Chat In The Commons

A chat about coming of age in a man’s world. As Rebecca Solnit says, “It gets you even if it doesn’t get you. You have to think every day of your life as a girl and a young woman, if I wear this what will happen? If I go out, what will happen?” and girls and women are getting the message that “this is not your world, this is not your street, this is not your city, this is not your adventure, you are not the protagonist.”

In this hour, Elle and Natalie reflect on growing up female, and unpack the conditioning all girls and women are subjected to.

EPISODE LINKS

Rebecca's English Hub |Tik Tok

Science of Smiling | National Library of Medicine 

Lake Bell Interview | CBS Mornings

Why Some Grown Women Sound Like Girls | Psychology Today

In A World | Lake Bell

Inside Voice | Lake Bell

Untamed | Glennon Doyle

The Gift of Fear | Gavin de Becker

Men Hazing Girls & Women | Rebecca Solnit

Men Explain Things to Me | Rebecca Solnit

The Hero’s Journey | Joseph Campbell

The Heroine’s Journey | Maureen Murdoch

Twelve Feminist Lessons of War | Cynthia Enloe

Cynthia Enloe Interview | Subject To Power

Women’s War Stories | Sonora Jha

I’m Gonna Be an Engineer | Peggy Seeger

CONTACT

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 

CREDITS

Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A continued chat about Project 2025 and the Trump Administration. In this episode we cover the gutting of the Department of Education and its ripple effects, and Trump’s inaugural-day declaration that there are only two sexes, and what that means for women. Elle and Natalie talk frankly about how the Democratic Party abandoned women during the Biden years and how the Trump administration capitalized on that. We also explore alternatives to US right-left party politics and how women leaders in other countries are showing the way.

EPISODE LINKS

Eliminating Dept of Education | MSNBC

The Roots of Eliminating Dept of Ed | NEA 

Declaring Two Genders | NBC News 

Trump’s Executive Orders | The White House

Erasing Harriet Tubman | CNN

Claudia Scheinbaum’s First 100 Days | Mexico News Daily

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir's Election | Pace TV

Women in Politics | Pew Research

The National Women’s Party | Alice Paul

Women’s Rights Party New Zealand

Party of Women, UK

Suppressing the Democratic Process | Marianne Williamson

The Reckoning | Kara Dansky

Victoria Smith | The Critic Magazine

Council of Women World Leaders

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir on Women in Politics | Inspired by Iceland

Trump’s Executive Orders Align with Project 2025 | Forbes

CONTACT US

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 

CREDITS

Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat about the Trump Administration and their 180-Day Playbook. Were fears about Project 2025 justified or was it simply fear-mongering from the Left? In this 2-part series, Elle and Natalie attempt to decode key chapters of Project 2025 and what it means for women.

Part 2 will be out next week.

EPISODE LINKS

Identity Politics - Jackson Katz | The Spectator

Project 2025 Authors | Revolving Door Project

Trump’s Denial of Project 2025 | Washington Post

The Heritage Foundation - Kevin Roberts | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Project 2025

CSAM Report 2021 | Australian Institute of Criminology

Project 2025 Tracker 

Abortion Law Tracking | Jessica Valenti 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett Immigration | NAACP

S.A.V.E. Act | NPR

Trump 2028 Hats | The Times

CONTACT US

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 

CREDITS

Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat about marriage. In this first episode of our four-part series on 4B, the feminist movement from South Korea, Elle and Natalie dive into all things marriage. We explore why we marry, how women are faring within marriage, and why women are choosing not to marry.

Episode Links

4B Movement | ABC Australia

I Don’t | Clementine Ford

Letters from a War Zone | Andrea Dworkin

Leta Hong Fincher | Subject to Power

Left Over Women | Leta Hong Fincher 

Mel Hamlett | TikTok

GirlOnTheCouch | TikTok

Looking for a Man in Finance | TikTok 

Hope Peddler | TikTok

Mariam Tazi-Preve | Subject to Power

Motherhood in Patriarchy | Mariam Tazi-Preve 

CocoHasideas | TikTok

Marriage Rates Worldwide

US Marriage Rates

Suffer in Silence | Cecilia Regina TikTok 

Women’s Co-Housing Community

Contact Us

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 

Credits

Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat about the highs and lows of feminist movements past and present. We spotlight significant events across the world that have had huge impacts for women. We also take a hard look at the current state of feministing and its promises of so-called women’s empowerment and individual liberation. 

