My Favorite Feminists

This episode Megan and Milena cover Margaret Hamilton, NASA’s first software engineer & Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Duchess of Uzès, a wealthy aristocratic French sculptor

Margaret Hamilton

Look at this fierce lady. This is the face of a woman who made it possible for man to get to the moon. Margaret Hamilton is a brilliant software engineer that made the Apollo lunar landing possible, as well as developed her own math theory AND programming language.Wut.

Hamilton practically lived in her office. Look at that determination. LOOK. AT. IT.

Here it is, the famous picture that literally everyone has seen on Facebook of Hamilton standing next to the handwritten code that made the lunar mission so successful. It’s as tall as her. And now you can remember her name!

Here’s our girl representing MIT, the school that developed and hosted the Laboratory that Hamilton worked for while she was working on the Apollo missions.

Hamilton is featured in the Lego set, aptly named “Women of NASA.” She stars alongside Mae Jemison, Sally Ride, and Nancy Grace Roman. Stay tuned for those ladies!

And here is Hamilton receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the one and only Barack Obama. We are deceased.

Marie Adrienne Anne Victurnienne Clementine de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Duchesse d’Uzès

Also known as Anne

Anne looking badass in this portrait – hunting knife and whip at the ready. Photo by: Photo12/UIG via Getty Images

Anne is a type of rich you and I will never know. And not like buying name brand sugar rich, or Tesla rich, or ‘oh look at me I have a 401k with dental and vision insurance benefits’ rich, but ‘oldest noble French family that dates back to the 730’s’ rich. And yeah, having a long family line doesn’t make you rich, but the accumulation of centuries worth of power and money does help. Thankfully for us Annie was the type of woman, which upon her deathbed, had spent the majority of her wealth. Even luckier for us she used it on art and feminism. This episode we cover how badass she was spending that money, making the world a better place because of it.

Family History

What’s this? Oh just the family crest of the House of Rochechouart. The House motto? The Spirit surpasses the Matter

1863 painting by Léon Cogniet of Madame Clicquot and her granddaughter Anne, sole heir to her champagne fortune. In the top right corner? Just the family house…

Oh just Château de Boursault, the family house where Anne grew up

View of one of the rooms. How many in total I can’t say but I imagine the heating costs are a nightmare

Selected Sculptures

Sculpture of Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters, that Anne exhibited at the Salon of French Artists – a marble version of that was shown at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago

Crop of Anne working on her Monument to Joan of Arc, painting by Adolphe Demange

Entire painting by Adolphe Demange showing Anne at work on one of her monumental sculptures

This episode Megan & Milena cover artist, scientist, businesswoman, conservationist and farmer Beatrix Potter & 17th century illustrator and scientist Maria Sibylla Merian

Beatrix Potter

A young Beatrix photographed by her father. In her hand? Just her pet mouse named Xarifa….totally a Milena move naming an animal that…Milena…

My dear Noel, starts the letter to four year old Noel Moore in 1893, I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail – and Peter… So begins a letter that now brings in over 500$ million annually from the creation of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. While best known for her children’s books, the reclusive Beatrix was also avid in mycology, farming and sheep breeding. This episode we learn what it’s like growing up in late Victoria England, why B12 supplements are essential for any potential spouse and what to do with over 6000 acres of farmland – not bad for starting with four little rabbits.  

Selected Illustrations of Beatrix’s

The famous Peter Rabbit, arguably the reason why the Potter works are valued at 500$ million dollars today. Beatrix’s most iconic illustration

Artwork of the red cap toadstool, also know as the amanita muscaria, fly agaric or fly amanita. Beatrix did over 300 drawings of fungi in her lifetime, later blaming her weakening eyesight on all the eyestrain from drawing them

Drawing of hygrocybe coccinea – don’t ask me to say that. On encouragement from a lead mycologist she started illustrating not only the mushrooms in their natural settings but cross sections as well

A 1899 drawing to celebrate the publication of Henry Roscoe’s chemistry textbook – Beatrix often wove her science interests into her art

Studies of her pet hedgehog. Beatrix would pull from these preliminary sketches for her book illustrations

