Movies, TV, History, Culture, Music, Books: What they say about women and what women say about them. Written and hosted by two college professors.
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Many women who became famous in the 1990s were and continue to be misunderstood. In the second of two episodes about these women, we’ll discuss Joycelyn Elders, Anita Hill, Monica Lewinsky, and Marcia Clark, and what why it seems like we’ve started repeating themes of the 90s in the last few years.
The 1990s were full of scandals and crimes that continue to grab our attention, including two political sex scandals that somehow publicly shamed the women and left the men relatively unscathed, and the trial of the century that made a woman prosecutor’s hair, make-up and clothing more important than her serious skills as a lawyer.
Want extra reading? Check our sources:
- The book 90s Bitch by Allison Yarrow
- “How the 90s Tricked Women Into Thinking They’d Gained Gender Equality” by Time Magazine: https://time.com/5310256/90s-gender-equality-progress/
- “The Joe Biden and Anita Hill Controversy, Explained.” https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/3/27/18262482/joe-biden-anita-hill-2020-christine-blasey-ford-brett-kavanaugh
- “Here Are Some of the Questions Anita Hill Answered in 1991” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/here-are-some-of-the-questions-anita-hill-fielded-in-1991/
- “Maureen Dowd Smeared Monica Lewinksy. Now, She’s Undermining #MeToo” https://www.vox.com/2018/3/25/17159732/maureen-dowd-monica-lewinsky-metoo-barry-diller-interview-new-york-times
- “The Clinton Affair: How We Remember the Women” https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/11/clinton-affair-how-we-remember-women/576271/
- (From 1995) “A Good Hair Day” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-12-mn-53816-story.html
- “The Devastating Truth Behind Marcia’s Clark’s Leaked Topless Photos” https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/03/marcia-clark-topless-photos-people-v-oj-simpson-american-crime-story
- “Marcia Clark: Stop Calling Women Ambitious Like Its a Bad Thing” https://time.com/4306010/marcia-clark-sexism-blood-defense-interview/
- “Was Marcia Clark’s Hair Really Such a Big Deal in 1995?” https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/was-marcia-clarks-haircut-really-such-a-big-deal-001903473.html
- “Marcia Clark’s Husband Cites Trial in Custody Fight” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-02-mn-37861-story.html
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
Many women who became famous in the 1990s were and continue to be misunderstood. In the first of two episodes about these women, we’ll discuss Anna Nicole Smith, Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan, and what life was like for women and girls in the decade that was supposed to make everything better for us.
1992 was supposed to be “The Year of the Woman,” and women had more career and educational opportunities than ever before. We still somehow ended up having to walk a fine line in both public and private, and weren’t yet really seen as people. Girls reading teen mags and women navigating sexist social structures created a decade of misunderstood women.
Want extra reading? Check our sources:
- The book 90s Bitch by Allison Yarrow
- “Making an Ice Queen,” about the movie I, Tonya: https://thebaffler.com/latest/i-tonya-marshall
- “Remote Control,” by Sarah Marshall, on Tonya and Nancy: https://believermag.com/remote-control/
- “How the 90s Tricked Women Into Thinking They’d Gained Gender Equality” by Time Magazine: https://time.com/5310256/90s-gender-equality-progress/
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
This week’s episode is called “Everything Is Terrible.” We couldn’t help it. In this episode, we run down all the things that terrible for women right now, and unfortunately - it’s a lot. We discuss why it’s important to discuss things that aren’t positive, keeping the powerful in check and recognizing the work and challenges that women have experienced.
We discuss sexual harassment and assault and criminal justice, women not being believed by doctors, a terrible list by Forbes, and why we’re more likely to die in car accidents, and then we do get to some good news: women being seen as competent, women’s groups shoring up political power, and great books and good TV to look forward to.
Want extra reading?