Episode Links

Gail Dines | Subject to Power

1975 Iceland Women’s Strike | BBC

Elisa in Iceland | Tik Tok

Equal Rights Amendment | PBS

Ann Pettitt | Greenham Commons 

Pray the Devil Back to Hell | PBS

UK Supreme Court Decision | The Guardian

4B Movement | ABC Australia

Trials of Brett Kavanagh & Clarence Thomas | CBC News

Mexico City Femicide Protest | The London Standard

Yesenia Zamundio, Mexico | Brut India 

President Claudia Scheinbaum | Latina Republic

National Coalition For Men

Contact Us

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 

Credits

Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat exploring a new perspective on coercive control. Natalie and Elle have a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of coercive control - as a behavior and as a covert strategy used by men to control women. Also discussing the many challenges in defining this behavior in law and language, as well as how we as a society, deal with men who ensnare women into long-term abusive relationships.

Episode Links

The Goodness Paradox | Richard Wrangham

Carol Christ 

When Love Goes Wrong | Ann Jones, Susan Schechter

Coercive Control | Evan Stark

See What You Made Me Do | Jess Hill

No Visible Bruises | Rachel Louise Snyder

How He Gets Into Her Head | Don Hennessy 

Why Does He Do That? | Lundy Bancroft

Coercive Control Legislation Global Database

Murder of Jennifer Dulos 

Murder of Jennifer Magnano

Jennifer's Law gets Turned on its Head in Chaotic Family Court Case | CT Inside Investigator

Women Who Kill | Ann Jones

Contact Us

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Credits

Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat about relationship abuse. In this episode, Natalie and Elle have a provocative discussion about how men’s violence within the four walls of the home is never contained - it spills over into our communities and all of society. We also have a critical look at the well-funded industry built to respond to domestic violence and reflect on why men’s abuse is worse now than ever.  Men’s violence in the home does not exist in a vacuum and we unpack the patriarchal bargain that continues to grant men dominion over women and children.

Episode Links

Jane Gilmore | TEDx

Grant Wyeth Article

Judith Herman Quote

Laura Richards | Crime Analyst 

VAWA Biennial Report

NNEDV Annual Report

Dr. Jacqueline Campell | Danger Assessment Tool

DASH Risk Checklist

Dr. Christine Cocchiola | Perfect Prey Podcast 

Reem Alsalem | UN Special Rapporteur

Deborah Tuerkheimer | Credible

Contact Us

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons

Credits

Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

A chat about women’s collective awakening to patriarchal backlash. At a time when women are enjoying unprecedented gains and liberties, we are also seeing a roll-back of rights and a rise of violent misogyny. The collective actions of yesteryear’s feminism won women significant freedoms, protections and material gains, but where are we now?

In the first episode of Chat In The Commons, hosts Natalie and Elle reflect on coming of age and living life as a woman amidst the historical human rights struggle called feminism. We look at the battles we’re losing and winning, trying to hold on to our hard-won autonomy and agency. We unpack the patriarchal backlash and ever-evolving attempts to regain control over women, and how women resist and persist.  

We connect individual events to macro patterns - to better understand what this cultural moment holds for women. We zoom out in order to see the interconnected systems that trap women and men in destructive structures, but also to see the millions of like-minded humans - now connecting, gathering and shaping a new consciousness.

Episode Links

Man v. Bear TikTok

Telegram Rape Chatgroup Article

Mia on TikTok  

Jessica Valenti on TikTok  

A World Without Rape

Pregnancy Justice 

PBS News Hour - No Fault Divorce 

Contact Us

Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com

Instagram: @chatinthecommons

X: @ChatInCommons 

Credits

Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell

Edited by Elle Kamihira

Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio

Cover Art by Reda Tomingas

Music by Moushumi

Have women achieved equality or are we losing all our rights?