Selected Photographs of Beatrix

Beatrix and her brother Bertram posing for their father. Rupert photographed the family over the years, with the long exposure times I imagine the children got very good at standing still

A handcrafted stuffed animal of Peter, made by Beatrix. She started character branding with her marketing of Peter Rabbit merchandise

Beatrix with her right hand man, Tom Storey and a prized Herdwick sheep

I’b be smiling like that too if I was worth 20 million dollars and owned over 6000 acres of property

Mentioned this episode:

* Bertram Potter– Younger brother to Beatrix, and an artist in his own right, working with oils for large scale landscape paintings * Randolph Caldecott – English illustrator that inspired Beatrix for his contributions to children’s literature, has a Medal named after him awarded annually for most distinguished American picture book for children*

This episode Megan & Milena cover artist, scientist, businesswoman, conservationist and farmer Beatrix Potter & 17th century illustrator and scientist Maria Sibylla Merian

Beatrix Potter

A young Beatrix photographed by her father. In her hand? Just her pet mouse named Xarifa….totally a Milena move naming an animal that…Milena…

My dear Noel, starts the letter to four year old Noel Moore in 1893, I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail – and Peter… So begins a letter that now brings in over 500$ million annually from the creation of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. While best known for her children’s books, the reclusive Beatrix was also avid in mycology, farming and sheep breeding. This episode we learn what it’s like growing up in late Victoria England, why B12 supplements are essential for any potential spouse and what to do with over 6000 acres of farmland – not bad for starting with four little rabbits.  

Selected Illustrations of Beatrix’s

The famous Peter Rabbit, arguably the reason why the Potter works are valued at 500$ million dollars today. Beatrix’s most iconic illustration

Artwork of the red cap toadstool, also know as the amanita muscaria, fly agaric or fly amanita. Beatrix did over 300 drawings of fungi in her lifetime, later blaming her weakening eyesight on all the eyestrain from drawing them

Drawing of hygrocybe coccinea – don’t ask me to say that. On encouragement from a lead mycologist she started illustrating not only the mushrooms in their natural settings but cross sections as well

A 1899 drawing to celebrate the publication of Henry Roscoe’s chemistry textbook – Beatrix often wove her science interests into her art

Studies of her pet hedgehog. Beatrix would pull from these preliminary sketches for her book illustrations

Selected Photographs of Beatrix

Beatrix and her brother Bertram posing for their father. Rupert photographed the family over the years, with the long exposure times I imagine the children got very good at standing still

A handcrafted stuffed animal of Peter, made by Beatrix. She started character branding with her marketing of Peter Rabbit merchandise

Beatrix with her right hand man, Tom Storey and a prized Herdwick sheep

I’b be smiling like that too if I was worth 20 million dollars and owned over 6000 acres of property

Mentioned this episode:

* Bertram Potter– Younger brother to Beatrix, and an artist in his own right, working with oils for large scale landscape paintings * Randolph Caldecott – English illustrator that inspired Beatrix for his contributions to children’s literature, has a Medal named after him awarded annually for most distinguished American picture book for children*

This episode Megan & Milena cover primatologist and conservationist Dian Fossey & American trans sculptor Greer Lankton

Dian Fossey

So here we are again. Hang out and listen while I tell the story of one woman who basically said “FUCK ALL OF SOCIETY’S NORMS. I love animals more than I love people.” And, honestly, I can relate. This woman found a home in the mountains all by herself just to be in the lives of the creatures she loved. And if I have ever related to something so hard, it would be this. She dedicated her entire life researching, documenting, and protecting these sweet, intelligent, and beautiful creatures.

She wasn’t perfect. She spray painted live cattle. So….not the BEST person. But her abrasive heart was in the right place. And we commend her for her dedication to the animal sciences.

Fossey has always loved animals. This is her in her riding gear as an equestrian. She liked Horses, like a lot. I’m not about that whole life. But whatever.

Dian & Digit May 1977

Fossey and her favorite Gorilla, Digit. Digit was known around the world and plastered all over travel agencies and billboards. It was the death of Digit that prompted Fossey to create the Digit Fund and instigate anti-poaching efforts of mountain gorillas.

