Messy Liberation: Feminist Conversations about Politics and Pop Culture

This episode dives deep into Becky and Taina’s wildly different takes on romance novels, smut, and fanfic—plus what makes storytelling feel intimate or just pornographic. We cover the books we’re reading this summer, why Becky knocks stars off for explicit content, and what Audre Lorde has to say about feeling embodied. It’s messy, it’s honest, and it might make you laugh (or blush). Whether you love fanfic, hate sex scenes, or feel somewhere in between, this conversation unpacks it all with a feminist lens and zero shame.

Discussed in this episode

• Becky's summer reading binge: 15+ books a month

• Why explicit sex scenes turn Becky off

• Taina’s love for fanfic (especially emotionally mature Draco Malfoy)

• How Audre Lorde defines pornography vs. the erotic

• Navigating parenting and productivity during summer

• How generational differences show up in language and preferences

Resources mentioned

• “Slow Dance” by Rainbow Rowell

• “First-Time Caller” by B.K. Borison

• “Careless People” by Sarah Wynn-Williams

• “I'm Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

• Remain Nameless fanfic

• We Read Smut podcast

☀️ Join us in the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle

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Is it possible for a horror movie to teach you history? In this episode, Becky and Taina dive deep into the viral new film “Sinners,” unpacking its cultural, political, and emotional power. From Ryan Coogler’s revolutionary copyright deal to the legacy of Jim Crow and Chinese immigration in the South, they explore how this southern gothic, vampiric allegory reveals the truth about American racism, resilience, and black joy. With plenty of irreverence and a little lipstick talk to start, this episode is one for your brain *and* your heart.

Discussed in this episode:

• The movie “Sinners” and its allegorical brilliance
• Ryan Coogler’s unheard-of copyright ownership deal
• The Mississippi Free Press review of Sinners
• How horror can offer historical and cultural education
• Depictions of Black life, trauma, and joy on film
• The Chinese Immigration Act and racial context in the South
• America’s myth-making and white savior complex
• Trump’s military parade and the “No Kings” rallies
• The reality of what’s happening in Palestine
• Taina’s former life as an evangelical Republican

Resources mentioned:

• Mississippi Free Press: https://www.mississippifreepress.org
• No Kings Rallies: https://www.nokings.org

☀️ Join us in the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle: https://coaches.teachery.co/join

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

You don’t expect to leave a conversation about death and capitalism feeling inspired—but here we are. This episode dives headfirst into the intersections of death work, money trauma, collective care, and class consciousness. Stella Gold (they/them), founder of My Gold Standard, joins Becky and Taina to talk about their journey from hospice and death doula work to anti-capitalist money coaching—and how rebirth, grief, and radical redistribution play into all of it. Whether you’ve sworn off capitalism or are just starting to untangle your money mindset from the girlboss playbook, this convo will meet you where you’re at. Get ready for real talk about financial legacy, wealth redistribution, and why slow divestment can be a revolutionary act.

Stella Gold (they/them) is a genderqueer Rebirth + Wealth Coach for changemakers and comes from a lineage of activists. They are the founder of My Gold Standard, a believer in wealth activism, pro liberation from all oppressive systems, and collective care. Website | Instagram

Discussed in this episode

• What death work teaches us about money and community
• How grief impacts financial decision-making
• Why class consciousness must be part of any money conversation
• The myth of ‘pure’ divestment and the messiness of resisting capitalism
• Spirituality, religious trauma, and their role in financial healing
• What slow divestment looks like in real life (ex: leaving Amazon, ethical investing)

Resources mentioned

• "The Sum of Us" by Heather McGhee
• Carbon Collective
• Going With Grace
• Real You Leadership

☀️ Join us in the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

What happens when fanfic, therapy, chronic illness, and croissants collide? This episode of Messy Liberation is a rich blend of real talk and radical self-reflection. Becky and Taina explore chronic illness, returning to therapy, and the nuances of finding a Black therapist. They also deep-dive into the power of rest, hyperfixation (hello fanfic and HTML rabbit holes), and the liberatory framework of awareness, analysis, action, and accountability. With laughter, food porn, and a dash of ADHD hyperfocus, this convo is messy, meaningful, and full of feminist flavor.

