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From #MeToo to Brett Kavanaugh, we have a lot to be mad about. Rebecca Traister is back to discuss her new book exploring the social and historical power of women's anger. When women get angry, movements form and revolutions spark. See: Rosa Parks, Florynce Kennedy, Maxine Waters, and many more sheroes. We discuss rage-crying, the specific history of white women's tears, the lasting impact of Professor Anita Hill, and who has room to express their rage today. No wonder we're told to keep our anger to ourselves.

Reading List:

Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister is on sale now.

For smart thoughts and links on Kavanaugh, we turn to Rebecca Traister, Irin Carmon, Jenée Desmond Harris, Laura McGann, Brittany Packnett

Go deeper with books by and about these incredible angry feminists:

• Flo Kennedy: her public access show archive
• Vivian Gornick: all of her books
• Rosa Parks: At the Dark End of the Street
• Anita Hill: Strange Justice
• Rose Schneiderman: her 1911 speech at the Metropolitan Opera House after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

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Personal shero and labor innovator Ai-jen Poo joins us to discuss the politics of domestic work. How we can think about and pay for help with children, elders, and housework more fairly and comprehensively.

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Poverty need not exist in the U.S. So what can we do about it? We talk with Annie Lowrey about universal basic income and her deeply reported (and kinda radical) book, Give People Money.

Reading List:

Tour tickets!

Give People Money

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It's Q3 and we're hitting our stride: heading out on tour and really feeling ourselves... enraged. As are some listeners who have written in about recent ad campaigns.We respond to criticism about our ad choices, note pushback against other small women-owned businesses, and how many critiques fall disproportionately to Amina, personally. There no ethical consumption under capitalism. (And, fwiw, the Koch brothers do not own Coca-Cola.) Plus, Serena's righteous rage on the tennis court. And a new petty anger corner, where we share our hilariously mundane gripes.

Reading List:

We're going on tour!

Our Businesswoman Special episode

Tuesday Bassen

Serena’s justified rage

Claudia Rankine on Serena / Citizen

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As some of our faves' fave women face charges of abuse and impropriety, we dig into the deeper meaning of #metoo. From feminist critics rushing to the defense of an NYU professor whose texts and emails paint a damning picture of her relationship with a grad student, to accusations against Weinstein survivor Asia Argento (more damning texts), to himpathy for Louis C.K., we look at the many ways people we like or agree with have caused harm. In some cases, in deep contrast to the ideals they profess. Artist Jenny Holzer put it best: abuse of power comes as no surprise.

Reading List

Asia Argento accusations

Response from Tarana Burke

Avital Ronell accusations

Responses from Andrea Long Chu // Judith Butler // Chris Kraus

The “Cool” Pope

Jenny Holzer

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Let's talk about race, baby, and what white people really mean when they say they don't see it. Whether it's willful ignorance about collective racial identity or an unexpectedly defensive flare-up from someone who claims to be progressive or an intersectional feminist, white fragility has serious consequences. We discuss its impact on people of color with Rachel Cargle, and explore ways for white people to break down internal barriers to growth with Robin DiAngelo. If you are white and listening to this, stick with it, even if you're confused or uncomfortable.

Reading List

White Fragility book

Robin DiAngelo's resources

Rachel Cargle's website and Instagram

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Remember that November 9th feeling? We'd like to move in the other direction, so we're donating money, making calls, and shining a light on the people we'd like to see in office instead. We talk with with state-level candidates we're supporting: Cynthia Nixon in New York and Felicia French in Arizona. Christine Hallquist is trans and just became the Democratic nominee for governor in Vermont. Plus, shoutouts to Congressional candidates Abby Finkenauer in Iowa; Lauren Underwood in Illinois; Ilhan Omar in Minnesota; and Rashida Tlaib in Michigan.

Reading List

Higher Heights

Sister District

Gettable Senate seats

Cynthia Nixon for NY governor

Felicia French for AZ state legislature

Abby Finkenauer in Iowa congressional race

Lauren Underwood Illinois congressional race

Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib

Christine Hallquist in VT governor’s race

Also! STOP KAVANAUGH Day of Action

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Amina and Ann are writing a book! It's a memoir-manifesto called Big Friendship, and, as we kick off the writing process we're answering some of your friendship questions. Friendships where privilege gets in the way. Friendships where one of you has moved on and doesn't know how to talk about it. Friendships that are post-breakup. Friendships where fat shaming comes into play.

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Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) joins us to discuss her policy goals and accomplishments. She believes there is room for optimism even in Ivanka’s dad’s America. Plus, her yes vote on SESTA, safety for sex workers, and why addressing race is a national security imperative (as well as a moral one).

Reading List:

Harris-Rand op-ed on bail reform

Harris statement on SESTA

Smart on Crime by Kamala Harris

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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We love a money diary, even if the internet hated a recent one in Refinery29 about a marketing intern who makes $25/hour and has significant family support to afford her life. In the interest of transparency, we get real about how much we make, where it comes from, secret white people money, emotional spending, and what it means to be self-made.

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