2nd Annual Cherished Holiday Medley!

It's our second annual jingly mish-mash episode, packed full of Christmas and other holiday goodies! How have American First Ladies celebrated over the years? Who is Judith, and what bloody act of courage got her inducted as a Hanukkah staple in the Middle Ages? How do traditional gender roles play out during the holidays? What the heck is a SPUG?? All this and more, in our HOLIDAY SPECIAL!!!! Plus, a promise from Heather and Dayna to get back to a regular posting schedule as soon as possible! Our gift to you, dear listener! Happy Holidays!!

Wonder Woman! A Complicated Origin Story...

Wonder Woman, aka Diana Prince, is having a bit of a moment right now, but she's been on the scene for a lot longer than you might think, fighting for the feminist cause since the day she sprang forth from the pen of noted psychologist, lie detector inventor, polygamist, and women's rights enthusiast William Moulton Marston. Originally hired by the head of DC Comics to make sure the new medium of comic books was psychologically healthy for America's kids, Marston ended up creating the most popular and well-known female superhero of all time, who in her storied career has run for president, launched Ms. Magazine, been a United Nations icon, and of course saved the world countless times. Great Hera! 

Beauty Pageants: A History of Poise, Charm, and Spray Adhesive

The ancient Greeks might have come up with beauty contests (naturally), but modern America perfected them! An awful lot of stuff is crammed in to the history of the beauty pageant as we know it today: Atlantic City tourism, scholarships, segregation, Klingons, and yes, bikini glue. It's a controversial topic, but it's also awfully hard to resist the allure of a pageant queen!

The Bechdel Test: Cultural Litmus Paper!!

In 1985 cartoonist Alison Bechdel wrote a comic titled, "The Rule." And after a 20-year incubation period, the internet discovered it and went nuts! Much to Bechdel's surprise, her comic took on a life of its own as a female representation litmus test for movies, and all sorts of other media. This week Heather and Dayna trace the path of what has become known as the Bechdel Test, and discover some surprising movie passes and fails!