BitchStory - Stories of badass women that history "forgot"

And now for something completely different!  We cover a lot of serious stuff here, and whenever women are overlooked, let alone repressed/oppressed, it is serious.  But some of the women we cover are badasses because they ushered in a new era and they probably didn't even know it.  We know our audience loves the funny ladies and the lighter content, because the stats show it.  So for your naked education, we are pleased to present Dita Von Teese.  

Dita is, we would argue, solely responsible for the huge resurgence in Burlesque in the US since around 2000.   Nothing too deep here, just a hot, half naked badass lady in a giant champagne glass.  

Burlesque originated in the mid 1800's, and has undergone the usual evolutions with society.  Body appreciation and a "love it or leave it" attitude has been coursing through feminist communities for a decade or more, gaining major prominence on Instagram.  The Burlesque art form has been a lover of all body shapes for quite awhile.  Dita herself is the definition of the perfect woman by traditional standards, but she is a badass because she's inspired so many people to embrace their sexiness regardless - 

"I've always loved the idea of not being what people expect me to be. Anyone who thinks that being young and beautiful is more important than having something to say is wrong. I make a point to never, ever point out my physical flaws… this is advice I give to women as often as I can." 

“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”

― Dita Von Teese

So we hope this episode helps you to embrace your unique peach. (All the puns intended). 

https://superstarsbio.com/bios/dita-von-teese/

After binging several seasons of Phillipa Gregory's historical dramas, I started to feel some kinda way about my family tree.  I am a descendent of Margaret Beaufort, who was mother of King Henry VII (grandmother of King Henry VIII who we all remember!).  She dedicated her life to protecting her son's claim to the throne, and didn't let anything get in her way. Yet in some historical accounts, she is villainized and painted as a terrible, murderous women. Some depict her as a religious zealot.  Others, however, depict her in more human terms.  And after I found a couple of the latter accounts, I felt a sense of pride in my family tree again.  

Even though Phillipa Gregory's books and TV Series have stoked a fire in me to understand my ancestry, her historical "fiction" takes some pretty glaring liberties with actual history and Beaufort is one of the victims of this.  Much of what I was feeling bad about was just false!  She was just a woman with ambition and dedication, so obviously...a bitch. 

We present to you, one of history's early, amazing, badass, dedicated Bitches - Margaret Beaufort!

https://www.philippagregory.com/characters/margaret-beaufort

https://www.royalhistorygeeks.com/5-of-the-ways-the-spanish-princess-distorted-margaret-beaufort/

https://tudortimes.co.uk/guest-articles/lady-margaret-beaufort-hero-or-villain#:~:text=Margaret%20Beaufort%20is%20the,s%20path%20to%20the%20throne.

In honor of Breast Cancer awareness month (October), and the many (way too many) friends we have currently fighting breast cancer, we wanted to do an episode about the doctors and women and medical people who've helped humanity make major strides in various areas of healthcare. 

If you are curious exactly what’s happening in Iran and why, this is the episode for you. This is a women’s rights cautionary tale, and let’s hope it’s not foreshadowing.  The women protesting in Iran face imprisonment and death. We must pay attention.

So, disclaimer: neither of us are Hispanic/Latina.  We aren't claiming to be experts, and we are open to conversations to educate us.  

This podcast aims to bring the unsung heroes onto the stage. Our stage is still small, so please share this podcast with friends who would enjoy it.  We would love your topic suggestions, or for you to let us know if we missed an important name or detail.  

This episode lists a whole bunch of Latina badasses who need to be known! 

We are busy bitches, just like you guys. Sometimes, even though we do research for each episode, we are struck with a question or thought while we are recording. We're just keepin it real and organic.  During this episode we were trying to think of a celebratory term to say at the end of each woman's segment...like CHEERS!  Lisa suggested Chingona, and it couldn't be more perfect: 

"Throughout Latin America and in many Latinx communities in the United States, the word chingona has always had negative connotations attached to it. The word has historically been used to describe women who are “too aggressive,” while the masculine version of the word “chingon” is used as a way to compliment men. In recent years, Latinas like Duarte have made efforts to reclaim the word and used it as a way to empower themselves, similarly to how the LGBTQI community has taken back the word “queer.” 

Y'ALL! that is exactly what we are trying to do with "Bitch"!  Chingona is the perfect word! 

https://medium.com/@CoachellaUninc/chingona-definition-reclaiming-what-it-means-to-be-a-fearless-latina-ce904efa4be2

and, an apology: 

And, as far as why Hispanic Heritage Month is 9/15-10/15  - census.gov says: 

“About National Hispanic Heritage Month

It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. “The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua."

