In the U.S. South, parents frequently tell misbehaving children to stop “being ugly,” but according to southern studies scholar Monica Miller, there is a certain power in being ugly, especially for southern women who want to escape traditional expectations. This week we sit down with Monica to talk about ugly women in southern literature and popular culture, including Flannery O’Connor’s Joy/Hulga, Katherine Anne Porter’s Cousin Eva, Alice Walker’s Celie, and even Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara. We also discuss Designing Women, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Dolly Parton, and Minnie Pearl.

Learn more about this episode at www.aboutsouthpodcast.com.

| Co-Producers: Gina Caison & Kelly Vines |

| Music: Brian Horton | www.brianhorton.com |