Discussed in this Episode

• Taina's return to therapy and navigating chronic illness
• Why representation matters in therapeutic relationships
• The liberatory framework from Barbara J. Love: Awareness, Analysis, Action, Accountability/Allyship
• Fanfic as a tool for dissociation and joy
• Hyperfixation, ADHD tendencies, and the dopamine drip
• Rest as resistance and modeling what liberation looks like in real-time
• Resmaa Menakem and somatic healing
• Stolen Focus by Johann Hari and the attention economy
• The superior science of laminated croissants

Resources Mentioned

• Barbara J. Love’s Liberatory Consciousness Framework
• "My Grandmother’s Hands" by Resmaa Menakem
• "Stolen Focus" by Johann Hari
• Joy Oladokun music
• Becky’s Corporate Speak or Real Talk Game

☀️ Join us in the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle

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What if creativity wasn’t about talent or output—but about liberation? In this raw and relatable episode of Messy Liberation, Becky and Taina unpack the complicated relationship adults have with creative expression, especially under capitalism and toxic productivity culture. They talk about creative hobbies like sewing, baking sourdough, painting rocks, and learning languages—and how fear of imperfection or 'wasting time' often stops us from even trying. From ego death to somatic healing, they explore how creative play can be an act of reclamation, resistance, and embodiment. This one’s for anyone who’s ever said, 'I used to be creative…'

Discussed in this episode

• How capitalism and white supremacy sabotage our creativity

• Becky’s sewing dreams (and tote bags!)

• Taina’s love of baking and flower arranging

• Why it’s so hard to try something new as an adult

• Creative play as a somatic and healing practice

• Letting go of perfectionism and monetization

• The value of co-creation and community creativity

• How creative expression can fuel innovation in business

Resources mentioned

• The Great British Sewing Bee

• Empowered Embodied podcast with Kim Romaine

☀️ Join us in the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

In this grab bag episode, Becky and Taina get candid about everything from perimenopause and airplane germs to religious trauma and transformative fanfiction. Taina shares how one piece of Draco/Hermione fanfic cracked her wide open, while Becky reflects on the power of feeling seen in storytelling and media. They dig deep into the Catholic Church’s history of abuse, the political theater of the new Pope’s election, and how both personal and collective healing are tied to dismantling the systems that harm us. Expect musings on community, curiosity, cultish behavior—and a few pop culture tangents along the way.

Discussed in this Episode

• The surprising diversity of Houston, TX
• Air travel fears and post-pandemic etiquette
• Cultural differences in masking and public health
• Fanfiction as feminist literature
• Chronic illness representation in fiction
• The emotional labor of facilitation and caregiving
• Perimenopause, gendered medicine, and feeling invisible
• Religious trauma from both Catholic and evangelical backgrounds
• The politics of the new Pope and abuse cover-ups
• Community vs. cult dynamics and MAGA parallels
• Why questioning matters more than being right

Resources Mentioned

• "Greenlight" fanfic by Serena Muzaffir (on AO3)
• “Real Americans” by Rachel Khong
• “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Just Getting Better podcast

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In this episode of Messy Liberation, Becky and Taina go deep on how to stay informed and engaged without burning out. They talk about the importance of limiting your news intake, ditching moral judgment about productivity, and embracing self-care that actually nourishes you (hint: it’s not a face mask). From managing chronic illness to laughing in the face of despair, they explore how joy, pleasure, and tiny acts of resistance keep us rooted—and keep us going.

