Breaking Down Patriarchy - podcast cover

Breaking Down Patriarchy

Amy McPhie Allebestbreakingdownpatriarchy.com
Breaking Down Patriarchy is a podcast for everyone! Learn about the creation of patriarchy and those who have challenged it as you listen to bookclub-style discussions of essential historical texts. Gain life-changing epiphanies and practical takeaways through these smart, relatable conversations. Breaking Down Patriarchy is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization. Donate to support our work by visiting breakingdownpatriarchy.com/donate
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Minisode: The Chalice & The Blade

Amy discusses Rian Eisler's The Chalice & The Blade with guest Malia Morris. Listen to the full episode here .

Jan 05, 202229 minSeason 1Ep. 69

Bonus Episode: Amy and Erik Allebest Recap Season 1

**This episode is also viewable as a video on www.breakingdownpatriarchy.com under the "episodes" heading, and on YouTube on the Breaking Down Patriarchy channel. Welcome to BDP! I’m AMA, and today we are doing a very special episode, summarizing all the works we read this year and sharing thoughts and lessons learned as well as answering some FAQ’s. And my guest today is fan-favorite, Erik Allebest! Welcome back to BDP, Erik! Another cool thing is that for the first time, we’re recording video ...

Jan 04, 20222 hr 31 minSeason 1Ep. 68

Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Amy is joined by guest Bergen Hyde to discuss Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Topics include the power of female archetypes, bluebeard, baba yaga, the sacred feminine, and creating our own myths. Bergen Hyde has lived in Provo, Utah for the past 13 years with her Husband and their three kids. Her favorite things are dancing, salty snacks, spending time in the mountains, preferably in a body of water. She is the oldest of 4 and grew up in Wisconsin. Bergen is the Co-Found...

Dec 28, 20212 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 67

Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World, by Elinor Cleghorn

Amy is joined by guest Cassy Chsitianson to discuss Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn. Topics include midwifery, witch trials, forced sterilization, and how patriarchy has hindered women’s healthwork. Cassy Christianson is a therapist working in pediatrics and maternal health and inclusion specialist. Much of her writing focuses on Global Women’s Health—a subject she is really passionate about. Her research involves the history of medicine, especially women’s health in the Early Modern period in F...

Dec 21, 20211 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 66

Untamed, by Glennon Doyle

Amy is joined by guest Lane Anderson to discuss Untamed by Glennon Doyle. Topics include the ways patriarchy cages women, social conditioning, self-knowing, and the integrity of not disappointing ourselves. Lane Anderson was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has an undergraduate degree from BYU, and a graduate degree from Columbia University. She has spent much of her career as a full-time journalist, publishing hundreds of articles on inequality, human rights, gender, and social and family is...

Dec 14, 20211 hr 43 minSeason 1Ep. 65

For the Love of Men: From Toxic to a More Mindful Masculinity, by Liz Plank

Amy is joined by guest Jenny DeGraaff to discuss For the Love of Men by Elizabeth Plank. Topics include toxic masculinity, testosterone, men’s mental health, the pressure to provide, and what it means to be a real man. Jenny DeGraaff was raised in West Virginia and Nebraska, but currently lives in the Bay Area, California, where she teaches science in elementary school. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in German from Duke University and her Master’s degree in education from Stanford University, ...

Dec 07, 20211 hr 30 minSeason 1Ep. 64

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, by Melinda French Gates

Amy is joined by guest Sara Abbasi to discuss The Moment of Lift by Melinda French Gates. Topics include the delicacy of implementing change, honor killings, contraceptive access, and the transformative power of education. Sara Abbasi is a philanthropist who has been committed to spreading access to education worldwide. Her charitable work on various boards is marked by a dedication to breaking down cultural barriers and enabling cross-cultural understanding. Sara is Founding Board member of Dev...

Nov 30, 20211 hr 24 minSeason 1Ep. 63

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed For Men

Amy is joined by guest Barbie Harper to discuss Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. Topics include the generic masculine, women’s restrooms, unconscious bias, and the real cost of overlooking data from women. Barbie Hada Harper was born and raised in Mission Viejo, California where academics, team building, and community service were early core values. She attended Brigham Young University where she studied Public Relations and Psychology, then ultimately received an undergrad in Fitness a...

