at work in our culture to make us forget that—to try and keep prisons, and the terrible impacts of mass incarceration, invisible. This vanishing act requires help from all parts of our society, including our pop culture. While they play a huge role in how our economy, politics, and families function, it's rare to see the stories of incarcerated people in our pop culture.
On this episode, we share three stories about making prisons impossible to ignore. We hear voices from a recent national protest against prison labor (incarcerated people are paid as little as 12 cents an hour!), talk with filmmaker and disability justice activist Cheryl Green about the often unseen links between disability and incarceration, and hear from powerhouse Andrea James, who co-founded the group Families for Justice and Healing while serving time in Danbury—the women's prison made famous by Orange is the New Black.
This week on Backtalk, Amy and Sarah talk about big feelings on activist athletes. They dig into the media coverage of Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit during the national anthem and highlight what it means that soccer star Megan Rapinoe took a knee in solidarity with him. Then, they discuss the gender politics of being a freelancer in this economy—and the power dynamics that exist between editors and writers.
Check out the Columbia Journalism Review article on how VICE treats their freelancers and the article "Between a Boss and a Hard Place: Why More Women Are Freelancing" that was published in the Money issue of Bitch. Vice article: http://www.cjr.org/the_feature/vice_freelancers.php Bitch article: https://bitchmedia.org/article/between-boss-and-hard-place-why-more-women-are-freelancing
Every body is a yoga body, says fat femme yoga sensation Jessamyn Stanley. In this interview, we talk about the problems with mainstream yoga culture and how body-positivity is so tough in our society.
Learn more about Jessamyn's work and upcoming book here: http://jessamynstanley.com/
Writer and trauma survivor Mika Doyle explains what it was like to take part in a study examining how yoga impacts people with PTSD.
Photo by Liz West.
Popaganda listeners called in with their short takes on how they move their bodies and feel good. They issue recommendations for everything from rugby to trampolining.
Photo by Sascha Kohlmann
Roller derby isn't just fun, it's a place to feel good about your body (spandex and all!). Reporter Emily McCarty talks with skaters training in the Rose City Rollers' hangar in Portland.
Photo source: http://www.rosecityrollers.com/rosecityrollersforums/viewforum.php?f=79
Why does the thought of going to the gym inspire such anxiety? Because exercise—literally moving our bodies—is so wrapped up in fatphobia, ableism, sexism, and other nasty stuff.
On this episode, we try to extricate exercise from all the body-shaming stuff that's usually tied to it. Bitch Media editorial intern Emily McCarty brings us a dispatch from roller derby training with the Rose City Rollers and listeners share ideas for feel-good exercises ranging from rugby to trampolining. In the last half of the show, we dig deep on yoga. Fat femme yoga sensation Jessamyn Stanley drops some knowledge, then writer Mika Doyle joins us to talk about the science of using yoga to heal from PTSD.
The band featured on this episode is Juniore.
Comedian Hari Kondabolu hits the mark with his social justice-focused jokes. In this excerpt from his new album, Mainstream American Comic, he talks about American politics and an encounter with Joe Biden.
See Hari's tour dates and buy his album here: http://www.harikondabolu.com/
For people with disabilities, voting is often no easy task. Our electoral system is designed without accommodation in mind. Producer Alan Montecillo talks with the co-founders of the hashtag #cripthevote and other people with disabilities about how to make voting work for everyone.
We often blame people for not voting, but fail to look at the barriers to filling out a ballot. In this show, we take a look at voter ID laws, felon voting restrictions, and other issues that keep people from being able to vote.
Of all the racial and ethnic groups in the US, Asian Americans are the least likely to vote. An organizer with the group 18 Million Rising explains the social and structural barriers to voting. They're helping link up Asian American voters with volunteers to translate ballots. Check out their work at votervox.org.
Our voting system is man-made. Like, literally written by men. Mostly white, straight men. This helps explain why there’s pretty low voter turnout in the United States. On this episode, we examine our democracy as a design problem—and explore what barriers are built into our election laws that keep people from voting. We talk with an organizer with Asian American get-out-the-vote group 18 Million Rising, hear from the founders of #CriptheVote, and listen to an excerpt of Hari Kondabolu’s new comedy album. Oh and there’s a Pokemon Go shout-out in there, too.
The band featured on this episode is Fever High.
A spoiler-free discussion about the Netflix show everyone's obsessed with: Stranger Things (AKA "Winona Forever"). Amy and Sarah also dig into media coverage of women at the Olympics and share some love for Hurray for the Riff Raff. Plus: Big life news from Amy!
The band featured on this episode is Ezra Furman.
Again and again, we hear stories of student athletes being involved in sexual assault. But what are campuses doing to change the culture of their sports programs? In her new book "Unsportsmanlike Behavior," Jessica Luther takes a hard look at what's wrong with the way colleges handle sexual assault among sports teams—and how they have a gross financial incentive to let perpetrators off the hooks.
The US women's national soccer team is higher ranked than the men—so why do they make less money? While sports represent our cultural values and tie in closely to our identities, it's not hard to see how sports from the college level to the Olympics are driven by one thing: money. After hearing from women's soccer fans, we talk with professor Jules Boykoff about the incredible history of protests at the Olympics, including the current games in Rio. Then, we call up author Jessica Luther to discuss the role money plays in how colleges often let athletes off the hook in rape cases.
The band featured on this episode is Diaspoura.
The US National Women's Soccer Team is more highly ranked than the men. And last year, they were more profitable, too. So why are they paid way less for their skills? We talk with fans at a Portland Thorns game about the economics of sports and soccer's wage gap.
In his new book "Power Games," Professor Jules Boykoff explains how the Olympics is a form of celebration capitalism. The games help the rich get richer through land deals and giant construction projects, but at the expense of everyone else.
This is an excerpt from our episode "Sports and Capitalism."
Three favorite nerdy stories from past episode of our show. We take trip through the history of women working in the comic book industry, debunk five myths about women and video games, and talk with scholar Walidah Imarisha about what science fiction can teach social justice activists.