Field Museum, Chicago 9/83

Fossey took a step back from living in the mountains with gorillas to write about her experiences in Rwanda and the Congo. For the little time she spent away, she was a guest professor at Columbia University and published Gorillas In The Mist, a best selling novel that was eventually adapted into a movie.

Fossey’s gravestone. After Dian Fossey’s brutal murder, she was buried next to Digit on Camp Karisoke. Above her name was the nicknamed given to her by locals. Nyiramachabelli translated roughly to “Woman who lives alone in the woods.” The nickname was a marker of the efforts and sacrifices she made to tell the world about her beloved gorillas.

If you want to give to the anti poaching fund she started, or want more information about the efforts made today, you can check out the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International HERE

Greer Lankton

Coming of age in the 1980’s, Greer was part of a scene of counterculture artist rising out of the East Village in NYC. Originally from Michigan, growing up Greer knew that she was different. For one thing, she was born a boy. Transitioning in 1979 at the age of 21 gave Greer a unique perspective on gender that resounded in her art. She sculpted dolls were rendered with a hyper awareness of the body, crafted with a level of attention and detail that resulted in a combination of both beauty and the grotesque. While passing too early from an overdose, the work Greer left behind is an extremely personal testament to rise of queer art within postmodern art.

Wedding Photos by Nan Goldin

Greer & David on their wedding day in March of 1987

The happy couple David & Greer along with Greer’s dad, who officiated the marriage

Selected Work

Jackie O – an articulating figure with her iconic outfit hand sewn by Greer. As Milena puts it, “Jackie Kennedy was perfection ”

This is my favorite sculpture by Greer – I love the sass and personality Greer captured in this character ...

This episode Megan & Milena cover primatologist and conservationist Dian Fossey & American trans sculptor Greer Lankton

Dian Fossey

So here we are again. Hang out and listen while I tell the story of one woman who basically said “FUCK ALL OF SOCIETY’S NORMS. I love animals more than I love people.” And, honestly, I can relate. This woman found a home in the mountains all by herself just to be in the lives of the creatures she loved. And if I have ever related to something so hard, it would be this. She dedicated her entire life researching, documenting, and protecting these sweet, intelligent, and beautiful creatures.

She wasn’t perfect. She spray painted live cattle. So….not the BEST person. But her abrasive heart was in the right place. And we commend her for her dedication to the animal sciences.

Fossey has always loved animals. This is her in her riding gear as an equestrian. She liked Horses, like a lot. I’m not about that whole life. But whatever.

Dian & Digit May 1977

Fossey and her favorite Gorilla, Digit. Digit was known around the world and plastered all over travel agencies and billboards. It was the death of Digit that prompted Fossey to create the Digit Fund and instigate anti-poaching efforts of mountain gorillas.

Field Museum, Chicago 9/83

Fossey took a step back from living in the mountains with gorillas to write about her experiences in Rwanda and the Congo. For the little time she spent away, she was a guest professor at Columbia University and published Gorillas In The Mist, a best selling novel that was eventually adapted into a movie.

Fossey’s gravestone. After Dian Fossey’s brutal murder, she was buried next to Digit on Camp Karisoke. Above her name was the nicknamed given to her by locals. Nyiramachabelli translated roughly to “Woman who lives alone in the woods.” The nickname was a marker of the efforts and sacrifices she made to tell the world about her beloved gorillas.

If you want to give to the anti poaching fund she started, or want more information about the efforts made today, you can check out the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International HERE

Greer Lankton

Coming of age in the 1980’s, Greer was part of a scene of counterculture artist rising out of the East Village in NYC. Originally from Michigan, growing up Greer knew that she was different. For one thing, she was born a boy. Transitioning in 1979 at the age of 21 gave Greer a unique perspective on gender that resounded in her art. She sculpted dolls were rendered with a hyper awareness of the body, crafted with a level of attention and detail that resulted in a combination of both beauty and the grotesque. While passing too early from an overdose, the work Greer left behind is an extremely personal testament to rise of queer art within postmodern art.