Nov 23, 20211 hr 19 minSeason 1Ep. 62

Women and Power: A Manifesto, by Mary Beard

Amy is joined by guest Louisa Gillett to discuss Women and Power by Mary Beard. Topics include hostility towards women speaking publicly, victimhood, and how we recognize female power. Louisa Gillett has produced, presented, written and commissioned documentaries about arts, culture and science, for British public radio and tv, and theatrical release. Since the birth of her daughter and her move to the USA five years ago, she has returned to the joys of academic life, and is currently a postgrad...

Nov 16, 20211 hr 36 minSeason 1Ep. 61

Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, and the New Research That's Re-Writing the Story, by Angela Saini

Amy is joined by guest Dr. Chantal Dolan to discuss Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong by Angela Saini. Topics include women in STEM, outdated ideas about the female brain, and our evolving views of sexuality. Dr. Chantal Dolan received her BA in Human Biology from Stanford University, her MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from UC Berkeley, and her PhD in Epidemiology from the Stanford University School of Medicine. She brings over a decade of experience working in the biotechnology indus...

Nov 09, 20211 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 60

Girls and Sex, by Peggy Orenstein

Amy is joined by guest Natasha Helfer to discuss Girls and Sex by Peggy Orenstein. Topics include feeling sacred and icky, sexuality versus sexualization, modesty, and purity culture. Natasha Helfer is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, speaker, writer, podcaster and supervisor with 20 years of experience treating individuals, couples and family systems. She has a special interest in helping clients work through issues regarding their interpersonal relationships, sexual development, and faith or...

Nov 02, 20211 hr 22 minSeason 1Ep. 59

Unfinished Business: Women, Men, Work, Family, by Anne-Marie Slaughter

Amy is joined by guest Neylan McBaine to discuss Unfinished Business by Anne-Marie Slaughter. Topics include half truths, resilience, the continuum of competition and caregiving, and what it really means to be a working parent. Neylan McBaine was born and raised in New York City. She studied piano at the Juilliard School in high school, then graduated from Yale University in English literature. In 2009, she and her family settled in Salt Lake City, and she became creative director at Bonneville ...

Oct 26, 20211 hr 15 minSeason 1Ep. 58

Men Explain Things to Me, by Rebecca Solnit

Amy is joined by guest Malia Morris to discuss Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit. Topics include the intersection of sex and racism, calling in v. calling out, bossiness, mansplaining, and seeing humanity in others. Malia Morris is a performing artist and voice teacher in the Bay Area. She studied Music Performance and Sociology in her undergraduate at Arizona State University, where she graduated with honors. In graduate school, she studied Dramatic Arts at Harvard University. Malia wa...

Oct 19, 202159 minSeason 1Ep. 57

Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay

Amy is joined by guest Malia Morris to discuss Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit. Topics include the intersection of sex and racism, calling in v. calling out, bossiness, mansplaining, and seeing humanity in others. Setareh Greenwood (she/they) is a queer Iranian-American from the California Bay Area. She is currently a first-year student at Mount Holyoke College considering majoring in sociology with a minor in music. Setareh is interested in studying queer theory, social psychology, a...

Oct 12, 20211 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 56

feminism is for everybody, by bell hooks

Amy is joined by guest Gina Haney to discuss feminism is for everybody by bell hooks. Topics include the importance of being aware of identity, breaking free of colonial thinking, and holding the door open behind us. Gina Haney specializes in economic development and equitable community engagement surrounding cultural heritage. In 2008 she founded Community Consortium and began, with the government of Iraq, an inclusive stakeholder-driven management plan and World Heritage nomination for the sit...

Oct 05, 20211 hrSeason 1Ep. 55

LGBTQ History Part 4: No Future, by Lee Edelman, and Cruising Utopia, by José Estaban Muñoz

Amy is joined by guest Matthew Nelson to conclude their discussion of LGBTQ+ History . This is Part Four of Four and covers the texts No Future by Lee Edelman and Cruising Utopia by José Esteban Muñoz. Topics include the AIDs epidemic, necropolitics, queer ethics, moral panic, and how we think about the future for LGBTQ+ individuals. Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. ...

