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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
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Episodes

The Beauty Myth, by Naomi Wolf

Amy is joined by guest Vanessa Loder to discuss The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf. Topics include internalized patriarchy, how patriarchy profits off the beauty industry, beauty qualifications in the professional world, and how beauty standards can leave us exhausted. Vanessa Loder is an inspirational keynote speaker and sought-after expert on women’s leadership, mindfulness, stress management and sustainable success. Vanessa’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, the Huffington Post and ...

Aug 17, 20211 hr 45 minSeason 1Ep. 45

Sister Outsider, by Audre Lorde

Amy is joined by guest Suzette Duncan to discuss Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. Topics include the daily toll of hatred, modeling action instead of guilt, Black hair, and code switching. Suzette Duncan is a proud first generation American, born to parents from the Caribbean nation of Guyana. She has spent most of her adult life working in education and has been lucky enough to work in both Japan and the United States, and to teach students ranging in age from 5 to 80. Her working life is now pa...

Aug 10, 20211 hr 48 minSeason 1Ep. 44

ain't i a woman, by bell hooks

Amy is joined by guests Manuela Zoninsein & Ashley Jackson to discuss ain’t i a woman by bell hooks. Topics include sexual repression, the reclamation of Black beauty standards, having difficult conversations, and the importance of making our feminism intersectional. Manuela Zoninsein is a Brazilian-American passionate about accelerating the transition to a sustainable and circular economy as an entrepreneur, investor, and educator. She believes that solving for the climate crisis means iden...

Aug 03, 20211 hr 46 minSeason 1Ep. 43

Women, Race, and Class, by Angela Davis

Amy is joined by guest Brianna Jovahn to discuss Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis. Topics include the legacy of racialized violence in the United States, the significance of natural hair, having integrity in our beliefs, and the challenges Black women face in the workforce. Brianna Jovahn was born August 7th, 1992 in Cedar Hill, Texas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas and her master’s from Grand Canyon University. Brianna is the Founder of ...

Jul 27, 20211 hr 10 minSeason 1Ep. 42

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color, by Cherrie Moraga

Amy is joined by guest Jenn Lee Smith to discuss This Bridge Called My Back by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua. Topics include the burden of being a cultural ambassador, false equivalencies, and how white supremacy hurts people of all races. Jenn Lee Smith was born on the friendly, vibrant island of Taiwan. She is a filmmaker who focuses on women-led stories of underrepresented people. In a previous life, she worked on a PhD in feminist geography. She began her producing career focused on sto...

Jul 20, 20211 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 41

Roe v. Wade, Part 2

Amy is joined by guest Lindsay McPhie Hickok to conclude their discussion of Roe V. Wade . This is Part Two of Two and covers personal stories of loss, the health and life of mothers, the right to privacy, the remaining text of the decision. Lindsay McPhie Hickok is a labor and delivery nurse and a mother of three children. She loves biochemistry, the Rocky Mountains, and water slides. She especially loves caring for new babies and empowering mothers because the process of labor and delivery is,...

Jul 13, 20211 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 40

Roe v. Wade, Part 1

Amy is joined by guest Lindsay McPhie Hickok to begin their discussion of Roe V. Wade . This is Part One of Two and covers the language of Pro-Choice and Pro-Life, the preamble to the supreme court decision, the life of Jane Roe, and the history of abortion. Lindsay McPhie Hickok is a labor and delivery nurse and a mother of three children. She loves biochemistry, the Rocky Mountains, and water slides. She especially loves caring for new babies and empowering mothers because the process of labor...

Jul 13, 202157 minSeason 1Ep. 39

Title IX

Amy is joined by guest Whitney McPhie Griffith to discuss the congressional bill known as Title IX authored by Patsy T. Mink. Topics include sexual assault on school campuses, lived experiences with Title IX, and how much progress still needs to be made to keep our students safe. Whitney McPhie Griffith is a musician, graphic designer, and interdisciplinary artist. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, she eventually made her way to the Pacific Northwest by way of Utah and Northern California. No...

Jul 06, 20211 hrSeason 1Ep. 38

Our Bodies, Ourselves by The Boston Women's Health Collective

Amy is joined by guest Jessica Harder to discuss Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Topics include shortcomings of representation, birth control, shame, and the liberation that comes with knowing our bodies. Jessica Harder has spent her life revolved around the human body. She began filtering her creativity into designing clothing for the body at the age of four, which led into a fifteen-year career in the fashion industry. At the age of 23 she moved to the Nethe...

Jun 29, 20211 hr 42 minSeason 1Ep. 37

Sexual Politics, by Kate Millett, Part 2

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to conclude their discussion of Sexual Politics by Kate Millett. This is Part Two of Two and covers sexism among the leftist authors of Millett’s time, interior colonization, distinctions between constructivist and biological ideas of identity, and the possibility of sexual revolution. 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. ...

