All about pussies this week! Who gets to control them? Do they really shut down when raped? Is it cool to treat women as some irritating obstacle between you and pussy? And when is it appropriate for pussies to riot? (Answer: whenever they want.) Surprisingly, zero cat talk, for which we will make up next week.
Michael Brooks comes on to explore the question of whether the Paul Ryan pick means Mitt Romney wants to lose. Samhita and Amanda discuss why people forgive male comedians a lot more for casual racism than female ones. Plus: Why atheism is going to stall out if atheists don't start getting more intersectional.
Baratunde Thurston joins the podcast to talk about race, the election, and assorted nonsense. Samhita and Amanda discuss the shooting in Wisconsin and wonder when is a good time to talk about gun control. Also, a new #femquery.
Zerlina Maxwell comes on the show to talk about Romney's parade of gaffes, as well as his fancy dancing horse he claims to have practically forgotten he owns. She stays on to talk Olympics and explain some of the finer points of gymnastics. Also: Amanda and Samhita play the part of feminist art critics.
Women are trying to find female friends though online "dating". This might be a better idea than it seems on the surface. After the horrible tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, calls to reinstate stricter gun control are being ignored. But there's a reason the first black President can't be outspoken on gun control. Lots of great #femquery this week, including discussion of the gag order on a 17-year-old rape victim.
Samhita and Amanda discuss a profile of Caitlin Moran in Slate that treats her like the only fuck-you feminist left standing. Another New York Times article implies that the only cure for women's poverty is for them to just get married to those invisible husbands they keep turning down. Are we tired of yuppie parenting articles yet? Also, some #femquery.
Samhita has finally watched "Girls", just in time to talk about the Anna Holmes piece in the New Yorker about the show and the realities of female friendship. Frank Ocean shares his story about loving a man, and Amanda and Samhita are stoked about his story and his upcoming album. Plus, a new #femquery tackles an old question.
Samhita and Amanda bring on Ann Friedman, beloved editor and Tumblr genius, to discuss how busy we are all the time. Or are we actually just farting into the couch and making excuses to our friends for why we can't go out? Samhita rubs shoulders with the rich and powerful, and has to take a long shower to wash it off, and Amanda gets a little overexcited at the idea of everyone getting to see a doctor.
Jamie and Allison from "Citizen Radio" brought on Amanda and Samhita for an hour+ discussion about the Supreme Court, lady stuff, pick-up artists, and, of course, cats. This podcast is being broadcast over both feeds, so if you haven't checked out Citizen Radio, do so now!
Who knew a sneaker could be so racist? Samhita and Amanda investigate. A rape scene in an upcoming video game points to some larger problems with sexism in video games and in the general world of geek. Michigan legislators fear that giant, man-eating vaginas will kill them in their sleep. Also: Are feminism and chivalry compatible?
Samhita and Amanda discuss the season finale of Mad Men , and the problem that arises when one of the most feminist shows on TV has a race-fail. Turns out that women love the internet and computers and tablet and phones, and in greater numbers than men. And why is it that Republicans in West Virginia are perfectly happy getting their daily dose of hate from a middle schooler?
Samhita and Amanda are very sorry they ran off to the circus for a week, and promise not to do it again. Post-circus topics: Sex selective abortion in the U.S. is a hoax. Mitt Romney's people make it clear that they think the female half of voters aren't important in the slightest. Also, the triumphant return of #femquery!
Samhita and Amanda discuss the battle over the Violence Against Women Act, and how the mail order bride industry got involved. New numbers from the Census show that non-white babies outnumber white ones, and more research shows that we might have the causal relationship between teenage pregnancy and poverty reversed. Also: dropping our asses to Biggie Smalls.
Erika Nicole Kendall comes on to talk about feminist approaches to weight and health, and to denounce the NY Times yet again for making a pointless spectacle out of black women. Amanda and Samhita talk about the limits to our understanding of mental health and answer your #femquery. Also, turns out Obama's taking his marching orders from this podcast.
Samhita has a birthday and an anniversary of quitting the demon tobacco. Amanda parties with the rednecks. Both are deeply saddened by the death of Adam Yauch and want to remember him for the great guy he was. On this week's you-suck list: Michele Bachmann, Sean Hannity, Jesse Lee Peterson, and Ted Nugent.
