A Woman’s Place

Is the tradwife movement a genuine cultural shift or a social media phenomenon?

In this episode, we unpack the rise of the “tradwife” conversation and ask whether it reflects a real cultural shift or a highly visible social media moment. We explore why homemaking, motherhood, and stepping away from the workforce can feel so appealing in an era of burnout, expensive childcare, and financial pressure and why that lifestyle is often unrealistic for many families.

What if business success were measured by more than profit?

In this episode, our hosts share how they met, over a conversation about B Corps, of course! They also dig into what B Corps actually are: companies committed to considering their impact on employees, communities, customers, and the planet alongside profit.

We explore what it takes to become a B Corp, why transparency and accountability are central to the certification, and why some businesses are choosing to publicly commit to practices around pay equity, employee wellbeing, parental leave, professional development, environmental responsibility, and responsible supply chains.

It's a conversation about business, values, transparency, gender, and whether a different definition of success is beginning to take shape.

Resources: This Way Forward: Meet the Female Leaders at the Forefront of the B Corp Movement, "Are Female Leaders More Committed to CSR? Comparing Certified B Corpo" by Mathew Fisher, Harmonic Finance & Operations — Sip, Snack, and Sustain: 10 Female-Founded B Corp Brands Changing the Food & Bev Industry, B Corp

What does it really cost to survive in America today? In this episode, we explore the growing gap between the federal poverty line and the actual cost of living through the lens of ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

Developed by United Way, ALICE is a framework that looks beyond the federal poverty line to measure what households actually need to afford basic necessities in the communities where they live. ALICE represents people who are working and earning above the federal poverty level but still don’t make enough to cover essentials like housing, childcare, food, healthcare, and transportation.

We also discuss how rising costs and stagnant wages disproportionately impact women and families, shape decisions around marriage and children, and contribute to ongoing financial stress. 

In this episode, we sit down with lawyer, activist, and author Carolyn McConnell to discuss her book, Motherhood Discounted, and the ways society undervalues motherhood, caregiving, and dependency. Drawing from her own experience becoming a mother, Carolyn explores how care work became largely invisible and why work associated with women continues to be unpaid or underpaid.

We unpack the myth of complete independence, the growing expectations placed on mothers, the long-term economic consequences of caregiving, and the challenges facing families when everyone is working but there is little time or support for care. Carolyn challenges us to rethink what we value and to recognize caregiving for what it is: essential work that makes families, communities, and our economy possible.

Resources: Carolyn McConnell's Website  

What if everything you thought you knew about "traditional marriage" was wrong?

In part one of this eye-opening conversation with renowned historian and marriage expert Stephanie Coontz, author of For Better and For Worse, we unpack the surprising history of marriage and the cultural myths that continue to shape our relationships today.

From the rise of the male breadwinner to the evolving roles of masculinity, gender, sexuality, and religion, Stephanie reveals how marriage has constantly adapted to the world around it. The history of marriage is far more surprising, and far less "traditional," than most of us realize.

Resources: For Better and Worse – The Complicated Past and Challenging Future of Marriage | Stephanie Coontz, Stephanie Coontz Facebook, Stephanie Coontz Instagram

Women aren't ruining everything...they're redefining what's possible. So why does that make some people so nervous?

In this episode, we're digging into one of the biggest social shifts of the last 50 years, from women marrying later and building independent lives to changing family dynamics, careers, and relationships. Along the way, we examine the data behind these changes, exploring the remarkable progress women have made in education, workforce participation, homeownership, and economic independence, alongside dramatic shifts in marriage, parenthood, and family life. We explore what's really behind today's backlash against gender equality and ask the question: Why is women's progress so often framed as men's loss?

Join us as we explore the data, challenge assumptions, and unpack what these changes reveal about the evolving roles of women, men, and modern society.

Resources: Sarasota Herald Tribune: Women Have Ruined Everything – E. Scott Osborne

More than 90% of women were married by age 30 in 1970. Many couldn't get a credit card, open a bank account, or access birth control without a man's permission.

Resources: Sarasota Herald Tribune: Women Have Ruined Everything – E. Scott Osborne, For Better and Worse: The Complicated Past and Challenging Future of Marriage

In Part Two of our Gender and Media series, we explore how gender representation in media shapes the way we see ourselves and others. Why are women still only a third of podcasters? And what does that say about the stories we hear, the experts we trust, and the roles we expect people to play?

From cartoons and commercials to reality TV and news programming, media influences our beliefs, expectations, and understanding of who holds authority and whose stories are told. We discuss the impact of gender stereotypes, the messages we've been absorbing since childhood, and whether media is simply reflecting society, or actively shaping what we think is "normal."

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about representation, bias, and how becoming more aware of the media we consume can help us challenge assumptions, broaden our perspectives, and better understand the world around us.

Resources: Heavy Consumption of Reality TV May Reinforce Gender Roles for Adolescents, Gender Bias with Borders: An Investigation of Female Characters in Popular Films Across 11 Countries Gender Bias with Borders: page - Geena Davis Institute, My Books | Danielle J. Lindemann, “What Reality TV Says About Us” — with Danielle J. Lindemann - YouTube, Gender Stereotypes in Children's Cartoons, Gender Roles and Stereotypes - YouTube, Through Women's Eyes, The Fuller Project

In part two, we continue the conversation with legal scholar and author Deborah Tuerkheimer, exploring the complex legal and cultural realities surrounding sexual assault and why the burden so often falls on victims instead of perpetrators. From the enduring myth of the “monster abuser” to the legal system’s built-in skepticism toward survivors, this conversation examines how cultural narratives shape our willingness to believe allegations, especially when they involve people in positions of power.

We also discuss how patriarchy remains embedded within both criminal and civil legal systems, creating barriers that make coming forward, and being believed, extraordinarily difficult.

Resources: Credible – HarperCollins, Deborah Tuerkheimer, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline, On Repentance and Repair, Eric Swalwell, Tony Gonzales and the Post-Post-#MeToo Era