Womanica

Tun Tun (1923-2003) was "Hindi cinema's first-ever comedienne." She got her start  as a hit playback singer before transitioning to comedic acting. Over the course of her career, she acted in hundreds of films and became a household name in India. She leaned into her persona as a comedic sidekick using stereotypes to her advantage. 

For Further Reading:

• Tun Tun/Uma Devi Khatri: Singer, Hindi Cinema’s ‘First Ever Comedienne’
• Uma Devi Khatri: The Forgotten Life Story Of Indian Cinema’s First Comedienne
• “Fat Woman in a Car”: The Curious Case of Tun Tun

This bonus episode is brought to you by Nurtec ODT (Rimegepant) 75 milligrams. Orally Disintegrating Tablets.

This month, we’re talking about comediennes — women throughout history who have made us laugh. They transgressed societal norms through comedy and often spoke out against injustice using their sharp wit.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mabel, Bessie, Alberta, and Alice Whitman were a vaudeville performance group known collectively as the Whitman Sisters. From 1900 to 1943, they managed and toured with their own performing company, making them the longest-running and highest-paid acts on the Vaudeville circuit for Black performers. 

Further Reading:

• Whitman Sisters
• The Whitman Sisters: Why We May Never Silence Them
• The royalty of Negro vaudeville: the Whitman Sisters and the negotiation of race, gender and class in African American theater, 1900-1940

This month, we’re talking about comediennes — women throughout history who have made us laugh. They transgressed societal norms through comedy and often spoke out against injustice using their sharp wit.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sorghaghtani Beki (c. 1190-1252) was one of the most powerful people in the Mongol Empire. Daughter-in-law to Genghis Khan, she used unique forms of diplomacy to cement her place in Mongol society and create a path forward for all four of her sons to become Khans in their own right. Her reforms, passed on through her children, gave stability and prosperity to the Mongol Empire at a crucial moment.

For Further Reading:

• The Secret History of the Mongol Queens
• 2 Regents and Empresses: Women’s Rule in the Mongol’s Empire
• Sorghaghtani Beki and the Influence of Mongol Noblewomen on Succession

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Prince (c. 1788 - c. 1833) was the first Black woman to publish an autobiography about her experiences being enslaved. Her narrative, The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself contributed to the growing Abolition movement in Britain and the eventual passage of the Slavery Abolition Act.

 Further Reading:

• Mary Prince
• The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave, Related by Herself 
• The First Slave Narrative by a Woman

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972) left a lasting impact on what we think of today as work-life balance. Her life was immortalized in the novel-turned film Cheaper by the Dozen. But she was also an engineer, a psychologist, a professor – in addition to being a mother of 12 children. She studied workplace efficiency and designed inventions that made worklife and homelife a little easier. 

For Further Reading: 

• Making time : Lillian Moller Gilbreth--a life beyond "Cheaper by the dozen"
• Lillian Gilbreth: Pioneering Inventor - PBS Unladylike2020
• ‘A Genius in the Art of Living’: Industrial Psychology Pioneer Lillian Gilbreth
• The Woman Who Invented the Kitchen

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) was a journalist and writer. She is often considered the first female sociologist known for popularizing political economy. Over the course of her lifetime, she wrote 35 books and countless essays and articles spanning topics from anti-slavery to religion and health. 

For Further Reading:

• Harriet Martineau

• The Victorian Woman Writer Who Refused to Let Doctors Define Her
• Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

• Website
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Komnene (1083-1153) has mostly been remembered in history for the failed coup to take control of the Byzantine Empire from her younger brother. But she was also a dedicated historian, and her 13 volume historical work — the Alexiad — is one of the most extensive written during the Middle Ages.  

For Further Reading:

• The Misunderstood Byzantine Princess and Her Magnum Opus

• Anna Komnene - World History Encyclopedia
• Anna Komnene: The Struggles of a Female Historian in Medieval Times – Retrospect Journal

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

• Website
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marianne North (1830-1890) was an English Victorian botanical artist. At a time when Victorian women were encouraged to stay home, Marianne traveled across the globe, painting plants in their natural habitats.  

For Further Reading:

• Things you should know about Marianne North
• The Radical Victorian Lady behind an Essential Collection of Botanical Art
• Turning Loss and Loneliness into Wonder: How the Victorian Visionary Marianne North Revolutionized Art and Science with Her Botanical Paintings

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

• Website
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• Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Soraya Tarzi (1899-1968) advocated for education for all and for women’s empowerment during her time as Queen of Afghanistan. She was instrumental in leading the country into an era of progress and modernity after its emancipation from British rule. During her time as Queen, she fought for the removal of the forced veil and for a woman’s right to study and work. 

For Further Reading:

• Queen Soraya Of Afghanistan: A woman ahead of her time
• The Eva Perón of Afghanistan

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fanny Mendelssohn Hansel (1805-1847) was a German composer and pianist. She wrote hundreds of works, but for generations it has gone largely unnoticed and in some cases was attributed to her brother, Felix. 

For Further Reading:

• Who was Fanny Mendelssohn, the unsung composer whose music was published under her brother’s name?
• Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel finally moves out of her brother’s shadow
• Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, 1805-1847

This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.