Wedding Photos by Nan Goldin

Greer & David on their wedding day in March of 1987

The happy couple David & Greer along with Greer’s dad, who officiated the marriage

Selected Work

Jackie O – an articulating figure with her iconic outfit hand sewn by Greer. As Milena puts it, “Jackie Kennedy was perfection ”

This is my favorite sculpture by Greer – I love the sass and personality Greer captured in this character ...

This episode Megan & Milena cover 4th century Greek mathematician Hypatia & contemporary fiber sculptor Judith, known as Judy, Scott.

Hypatia of Alexandria

I make that face, too, when someone tells me they’re in love with me.

Just a little painting of Hypatia teaching in the streets of Alexandria. Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria, watercolour and brown ink on paper by Robert Trewick Bone; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Math stuff that Milena tries to explain to me despite the fact I forgot how to do long division a very long time ago.

Above pictured is what happens if you slice a cone in spots. They make two dimensional shapes. This finding lends itself to Geometry, calculus, and astronomy. A lot of these shapes are found in nature, specifically in space. Hypatia revamped the work of Apollonius of Perga and taught her students using the literature she wrote.

A astrolabe. Never in a million years would I be able to figure out how to use this – thank god I’ve got Milena to explain it

Hypatia also used her knowledge, not just for academic applications, but for practical purposes as well. She designed multiple useful apparatuses, such as the astrolabe. The plane astrolabe was used for measuring the positions of stars, planets and the sun, and to calculate time and the ascendant sign of the zodiac.

The part where….well….let’s just say this is definitely the censored version; it was obviously a lot more gruesome than that.

Judy Scott

            Judy is a

woman that shows up from a cross-country flight with a bowling ball in her

carry on. The way she goes about things might be a little different, but those

differences in life is what earned her international recognition for her art. Unfortunately

the path leading to that international acclaim involves 35 years of

institutionalization, societal rejection of those with Down syndrome and one

asshole dentist who we hope rots in hell.

            That aside, once sparked

Judy’s creative passion could not be stifled. In her 18 years of studio

practice Judy expressed her personal narrative though mixed media fiber

sculptures. This episode we learn how she came about sculpting, who facilitated

her art making, and how even a earthquake can’t keep her from creating.

Selected Work

The piece that made her sister Joyce cry – seeing this she knew her sister was using sculpture to express what she’d been unable to vocalize

One of my favorite works from Judy – I love the change in color and line weight in the dead center

Also one of my favorite pieces from Judy – color is great, great vertical line work but most of all, what’s in it??

This is the piece that happened when Judy ran out of fiber and had to get resourceful – thank god for industrial sized rolls of paper towels

Look at the colors! There’s a great ombre effect happening in the left to center area. Also one of my favorite pieces. I tend to have a lot.

Went through some rough spots but we finally got that happy ending

Mentioned this episode:

*

This episode Megan & Milena cover 4th century Greek mathematician Hypatia & contemporary fiber sculptor Judith, known as Judy, Scott.

Hypatia of Alexandria

I make that face, too, when someone tells me they’re in love with me.

Just a little painting of Hypatia teaching in the streets of Alexandria. Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria, watercolour and brown ink on paper by Robert Trewick Bone; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Math stuff that Milena tries to explain to me despite the fact I forgot how to do long division a very long time ago.

Above pictured is what happens if you slice a cone in spots. They make two dimensional shapes. This finding lends itself to Geometry, calculus, and astronomy. A lot of these shapes are found in nature, specifically in space. Hypatia revamped the work of Apollonius of Perga and taught her students using the literature she wrote.

A astrolabe. Never in a million years would I be able to figure out how to use this – thank god I’ve got Milena to explain it

Hypatia also used her knowledge, not just for academic applications, but for practical purposes as well. She designed multiple useful apparatuses, such as the astrolabe. The plane astrolabe was used for measuring the positions of stars, planets and the sun, and to calculate time and the ascendant sign of the zodiac.

The part where….well….let’s just say this is definitely the censored version; it was obviously a lot more gruesome than that.