Jun 22, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 36

Sexual Politics, by Kate Millett, Part 1

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to begin their discussion of Sexual Politics by Kate Millett. This is Part One of Two and covers the author’s biography, the repressive context which created Second Wave and Radical Feminism, compulsory heterosexuality, and bridging the gap between academics and public discourse around gender. 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 l...

Jun 22, 20211 hr 13 minSeason 1Ep. 35

The Equal Rights Amendment

Amy is joined by guests Emily Bell McCormick & Kelly Whited Jones to discuss the Equal Rights Amendment authored by Alice Stokes Paul. Topics include the history of equal rights legislation, common counter-arguments against this legislation, and the ongoing struggle to pass the ERA today. Emily Bell McCormick is founder of The Policy Project— a group of individuals and like-minded organizations that help move forward healthy, long-term policy at a local and national level. Emily is also the ...

Jun 15, 20211 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 34

Living the Revolution, by Gloria Steinem

Amy is joined by guest Amy Pal to discuss the speech “ Living the Revolution ” delivered by Gloria Steinem. Topics include feminism as a humanist movement, the work of unlearning hurtful ideas, the damaging influence of Sigmund Freud, and how women’s liberation is men’s liberation as well. Amy Pal grew up in California and Utah. She attended Boston University where she completed her bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and master’s degree in speech and language pathology. As part of her ...

Jun 08, 20211 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 33

Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female, by Frances Beal, Part 2

Amy is joined by guest Rayna Clay MacKay to conclude their discussion of Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female by Frances Beal. This is Part Two of Two and covers reform versus revolution, the history of medical cruelty carried out against Black bodies, and the fallacy of thinking all women face oppression equally. Rayna Clay MacKay is a wife, mom, and Obstetric Anesthesiologist. She married a dreamy Scotsman for much more than his accent and gained two fantastic bonus kids as a result. They a...

Jun 01, 20211 hr 21 minSeason 1Ep. 32

Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female, by Frances Beal, Part 1

Amy is joined by guest Rayna Clay MacKay to begin their discussion of Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female by Frances Beal. This is Part One of Two and covers the author’s biography, The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, state violence against peaceful protestors, and racism in academics and professional spheres. Rayna Clay MacKay is a wife, mom, and Obstetric Anesthesiologist. She married a dreamy Scotsman for much more than his accent and gained two fantastic bonus kids as a result...

Jun 01, 20211 hr 32 minSeason 1Ep. 31

Jane Crow and the Law: Sex Discrimination and Title VII

Amy is joined by guest Rochelle Briscoe to discuss Jane Crow and the Law by Pauli Murray and Mary Eastwood. Topics include the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’, civil rights, originalist interpretations of the Constitution, and the ‘mommy track’ for professional women. Rochelle Briscoe is a legal and policy wonk, who is passionate about improving the global landscape! Rochelle has always been struck by the central role strong, yet underrepresented, leaders play in the success of businesses and t...

May 25, 20211 hr 15 minSeason 1Ep. 30

Keep the Damned Women Out: The Struggle for Coeducation, by Nancy Weiss Malkiel

Amy is joined by guest Christie Skousen to discuss Keep the Damned Women Out by Dr. Nancy Weiss Malkiel. Topics include the struggle for co-education, gender ratios in U.S. colleges, and the sexist backlash against female students. Christie Skousen is the founder of the Peery Piano Academy in Mountain View, CA and the author of the Peery Piano Curriculum, a certification and training system for piano teachers. Mrs. Skousen’s primary teachers include Dr. Irene Peery-Fox and Leon Fleisher. She gav...

May 18, 20211 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 29

The Feminine Mystique, by Betty Friedan

Amy is joined by guest Marta Luna Wilde to discuss The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Topics include womanhood in 50’s and 60’s America, housewife identity, Hegel’s dialectics, and the hierarchy of needs. Marta Luna Wilde is the youngest of nine children, born and raised (with 7 brothers and 1 sister) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her family immigrated from Central Mexico in 1962, her father having worked in the Bracero Program after World War II. In the 60s to early 1980s, her father work...

May 11, 20211 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 28

The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, Episode 3

Amy is joined by guest Fya Parvis Jazra to conclude their discussion of The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. This is Part Three of Three and covers de Beauvoir on abortion, childbirth, beauty, and consequences of subordination. Fyza Parviz Jazra , originally from Pakistan, is a Graduate Student in Stanford’s MLA Program. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis on the Seventeenth-Century English interest in Arabic Astronomy. Previously she worked as a Software Engineer at Apple. She love...

May 04, 202156 minSeason 1Ep. 27

The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, Episode 2

Amy is joined by guest Fyza Parvis Jazra to continue their discussion of The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. This is Part Two of Three and covers the distinction between sex and gender, a girl’s transition from subject to object, and reaching our potential as human beings. Fyza Parviz Jazra , originally from Pakistan, is a Graduate Student in Stanford’s MLA Program. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis on the Seventeenth-Century English interest in Arabic Astronomy. Previously she w...

