Gaslit Nation

If you're still waiting for someone to save democracy, Mona Eltahawy has news for you: you are the one you've been waiting for. A fearless Egyptian-American journalist and author of The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls and her latest book Bloody Hell!: Adventures in Menopause From Around the World, Eltahawy is no stranger to authoritarianism. While covering Arab Spring protests in Cairo, she was seized by Egyptian security forces and sexually assaulted and beaten, her arm and hand broken. Now, she warns, America is slipping toward the same strongman rule in Egypt. And too many are sleepwalking through it. Eltahawy's prescription is feminism that terrifies, carried out by both women and men. Because anyone can be a feminist. This is feminism as revolution. As she puts it, "There is no revolution without rage, and there is no revolution without risk." Her work urges women to embrace power, ambition, anger, and militant self-defense, not to provoke, but to defend. And for their allies to support them. Learn to protect yourself. Teach your daughters common-sense self-defense and how to take up space. Her hope is that more of us, especially white women in the U.S., will stop cosplaying resistance and start embodying it. "The Handmaid's Tale is not a documentary," she says. "Get out of the TV and into the streets." EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Show Notes: Journalist On Being Sexual 'Prey' In Egypt https://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142895349/journalist-on-being-sexual-prey-in-egypt Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Our show opens with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, a favorite of philosopher Kate Manne, one of the sharpest minds dissecting power, privilege, and the politics of gender. Kate is a professor at Cornell University and the author of groundbreaking books like Down Girl, Entitled, and her latest, Unshrinking, which takes on fatphobia with the same fearless clarity she brings to misogyny and moral philosophy. Her work is a lifeline for understanding how injustice is baked into our culture, and how we can start dismantling it. If you've ever felt the weight of double standards, moral policing, or body shame, Kate Manne has words that will crack open your world and help put it back together stronger. Want to keep the conversation going? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly Zoom gathering where we break down the headlines, swap strategies, share survival tips, and connect with other listeners who get it. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Discounted annual memberships are available, and we're so grateful to everyone who keeps the show going. Need a summer read to match the moment? Check out the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our cunning narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bumbles through the dark art of authoritarianism, clinging to power and dodging those meddling activists and journalists. Find it at your local library or at BookShop.org. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Courage often starts with saying the obvious out loud, unapologetically. Philosopher and author Kate Manne brings that rare, dangerous clarity, taking on the everyday cruelties of structural misogyny and the moral contortions America performs to pretend everything's fine. Manne, author of Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women, and Unshrinking: How to Face Fat Phobia, challenges how we understand injustice. It's not just "out there." It's built into our systems, our norms, even our language. We don't need to wait for sweeping reforms to act with integrity. Real change begins with small, daily acts of moral attention. What do we excuse? Whose pain do we ignore? What stories do we let slide by unchallenged? Misogyny, Manne argues, isn't just about hatred; it's a control system. A mechanism of the patriarchy designed to punish women who won't conform. In Manne's hands, philosophy isn't abstract; it's a wrecking ball. A tool for exposing rot and naming the machinery of oppression. Her message is clear: transformation begins with how we think, how we speak, and how we show up, for ourselves and for each other. That's the real work of justice. And it belongs to all of us. Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Welcome to the opening discussion of this past week's thought-provoking salon on The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Though often labeled a children's book, The Little Prince, translated into over 500 languages and dialects, second only to the Bible, sparked a wide-ranging discussion that revealed its deeper, more political dimensions. In our discussion, Gaslit Nation listeners drew connections between the book's themes and the current tragedy and disinformation war on Gaza, while others reflected on the absurdity of adulthood depicted in the story. Our conversation touched on the divine feminine, the corrupting influence of institutional power, especially within the Catholic Church, and the existential weight behind Saint-Exupéry's deceptively simple prose. We began by exploring the historical context in which the book was written: a time of fractured resistance to fascism, eerily reminiscent of our own era. Just as the French Resistance struggled with internal divisions and the desperate need for leadership, so too does America today, caught between rising authoritarianism and a detached political establishment. Most amazingly, this conversation took place on July 31st: the 81st anniversary of Saint-Exupéry's death during a reconnaissance mission off the coast of Marseille. His little plane crashed into the sea, just two months before the liberation of Paris. UPCOMING BOOK CLUB EVENTS: August – The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here Two films where art challenges dictatorship—from East Germany to Brazil. Book club: August 25 4pm ET September – Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford Harriet Tubman's story, in her own words based on interviews with The General herself. Book club: September 29 4pm ET October – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. Book club: October 27 4pm ET November – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Indigenous wisdom and science for reconnection and gratitude. Book club: November 24 4pm ET December – The Forest Song by Lesya Ukrainka An eco-feminist Ukrainian play that sings of love, rebellion, and resilience. Book club: January 29 Get the full story and support independent journalism! Join our community at Patreon.com/Gaslit to hear the complete discussion and unlock exclusive benefits. As a member, you'll enjoy ad-free episodes of Gaslit Nation, bonus shows, behind-the-scenes content, Q&A sessions, access to our private group chats, invites to live events like our weekly political salons every Monday at 4 PM ET on Zoom, and so much more. Become a patron today at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