- From Vox, on Brett Kavanaugh: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/9/16/20868426/brett-kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-susan-collins-joe-manchin-jeff-flake
- From Madame Noir, on Ja’leyah Jamar: https://madamenoire.com/1100519/jaleyah-jamar-trans-woman-murdered/
- From Pro Publica, on the Marshall project: https://www.propublica.org/article/false-rape-accusations-an-unbelievable-story
- This American Life episode called “Anatomy of Doubt” https://www.propublica.org/article/false-rape-accusations-an-unbelievable-story
- From Texas Tribune on donating money to rape kit testing when we renew our drivers’ licenses: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/18/how-texas-drivers-can-help-texas-tackle-its-rape-kit-testing-backlog/
- Atlantic article called “An Epidemic of Disbelief” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/08/an-epidemic-of-disbelief/592807/
- Think podcast episode on serial rapists and rape kits: https://think.kera.org/2019/08/12/why-serial-rapists-stalk-among-us/
- From Jezebel, on women and crash test dummies: https://jezebel.com/women-are-dying-in-car-accidents-because-the-only-femal-1836527298
- From NYT, on doctors and female patients: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/well/live/when-doctors-downplay-womens-health-concerns.amp.html
- From Time, by Dr. Cottom, on not being listened to as a patient: https://time.com/5494404/tressie-mcmillan-cottom-thick-pregnancy-competent/
- From NPR, on the Forbes list: https://www.npr.org/2019/09/11/759899375/female-ceos-blast-forbes-list-of-innovative-leaders-that-includes-only-one-woman?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social
- The LA Times article on women and competence: https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2019-07-18/women-more-competent-than-men-study
- From MSNBC, on two years into #metoo: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/men-sound-metoo-i-definitely-look-back-cringe-ncna1054886
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Our episode about Summer Movies is here! We discuss Wine Country, Spider-Man: Far From Home, It Chapter Two, The Kitchen, Toy Story 4, and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Plus Aladdin, John Wick 3, and The Lion King.
We also get into this summer’s biggest winners and losers at the box office, and which of this year’s movies inched us forward in their discussions of gender. Misty shares some summer movie history - from the first season of summer hits to the origins of the terms “Blockbuster” and “Nickelodeon.”
We have a lot of fun discussing gender, representation, progress and problems in this summer’s biggest movies. Was Bo a feminist icon or just a token character in Toy Story? Which movies would we recommend, and which would we never watch again?
Want some extra reading? Here are the sources we used or mentioned in this episode:
- From Jezebel, about Quentin Tarantino’s female representation fail: https://themuse.jezebel.com/quentin-tarantinos-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-double-1836675763
- From Polygon, about Zendaya in Spider-Man: Far From Home: https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/5/20683227/spider-man-far-from-home-mj-character-zendaya
- More about Toy Story and Pixar’s gender progress:
- Entertainment Weekly’s List of Summer Movie Winners and Losers: https://ew.com/movies/2019/08/14/summer-2019-box-office-winners-losers/
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Monday Aug 26, 2019
Monday Aug 26, 2019
We have a lot of fun discussing summer TV: reality shows, Stranger Things 3, OITNB, Handmaid’s Tale, Euphoria, and lots more. What did these shows tell us about gender? How well are they reflecting us? Which ones made us laugh? What makes a show “prestige TV”?
We also discuss some random summer competition shows, like Holey Moley, Blown Away, and Ink Master, what Fall shows we’re looking forward to, and why summer TV is so different.
Want some extra reading? Here are the sources we used or mentioned in this episode:
- From The Hollywood Reporter, “Why ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Broke Its Rules for First Same-Sex Romance: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bachelor-paradise-airs-first-same-sex-romance-demi-burnett-1233460
- From Vice, “‘Stranger Things 3’ Seems to Be Moving Backwards of Its Treatment of Women”: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gy47gj/stranger-things-3-seems-to-be-moving-backwards-on-its-treatment-of-women
- From Essence, in 2016: “Orange is The New Black, Except in The Writer’s Room” https://www.essence.com/entertainment/orange-new-black-except-its-writers/
- From Slate, “OITNB’s Final Season Is the Best the Show Has Been in Years” https://www.essence.com/entertainment/orange-new-black-except-its-writers/
- From Vulture, “Holey Moley and Blown Away Should Be Your Go-to Summer Reality Competitions” https://www.vulture.com/2019/07/holey-moley-blown-away-perfect-summer-tv.html
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Getting a job is hard for everyone - but can it be harder for women? Why are women less likely to apply for jobs, and what can workplaces do to make applying, interviewing, and hiring more equitable?
This is Part 2 of our 2-episode series on the challenges women encounter in job ads, in interviews, and sometimes even when building their resumes. We have stats, personal experience, advice (good and bad), and some good news, too. We'll discuss applying, interviewing, negotiating salary, promotions, and hiring committees.
As college faculty, something we think about all the time is preparing students for their future studies and careers, making sure they get both our content and the skills they need to be successful in a place where they can thrive. So, how can we make sure that everyone gets a chance to do that?