Four favorite stories on activism from our archives. First off, listen to an interview with comedian (and new political podcast host!) Hari Kondabolu. Then, we highlight an interview with problematic animal rights group PETA and a collection of real-life stories from Hollywood with "Shit People Say to Women Directors." The show ends with an essay by Tasha Fierce on Black Lives Matter and the role Black women have played in protest movements.
Looking for new music? You're in the right place! Sarah and Amy each pick five new-ish songs they love and will be listening to all summer long! Turn up the volume and do some decompression, friend.
Songs highlighted in this episode: Santigold - "Can't Get Enough of Myself" Tegan and Sara - "U Turn" Hop Along - "Waitress" Mitski - "Your Best American Girl" Chance the Rapper - "All We Got" La Luz - "You Disappear" Bombon - "Dance Just Like Annette" Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - "Nobody Dies" Yuna - "Crush" Grimes "Flesh Without Blood"
Scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz challenges the myths around the origin stories of the United States.
Iranian-American comedian Negin Farsad talks about her personal history and her new memoir, How to Make White People Laugh.
History isn't static—it's the stories we tell ourselves about our past. And that story changes depending on who's doing the telling. On this episode, we explore what it means to tell your own history in three different ways. Iranian-American comedian Negin Farsad talks with us being a super patriotic teen and her new book, How to Make White People Laugh. Then, writer Jessica Machado discusses the life and music of blueswoman Bessie Smith, who told her own story in song in the 1920s and 30s. Finally, we call up brilliant scholar Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz to dig into her work, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. Listen in!
The hosts of excellent podcast Good Muslim/Bad Muslim join us to talk about an issue near and dear to our hearts: likability. We discuss how gender and race impact who's seen as "nice" and what that means for Hillary Clinton.
Follow the work of Taz and Zahra of Good Muslim/Bad Muslim here: http://www.goodmuslimbadmuslim.com/
Cigarettes were at one point marked to women as "freedom torches." In this essay, Andi Zeisler explores the history of advertisers co-opting feminist language to sell everything from chocolate bars to in-home douche kits.
Writer Bani Amor talks with us about the racial and gender politics of the fair trade movement. She and Bitch Media associate editor Amy Lam also dig into what it means to approach travel and tourism from an anti-colonial perspective.
We embark on an anti-capitalist exploration of cold hard cash, highlighting work from the Money issue of Bitch magazine.
Featuring: Financial advice for your twenties from Ester Bloom of The Billfold, a conversation about the racial politics of fair trade with travel writer Bani Amor, an discussion of gender in the era of Uber with writer Sarah Grey, and the revelation of why cigarettes were once sold to women as "freedom torches" as Andi Zeisler shares an excerpt from her new book We Were Feminists Once.
Artist MariNaomi never really felt like she fit in, growing up as a half-Japanese kid in the '80s. In her new graphic memoir, she recounts her struggles to learn Japanese as an adult and how her mother's culture turned out to not be what she expected.
See more of MariNaomi's work: http://marinaomi.com/
Poet Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib talks about his experiences feeling both like an insider and an outsider in the worlds of punk and poetry. His new book is called The Crown Ain't Worth Much.
http://www.abdurraqib.com/
The Ink Visible project asked five tattoo artists with disabilities to design temporary tats representing their unseen experiences.
Learn more about this project at inkvisible.org
One of our foremost feminist thinkers has weighed in on Beyoncé’s new album—writer Zoe Samudzi joins us to break down what it all means. Then, we discuss a controversy around the indie electro-pop duo Yacht, who screwed up this week in a publicity stunt involving a fake-leaked sex tape. Plus: Love for Lindy West, a web series centering on brown girls’ lives, and a Southern California punk band.
Read bell hooks' article on Lemonade here: http://www.bellhooksinstitute.com/blog/2016/5/9/moving-beyond-pain
Follow Zoe here: https://twitter.com/ztsamudzi?lang=en
In recent months, Republicans have proposed 50 bills that would ban transgender people from using the bathroom matching their gender identity. Scholar Sheila Cavanagh notes that this kind of political anxiety around restrooms has a history. As she wrote in her book, Queering Bathrooms, public restrooms have been a charged site of gender and identity since they were first built.
Writer Sam Riedel breaks down why transphobic bathroom bills won't actually "protect the safety of women," as their proponents claim.
You can follow Sam on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/SamusMcQueen
Last week, Mara Keisling was arrested for the first time in her life. She was part of a massive protest against North Carolina's discriminatory "bathroom bill" law, HB2. We talk with Mara and ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio about strategies for pushing back against the new transphobic laws that are being debated all over the country.
A wave of transphobic "bathroom bills" is sweeping the nation, with Republican legislators from Wyoming to Washington proposing 50 such laws this year. How did fighting over public bathrooms become a right-wing cause célébre? Why do politicians care what bathrooms people use, anyway? This episode explores the history of gender segregation in bathrooms and highlights the work of activists who are leading the resistance to the new discriminatory laws.
’m on a Beyoncé high,” says writer Marge Jacobson, who joins us to talk about “Lemonade” and love stories. Then, Andi Zeisler discusses her new book, We Were Feminists Once, which critiques how feminism has become a buzzword label that’s slapped on products and pop culture.
Poet Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib reads "all of the black boys stopped packing switchblades" for an upcoming episode of Popaganda to be published in mid-May.
For a long time, the members of the mosque in Canton, Michigan tried to stay out of politics. But this election, the level of Islamophobia seen in the national conversation is prompting some members to start knocking on doors and volunteering to get out the vote.