We opened with the trailer from Andor, a series that's earned a top spot on the watch list of this week's guest: the fearless Erin Reed, a real-life member of the Rebel Alliance and one of the most essential journalists working today. Erin is the creator of Erin In The Morning, the go-to source for breaking news on LGBTQ+ rights, trans healthcare, and the rising tide of attacks on civil liberties across the country. Her reporting has exposed the truth behind anti-trans legislation, tracked authoritarian policies in real time, and armed millions with the facts they need to fight back. Her courage, clarity, and compassion make Erin one of the most vital voices in the resistance, and we're honored to have her on the show. Want to join the conversation? Come to the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's a community of listeners, activists, and fellow travelers where we unpack the headlines, share strategies, vent our frustrations, and build a living archive of this moment in history. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps our show alive. Thank you to everyone who helps make Gaslit Nation possible. Looking for a summer read that pairs rage with laughter? Check out the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our delightfully shady narrator, Judge Lackey, as he stumbles through a step-by-step guide to seizing and holding power, dodging accountability, and panicking over activists and journalists. Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

In a world awash with disinformation and fear-based politics, what cuts through the noise isn't perfection; it's authenticity. As Erin Reed, a trailblazing journalist and trans rights advocate, puts it: the most effective leaders and allies are the ones who show up with sincerity, values, and courage. Reed knows this from experience. Alongside her wife, Montana state legislator Zooey Zephyr, they've faced the harshest forms of political repression, from being silenced in state chambers to watching harmful laws passed in the name of "protecting" sports or children. And yet, their fight continues, fueled by love, clarity, and hope. So how can you support the trans community in meaningful ways? Stand Firm in Your Values – Democratic Party leaders especially shouldn't be "Republican-lite" or speak through the filter of 12 consultants. Speak from the heart, like Kentucky's Andy Beshear, who stood up for trans rights and still won big in a deep red state. Educate Yourself and Others – Learn the real facts. Trans athletes aren't "cheating." They're barely even represented in elite sports. Medical care for trans youth isn't a free-for-all; it's cautious, professional, and consent-driven. And no, no one is performing surgeries in school cafeterias. Be Visible. Be Vocal. – When institutions cave to pressure and erase diversity programs, allies must speak up. Trans people aren't always in the room, but you might be. Build Solidarity – Globally and locally. Anti-trans disinformation spreads across borders. So should our support. Reach out to advocate groups abroad and build an international coalition of support and solidarity. History is watching. As Reed reminds us, this is our civil rights moment. Whether you're an activist, a parent, a lawmaker, or a friend, your genuineness, your voice, and your love can help shape a more just future. All it takes is a spark. The song you heard in this week's Gaslit Nation is "Tear the Fascists Down" by Deena Marie. Check out her music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CuUJiaLhVF4x8WlZGLjRJ If you have a song to share on our show, submit your music to us at Gaslit Nation – we love hearing from you! More info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628 Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

We opened with "Papaoutai" by Belgian artist Stromae, a powerful performer who inspires this week's guest, Jamila Raqib. She once saw him live in an unforgettable setting: the ancient Roman ruins of Carthage, Tunisia. Jamila Raqib is a powerhouse for peace and democracy. As Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution, she has spent years training people across the globe in militant nonviolent resistance. Her work fuels the kind of courage that topples dictators and changes the course of history. She trained under legendary activist Gene Sharp whose book From Dictatorship to Democracy the Gaslit Nation Book Club read back in March, brought the fight for freedom to the frontlines, and she's just getting started. Want more bold conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. Meet fellow listeners, unpack the news, share strategies, vent, and build a real-time record of this moment in history. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and you can even give the gift of membership. If you're packing for the beach or hiding from the heat, take along a little inspiration. Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! is our graphic novel starring the delightfully dodgy Judge Lackey. He'll walk you through the do's and don'ts of becoming a dictator and staying one, all while trying to outwit the pesky activists and journalists out to ruin his grip on power.Grab your copy at your local library or at Bookshop.org. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

