Cheerleaders are a big part of our culture, from halftime performances at school football games to the longevity of Bring It On. They’re incredible performers and such an integral part of the gameday experience, and yet society often treats them like mere objects. We’ve seen so much progress in the ways jobs traditionally held by women are respected, but why are we still discounting cheerleaders, even the ones who work in the NFL? We talk with Melanie, a former NFL cheerleader, and Lizzy, a sexual harassment lawyer who helped take down Dan Snyder, the former owner of the Washington football team.

For more information on the case involving the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund and Dan Snyder: https://nwlc.org/how-survivors-prevailed-against-dan-snyder-and-the-washington-commanders/

The Oversight Committee Report Melanie mentioned can be found here: https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/oversight-committee-releases-final-report-on-investigation-into-the-nfl-s

If you have experienced sex harassment or other sex discrimination at work, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund may be able to help. For more information visit: https://nwlc.org/times-up-legal-defense-fund/legal-help-for-sex-discrimination-and-harassment/

Living Single, a sitcom featuring six Black roommates in New York was a hit when it debuted on Fox in 1993. But in 1994, NBC created an eerily similar show with a white cast called Friends. They aired in direct competition, and the rest is history. We explore Living Single’s legacy and the repercussions of co-opting and devaluing the work of Black women.

Living Single vs. Friends: Erika Alexander Speaks Out: https://zora.medium.com/why-the-friends-vs-living-single-twitter-beef-really-matters-ce54d9559457

Erika Alexander says the 'Living Single' and 'Friends' needs 'a larger conversation': https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/erika-alexander-says-living-single-friends-needs-larger-conversation-rcna83757

#FreeBritney! Britney Spears has been a lightning rod since the moment she appeared on MTV. We discuss the ways in which she’s been a model of how it’s impossible to be a woman in the public eye, at every age, and how her conservatorship shed a light on the way the legal system can be weaponized, especially against people with disabilities. And then, NWLC lawyer and disability justice advocate Ma'ayan Anafi joins us to make the connection between Britney Spears and the larger fight against forced sterilization and conservatorships. 

Ma’ayan’s report, Forced Sterilization of Disabled People in the United States can be found here: https://nwlc.org/resource/forced-sterilization-of-disabled-people-in-the-united-states/

Janet Jackson’s infamous Super Bowl halftime show wasn’t hers alone, but she sure took the blame. We rewrite history on what really happened with Janet and draw the connection to how Black women and girls’ bodies are still policed, especially through dress codes in school. And then, we talk with Dr. Monique Couvson, a scholar and expert on school pushout, about how Janet’s treatment mirrors what happens to Black girls in schools all across the country.

Check out Grantmakers for Girls of Color here: https://g4gc.org/

Learn more about Dr. Couvson and her work here: https://drmoniquecouvson.com/

NWLC’s Dress Coded reports can be found here: 

https://nwlc.org/resource/dresscoded/

What happens when reality TV gets too real? Jessica, Lark, and Hilary discuss two instances of how sexual harassment and assault were handled on reality TV, first on Survivor, then on Below Deck: Down Under. Then we talk to our guest Hannah Finnie, an expert on the intersection of employment law and reality TV, about why reality TV stars need workers’ rights too, especially in a genre of entertainment that’s too often discounted as “trash.”

If you have experienced sex harassment at work, at school, or when receiving health care, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund may be able to help. For more information visit: https://nwlc.org/times-up-legal-defense-fund-/ .

More information on Kellee Kim’s case and TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund’s involvement can be found here: https://nwlc.org/surviving-survivor-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace-includes-reality-tv/

Unlike some movies and TV shows, we’re comfortable talking about abortion. Yes, we’re naming names. On this episode of Hearsay, we explore how abortion has been depicted over the decades in the media, from Maude to Jane the Virgin and (nearly) everything in between. And then Leila Abolfazli, a lawyer and abortion expert at NWLC, talks to us about why these depictions are so important, and the three movies that motivated her to join the fight for abortion access.

For more information on abortion in media:

We Testify - Abortion Onscreen Awards Abortion Onscreen — WE TESTIFY

ANSIRH - Abortion on TV and Film Abortion on TV and Film | ANSIRH

Glamour article about abortion representation in TV: Here's Why the Abortion Storylines on Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Matter | Glamour

Our watchlist of TV episodes with abortion plots and subplots:

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?” (Season 2, Episode 4)

Euphoria: “And Salt the Earth Behind You” (Season 1, Episode 8)

Jane the Virgin: “Chapter Forty-Six” (Season 3, Episode 2)

Maude: “Maude’s Dilemma” (Season 1, Episodes 9/10)

Scandal: “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” (Season 5, Episode 9) 

Sex and the City: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda (Season 4, Episode 11)

 Introducing Hearsay, the podcast that unpacks pop culture with a purpose. In each episode, our multigenerational hosts Jessica, Hilary, and Lark, invite you to join their candid conversations, backed by insights from experts who bridge the gap between their professional expertise and the cultural zeitgeist.

Episode 1 premieres February 21st, 2024.