In the heartland of rural India, 400,000 women dressed in pink saris have come together to fight domestic abuse, caste discrimination, and political corruption. Founded by Sampat Pal Devi, the “Gulabi Gang” carries bamboo sticks—not to incite violence, but to demand accountability where institutions have failed. In a society that often silences women and the marginalized, the gang has found power in numbers, reminding us all that when women stand together, they stand stronger.

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What began as a vivid dream on a stormy night during the “Year Without a Summer,” after a round of German ghost stories by the fire, would go on to spark the birth of science fiction. In this episode, we will explore Mary Shelley’s journey from her childhood to becoming the author of Frankenstein, and how her imagination–and pain–brought a creature to life that still resonates with us so deeply today.

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In the filthy streets of Victorian South London, a group of women from Elephant and Castle pulled off the largest and most sophisticated shoplifting operation in British history. Known as the Forty Elephants, these working-class women built a tightly run underground network—strategic, stealthy, and nearly untouchable. Targeting high-end department stores, they outsmarted police, intimidated male gangs and pulled off flawless heists again and again.

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In light of Memorial Day, we will not be releasing an episode this week.

We'll be back next Wednesday, June 4, with another powerful story from an incredible woman!

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It began in the crowded harbors of Guangdong, where intelligent woman, Zheng Yi Sao, worked aboard a floating brothel. Through strategy, negotiation and an unshakable understanding of power, she went on to become the leader of 70,000 pirates, command hundreds of ships and take control over trade in the South China Sea—making her one of the most feared pirates ever recorded in history.  

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In 1999, Dr. Jerri Nielsen landed her dream job at the South Pole, only to face a life-threatening diagnosis when she discovered a lump in her breast. Trapped in the frozen wilderness with no immediate access to medical help, she and her crew had to rely on their resourcefulness and courage to survive in one of the most extreme and isolated places on earth. This is a story of extraordinary determination, community, and the power of human resilience when the odds seem unbeatable. 

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In 1967, photos of a furious race official lunging at a woman mid-stride were plastered across the front pages of newspapers worldwide. That woman was Kathrine Switzer— the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon despite being told it was impossible. What began as a personal challenge soon became a global reckoning, sparking a pivotal moment in the fight for gender equality in sports.

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Alice Ball is a name that was almost erased from history. At just 23 years old, Alice revolutionized the treatment for leprosy—a feared and misunderstood disease that carried a dark history in Hawaii. In this episode, we will explore Alice’s groundbreaking work, her struggle for recognition, and the decades-long fight to reclaim her legacy.

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In the 1970s and 80s, Shere Hite believed that understanding sexuality meant listening—really listening—to people’s experiences. Her anonymous surveys offered women a rare space for honesty and transformed the conversations around sex at the time. In this episode, we explore Shere’s quiet revolution, the controversy it sparked, and her lasting impact on how we think about intimacy and identity today.

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Deep in Europe’s oldest forest once lived a witch… or at least that’s what people called her. Simona Kossak, defined by her anything-but-ordinary life, was a biologist and Professor of Forest Sciences who dedicated herself to protecting the Białowieża Forest’s fragile ecosystem. Living in a remote cabin surrounded by her wild companions, she was as fierce in her activism as in her love for nature, leaving a lasting legacy on both science and conservation.

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