They want us to believe that silence is strength. That if we keep our heads down, the storm will pass. But we are the storm. And our storm doesn't need fists. It needs strategy, courage, and the fire of militant nonviolence. In the latest episode of Gaslit Nation, Jamila Raqib, the executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution, delivers a masterclass in radical defiance without a single weapon raised. Raqib doesn't just talk resistance. She teaches the art of war, the nonviolent kind, built on discipline, planning, and unshakeable conviction. She carries forward the torch of Gene Sharp, the quiet revolutionary whose writings, like From Dictatorship to Democracy, which the Gaslit Nation Book Club read in March, have armed movements from Serbia to Syria. His ideas are dangerous, not because they incite chaos, but because they illuminate how to take power back without bloodshed. And dictators fear that more than any rifle. This is militant nonviolence. It's strategic. It's disruptive. And when practiced with precision, it brings regimes to their knees. Blueprint for the Battle Ahead Raqib outlines a crucial truth: power is not monolithic. It comes from the obedience of people, workers, civil servants, police, students. Withdraw that obedience, and even the strongest tyrant collapses. Take Serbia. Take Bangladesh. The world keeps giving us proof that nonviolent action isn't weak; it's lethal to authoritarianism when wielded with discipline. These movements succeeded not because they were polite, but because they were strategic. Organized. Defiant. This is how repression backfires. Every crackdown becomes fuel. Every jail cell, every bullet, every propaganda campaign becomes a rallying cry, if activists know how to use it. Weapons of the Peaceful Warrior Raqib reminds us that art is a weapon. Culture is armor. Community is infrastructure. And technology is a battlefield. Whether it empowers or undermines you depends on how well you understand it. Movements rise and fall on logistics, not just slogans. Fear will always be there. That's normal. But as Raqib insists, fear doesn't mean stop. It means go smart. Fear is a compass, if it scares the regime, you're probably doing something right. Nonviolence is Not Passive. It's Precision. This conversation isn't about kumbaya. It's about battle-readiness. It's about studying the terrain of power, exploiting the cracks, and toppling giants with the slow, grinding force of disciplined resistance. Nonviolence doesn't mean surrender. It means refusing to give your enemy the war they want. It means winning on your terms. And in a time of rising fascism, digital surveillance, and global despair, we must turn to the tools that have worked, again and again. So study Gene Sharp. Listen to Raqib. Organize like your life depends on it, because it does. This is not the time for feel-good hashtags. This is the time for public education, mass mobilization, and strategic action. Nonviolent resistance is not soft. It's the hardest fight there is. But it's the one that wins. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

We opened with the legendary James Baldwin, because this week, we're passing the mic to someone walking boldly in Baldwin's footsteps: Amber Wallin, Executive Director of the State Revenue Alliance and a fearless fighter for tax justice, equity, and economic power from the ground up. Whether she's calling out lawmakers, organizing communities, or reshaping policy, Amber is part of a new generation of leaders who refuse to back down. Here she shares the thinkers, art, and music that inspires her in the fight as she takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Because self-care is an act of resistance. Want more fierce, unfiltered conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly dose of truth, strategy, and righteous rage with listeners from around the world. Sign up now at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps us going. Hitting the beach or binging podcasts from the couch this summer? Take along our graphic novel: Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our corrupt narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bungles his way through authoritarianism, dodging activists and desperately clinging to power.Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

We are told that if we tax the rich, that jobs will disappear. That prosperity will dry up. But the numbers tell a different story. In the latest Gaslit Nation, Amber Wallin, executive director of the State Revenue Alliance, joins Andrea to expose the lie at the heart of our economic system. The rich are not fleeing. They are flourishing. And when we make them pay their fair share, everyone flourishes. Wallin comes armed with data and clarity. She dismantles the disinformation that has allowed the ultra-wealthy to hoard billions while public schools crumble and hospitals close. States that tax high-income earners are not bleeding millionaires. They are gaining revenue and creating more millionaires. They are investing in their people. They are proving what we already know deep down: we can tax the rich and build a society that works for everyone. The Battle Behind the Budget For decades, tax policy in America has been a weapon wielded against working people. It has been shaped by lobbyists, shielded by myths, and sold to the public as necessary sacrifice. But history shows us something else. It shows how tax codes have been intentionally designed to protect wealth at the top and starve communities at the bottom. Wallin makes it clear. We are not fighting numbers. We are fighting a system that tells us scarcity is natural while billionaires pay less in taxes than teachers. Tax Justice Is Democracy in Action Economic inequality is a threat to democracy. When wealth concentrates, power concentrates. And when power concentrates, freedom erodes. That is why taxing the rich is not a fringe idea. It is a democratic emergency. Wallin also emphasizes something often ignored in these conversations: gender equity. Women, especially women of color, are hit hardest by unfair tax systems. Correcting that is not just about fairness. It is about building systems that's humane. No One Is Coming to Save Us. We Are the Movement. This conversation is a call to action. States hold tremendous power to reshape the economy. Community organizing, public pressure, and clear messaging can push forward tax reforms that fund schools, roads, housing, and healthcare. Essential services are not luxuries. They are rights. And the money to pay for them exists. The only question is whether we have the courage to demand it. Wallin says it best: free markets are not free. They are designed by and for the wealthy, unless we intervene. Tax policy is not boring. It's political warfare. And the sooner we treat it that way, the sooner we win. We are in a moment of extraordinary possibility. Trust your instincts. Trust the data. And above all, trust the power of the people to build wealth and power for everyone. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