Discussed in This Episode:

• Why reducing your news intake can be life-saving
• The somatic signs of stress and how to listen to them
• Embracing tiny, doable actions over giant to-do lists
• Letting go of capitalist ideas of productivity and morality
• Why hobbies like gardening and sourdough are revolutionary
• Finding joy as a radical act of resistance
• How to build community in hard times
• Defining self-care on your own terms

Resources Mentioned:

• Bulwark Takes podcast
• “How to Keep House While Drowning” by KC Davis
• Taina’s free values guide
• Becky’s new podcast, Assigned Reading

🎤 WE'RE PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE 🎤

Becky and Taina are pulling back the curtain on the newest thing they’re building together: the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle—a community for people who coach (formally or informally) and want to practice coaching through a liberatory, feminist, and anti-capitalist lens. In this episode, they share the messy, honest backstory of how the group evolved from a free meet-up into a paid space—and why that change was necessary for sustainability and reciprocity.

They talk about what makes the circle different from other coaching programs (no formulas, no gatekeeping, no 5K price tags), and what members can expect: co-working, spotlight support sessions, book club, and a whole lot of community care. They also share their dreams for what might come next—including pop-ups, co-op style referrals, and collective funds to redistribute resources. If you’ve been looking for a coaching space that feels more real, this might be it.

💬 Discussed in this episode:

• Why community without boundaries becomes unsustainable
• The difference between commerce and capitalism (and why this isn’t capitalist)
• Becky’s Enneagram 6 “community builder as trauma response” moment
• Sliding scale pricing and our approach to equitable access
• Taina’s vision for mutual aid inside a coaching community
• Co-creating a group instead of playing expert at the front of the room
• How we’re modeling what we believe about leadership and liberation
• What you actually get in the Coaches Circle
• Building the business you want—without doing it alone
• Our shared obsession with reciprocity, co-working, and subverting norms

📚 Resources mentioned:

• Messy Liberation Coaches Circle
• “Emergent Strategy” by adrienne maree brown
• “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron
• “The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Feminist Podcasters Collective
• Wandering Aimfully by Jason & Caroline Zook

Feeling helpless about the state of the world? Same. In this episode, Becky and Taina serve up a spicy mix of rage and real talk about how to practice anti-fascism and anti-capitalism without burning yourself out. From mailing junk to the White House as protest (yes, really!) to joining tool libraries and neighborhood swaps, they share ideas that are affordable, actionable, and rooted in mutual aid.

They also go in hard on billionaires-in-space propaganda (👀 looking at you, Jeff Bezos), talk about why libraries are the ultimate resistance tool, and share fanfic-fueled joy as an act of defiance. This isn’t doomscrolling—it’s action-based community care for when you’re feeling powerless but still want to make a damn difference.

Discussed In This Episode:

• What “anti-fascist action” actually means (spoiler: you don’t need a pitchfork)
• How to use Project Maelstorm to flood the system with snail mail resistance
• Mutual aid ideas that cost little or nothing
• Why local libraries are radical tools of liberation
• Critiquing the billionaire joyride to space
• Building community with lending libraries, swaps, and shared skills
• Saying “fuck it” to performative feminism and embracing real-life impact

In this powerhouse episode, Becky and Taina go deep on the tangled roots of American music—from Negro spirituals and funk to country and bluegrass—and how Black artists have always shaped the sounds we now call “mainstream.” They unpack Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter backlash, how misogynoir fuels that criticism, and the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation. And yeah, they go in on white defensiveness, Trump regrets, and what true harm repair looks like (hint: “sorry” isn’t enough). If you’re uncomfortable, good. You’re probably learning something.

Discussed in this episode:

• The healing power of funk and the somatic joy of dancing alone
• The PBS documentary A History of Funk Music and Black Liberation of the 1970s
• Cultural appropriation vs. appreciation in music (Justin Timberlake, anyone?)
• Misogynoir and the gatekeeping of country music
• Why Beyoncé absolutely belongs in the country genre
• Taina’s fire analogy about AI and cultural appropriation
• The impact > intent distinction (and the $10 egg drop)
• What true harm repair actually looks like
• Why “sorry” is step zero, not step one
• The Venn diagram of justice, and why it all comes back to humanity and collectivism
• Angry grannies, Trump regretters, and FAFO energy

Resources mentioned:

• A History of Funk Music and Black Liberation of the 1970s on PBS YouTube
• “James” by Percival Everett
• Rhiannon Giddens and Carolina Chocolate Drops