The Violence Against Women Act is running against reauthorization problems. The Christian right is to blame, of course, but why this is especially appalling during our economic times. Reactions to Mona Eltahawy's piece continue a very hard discussion, but people are being surprisingly calm and polite. Dan Savage speaks truth to power, and a bunch of whiny babies throw a tantrum.
Samhita and Amanda discuss Mona Eltahawy's powerful and complex piece on misogyny in Muslim nations. In their version of lightening the mood, they also discuss our comical shock troops for ladies who hate ladies, specifically Lila Rose and S.E. Cupp. For this week's #femquery, they take on the question of post-feminism, that slippery beast.
Samhita and Amanda are appalled by Katie Roiphe's aggressive anti-feminist trolling. The hologram of Tupac Shakur creates a rift in the space-time continuum, causing your hosts to wonder what your post-death hologram will show you doing. More #femquery answers, and Amanda is traumatized by the results of a momentary brain fart on a public bus.
Samhita and Amanda welcome special guest Aminatou Sow to discuss why not every man living in the friend zone wants to be in the bone zone with his female friends. Ashley Judd uses the word "patriarchy" in public, and the feminists online are so thrilled. A defense and critique of music snobbery, and learning to embrace your inner Beyonce fan.
An anti-choice legislator in Georgia compares women to farm animals in an effort to strip away their rights to basic medical care. Terrorists attack a Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin. Samhita and Amanda are pissed. But it's all okay, because this week's #femquery has a question about boobs, lovely boobs.
Jesse Taylor joins the show to talk about Trayvon Martin and dealing with the irrational fear of black men and boys that leads to violence. Samhita and Amanda are peeing-their-pants happy about "Mad Men", but much less enthused about beauty pagaents.
Samhita has a cold and Amanda is recovering from laryingitis, giving her voice a one time only huskiness, special for devoted listeners. Your hosts believe the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case is a pretty obvious travesty of justice. Samhita offers some background on the Dharun Ravi conviction. Plus, more questions from listeners directed at #femquery, including one about CATS.
Samhita and Amanda are at South By Southwest Interactive! They're both presenting and absorbing and have lots of exciting news to share about technology, identity, sex, gender, and race. Plus: booze and breakfast tacos, and Samhita has an unfortunate encounter with the cat of the people they're crashing with.
Amanda and Samhita don't like Rush Limbaugh, not one bit. But they appreciate his willingness to just come out with it and label 99% of American women sluts, because that sort of thing is galvanizing. Besides discussing the fuckery of Limbaugh, your feminist hosts also discuss the awesomeness of women (and men) rising up to defend women's rights, and even getting arrested to do so.
Samhita and Amanda ponder the mystery that is men who want to touch vaginas, want to punish women who use their own vaginas by probing their vaginas, but cannot say the word "vagina". The Oscars go unwatched but we are still sure they suck, except when Melissa McCarthy is on stage. Also, we answer more of your questions, and confirm that Liz Trotta is, in fact, an asshole.
Samhita and Amanda explain, in great detail, what a douchebag Ross Douthat really is. It's educational, and not just about Douthat! Interracial marriages are on the rise, but what does it mean? Why sports wives are constantly bagged on. Additionally, Samhita and Amanda answer your questions at #femquery.
Amanda and Samhita are not on Team Chris Brown. Shocking, I know. An explanation of how thoroughly Obama punked the Republicans on contraception access, with a side discussion of the stupidity of CPAC. Whitney Houston is dead and we are sad.
Samhita and Amanda talk Super Bowl, partying on Valentine's Day and the unpopular opinion that "Parks and Rec" is starting to suck. Sady Doyle comes on for two segments, to talk about a piece she wrote about emotional abuse for Rookie and to help answer your Twitter questions directed at #femquery. Also discussed: David Bowie's hard-to-ignore junk.
Samhita and Amanda talk about Occupy Oakland and Occupy Valentine's Day. Marc Faletti explains why the NFL is so sexist and racist, but why people love football anyway. And now for the first edition of Fem Query, where you can ask the Presidents of Feminism whatever you want. Address future questions on Twitter to hashtag #femquery.
Samhita and Amanda talk about why Republicans love Newt Gingrich despite his immense and hypocritical baggage. Why is it that once people get into their 30s, they somehow completely forget what it was like to be a young teenager fascianted with sex? Plus, the introduction of #femquery, where you can address your burning questions about feminism.