On July 14, 1789, ordinary French citizens stormed the Bastille, shattering the myth of royal divine right. Three months later, thousands of women marched on Versailles, demanding bread, justice, and dignity, driving the revolution forward with courage and resolve. As Ursula K. Le Guin reminds us, "We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings." Gaslit Nation Presents: Smash the Oligarchy. Smash the Patriarchy. Our summer series features women on the frontlines of the far-right assault on our democracy, our bodies, and our minds. Hear from: Amber Wallin – Economic justice advocate explaining why taxing the rich benefits all. Jamila Raqib – Leader in nonviolent resistance, training movements worldwide against authoritarianism. Erin Reed – Journalist tracking anti-trans legislation and arming communities to fight back. Kate Manne – Philosopher exposing misogyny's corrupting power in culture and politics. Mona Eltahawy – Queer Arab feminist, author, and survivor confronting patriarchy and tyranny globally. Marci Shore – Historian illuminating resistance and revolution lessons from Eastern Europe. Erica Smiley – Labor organizer championing collective power and workplace democracy for economic justice. Our summer bonus shows prove rest is resistance. Join our fearless guests on Gaslit Nation's Self-Care Q&A for inspiring ways to recharge. We win by being the sand in their gears, and we will win! Our special summer series shows you how. Tune in all summer long at Gaslit Nation. For the hottest of hot takes, see you at the Monday salons, only on Patreon. Want an exclusive look at the film the Kremlin fears? Fact Checker Patreon members and higher get a two-hour, behind-the-scenes audio guide to Mr. Jones. Subscribe at Guardian of the Fourth Estate or higher for a signed copy of this summer's must-read, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Limited signed copies available. Join Gaslit Nation on Patreon at various levels for ad-free shows, bonus episodes, Monday salons, chat groups, and more. Annual subscriptions are discounted, and memberships make great gifts. Thanks to all who support our independent journalism. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Chrissy Stroop, a leading voice in the #Exvangelical movement, brings historical insight and personal experience to a conversation that traces the Christian right's rise to power from the Reagan era to its disturbing alignment with Russian authoritarianism today. This week's bonus show explores how evangelical leaders used strategic alliances, particularly the anti-abortion movement, to unite conservative Christians and Catholics under a single political banner. Stroop explains how this coalition gained momentum during Reagan's presidency and has since embedded itself deeply into U.S. policymaking. Particularly troubling is the influence of Christian nationalists on education through the deregulation of homeschooling, often leaving children vulnerable due to lack of oversight. Stroop also highlights how Christian nationalism, once cloaked in calls for "religious freedom," now openly embraces authoritarian tactics. The alignment with Vladimir Putin's regime, admired by many on the far right, underscores a global trend toward anti-democratic ideologies under the guise of defending "traditional values." Yet, amidst the bleak realities, Stroop points to reasons for hope. Grassroots activism is on the rise, as communities across the country push back against oppressive legislation and public protests grow more frequent. Organizers are working tirelessly to safeguard democracy and protect civil liberties, especially for marginalized groups targeted by these far-right movements. The episode is a sobering reminder of how deeply Christian nationalism is embedded in American history, but also a call to action. As this bonus show emphasizes, defending democracy requires vigilance, public engagement, and an unwavering commitment to truth. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes: Chrissy Stroop is a co-founder of the independent media site The Flytrap: https://theflytrap.beehiiv.com And she writes the newsletter The Bugbear Dispatch: https://www.bugbeardispatch.com/ Check out her work there Right-wing extremism and homeschooling go hand in hand by Chrissy Stroop https://flux.community/chrissy-stroop/2023/08/right-wing-extremism-and-homeschooling-go-hand-in-hand/ Washington Post Editorial Board: Donald Trump's weapons freeze on Ukraine could bring catastrophe https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/02/ukraine-russia-war-trump-weapons-freeze-missiles/ Palantir's Builds Big Brother for Trump: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Tk8.on-Q.rokoAAstmOw5&smid=url-share