Sep 28, 20211 hr 48 minSeason 1Ep. 54

LGBTQ History Part 3: The Trouble With Normal, by Michael Warner

Amy is joined by guest Matthew Nelson to continue their discussion of LGBTQ+ History . This is Part Three of Four and covers the queer theory of Michael Warner, heteronormative temporality, the drive to be normal, and the challenge of imagining a new social order. Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. He hopes to offer a seminar to Menlo students on queer theory and gende...

Sep 28, 20211 hr 26 minSeason 1Ep. 53

LGBTQ History Part 2: Obergefell v. Hodges

Amy is joined by guest Matthew Nelson to continue their discussion of LGBTQ+ History . This is Part Two of Four and covers intersections of patriarchy and trans-queerphobia, the history of queer liberation, the Supreme Court’s decision to grant marriage equality to queer people, and how we can support LGBTQ+ liberation today. Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. He hopes...

Sep 28, 20211 hr 39 minSeason 1Ep. 52

LGBTQ History Part 1: Amy's and Matthew's Stories

Amy is joined by guest Matthew Nelson to begin their discussion of LGBTQ+ History . This is Part One of Four and features powerful personal stories from both Amy and Matthew. Topics include Proposition VIII, Obergefell v Hodges, and the experience of spiritual rape. Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. He hopes to offer a seminar to Menlo students on queer theory and gen...

Sep 28, 202142 minSeason 1Ep. 51

The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy, by Allan G. Johnson

Amy is joined by guest Kasey Cruz to discuss The Gender Knot by Allan G Johnson. Topics include overcoming the association of leadership and maleness, the invisibility of privilege, and some practical tips for unraveling gender knots. Kasey Cruz was born and raised in sunshine state, California. In the year of 2020, she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and a minor in Adapted Physical Education. She currently works as a personal trainer, an F45 coach, and a strength & conditioning c...

Sep 21, 20211 hr 23 minSeason 1Ep. 50

Declaration of the Elimination of Violence Against Women, by the United Nations, 1993

Amy is joined by guests Elena Gonzalez & Abby Madrigal to discuss the Declaration of the Elimination of Violence Against Women . Topics include sobering data, the escalating cycle of violence in Native communities, personal stories of abuse, and how our justice system needs to do better. Elena Gonzalez was born in Mexico, the youngest of 7 children. She immigrated to the US as a teenager and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her children and her dogs. She loves to go to the beach ...

Sep 14, 20211 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 49

The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions, by Paula Gunn Allen

Amy is joined by guest Sherrie Crawford to discuss The Sacred Hoop by Paula Gunn Allen. Topics include trusting our inner wisdom, questioning the European records of Indigenous culture, and the challenge of overcoming labels when they’re foisted on us. Sherrie Crawford was born in Utah, the fifth of six children, and grew up in Arizona. She graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Social Work, and completed a Master’s degree in Social Work from Boise State University. She is an elementary schoo...

Sep 07, 20211 hr 23 minSeason 1Ep. 48

WomanSpirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion, edited by Carol Christ and Judith Plaskow

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to discuss WomanSpirit Rising edited by Carol Christ and Judith Plaskow. Topics include why women need their own theology, the importance of symbols, acknowledging historical sexism, and how we can build new rituals. Maxine Hanks is a historian and theologian who lectures and writes on Women’s Studies, History, and Religious Studies, particularly Mormon and Christian traditions and liturgy. Her bachelor’s degree was in Gender Studies and her master’s degree wa...

Aug 31, 20211 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 47

Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, by Judith Butler

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to discuss Gender Trouble by Judith Butler. Topics include complicating the distinctions between sex and gender, sex as a social construct, intersex and transgender issues, and the importance of controlling our own identity. Maxine Hanks is a historian and theologian who lectures and writes on Women’s Studies, History, and Religious Studies, particularly Mormon and Christian traditions and liturgy. Her bachelor’s degree was in Gender Studies and her master’s d...

Aug 24, 20211 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 46
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android