Judy Scott

            Judy is a

woman that shows up from a cross-country flight with a bowling ball in her

carry on. The way she goes about things might be a little different, but those

differences in life is what earned her international recognition for her art. Unfortunately

the path leading to that international acclaim involves 35 years of

institutionalization, societal rejection of those with Down syndrome and one

asshole dentist who we hope rots in hell.

            That aside, once sparked

Judy’s creative passion could not be stifled. In her 18 years of studio

practice Judy expressed her personal narrative though mixed media fiber

sculptures. This episode we learn how she came about sculpting, who facilitated

her art making, and how even a earthquake can’t keep her from creating.

Selected Work

The piece that made her sister Joyce cry – seeing this she knew her sister was using sculpture to express what she’d been unable to vocalize

One of my favorite works from Judy – I love the change in color and line weight in the dead center

Also one of my favorite pieces from Judy – color is great, great vertical line work but most of all, what’s in it??

This is the piece that happened when Judy ran out of fiber and had to get resourceful – thank god for industrial sized rolls of paper towels

Look at the colors! There’s a great ombre effect happening in the left to center area. Also one of my favorite pieces. I tend to have a lot.

Went through some rough spots but we finally got that happy ending

Mentioned this episode:

*

This episode Megan & Milena cover 4th century Greek mathematician Hypatia & contemporary fiber sculptor Judith, known as Judy, Scott.

Hypatia of Alexandria

I make that face, too, when someone tells me they’re in love with me.

Just a little painting of Hypatia teaching in the streets of Alexandria. Hypatia Teaching at Alexandria, watercolour and brown ink on paper by Robert Trewick Bone; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Math stuff that Milena tries to explain to me despite the fact I forgot how to do long division a very long time ago.

Above pictured is what happens if you slice a cone in spots. They make two dimensional shapes. This finding lends itself to Geometry, calculus, and astronomy. A lot of these shapes are found in nature, specifically in space. Hypatia revamped the work of Apollonius of Perga and taught her students using the literature she wrote.

A astrolabe. Never in a million years would I be able to figure out how to use this – thank god I’ve got Milena to explain it

Hypatia also used her knowledge, not just for academic applications, but for practical purposes as well. She designed multiple useful apparatuses, such as the astrolabe. The plane astrolabe was used for measuring the positions of stars, planets and the sun, and to calculate time and the ascendant sign of the zodiac.

The part where….well….let’s just say this is definitely the censored version; it was obviously a lot more gruesome than that.

Judy Scott

            Judy is a

woman that shows up from a cross-country flight with a bowling ball in her

carry on. The way she goes about things might be a little different, but those

differences in life is what earned her international recognition for her art. Unfortunately

the path leading to that international acclaim involves 35 years of

institutionalization, societal rejection of those with Down syndrome and one

asshole dentist who we hope rots in hell.

            That aside, once sparked

Judy’s creative passion could not be stifled. In her 18 years of studio

practice Judy expressed her personal narrative though mixed media fiber

sculptures. This episode we learn how she came about sculpting, who facilitated

her art making, and how even a earthquake can’t keep her from creating.

Selected Work

The piece that made her sister Joyce cry – seeing this she knew her sister was using sculpture to express what she’d been unable to vocalize

One of my favorite works from Judy – I love the change in color and line weight in the dead center

Also one of my favorite pieces from Judy – color is great, great vertical line work but most of all, what’s in it??

This is the piece that happened when Judy ran out of fiber and had to get resourceful – thank god for industrial sized rolls of paper towels

Look at the colors! There’s a great ombre effect happening in the left to center area. Also one of my favorite pieces. I tend to have a lot.

Went through some rough spots but we finally got that happy ending

Mentioned this episode:

*

This episode Megan & Milena explore African American rocket scientist, computer scientist, and mathematician Annie J. Easley & 19th century Boston miniature portrait painter Sarah Goodridge

Annie J. Easley

A portrait of Annie Easley.

Annie Easley, a mathematician extraordinaire! We can’t do math, but ladies like Easley made space travel possible! In Episode 5, we cover her contribution to energy conservation, voting rights, equal opportunities, and getting rockets off into space!

