CW: discussions of rape, assault, pedophilia, violence

There have been many names for exchanging physical intimacy for money or goods; it's been called the world's oldest profession, s*x work, and other less savoury names. What did the lives of these workers look like in history? Who engaged in this work, what did their lives look like, and how were they viewed by society? From antiquity to the Victorian era, we trace the history of these practices.

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Historically, there have been many people who followed a religious vocation. Whether monks, nuns, priests, or other religious positions, these people chose to dedicate themselves to their religion and forego much of secular, "worldly" life. Why did people choose this? What did their lives look like? How did they spend their time, and what impact did they leave on the world? From cloistered nuns to missionary Jesuits, we trace the history of religious orders and vocations.

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What is a professional? What is a profession? And how is it different from other jobs and careers? This week we talk about working in the professions! Sonya discusses how professions in started out in universities in the Middle Ages, and Margot traces the growth of the professional class.

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People have always worked, whether they were hunting animals, tilling fields, or plying their trade. However, the creation of the working class really came to a head during the industrial revolution, where for the first time a large portion of the population owned nothing and had to sell their labour for wages to survive. How did this transition happen, what were the conditions like, and how did people start to organise for better treatment? This week, we interview Jean Phillipe Mathieu, a labour historian, who guides us through the history of the working class!

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Brief explanation of where Margot has been!

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What kind of jobs did people have in the past? What work did they do and how did they do it? Come along as we explore the working lives of people in the past! This week, we are focusing on rural living. How did people make a living in the countryside? What kind of work did they do to bring in a good harvest and care for their animals? And how did they meet their basic needs? This week, it's all about how people lived and worked in the countryside!

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What is the best thing to feed a baby? What kinds of foods are safe for them? And how does this reflect adult attitudes towards food? This week we're tracing the history of feeding children, from breastfeeding and wetnurses, to canned preserved foods, we look at what people have fed their babies and themselves. We discuss how industrialization pushed people away from breastfeeding and towards commercially available food for both babies and adults, and why it's still with us today!

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How did medieval people soothe their babies? What did new parents get for their babies in the 17th century? And what ideas around parenting have changed, and what has stayed the same? This week we look into all things parenting in the past! From how to get the baby to sleep, to how to properly bond with baby, we explore how people's shifting perspectives on themselves and their children have informed parenting decisions.

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How did people end pregnancies in the past? What options were available? And how did people think about abortion? There is a long history of people choosing to end pregnancies, dating to antiquity and leading up to today. Attitudes about abortion and when it is acceptable have changed over the centuries, and so have the methods employed. Join us this week and as explore the history of abortion.

TW: Discussions of abortion, death. The information in this episode is for educational purposes only, and none of the techniques discussed in the video should be attempted.

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Before IUDs and the pill, people still wanted ways to space out pregnancies or avoid having a child. How did they go about this? From animal-gut condoms to goat uteruses to diy-diaphragms, the methods were as varied as they were strange. We also talk about how people have viewed, understood, and politicised birth control and family planning. How did this topic go from something discussed in private between couples, to something that made the news and was debated about in the halls of government? Find out this week as we talk all about family planning!

TW: discussions of sexual assault, infanticide.

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