This story was reported and produced for Making Contact radio. Listen to the original story and buy it from PRX here: http://www.prx.org/series/3814-making-contact
Photo via Creative Commons: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25400323@N06/2737015381/in/photolist-5aRVjn-jUFT1D-5vhdZv-6qAkk-4qnrmS-pFppXz-8Tx2F3-5xMue4-8Q9NPn-5xRSoW-aBfzyD-5xMucH-6qhuj-5xMubt-pDAvJ2-rMkWM-5rebhg-rQKyQ-br6e8f-4rKm56-4fGF9E-bDZSz2-5zi66D-bo3AHY-pVXFyx-djLcMM-5xRSr7-djLepK-5zqxCW-ntCo11-4waVPC-5zgE8T-5aRUyc-7gfJ-EeXzN-6hEyVH-rMpRX-JYds3-rKYAT-5xP8VC-fq1P6o-bo3AJu-4Ue1Zn-bAXspc-4h6uh2-8B6BRB-6HHPVD-4gXh4d-4Tg8S-bAXsrr
From KUOW's youth radio series RadioActive comes this story of a teenage farmworker and high school student who decides to start organizing to help her community. Learn more about RadioActive here: http://www.prx.org/group_accounts/9258-radioactive
Photo by Edward Musiak via Creative Commons: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardmusiak/12725226375/in/photolist-kou7sK-v9c4e-g9zuG1-oM3TuJ-5jRUjg-jZqvz1-fqVLrp-ndGNZj-mQdDM4-ndaiYw-bXtsZh-iU1Cfv-iU1GAV-n7Arqw-4x3Byi-btwRWN-cfgm9Q-55rJvg-7m48Lk-5kcfvv-fq9uxA-5rsbmY-8SZdGb-nuyj1A-nhQtdc-dKfefE-4kv3fb-4z5AY2-a9j44q-tgJbW-nvbKtK-eWPzzo-dX8Zio-5BL4Cd-5aGC3m-r4DTVx-LkaDZ-qyfrrp-8rkzkk-7h49tb-brAcHv-54UUgM-48o8Fy-a1B5ds-6zqhsy-qHZpXZ-8sraJK-ejo4si-oHy6Up-4oVbyn
Director Dawn Porter discusses her new film Trapped, which explores the lives of Southern abortion providers who face an increasingly restrictive set of laws meant to close their clinics.
This interview with Andrea Chase is adapted from their conversation on Behind the Scenes. Listen to the original version here: https://beta.prx.org/stories/174391
Writer Rafia Zakaria explores the complicated power dynamics of voluntourism—the trend of people from richer countries combining international travel and volunteering.
This essay was originally published at AlJazeera: america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/4/volunter-tourismwhitevoluntouristsafricaaidsorphans.html
Photo by UUSC (Creative Commons): https://www.flickr.com/photos/uusc4all/6505691731/in/photolist-aUTnuP-nFiDJC-54Hanv-9m8V3C-jHLq6c-hB8eFt-5YqccF-62NWHJ-edMWkt-72eNcR-bjZwme-nCu8dP-edTAVJ-fZxki-edMWua-e5NbNq-8Ujwiz-jHPghA-7w9mTA-6cYXq9-2PRTFh-jmQovh-je5VQG-je39G6-4qN21j-kMKEo8-jHHLVH-j2KrPy-j2MjSq-jHKSrm-2PSPDh-P7xUG-71K4s1-iQsYrh-kMKqcV-8Sg54v-71K3BS-jdXVDx-iQp8ue-9m5Rq6-71F3jZ-8kVC61-jdZsBv-dnnyRF-edECHY-8SyREk-4GrXqf-71K47U-8e9PnY-54Haja
Four stories about passion projects, pitching in, and going above-and-beyond. First off, writer Rafia Zakaria shares a critique of the trend of voluntourism—the dynamics of people from richer countries combining international travel and volunteering. Then, a teen reporter with a Seattle radio station KUOW reports on a teenage farmworker who spends her high school years pitching in to improve the working conditions of other agricultural laborers. After that, we travel to Michigan with Making Contact to hear a report on a local Muslim community getting involved in political organizing. Finally, we hear an interview with astounding filmmaker Dawn Porter, who is the creative force behind the new film Trapped, which details the attacks on abortion clinics in the South.
Photo via Creative Commons: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davefaulkner/14299103953/in/photolist-6hz6JC-8NvryA-4YCEVS-a3dgWU-nMyDr4-pKUGh-kwZCKn-8dqHe6-d1mZBu-8U5i3j-2yEdqp-cTc4EY-7S2Vgg-qCkafw-nkPtdU-arxnWd-9YyGpM-7WStT1-9Toa8Q-hfnbq8-pNgXXU-bD5TS7-4N1Dor-gTnzuS-AfT5Lx-ofxErU-8zZzfe-aGbm6P-ApFxcF-ckk67y-4sz5Wz-wktZbo-D7RaZi-wHAjZT-xF5E7c-rUYzYn-w6uSsj-xDCwBS-xnXGiR-BeNL2U-xnRoDJ-wCR67t-nnSri4-xF5Emk-qRCDa7-xDCBj7-xnRtn3-xgpj2H-vsvbkr-F4ub7t
Sarah & Amy list five things you should know about the wage gap (#1: It's not your fault, ladies!) and discuss progressive reactions to North Carolina's discriminatory anti-LGBT "bathroom bill." Plus: new music and some love for poetry.
This episode covers everything from puttanesca to patriarchy as three female chefs discuss sexism and racism in the kitchen. Plus, of course, snacks! Between interviews with Top Chef star Karen Akunowicz and one of America’s only female sushi chefs, we spice things up by taste-tasting weird recently invented snacks.
Karen Akunowicz started cooking to impress a girl. Now, her kitchen nickname is Chainsaw and she’s one of the best-known chefs in the United States. For almost five years, she has been the Executive Chef at celebrated Boston restaurant Myers + Chang, she was just nominated for a James Beard award for Best Chef Northeast for the second year in a row, and she carves out space for herself on the current season of Bravo’s Top Chef.
Soleil Ho is a chef and writer. In this essay, "Craving the Other," she explores the politics of race and food.
Read Soleil's article here: https://bitchmedia.org/article/craving-the-other-0
And check out her brand-new podcast on race and food: Racist Sandwich.
Mikiko Ando is one of America's only female sushi chefs. For years, she wanted to become a chef but was told that women could never be sushi chefs because of an old-school taboo: male chefs believe that when women menstruate, it affects their sense of taste and body temperature, making it impossible for them to properly prepare sushi. Eventually, Mikiko became the head sushi chef at a restaurant in San Francisco. She talks here with reporter Sayaka Matsuoka.
On Backtalk, Bitch editors Amy and Sarah talk about this week in pop culture. This week: holy transphobia! Republicans are using transmisogyny as a get-out-the-vote effort in states like North Carolina, sponsoring bills that attack LGBT anti-discrimination laws. Meanwhile, Jian Ghomeshi’s sexual assault cases show how the legal system puts survivors on trial.
