Feminism, comedy and uncensored discussion all come together in HowStuffWorks’ podcast “Stuff Mom Never Told You.” Now hosted by Caroline Ervin and Cristen Conger, the podcast has in the past been hosted by writer and activist Bridget Todd and writer/actor Anney Reese and other amazing women. Centred around women’s role in society, the podcast discusses everything under the sun, from exercise, to knitting, to the history of women in retail. It’s perfect for any people interested in gender and race studies, as well as anyone interested in sociology. If you’re looking for a place to start with this podcast, here are five of my favourite episodes they’ve released so far.
Sexism in Language (1/4/19): This episode is for all of you linguistics fans out there. The hosts delve into the fascinating ways that the english language is actually inherently pretty sexist. Why do we use “guys” as a way to address a group of men and women? Why are humans called human? For a deep dive into deeply-ingrained societal sexism, this is a great listen.
Feminism of Running (10/26/18): Anney and guest co-host Allison Loudermilk go deep into the history of running and how running can actually be seen as a very feminist activity. They touch on the dangers of running as a woman, but also celebrate this empowering act that you can do by just jogging around your neighborhood. For even those running-haters, this is worth the hour.
The Female Nude (11/6/18): Cristen and Caroline tackle some art history in this episode. Why is it that traditionally, the only way women could get into art galleries was in the form of a nude painting? What about the male nude? It’s a fascinating journey through some of history’s greatest pieces with a modern feminist twist.
What’s The Deal With Women’s Colleges? (12/22/17): As most of the people reading this likely attend UBC, we have very little experience with attending a women’s college. Emilie and Bridget, along with Emilie’s little sister Isabel, who attended Smith College at the time this podcast was recorded, discuss the pros and cons of attending a single-sex institution.
Problematic Faves: Taylor Swift (11/8/17): This little mini-series within the podcast is brilliant in and of itself, but this episode in particular is incredibly eye-opening. Bridget and Emilie, along with Refinery29’s Elisa Kreisinger discuss how you can still be a fan of someone’s art while still recognizing their problematic nature by delving into the slightly-problematic pop star.
New episodes are released every week! Available anywhere you listen to podcasts.
. photograph from https://www.stuffmomnevertoldyou.com/