May 04, 20211 hr 19 minSeason 1Ep. 26

The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, Episode 1

Amy is joined by guest Fyza Parvis Jazra to begin their discussion of The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. This is Part One of Three and covers the author’s biography, a brief overview of Existentialism, and initial thoughts on motherhood. Fyza Parviz Jazra , originally from Pakistan, is a Graduate Student in Stanford’s MLA Program. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis on the Seventeenth-Century English interest in Arabic Astronomy. Previously she worked as a Software Engineer at App...

May 04, 202159 minSeason 1Ep. 25

The Real Wealth of Nations, by Riane Eisler

Amy is joined by guest Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks to discuss The Real Wealth of Nations by Riane Eisler. Topics include the distinction between power with and power over, the value of women’s labor, and the concept of benevolent patriarchy. Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks holds an MSW from the University of Utah and a PhD from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. In 2002, she founded Wasatch Family Therapy an outpatient therapy clinic in Salt Lake City and Bountiful, UT. Dr. Hanks has authored two ...

Apr 27, 20211 hrSeason 1Ep. 24

The UN Open Letter to the Women of the World, and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by Eleanor Roosevelt

Amy is joined by guest Lucy Allebest to discuss an “ Open Letter to the Women of the World ” and the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights ” by Eleanor Roosevelt. Topics include women in World War II, equality from a global perspective, and the primacy of men in language. Lucy Allebest is a high school senior who plans to study History in college next year, either at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland or Trinity College in Dublin (she can’t decide!). Aspiring to be as Celtic as possibl...

Apr 20, 20211 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 23

Killing the Angel in the House, by Virginia Woolf

Amy is joined by guest Rachelle Burnside to discuss Killing the Angel in the House by Virginia Woolf. Topics include the Victorian cult of domesticity, the intersections of being adored and being oppressed, as well as the challenge of battling our own angels. Rachelle Burnside has spent over 20 years working in education. During that time, she has taught all levels of high school English, from English Learners to both AP English Literature and AP Language and Composition. She currently works as ...

Apr 13, 20211 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 22

A Room of One's Own, by Virginia Woolf

Amy is joined by guest Susannah Harmon Furr to discuss A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf. Topics include the importance of personal space, privilege, accessibility, and learning to listen to yourself. Susannah Harmon Furr is a designer and art historian with a research focus on the Dutch Baroque period. She founded a women’s clothing line inspired by her research of intricate embroidery Dutch women found the time to painstakingly render on their otherwise prescribed uniforms—details often hi...

Apr 06, 20211 hr 50 minSeason 1Ep. 21

Bonus Episode: Amy and Erik Allebest Answer Men's Frequently Asked Questions

Amy is joined by the show’s first male guest, Eric Allebest , to discuss men’s questions and concerns about Breaking Down Patriarchy . Questions include whether patriarchy is a natural construct, if masculinity and patriarchy are connected, and what’s wrong with patriarchy in the first place?

Apr 02, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 20

The Morality of Birth Control, by Margaret Sanger

Amy is joined by guest Courtney McPhie to discuss the speeches “ Morality and Birth Control ” and “ The Case for Birth Control ” by Margaret Sanger. Topics include marriage as ownership, modesty rules, and sex education. Courtney McPhie grew up in Colorado, and while she loves the rolling hills of Virginia, she misses the Rocky Mountains. Courtney is a high school English teacher outside Washington, DC, where she fights for equity and representation in the classroom. Another highlight about Cour...

Mar 30, 20211 hr 4 minSeason 1Ep. 19

The Fundamental Principle of a Republic, by Anna Howard Shaw

Amy is joined by guest Dr. Amy Osmond Cook to discuss the speech “The Fundamental Principle of a Republic” delivered by Anna Howard Shaw. Topics include white prejudice in the suffrage movement, arguments against the right to vote, and work-life balance for mothers. Dr. Amy Osmond Cook was born and raised in Provo, Utah, the daughter of musicians (her mother was an opera-singer; her father was one of the original four Osmond brothers). She obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree at BYU, and a ...

Mar 23, 20211 hr 8 minSeason 1Ep. 18

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin

Amy is joined by guest Shauna Rensch to discuss The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Topics include structural inequity, the panopticon of patriarchy, and contemporary feminist awakenings. Shauna Rensch is a wife and mother of four kids ages 15 to 5. She grew up in the north suburbs of Chicago but moved to Arizona with her family at the end of high school. She started at ASU but took time off to get married and have her first child. She went back to school in order to complete a bachelor’s degree at NA...

Mar 16, 20211 hr 55 minSeason 1Ep. 17

The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Amy is joined by guest Shannon Hyatt Johnson to discuss The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Topics include hysteria, gaslighting, and the ideology of separate spheres. Shannon Hyatt Johnson grew up in the Western U.S., graduated from BYU, and is currently working and studying at Stanford. She likes watching tv that provokes impassioned family discussions with her husband and four daughters. Lately, that includes Derry Girls, Cobra Kai, and Ted Lasso. She loves the f-word. Both “fem...

Mar 09, 20211 hr 21 minSeason 1Ep. 16
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