Oftentimes, the image of the modern environmental movement isn’t super diverse—it’s sometimes seen as a cause led mostly by white people. In this story, Making Contact radio reporters narrate this story of African Americans working for environmental justice in Wisconsin, aiming to make healthy food and positive communities available to everyone.
Hear more of this story from Making Contact at www.radioproject.org.
The photo on this interview is a Creative Commons image by Julie Falk: https://www.flickr.com/photos/piper/
Wangari Maathai was herself a force of nature. Born in 1940 in rural Kenya, she became an advocate for environmental protection, democracy, and women’s rights. Her work mattered so much that in 2004, she became the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She passed in 2011, from ovarian cancer, but her words and work still resonate today.
Luckily, we’re still able to hear from Wangari in her own words.
In 2009, Sea Change radio got the chance to talk to Wangari Mathai when she was on tour in the United States.
The photo on this track is a Creative Commons image by The-time-line.
Idle No More is a grassroots movement that brings together environmental justice and indigenous rights. Spreading across Canada, the organization was founded in 2012 by four women—three First Nations Women and a Non-Native ally. Their original goal was to push back against a sweeping federal bill called C-45 that weakened environmental protections and threatened native rights. Since then, thousands of people have joined in their protests.
Reporter George Lavender of Making Contact radio talked with on of Idle No More’s co-founders Sylvia McAdam. In this interview, she talks about how indigenous rights and environmental protection are intrinsically inter-linked.
Hear more of this interview from Making Contact: http://www.radioproject.org/
The photo featured on this track is a Creative Commons image by The Indignants.
Your ability to drink clean water, breathe unpolluted air, and eat healthy food shouldn't depend on your income or your skin color. But as stories from Flint and elsewhere prove, all too often race and class play a role in access to environmental quality. We talk about the meaning of "environmental justice" and hear from three activists who are working to make the world a better, greener place. This episode features interviews with a co-founder of indigenous rights movement Idle No More, African American farmers in Wisconsin, and the late Nobel Prize winner Wangari Matthai.
The photo on this track is a Creative Commons image by James Mitchell.
This week, the big news is that Republicans are turning on Donald Trump, putting together a viral ad about some of the most sexist things he's said. We also discuss race and gender at the James Beard Awards and how the restaurant industry is a hotbed of sexual harassment.
Astrologist Rhea Wolf reads the cards for our podcast Popaganda and explains the basics of her practice as a modern witch.
Can you cast a spell to heal a broken heart? Or to make yourself more accountable? Artist Rebecca Artemisa shares ideas with us from her zine IDGAF Spells.
See more of Rebecca's work here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RebeccaArtemisa?ref=l2-shopheader-name
A witchy aesthetic permeates music videos of several artists these days. Writer Emma Rault explains how artists like Azealia Banks, Grimes, and FKA twigs use a witchy identity to send a subversive message about gender.
Trans Latina bruja Mey Rude talks with us about her witchcraft practice and how to steer clear of cultural appropriation. Plus, she shares her favorite witches from pop culture.
Read Mey's Witch Hunt column on Autostraddle: http://www.autostraddle.com/tag/witch-hunt/
Witchcraft is popping up all over the place in pop culture these days. On this Popaganda episode, we explore the current popularity of modern witchcraft and talk with real-life witches about how their self-made spirituality informs their identity.
A huge reproductive rights case is facing the Supreme Court this week—it could affect the legality of dozens of anti-abortion laws passed across the United States. We also discuss the sexual assault case filed by pop star Kesha, who has been fighting to be freed from a contract with a high-powered producer who she says abused her.
Photo by via @crazykeshafans
Author Peggy Riley researched the history of charismatic male cult leaders while working on "Amity and Sorrow," her novel about women escaping a cult. She talks with us about the unique American nature of religious cults.
From Mad Max to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, pop culture is full of stories about patriarchal cults. In fiction and in real life, extremist dudes have blended religion and charisma to gain power. We look at the history of American cults like Jonestown and Warren Jeff’s compound with an eye on gender. Plus: We hear the bizarre cult history of Sleepytime tea.
A racist religious text supposedly written by extraterrestrials played a surprising role in the founding of tea company Celestial Seasonings.
Food writer Megan Giller explains the story. Read her original reporting here: https://vanwinkles.com/the-sordid-history-of-sleepytime-tea
The list of stars who have said terrible things about #OscarsSoWhite is literally two pages long. Amy and Sarah read through that list plus discuss recent comments from Madeleine Albright and Gloria Steinem on how young women need to vote for Hillary Clinton.
Long hot bath, anyone? Seven people share one way they practice self-care for this excerpt of our podcast episode on feminism and self-care.
Superheroes aren't perfect. In fact, their biggest strength is often the fact that they have a weakness or a troubled past. Writer, comedian, and former therapist Emily V. Gordon explores this idea in her book Super You.
We've all been there.
Recently single writer Grace Manger kept this audio diary for seven days, documenting how she practiced self-care (and didn't) in the wake of a breakup.
Audre Lorde said self-care was an "act of political warfare." In this interview, writer Evette Dionne discusses why self-care is still a radical practice for Black women.
Follow Evette on Twitter @freeblackgirl.
Activists still need to sleep enough, eat enough, and stretch every once in a while. On this episode, we explore the gender and race dynamics of taking care of our minds and bodies and share self-care tips.
Featuring Evette Dionne on why self-care is a radical act and writer Emily V. Gordon on what superheroes can help us rethink anxiety.
Amy schools Sarah on what to know about the Super Bowl, as a feminist pop culture consumer. Plus: We compare notes on the Iowa caucus and talk about being critical of both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
The debate around sociologist Alice Goffman's book "On the Run" centers on an interesting question: What are ethical considerations to keep in mind when writing about a community that's not your own?
This issue recently came up with the journalism class of Northwestern professor Deborah Douglas. We talk with her and journalism student Rebekah Frumkin about issues to have on your radar when reporting on marginalized communities.
