Patriarchy, Elections, and a Continuing Struggle

The outcome of the 2016 Presidential election was a shock to say the least, in particular for women. Women organized and fought for the right to vote in this country starting as far back as 1840. Women didn’t gain the right to vote until the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. 

The possibility of a woman rising to the presidency was more than a watershed for women. This accomplishment would have been a validation for every woman, every girl, that yes indeed a woman could serve in this highest office in the country, and not just serve but perform with distinction and grace and competence and strength. It would be a giant marker in history showing that yes, at this time, a woman can be the most powerful. And by proxy, there was the promise that womankind, every woman and girl could be equal and have equal opportunity.

Becoming a Lighthouse: Men & Domestic Violence Prevention

Men are the aggressors in 90% of intimate partner violence cases. Many cases go unreported, and many behaviors that are in fact abusive are not considered when we discuss domestic violence, like emotional abuse. Research tells us that abuse tends to run in families, or get passed down over generations. But we know it doesn't always, and it doesn't have to.

What can we do to prevent men from becoming perpetrators of domestic violence? And what, in particular, can men do? We knew there are certain people in the lives of men and boys, such as coaches, who can be positive influencers in helping them develop healthy and respectful relationships with women.

In my interview for this episode, I talk with one man about his unexpected journey into activism trying to involve men in the fight against intimate partner violence. We discuss the protective factors that can prevent a boy or man from becoming an abuser, as well as things that parents can do to help boys become young men who are able to engage in healthy and respectful relationships.

Not Just Baby Blues: Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a serious health consequence to being a new mother. It is actually a lot more common than you might think. You probably know someone who has suffered from it, most likely quietly. And why? Why did it happen, and why would you not have known about it?

So in this episode we discuss postpartum depression. It’s not baby blues. It’s not just a little bit of hormones and it will pass. It’s not – you’re just too tired and you need to take some “you” time. It’s depression. Serious depression. 

March for Science, Truth, and the Tipping Point

Since the election of Donald Trump, and his subsequent inauguration on January 20, 2017, the world has experienced a palpable shift. Things changed that day, and the reverberations have been felt worldwide. I don’t think anyone could have predicted the global response to the election of Trump to the US presidency, and the proceeding events that would take shape.

I attended the March for Science in Washington, DC. Tens of thousands of people who joined this protest to lend their voice against what has effectively been a persistent attack on science, and a broader attack on facts. Like many of the recent protest rallies, the March for Science was held in cities all across the United States, and all across the globe. People, whether scientists or not, added their voices to a call for – enough. Enough.

Environment in the Crosshairs: Interview with Melanie Moore, Union of Concerned Scientists

In my interview with Melanie Moore from the Union of Concerned Scientists, we discuss how the environment is in the crosshairs.

Starting on the campaign trail, Donald Trump made clear his position on environmental protection. He promised to get rid of the EPA “in almost every form”.

Once elected he held those promises. Trump’s proposed budget would slash the EPA by about 31%. Grants to states, as well as its air and water programs, would be cut by 30 percent. The massive Chesapeake Bay cleanup project would virtually be eliminated in the next fiscal year.

The budget proposes the discontinuation of federal funding for the clean up of abandoned industrial sites, the Clean Power Plan, climate change research and international climate change programs. Altogether, it calls for the elimination of more than 50 programs within the agency.

Richard Nixon actually started the EPA back in 1970. It grew out of a conflagration of issues such as the publishing of the book “A Silent Spring” which documented poisoning of the environment with pesticides, rise in what was termed smog in growing cities, and…the moon landing. When astronauts landed on the moon and sent back to earth pictures of the beautiful blue, peaceful and fragile planet, the responsibility for caring for our celestial home became apparent.

Body Image, Fat Shaming, & Loving Ourselves

This episode, I have a powerful discussion with Jennifer Rollin, a therapist who specializes in body image and eating disorders. We take a deep dive into body image and fat shaming. No one will be surprised to hear that the ideal body in our culture is thin. Very thin. And not everyone is very thin. Or even thin. In fact most of us aren’t. So let’s consider the space between the ideal and real. The chasm between what we are, and what the idealized perfect is.

We discuss how fat shaming and the thin ideal have become so acculturated and normalized that it pervades nearly every aspect of women's lives and can seriously undermine our confidence. We discuss how we can break this unhealthy fixation and help our girl children grow up feeling good about themselves.

Women and the Alt-Right

In this fascinating discussion, I talk with Dr. Paul Johnson from University of Pittsburgh about the Alt-Right, their beliefs and ideologies, and a brief history of how they started. 

The Alt-Right, is a general umbrella term for a set of right wing ideologies, groups, and individuals whose central belief is that white people, and most particularly white men, are under attack in our society by a system of multi-culturalism, and in their thinking political correctness gone out of control. The foundation of Alt-Right thinking is that white men have been displaced and emasculated by women and minorities, who are NOT equal to white men.

The Alt-Right movement has had significant success attracting social misfits who hear the message that if they are rejected by women, then it is not their fault, but it is the fault of our societal power structures which are systematically undermining the overall success of white men. They are the victims of an emasculating power struggle with women and minorities, which contributes to a bitter resentment toward both.

 

Lead, Social Justice, & Environmental Racism

The ongoing crisis of contaminated water in Flint, Michigan has contributed to a growing discussion about social justice and environmental racism. Are we tacitly comfortable with environmental degradation in some areas, and not in others? For example, is a crisis of lead contaminated water in Flint acceptable, but unacceptable in Dearborn, Michigan? 

This episode covers lead and human health, including the disproportionate impact on pregnant women and children. I discuss with my guest, Ruth Long, the detrimental impact on health, especially for children, and sources of contamination. We also discuss measures you can take to protect yourself and your family from lead exposure, including extraordinary measures our guest had to take to protect her young children.