“By the way, what’s the big word?” Bill Mauldin, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1964) Found HERE

African

Americans were given the right to vote, but had to break down barriers put in

place by people in power in order to do so. The two biggest issues were that

voters would need to pay a voting fee, and they would also need to pass a

literacy test. Armed with some college education at the time, Easley took it

upon herself to tutor others who were not fortunate enough to receive an

education like hers so that they would be able to jump at least one of those

hurdles.

Taken by Michael K. McIntyre, 1978 Press Photo Annie Easley works on a NASA computer

In 1955, Easley found her home at NASA as a human computer for the Glenn Research Center. There she would do calculations for projections and testing, learn and teach the new computing program called FORTRAN to current employees once it was being implemented into the administration, work on energy conservation and spacecraft software, and even act as an Equal Opportunity Counselor. She was at NASA for 34 years.

Image from the Glenn Research Center Website HERE

Here we have an illustration of the Centaur Propellant Utilization System. The Centaur rocket is used in many of the spacecrafts being sent out into space today, and utilizes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as its propulsion fluid. Easley worked on the software that the Centaur rockets use.Milena’s complete and utter lack of space knowledge not enough? Let fellow female creator and space flight historian, Amy Shira Teitel, tell you ALL about space. We are not, in any way, sponsored by her or anything affiliated with her. But you gotta recognize a super talented and intelligent lady when you see one. SO CLICK ON IT! Vintage Space

Sarah Goodridge

1930 Self portrait of Sarah Goodridge looking good, only 3 3/4 x 2 5/8 inches in size, about the size of a poker card

Hailing from a small farming town in the early 1800’s, Sarah Goodridge was a miniature portrait painter catering to Boston’s wealthy upper class.  Coming of age in the dawn of the American Industrial Revolution, she was able to financially secure herself as an artist, whereas women her age were often working 13-hour factory shifts. In this episode we learn the importance of a well-placed reed organ,

This episode Megan & Milena explore African American rocket scientist, computer scientist, and mathematician Annie J. Easley & 19th century Boston miniature portrait painter Sarah Goodridge

Annie J. Easley

A portrait of Annie Easley.

Annie Easley, a mathematician extraordinaire! We can’t do math, but ladies like Easley made space travel possible! In Episode 5, we cover her contribution to energy conservation, voting rights, equal opportunities, and getting rockets off into space!

“By the way, what’s the big word?” Bill Mauldin, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1964) Found HERE

African

Americans were given the right to vote, but had to break down barriers put in

place by people in power in order to do so. The two biggest issues were that

voters would need to pay a voting fee, and they would also need to pass a

literacy test. Armed with some college education at the time, Easley took it

upon herself to tutor others who were not fortunate enough to receive an

education like hers so that they would be able to jump at least one of those

hurdles.

Taken by Michael K. McIntyre, 1978 Press Photo Annie Easley works on a NASA computer

In 1955, Easley found her home at NASA as a human computer for the Glenn Research Center. There she would do calculations for projections and testing, learn and teach the new computing program called FORTRAN to current employees once it was being implemented into the administration, work on energy conservation and spacecraft software, and even act as an Equal Opportunity Counselor. She was at NASA for 34 years.

Image from the Glenn Research Center Website HERE

Here we have an illustration of the Centaur Propellant Utilization System. The Centaur rocket is used in many of the spacecrafts being sent out into space today, and utilizes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as its propulsion fluid. Easley worked on the software that the Centaur rockets use.Milena’s complete and utter lack of space knowledge not enough? Let fellow female creator and space flight historian, Amy Shira Teitel, tell you ALL about space. We are not, in any way, sponsored by her or anything affiliated with her. But you gotta recognize a super talented and intelligent lady when you see one. SO CLICK ON IT! Vintage Space

Sarah Goodridge

1930 Self portrait of Sarah Goodridge looking good, only 3 3/4 x 2 5/8 inches in size, about the size of a poker card

Hailing from a small farming town in the early 1800’s, Sarah Goodridge was a miniature portrait painter catering to Boston’s wealthy upper class.  Coming of age in the dawn of the American Industrial Revolution, she was able to financially secure herself as an artist, whereas women her age were often working 13-hour factory shifts. In this episode we learn the importance of a well-placed reed organ,