Writer Lisa Lee recounts how white classmates in her MFA program found the racism in her stories "unbelievable" and often confused her fictional work for autobiography. Microaggressions like this can add up into big mental health problems.
This is an excerpt of an essay Lisa originally published on Vida. Read the whole essay here: http://www.vidaweb.org/report-from-the-field-racial-invisibility-and-erasure-in-the-writing-workshop/
Between 80 and 90 percent of publishing industry is white. How does this overwhelming whiteness affect how books are written, published, and read?
On this episode of Popaganda, we talk with authors of color about writing in a white-dominant industry and talk to a journalism professor about advice for writing about marginalized communities.
This episode features interviews or essays from Ari Laurel, Erika T. Wurth, Lisa Lee, Deborah Douglas, and Rebekah Frumkin.
Cover image from Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which is discussed in the show.
The American Libraries Association keeps track of books that are challenged in schools and libraries every year. What did they find? Books by and about people of color top the list for most likely to be banned.
Writer Ari Laurel was told by her writing professor that her stories about growing up in Oakland weren't "universal" enough. But that feels like it's just not catering to white audiences. A truly "universal" writing world would encompass many identities.
Author Erika T. Wurth talks about her novel "Crazyhorse's Girlfriend" and the challenges with being a boundary-pushing author in the white-dominant publishing industry.
Amy and Sarah discuss how the lack of diversity at the Oscars shows the systemic discrimination of the film industry, then dish on the new season of Serial.
Plus: Love for Bojack Horseman, After Tiller, and good new music.
There's lots of nostalgia around Saved by the Bell. But writer Emily Hashimoto has some bad news: The show's female characters and it's handling of feminism are cringe-worthy.
Unless you were a straight, rich, white, able-bodied dude, life would have been worse for you at the turn of the century. So why do we love to watch period pieces? Writer s.e. smith explores what draws viewers to Downton and other historical dramas.
Rewatching the X-Files, one thing is clear: Scully is the best. Mulder, on the other hand, is a rampant mansplainer. X-Files fan Sarah Mirk explores her feelings on watching the show as an adult.
Writer Soleil Ho grew up watching Sailor Moon on TV and learning about the Spice Girls from her friends. In this essay, she reflects on how those two pieces of pop culture impacted her identity and thoughts on gender.
HIV stigma, the ethics of organ donation, and assisted suicide are just some of the heavy topics the Golden Girls took on during the show's run. Bioethicist Elizabeth Yuko explains why the sitcom's handling of these dicey topics felt honest, rather than exploitive.
The '90s are having a moment. We talk Sailor Moon, Saved By the Bell, The X-Files, and The Golden Girls, plus muse about the meaning of "girl power" and whether shows like Downton Abbey glamorize colonialism.
What if there were "Making a Murderer" style documentaries for deaths like Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, and Eric Garner?
Sarah and Amy discuss that idea, plus the case of Bill Cosby, New Years resolutions, and their favorite pop culture of the week.
We talk to the many contributors, guests, and writers for Bitch Media about their favorite pop culture things in 2015, from books written by women of color to a favorite moment in Texas politics.
Amy and Sarah reflect on what they learned from pop culture this year, including lessons from How To Get Away With Murder and Ta-Nehisi Coates, and on how they grew as feminists.
Plus: A favorite new song of the year.
Fatimah Asghar's poetry is brutally beautiful. Her stanzas are heavy with pain yet buoyant with light. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Pakistani and Kashmiri immigrants, Asghar now resides in Chicago and is a poet and performer whose work leaves you reeling.
Amy Lam talks with Fatimah about her work in this interview. Read more of Fatimah's work here: http://fatimahasghar.com/
Filmmaker Anne Galisky has a worn black-and-white photo: It's an official snapshot of her father's family in US immigration detention. Anne shares the story of how her family wound up as undocumented immigrations in the United States after fleeing Stalin in the 1930s and how her history as the child of a family facing deportation impacts her work as a filmmaker.
Learn about Anne's films Papers and 14 here: http://www.grahamstreetproductions.com/
Linguist and psychologist Julie Sedivy's first language is Czech. But when her family moved to Canada, English took over. As an adult, she reflects on how the loss of her native language impacted her connection to culture and shares the science behind language loss.
Read Julie's excellent article on this topic at Nautilus mag: http://nautil.us/issue/30/identity/the-strange-persistence-of-first-languages
The photo included on this excerpt is by Jordan, via Creative Commons: http://bit.ly/1P9s2lJ
TK Matunda grew up in Canada, the daughter of Kenyan immigrants. In this personal essay, she talks about navigating her parents' culture and her own burgeoning identity.
Today's episode shares the personal stories of people growing up as first-generation Americans and Canadians. The people we interview discuss navigating their parents' traditions with their own personal politics and learning to value where they come from—despite all the cultural forces that erase immigrant stories.
This episode features linguist and psychologist Julie Sedivy, poet Fatimah Ashgar, filmmaker Anne Galisky, journalist Belinda Cai, and emerging writer TK Matunda.
Journalist Belinda Cai never knew much about her father's life in China or why he decided to come to the United States. So, one day, she asked. His answers made her rethink what she knew about him and her own identity.
Hear more from Belinda Cai: http://belindacai.com/
Welcome to our podcast of horrors! Amy and Sarah talk about the horrific villain on the new Netflix/Marvel show Jessica Jones and why it's the only superhero show Amy will watch. Then, we do some cathartic ranting about Donald's Trump's racism and the destructive nature of his rhetoric.
In 10 years, a group of astronauts is going to set off on a mission to form the first human colony on Mars—if they can just sort out some technical logistics first.
Writer Jessica Franken interviewed the women who aspire to be part of the Mars One project for the Nerds print issue of Bitch. We talk with her about the project.
Three real-life stories of women in spaaaaace!
In this Popaganda episode, we discuss the forgotten history of women who trained to be astronauts in the 1960s—but were never allowed to go to space. Then, we hear the stories of African-American women who worked as crucial mathematicians for NASA. Finally, we look to the future with a conversation about the women who want to go to Mars.
Starting in the 1940s, African-American women worked as crucial mathematicians and number-crunchers at NASA. Author Margot Lee Shetterly tells us their stories.