Our woman in the spotlight is Vandana Shiva, who was a pioneer in eco-feminism.

Patriarchy, Parenting and Boys

When the audiotape of Donald Trump on Access Hollywood leaked recording his discussion of his ability to grab women without permission, men from both parties expressed outrage. Some Republican lawmakers withdrew their support of Mr. Trump, including Paul Ryan, who said "I am sickened by what I heard today." Men of both parties said "As a father of daughters...."  But why must a man have a daughter to feel or express moral outrage over such behavior? What about our sons?

In my discussion with blogger Jacque Gorelick, whose blog www.writewhereiam.com discusses the importance and challenges of raising boys in a patriarchy, with an understanding of male privilege.

Politics, Aggression, & Women's Malaise

The level of rancor and divisiveness in our country right now is hard to miss or deny. In the midst of this ugly political discourse, the status of women has been under attack with some particularly misogynistic elements being given a platform, and some might say tacit approval in the lack of outrage or pushback.

This general feeling of a diminishment of women weighs heavily on many, often not even aware that it is there. I speak with my guest, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who talks about how the generally aggressive public discourse about women has impacted those who have experienced trauma in the past and find themselves triggered by this new and negative norm. We discuss signs to watch for in yourself, and in those you care for to be sure you are taking care of yourself and each other.

Are Little Girls Getting Too Sexy?

The American Psychological Association, or APA has released a report which warns of the dangers of the sexualization of girls in media. They concluded that virtually every form of media which they studied provides significant evidence of the sexualization of women, and many specifically target children and adolescents.

In this episode I have a conversation with Professor Sarah Murnen about the sexualization of girls, and unpack the potential impact of this phenomenon on the individual girl, girls in general, and on society and how we view girls and women.

Have We Solved Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, has been decreasing over the last decade. Some of this success is attributed to the Violence Against Women Act, which was drafted by then Sen. Joe Biden, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. The Act established the Office of Violence on Women within the Department of Justice. At long last there was a central federal authority with resources and a central mission to stop this violent but silent epidemic.

So we have the Violence Against Women Act, and some success in bending the curve of violence. However that doesn’t mean that the issue is gone and we can move on. Far from it. In my interview with the Washington, DC office Director of Futures Without Violence, Kiersten Stewart, we discuss that we have seen progress in some groups, but the good news is mixed. Young people still experience high rates of violence which often goes unreported, or when it is reported, is not taken as seriously as it perhaps should be. The importance of involving men and boys in the prevention of interpersonal violence is discussed. We also discuss the warning signs for a violent or abusive relationship, and how to approach someone you suspect is in a dangerous relationship.

In this episode, we highlight the work of Lady Gaga in drawing attention to the issue of rape and violence on college campuses.

What It's Like to Be a Refugee

Refugee. The word has become quite an insidious code word. While it used to mean the needy, the hungry, the displaced, it seems that now for many it has taken on a very different meaning: the terrorist, the job-stealer, the beggar, the rapist.

How did we come to a place where our empathy has been almost completely arrested by disinformation campaigns targeting those who are completely disenfranchised? Homeless, without a country, welcome nowhere?

There are currently an estimated 65.3 million refugees worldwide according to the UNHCR. This is more than at any time in the world's history since World War II.

This country was founded by refugees fleeing religious persecution, yet we find ourselves having difficulty opening our arms to current day refugees.

This podcast will discuss who modern refugees are, where they are, and the plight of refugee women and children.

Demystifying the Hijab

There is a conception, or perhaps rather a misconception, that Muslim women who wear hijab are forced to cover themselves by Muslim men who are enforcers of this religious tradition. Head covering has been interpreted by some as shaming the woman. A way to keep the woman in her place. In my fascinating interviews with two Muslim women who wear hijab, we discussed the hijab and what is really behind head covering, or modesty. The hijab has become a flash point for many in the US who hold the idea that Islam signifies the enemy, hate, terrorism. Why are we so afraid of the hijab?

Depiction of Women on Reality TV

This episode brings a little scrutiny to the way in which women are portrayed in today's reality television programming. For example, women are frequently depicted as passive and weak, and are generally much younger and more physically attractive than their male counterparts. Reality programming can culturally signify that subordination of women is acceptable. They promote the embodiment of the media's version of attractive, tall, thin, and beautiful.

Studies have shown that nearly 70% of people ages 18-29 enjoy watching reality television. This is the viewing demographic that programs like these will affect the most, as this group is most likely to identify with the dating world as well as struggles with physical appearance and the desire for success and affluence. Should this concern us?

This episode will unpack some of these issues.

Rhetoric of Women and Politics in the 2016 Election

The 2016 election was historic, and had a historically controversial campaign season. Nearly all of the polls had Hillary Rodham Clinton the heavy favorite to become our first woman President. And then we held our election...

The election of Donald Trump, despite his crude, confrontational, and misogynistic style throws many questions onto the results of the election. Why did the polls get it so wrong? Were the polls bad? Were people not being truthful when they responded to polls, and they didn't intend to vote for Clinton but they indicated they were. If this is the case....why?

We heard quite a lot during the election season about the "likability" factor, especially with regard to Secretary Clinton. Many people indicated they didn't like her. Many said they didn't like her, but would vote for her. But what is in this word "likability"? Is this code for something much deeper?

In this podcast episode we discuss the idea of "likability" and what it means, particularly for women political candidates. I am joined by Dr. Taylor Hahn, an expert in politics and gender rhetoric, and we discuss some unique aspects of the 2016 election that might have contributed to the election of Donald Trump for the 45th President.