A number of feminist-branded companies, including The Wing, Man Repeller and Ban.do, are reckoning with racism and employee mistreatment. This episode, we're focusing in on the digital-media powerhouse Refinery29 and its problematic white leadership. Plus, we'll examine what the #blackatR29 movement reveals about working while Black and why seemingly woke, women-led outlets aren't immune to toxicity, inequity and top-down racism.
Unladylike: A Field Guide to Smashing the Patriarchy and Claiming Your Space is available now, wherever books and audiobooks are sold. Signed copies are available at podswag.com/unladylike.

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How to Reckon with Refinery29

A feminist lifestyle podcast on a mission to stay curious, build empathy and raise hell. Hosted by Cristen Conger.

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Comedy Interviews

Magician Nicole Cardoza has never met another illusionist who looks like her. The reasons why are no stage magic secret. This episode, Nicole debunks the default pale, male magician and his "lovely assistant" and reclaims the power of suspending disbelief. Highlights include: spiritual appropriation; taboo magic; the Queen of Coins; sexist pockets; and America's first Black female magician, Ellen Armstrong. 

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Black Girl Magician

What do vision boards and Princess Diana conspiracy theories have in common? They both rely on a kind of magical thinking called proportionality bias. It's one of many cognitive biases that returning guest Amanda Montell connects to all the woo-woo and delulu going around these days. From the sunk cost fallacy of toxic relationships to the halo effect of female celebs to the declinism of everyday doomsday speak, Amanda makes even the most mindboggling and brainrotting realities of today's (mis)information overload more bearable.
Highlights include: Beyonce's vegan surprise, Charli XCX stans, Earth Mamas, therapy influencers, TikTok astrologers and "learning to stomach a sense of irresolution."
Amanda's new book is The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality.

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Magical Overthinking

**Unladies' Room Patreon preview**
A labor-free life of feminine leisure, and/or the ultimate self-care con? The SAHGs (stay-at-home girlfriends) of TikTok have been described as a manifestation of Gen Z, anti-girlboss culture. Except, they’re still getting paid to work!!
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The Stay-at-Home Girlfriend Mirage

What's the difference between a white feminist and a mean girl? Not so much, as Kim Hong Nguyen explains this episode. From colonial era white women to TERFs on main today, mean girl feminism is a new term for an old problem that's all show, no go and oblivious to racialized white feminisms. We also meet its four familiar faces: Whitesplaining White Lady of Liberal Reason; Girlboss, a Self-Promotional Equity Lady; Karen with Illegible Rage; and Power Couple Wife with Resting Bitch Face.
Kim is an associate professor of communication arts, and gender and social justice at the University of Waterloo. Her new book is Mean Girl Feminism: How White Feminists Gaslight, Gatekeep and Girlboss.

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Mean Girl Feminism

Are butch-femme roles in queer relationships just recycling the same old hetero his 'n' hers gender boxes? What happens when toxic masculinity invades queer relationships and spaces? In an Unladylike FIRST, we're re-asking and re-answering a listener advice request–and with empathetic expertise from Autostraddle editor in-chief Carmen Phillips and membership editorial and ops wrangler and writer Nico Hall. Carmen and Nico break down butch misogyny, femme objectification and why lesbian relationships aren't immune to patriarchy. Highlights include: midcentury Buffalo lesbians, helpful dykes, queer signaling and Catholic school unladies.
Use promo code UNLADYLIKE15 to get 15% off and a free organic honey-based Restorative Mask with your first order at oakessentials.com. 
Carmen and Nico's recommended reading:

Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold

Kate Bornstein (author of Gender Outlaw)

With Gratitude and Struggle: Loving Butch/Femme as a Trans Woman

Butch Memoirs to Check Out

On navigating femme invisibility

The Allure of Chola Femininity


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How to Reckon with Refinery29

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