Learn more about Margot's book, Hidden Figures: margotleeshetterly.com/hidden-figure…an-computers/
Photo of Dr. Christine Darden is courtesy NASA.
From the first days of space travel, women wanted to be astronauts. A group of women went through a grueling training process to become part of NASA's expeditions, only to have their dreams crushed.
Writer Elizabeth Yuko shares this story.
How do you survive the holidays? Sarah and Amy share self-care tips for navigating the stress of family, friends, and high expectations. Also, we discuss a recent article about sexism in Hollywood and how it could focus more on racial discrimination.
To celebrate the release of Bitch magazine's Nerds print issue, we highlight stories about our favorite nerds. Comics author Kelly Sue DeConnick joins us to talk about her series Bitch Planet and Pretty Deadly, plus we get insights on black nerddom and the greatness of the new Ms. Marvel.
Check out the whole Nerds issue of Bitch magazine here: https://bitchmedia.org/issue/69
Writer Vanessa Willoughby shares her insights on race and nerdery in films like Star Wars.
This essay is part of the article Geeking Out: Four Writers on Nerding While Black. Read the full article here -> https://bitchmedia.org/article/geeking-out-black-female-nerds-stem-pop-culture-race-identity
Fictional New Jersey teen celebrates her first year of taking on the mantle of Ms. Marvel. We talk with writer Alice Nuttal about the importance of the character and why she resonates.
The writer behind the series Bitch Planet and Pretty Deadly talks about her work and crafting powerful feminist stories.
Sarah and Amy discuss the disturbing Daniel Holtzclaw case and the pattern of sexual assault by police officers. Then, writer Leela Ginelle joins us to talk about the transphobic campaign that led to the repeal of Houston's equal rights measure.
Plus: Lots and lots of love for Aziz Ansari's new show, Master of None.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hasn't sought fame. But it's come to her anyway, in the form of legions of fans who love her brilliant legal opinions. We talk with Irin Carmon, the co-author of new book, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
When Scottish trio CHVRCHES blew up after the release of their first album, Lauren Mayberry suddenly found herself fronting a wildly popular band. In this interview, she talks about learning to hold her ground while dealing with pressure from fans and music industry professionals alike.
Fandom is a powerful cultural force. It can bind together communities, drive the pop culture economy, and revive TV shows from the dead. This episode explores four ways fandom shapes identity, including a look at the Notorious RBG phenomena, a bold exploration of queer fanfiction, a discussion on video game fans, and a conversation with CHVRCHES frontwoman Lauren Mayberry.
Fans love remixing their favorite characters in steamy stories. The first queer fanfiction emerged long before the internet in Star Trek fanzines.
For the full version of this story, first published in Bitch magazine in 2003, click here: https://bitchmedia.org/article/fan-tastic-voyage
Journalist and life-long video game fan Latoya Peterson talks about how not everyone feels welcome to identify as a "gamer."
Watch Latoya's whole documentary series here: http://fusion.net/video/216645/girl-gamers-women-females-play-video-games-documentary-fusion/
Amy and Sarah discuss how the brutal treatment of a student at Spring Valley High shows a pattern of over-punishing Black students. Then we change gears to talking about Halloween costumes. Plus: Way too much love for How to Get Away With Murder.
We explore some of the many things that make us afraid, including horror films and stand-up comedy.
This show features a look at the history of queer women in horror films, a story of FBI surveillance, and life tips from comedian Jenny Yang.
When Assia was growing up, it wasn't strange to see unmarked vans parked around her mostly Arab American neighborhood. Now, she's at work on a documentary called "The Feeling of Being Watched" that explores what years of covert FBI surveillance did to her community.
There's something particularly terrifying about "home invasion" movies like Funny Games and Panic Room. Why are we so afraid of violence in the home? Writer Leele Ginelle draws the links between what scares us onscreen and the high rates of domestic violence in real life.
Do you know how many lesbian vampire films there are? So many lesbian vampire films!
Movie buff Sara Century takes a look at the history of portrayals of queer women in horror, from Dracula's Daughter to modern-day murderers.
Jenny Yang knows it can be scary to get onstage. But that's doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. She explains how to face your fears in creative projects.
Watch Jenny's stand-up videos at jennyyang.tv.
Amy's "white feminism" siren goes off again, this time because of a t-shirt campaign for the new film Suffragette. Amy and Sarah also dish on female-centric TV shows coming up this fall and recommend the new album from YACHT.
Reporter Sarah buys weed for the first time in her life as it legally goes on sale in Oregon. The experience raises the question of whether the people most hurt by drug laws--African Americans-- will benefit from the new booming cannabis business.
Cannabis is a multi-billion-dollar industry. But unlike most industries, it's so new that it doesn't have an established boys' club. The members of Women Grow are trying to make sure women get equal footing in the booming new business.
The businesses featured in this segment are HiFi Farms and the dispensary Panacea.
Maryland arrests a LOT of people for marijuana. At least it used to. Writer Caitlin Goldblatt looks at how the state has changed with the decriminalization of marijuana and how the racial disparities in policing still exist.
Follow Caitlin Goldblatt here: https://twitter.com/trustpunch
Even if you don't care about weed, the gender and racial dynamics of the emerging, multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry are worth paying attention to. Will the new cannabis entrepreneurs help right the wrongs of the war on drugs? Or will cannabis just be business as usual, with most of the money flowing to rich, white guys at the top?
Sarah notes that Planned Parenthood has a higher approval rating than Congress. Then, Amy's "white feminist" siren goes off when author Erica Jong starts talking about race at a recent panel.
Plus: X-Files love, Ta-Nehisi Coates is a certified genius, and a quick rant about race in cartoons.
Amy Lam discusses how NBA athletes have taken subtly activist stands in recent years, despite team owners wanting them to remain mum on political affairs.
Our ideas about sports are shaped by our families. Three people reflect on their families' relationship to sports.
Photo of the NWSL ticker tape parade in New York by the New York Department of Transportation.
Being a feminist sports fan is complicated. Athletes are talented artists and sports can build community and confidence. But sports culture has many dark sides: violence, homophobia, greed. On this episode, we talk with feminist fans of football, tennis, soccer, and baseball about what keeps them watching and how they're working to change sports for the better.