Speculating during the show, we incorrectly associated it with Dia De Los Muertos, which isn't until November 1-2. We really should have done better with this fact. Forgive us, and happy independence.  (We wish Puerto Rico could celebrate this way)

My brain (Kelly's) is struggling a little because of long covid, and meds to deal with the other health issue fuckery. So I fuck up my words and struggle to recall things, a lot. Sorry. Be gentle with me, I'm Perimenopausal too.  

We wanted to cover Lucille Ball, but we felt obligated to give mention to a bunch of other amazing female comedians who have broken barriers in the comedy world.  Comedy is a near and dear concept to us. Kelly calls it "group therapy for society" because it can force us to look at things from a different perspective and to address difficult topics with humor.  Female comedians have faced a difficult time, as women have in almost all segments of society, because the patriarchy doesn't want to hear from us, let alone laugh at our jokes!  Many of the women mentioned in this episode deserve their own episode and we are going to give it to them!  But for today, its Lucy. We love Lucy!

Lucille Ball was responsible for Star Trek becoming the show we know it as today, as she overrode the Desilu Productions board and approved the expensive production of the pilot. NBC initially rejected the show, but then later ordered a 2nd pilot starring William Shatner as Krik and Lucy financed it.  As it turns out, we recorded this episode on "Star Trek Day", which was a total coincidence.  

Links:

Hillary's tweets about her emails (suck it, Trump)

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1567164268172173315

Brittney Griner

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/brittney-griner-penal-colony-russia/

British PM cabinet fuckery

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/world/europe/uk-liz-truss-cabinet.html

Comedians

https://collider.com/galleries/rare-facts-about-lucille-ball/

PS I'm so sorry Carol Burnette...I love you! 

If you are hoping for an episode about musicals, move along. You and Lisa can vibe about musicals on your own time. In this episode we are talking about classical composers. We've only ever heard about Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and the rest of the classical music boys.  It never even occurred to us that women had been composers because what we do know is that women were not really allowed to do jack shit.  Come to find out, not only were there a lot of very talented female composers going back to even the 11th century, but some of them were so good, that the men around them took credit for their work! Are you shocked? Neither were we!  I say this with much bias, but this episode is a pretty good mini education about women in the history of classical music.  (Sorry I butchered all the names!)

Here's our main sources: 

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/great-women-composers/?fbclid=IwAR3E9kXRVFujbsxguUS4Ntv3YusGPMEhjhXbIMAH4czGi-lhg8z3n8Qa0uI

https://utahsymphony.org/explore/2020/03/10-trailblazing-female-composers-you-need-to-know/

And here's a PLAYLIST! 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4qUnaheqZvTVpgejSU3IMA?si=1a88a0f02c504165

Everyone has heard of Amelia Earhart.  She actually made it into the history books. Sometimes I wonder if she would have been in the books if she'd made it back from that ill-fated flight. Dead women are no threat to the patriarchy.  That is so jaded, sorry!  

Anyway,  this episode is packed with a bunch of badass ladies who have been defying gravity since the very beginning of human flight.  We have women in the air from all walks of life and generations, and some of them were quite young! As usual, our own podcast gave Kelly feelings of inferiority. Lisa is a Capricorn, she has no idea what that is like. heehee.  This episode is pretty inspirational.   

If you need an excuse for a potluck at work or something, here's the days we are nodding at with this ep: 

8/18 Nat’l Aviation Day

8/16 Nat’l Aireborne Day

8/20 Nat’l Accessible Air Travel Day

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-accessible-air-travel-day-august-20/

https://www.aviationtriad.com/women-who-shaped-aviation/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20overlooked,flight%20by%20humans%20in%201903.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-ida-holdgreves-stitches-helped-wright-brothers-get-off-ground-180977195/

https://www.rd.com/list/famous-women-in-flight/

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Cleopatra VII Philopator was Queen of of Egypt. She was famously wealthy and her legend paints her as a seductress. She was most famously portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in one of the most expensive films in history in 1963. 

The real story is that she was wildly intelligent, a brilliant strategist, spoke 9 or more languages, was revered by her people as a reincarnation of Isis… she was captivating and charming. And she was a threat to a world of Kings and Conquerers…so they did what the patriarchy has always done…they slut shamed her.

https://colinfalconer.org/cleopatra-fact-from-fiction/ 

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130976125

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