Want some extra reading? Check out these sources, which we used for this episode:
- “Evidence that Gendered Language in Job Advertisements Exists and Sustains Gender Equality,” published by Harvard Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Program: http://gap.hks.harvard.edu/evidence-gendered-wording-job-advertisements-exists-and-sustains-gender-inequality
- “Facts about the Gender Wage Gap,” published by CNN Money: https://money.cnn.com/2015/04/13/news/economy/equal-pay-day-2015/
- “Gender Bias in the Job Market: A Longitudinal Analysis,” from the University of Chicago: http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~ravenben/publications/pdf/gender-cscw18.pdf
- “Diversity Policies Rarely Make Companies Fairer,” published by the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2016/01/diversity-policies-dont-help-women-or-minorities-and-they-make-white-men-feel-threatened
- The totaljobs Gender Bias Decoder: https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/gender-bias-decoder/
- Gender Decoder for Job Ads: http://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Getting a job is hard for everyone - but can it be harder for women? Why are women less likely to apply for jobs, and what can workplaces do to make applying, interviewing, and hiring more equitable?
This is Part 1 of our 2-episode series on the challenges women encounter in job ads, in interviews, and sometimes even when building their resumes. We have stats, personal experience, advice (good and bad), and some good news, too. We'll discuss gendered language in job ads, what makes women want to apply, and how employers can make smarter choices about recruitment.
As college faculty, something we think about all the time is preparing students for their future studies and careers, making sure they get both our content and the skills they need to be successful in a place where they can thrive. So, how can we make sure that everyone gets a chance to do that?
Want some extra reading? Check out these sources, which we used for this episode:
- “Evidence that Gendered Language in Job Advertisements Exists and Sustains Gender Equality,” published by Harvard Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Program: http://gap.hks.harvard.edu/evidence-gendered-wording-job-advertisements-exists-and-sustains-gender-inequality
- “Facts about the Gender Wage Gap,” published by CNN Money: https://money.cnn.com/2015/04/13/news/economy/equal-pay-day-2015/
- “Gender Bias in the Job Market: A Longitudinal Analysis,” from the University of Chicago: http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~ravenben/publications/pdf/gender-cscw18.pdf
- “Diversity Policies Rarely Make Companies Fairer,” published by the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2016/01/diversity-policies-dont-help-women-or-minorities-and-they-make-white-men-feel-threatened
- The totaljobs Gender Bias Decoder: https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/gender-bias-decoder/
- Gender Decoder for Job Ads: http://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Monday Aug 05, 2019
Monday Aug 05, 2019
We get to recommend some great books with female lead characters, relatable story lines and realistic development, plus compare them to their on-screen counterparts. We also discuss the success of female authors, and the rise of women-written books being adapted into successful movies and shows.
In this episode, Allegra celebrates three women-led books: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler, Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriaty, and gets into the strengths and drawbacks of their TV or movie adaptations. Misty shares her take on Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman, and compares it to the popular Netflix show.
We also talk about both the rising success of female authors, and an industry that’s still trying to hold them down. We also get to revel in Reese Witherspoon’s support of women-written books through both her production company that focuses on adapting those into shows and movies (including Gone Girl, Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, Where the Crawdads Sing, and lots more), and through her book club.
We also do a quick call out to a show that was much better than the books: True Blood.
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Take his name (or hers) or don't, throw bouquets or keep them forever, toss garters or never wear them: it's all up to you.
This one is about feminist weddings, the history of weddings and Western wedding traditions, and some literary weddings you might love (or hate).
In this episode, we each get to share some details about our own weddings and the choices we made about dresses, decor, and being “given away.” Misty gets to talk history, but promises not to stay in the Middle Ages too long, and Allegra shares some literary weddings - including, well just about every Jane Austen novel, and the pitiful story of Miss Havisham.
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.
Monday Jul 22, 2019
Monday Jul 22, 2019
We’re very excited to discuss the influences, context, and legacy of one of our favorite books, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Misty gets to talk about history, Allegra gets to discuss literature, and they both share what they think the book means, and why it’s still so important.
We include what we know about how and why Atwood wrote this book, what literary and historical influences helped shape the novel, and what its themes are. We also discuss why the book resonates with so many who read it, why it was set in America, and how it has impacted literary works that came after it.
Profess-Hers is a podcast written and presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.
Written by Allegra Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.