Photo of Serena Williams by Beth Wilson (Creative Commons).
Jessica Luther is working on a book about the rampant sexual assaults in college football. But she's also a huge football fan. Jessica talks with us about squaring those two realities and being a feminist football fan.
While many sports are rife with homophobia, women's soccer has many queer players and fans. What makes women's soccer different than other sports? Soccer fan Steph Yang, of the podcast Two Drunk Fans, joins us to explain.
Photo: Portland Timbers TIFO
Today's show theme is "clueless white guys." Amy and Sarah talk about how poet Michael Derrick Hudson used the name Yi-Fen Chou to get his work published—and a brilliant response in the form of a "white pen-name generator." Then, they talk about Matt Damon jumping in to explain diversity to a Black female filmmaker. Yikes!
Plus: A bonus mini-convo with Kathi Wilcox, the bassist of Bikini Kill.
In her article "There Will Be Blood: The Precarious Politics of Portraying Abortion Onscreen," sociologist Gretchen Sisson explores how abortions have been represented in pop culture.
Writer Kari Mugo explains the hurdles to getting transgender-friendly healthcare.
Read the full text of this article here: https://bitchmedia.org/article/critical-conditions-transgender-healthcare-medical-industry
The photo featured with this story is by Franziska Neumeister (Creative Commons).
British artist FKA twigs burst onto the music scene last year with surreal videos that challenge viewers.
Writer Vanessa Willoughby discusses FKA twigs' work and power.
Three stories about the visceral reality of bodies.
First, writer Kari Mugo explores the challenges to transgender-friendly healthcare. Then, we get a look at surreal British musician FKA twigs. In the final segment, a sociologist examines portrayals of abortion onscreen in film and TV.
All of these stories are featured in the Blood & Guts print issue of Bitch. You can read and share the issue right here: https://bitchmedia.org/issue/68
Bitch editors Amy Sarah talk about what went town with Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards—and why it matters even if you're not a pop music fan. Then, they discuss an innovative Colorado program that offers free IUDs to teens and a study showing teens are twice as likely to have heard horror stories about IUDs than positive stories—even though they're super-safe and effective birth control.
Why are there cat ladies and no cat men? We examine the cat lady stereotype with the help of two women and their felines.
Cat ladies, queer zebras, and bad ducks, oh my! From the Lion King to Harry Potter, this podcast examines our relationship to animals in pop culture.
Featuring: Artist Nicole Georges, scholar Walidah Imarisha, and scientific illustrator Katura Reynolds.
Scientific illustrator Katura Reynolds discusses the weird and wonderful "Green Porno" series and the problems with adding eyelashes and lipstick to female critters.
Plus: We talk about awkward, bad animal sex in movies like "Ted" and "Howard the Duck"
If you could have a pet from any film, TV show, or book, what would it be? Bitch Media new media intern Grace Manger asked friends and strangers what animal they would choose.
Artist Nicole Georges (and her pooch Ponyo) talk about her project illustrating animals that exhibit same-sex relationships. Nicole made her illustrations into a 12-month queer animal calendar.
Check out her work at http://nicolejgeorges.tumblr.com/
Ever thought about what Disney films say about race in society? Scholar and activist Walidah Imarisha discusses the class she teaches on Race and Disney, and comments on the messages of films like The Jungle Book and The Lion King.
We talk with film critic Nijla Mu'min about how the story of Dr. Dre's assault is left out of new film "Straight Outta Compton." Then, we discuss why we're proud of the college students of today for refusing to hire offensive comedians, in response to Caitlin Flanagan's article in the Atlantic "That's Not Funny."
Plus: A recommended book, film, and band!
Are we really going to defund Planned Parenthood? Really?! Amy and Sarah talk with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon Executive Director Mary Nolan about the recent absurdity lobbed at the reproductive health provide, then talk about the stories about transgender discrimination shared on #transhealthfail.
Many people find it hard to declare themselves an expert on a topic. Women especially grapple with presenting ourselves as knowledgable, rather than playing down our own skills. This podcast features three stories of women boldly declaring themselves experts, including one story that involves actual impersonation.
This show features interviews with journalist Violet Blue, author of "The Smart Girls Guide to Privacy," comedians Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn, and director Laura Nix, who worked on the new documentary about activist group The Yes Men.
Best friends Gaby and Allison host "Just Between Us," a webseries that seems like they're giving listeners advice. But they're actually comedians disguised as experts.
Read the full interview with the comedians here: http://bitchmagazine.org/post/just-between-us-is-a-web-series-about-best-friends-comedy-and-sometimes-they-give-good-advice
"The Yes Men are Revolting" co-director Laura Nix talks with us about how she captures the activist group's stunts on camera... which sometimes involves impersonating the corporate people they're targeting.
Watch the trailer for the film here: http://theyesmenarerevolting.com/
Internet privacy is a gendered issue -- women are much more likely to be stalked and harassed online. The author of "The Smart Girls' Guide to Privacy" talks with us about rethinking your privacy online and how to improve your security in just 15 minutes.
Read more about Violet's book here: http://bit.ly/1Utt7Il
Amy and Sarah give mixed reviews for the new film Trainwreck, directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer (though Lebron James gets five stars), then discuss the misguided responses to #BlackLivesMatter.
Plus: One thing we read, heard, and saw this week.
Simon Tam of rock band The Slants talks about the fight to make their name official, after it was rejected by the Trademark Office for being a slur.
Listen to more of The Slants' music: http://www.theslants.com/
Writer and disability advocate Caitlin Wood talks about reclaiming the word "crip" and what it means.
For more on the crip culture, check out Criptiques, the anthology of writing by people with disabilities that Caitlin Wood edited: http://criptiques.com/
Comedian Jamie Kilstein explains how he tried to reclaim a word for a joke—and it went horribly, horribly wrong. Then, we discuss how to change the image of atheism, which has been dominated for too long by white dudes with a penchant for Islamaphobia.
Jamie hosts the podcast Citizen Radio with Alison Kilkenny. Check out their show here: http://wearecitizenradio.com/
Sticks and stones may break your bones—but words stick around forever and ever. This episode is all about reclaiming language... and the difference between turning bad words into an empowering statement and just hurling around offensive epithets.
This show includes musician Simon Tam talking about his band The Slants, writer Caitlin Wood on "crip," and comedian Jamie Kilstein on taking back atheism from the bros.
Amy and Sarah talk about LGBTQ equality issues other than marriage that we need to keep working on, then share thoughts and enthusiasm for the Women's World Cup.
Plus: One thing we heard, one thing we read, and one thing we saw this week.
Hallie Lieberman is working on a book about the history of sex toys. In this essay, she examines the surprising history of dildos in America.
Read her whole article on this topic in Bitch's Blue issue: http://bitchmagazine.org/article/if-you-mold-it-they-will-come-dildo-history-feminist-sex-toy-stores
MariNaomi has been making comics for a decade—her most recent autobiographical collection, Dragon's Breath and Other True Stories, is nominated for an Eisner Award. She wrote and drew the "Adventures in Feministory" comic on the last page of Bitch's current print issue about the life of performance artist Gloria Toyun Park.
In this interview, MariNaomi talks with Bitch Media art director Kristin Rogers Brown about her work as an artist.
Writer Nyasha Junior talks with Bitch editor in chief Kjerstin Johnson about her article on the lack of portrayals of African American women with mental health problems and the stigma that surrounds depression.
Read the whole article here: http://bitchmagazine.org/article/dont-we-hurt-like-you-black-women-mental-health-depression-representations
Blue is the color of summer—and the theme of our summer print issue. This episode highlights three stories from the Blue issue, including a look at African American women and mental health, comics artist MariNaomi, and the surprising history of a sex toy.
The music on this show is all vintage blues by Gladys Bentley.
Backtalk is a feminist discussion about this week in pop culture.
Amy and Sarah discuss the stories that were missed as national media focused on Rachel Dolezal and talk with Tami Winfrey Harris about her take on the issue. Also: the importance of calling the shooting in Charleston what it is—racist terrorism.
The show concludes with one thing we read, saw, and heard this week.
Three stories of change. Singer Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso explains how she tries to bring a human sound to electronica, we explore the changing gender dynamics of the comics industry, and talk about evolving representation of transgender people in pop culture.
Women have been making comics since the beginning. This interview with Lisa Hix traces 120 years of gender dynamics in the comics industry.
For more info and great pictures, read Lisa's article "Women Who Conquered the Comics World." http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/women-who-conquered-the-comics-world/
How does the increased visibility of transgender people in pop culture affect the daily lives of trans people?
This is a conversation between: Karol Collymore, Executive Director at the Equity Foundation Jayce Montgomery, Student at George Fox University Stacey Rice, Co-executive Director at Portland's Q Center
Singer Amelia Meath used to sing in an acapella folk band. Now she brings that raw sound to electronica duo Sylvan Esso.
Check out more of Sylvan Esso's music and get their album: http://www.sylvanesso.com/
On Backtalk, hosts Amy Lam and Sarah Mirk discuss the pop culture stories of the week, offering snappy analysis and heartfelt statements of "Oy vey."
This week, Amy dishes on her picks for the NBA Finals, we talk about the backlash to Caitlyn Jenner receiving the Arthur Ashe Award and a misguided editorial in the New York Times about her, then we rag on Jerry Seinfeld for saying "politically correct culture" is ruining comedy.
Only a handful of the top-grossing films every year are directed by women. Though there are thousands of women working in film, they often have trouble being hired for studios and higher-paying film projects. On this show, we explore gender discrimination in the film and TV industries, with help from filmmakers, a comedy writer, and the ACLU.
Alex Borstein started off her career in Hollywood writing for the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers. Since then, she's worked as a producer, comedy writer, and actress—including most recently as Dawn on HBO show "Getting On." We talk with Alex about the contrasts in her career and how fear still keeps her on her toes.
A manipulative antihero. A young Black cowboy. These are the kinds of outside protagonists in director Christina Choe's films. Writer Devyn Manibo talks to Choe about her work and her first indie feature film, Nancy.
Learn more about Nancy at the Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1217251582/nancy-a-feature-film-about-an-imposter
The lack of women being hired by film studios isn't just a quirk—it's discrimination. We talk to the ACLU and a filmmaker about why the statistics on women working in film and TV haven't gotten better in 10 years.
This is an excerpt from our full show "Hollywood's Missing Directors."
A collection of real-life stories compiled on the anonymous Tumblr "Shit People Say to Women Directors."
Check outmore: http://shitpeoplesaytowomendirectors.tumblr.com/
Bitch editors Amy and Sarah talk about what the deal is with Amy Schumer, bemoan how the United States is still funding abstinence-only education, and rant about the family featured in TLC show "19 and Counting."
We love Arnold. So what? In this interview, Sarah Marshall talks about her love of male-centric action films and why Mad Max: Fury Road feels so different.
Taylor Swift, Scandal, Game of Thrones—oh my! Why do we consider so much pop culture consumption to be a guilty pleasure? On this episode, we explore guilty pleasures from a feminist perspective, dissecting everything from a secret love of macho action movies to an embarrassing delight in Christmas-themed rom coms.
Tanzila 'Taz' Ahmed and Zahra Noorbakhsh of the podcast Good Muslim/Bad Muslim talk about their guilty pleasures and their relationship to pop culture.
A fiction author and a reality TV producer discuss how the lines blur between what's real and what's not.
This is an edited version of an interview between Emily Schultz and Anna Swan that originally appeared on the podcast Truth and Fiction.
When does a guilty pleasure become too guilty? Game of Thrones fan Elizabeth King explains why she decided to stop watching the show after the sexual violence became too much to bear.
A snappy discussion of this this week in pop culture, from Bitch editors Amy and Sarah.
This week, the top stories are the ACLU calling for an investigation of gender bias in Hollywood, a new report about online harassment, and an expose of working conditions in nail salons.
Dana Scully, Abby Sciuto, Ellie Satler... we talk about a few of our favorite fictional scientists with chemist and pop culture enthusiast Raychelle Burks.
In addition to working in the lab detecting and analyzing chemicals, Raychelle volunteers to run the DIY Science Zone at Geek Girl Con every year.