Stuff Mom Never Told You

Pie is an ancient food that began as a utilitarian and often inedible necessity and evolved over centuries into its current role as a sweet treat and dessert nemesis of cake. Cristen and Caroline get in the holiday cooking spirit by examining the anthropology of pie as well as its many gendered layers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Startup entrepreneur and computer coding evangelist Adda Birnir talks with Caroline and Cristen about feminism, why women should learn to code and how she started Skillcrush to teach coding to the female masses. Media files Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compared to barber shops that have been around since ancient Greece, women's salons and beauty parlors are relatively new inventions. Cristen and Caroline look at the history of each, as well as the gender and racial politics woven into the places we get our hair cut. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1920s, Stanford psychologist Lewis Terman developed the IQ test to aid in his study of exceptionally smart kids, or child prodigies. Cristen and Caroline discuss the science of child prodigies, why so many of them are boys and how prodigies fare as they grow up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American Thanksgiving may have Pilgrim roots, but its modern-day celebration is the handiwork of an 18th-century magazine editor. For 30 years, Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned U.S. Presidents to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday and urged American women to cook a special turkey dinner every November. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollywood icon John Wayne once said, "Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness." Is that masculine advice why it's thought that women tend to apologize more than men? Caroline and Cristen examine how men and women say "I'm sorry," and myth-bust the stereotype of women as the sorrier sex. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1970s, Pam Grier became Hollywood's first female action lead, debuting a new type of strong, fierce woman on screen. Following a slow and highly sexualized evolution of the female action hero, or superheroine, there appears to be a resurgence of butt-kicking women at the box office, and Cristen and Caroline explore the modern plight of the superheroine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2004, the Fatshionista LiveJournal community was founded to "discuss the ins and outs of fat fashions", and a plus-size fashion blogging network quickly took off. Long marginalized and size-shamed, fatshion bloggers and designers are revolutionizing mainstream fashion and looking fabulous while doing it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of history's earliest-known female mathematicians was Hypatia, a scholar and philosopher who was later stoned to death by an angry mob. While conditions have certainly improved for math-loving women today, plenty of obstacles still remain to attracting more girls and women into these numbers-driven disciplines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Engineering has some of the widest gender gaps among the STEM fields, despite having some of the most fascinating -- and lucrative -- career options. Cristen and Caroline explore women's contributions to engineering, why industrial engineering attracts the most women and female students' altruistic motivations for pursuing the challenging degree. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are fewer women than ever before pursuing computer science degrees? Lauren Vogelbaum of TechStuff stops by the show to discuss the tech industry's gender gap and whether the "brogrammer" culture is a sexist reality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking off a four-part series on women in STEM fields, Cristen and Caroline chat with Julie Douglas of Stuff to Blow Your Mind about the nature vs. nurture debate over women in science. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether in print or on television, true crime draws its largest audience from women. Caroline and Cristen autopsy the gory genre to understand the particularly female appeal of so-called "violence porn." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halloween 'tis the season for creative costumes, but why do so many people wear racist, offensive outfits? Cristen and Caroline discuss cultural appropriation and how it impacts broader society not just during Halloween season. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In fall 2013, a Russian orchestra conductor sparked international controversy when he said that women cut out for conducting. Cristen and Caroline look at the male-dominated world of classical music and the women like Marin Alsop who are challenging the maestro stereotype. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The history of women wearing pants is about far more than fashion. Caroline and Cristen explore the gender and class politics interwoven with pants slowly entering the female wardrobe and why men began wearing them in the first place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does it take women, on average, more than nine years to be accurately diagnosed for endometriosis, one of the most common medical disorders affecting women? Cristen and Caroline explore what endometriosis is, what causes it and why the uncurable condition is still so misunderstood by doctors today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final installment of the "Lean In" series, Cristen and Caroline explore why "bossy" is a negative term typically applied to women and girls. As we strive for career advancement, how can women square success and likeability in the workplace, and is it time to reclaim "bossy?" Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historically, women have been banned from most of the wine-making process, but it's a much different story today. Cristen and Caroline detail how and why women not only are the primary wine consumers but also are becoming viticulture's most celebrated taste-makers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does "Orange Is the New Black" accurately portray life in women's prisons? Caroline and Cristen size up the show versus the reality of the criminal justice system in the United States. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the third installment of a special "Lean In" series, Cristen and Caroline discuss why "work-life balance" and the idea of "having it all" is a myth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caroline and Cristen revisit the "manic pixie dream girl" trope in television and movies and explore whether the stock female character is disappearing from pop culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristen and Caroline discuss a recent Twitter hashtag, #solidarityisforwhitewomen, that sparked an important conversation about feminism and race and revisit their episode on 6 Black Feminists You Should Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are successful women more likely to suffer from the "imposter syndrome?" In part two of their special series on "Lean In," Cristen and Caroline discuss fear in the workplace and how to overcome it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do men and women have different memory mechanisms? Cristen and Caroline explore sex differences in memory and who's more susceptible to forgetfulness and memory loss. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are the pioneering stuntwomen who opened up this niche Hollywood industry to women? Caroline and Cristen take a look at women and stunt work then and now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristen and Caroline kick off their special four-part series on Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In: Women, the Workplace and the Will to Lead" with a chat about women and negotiation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent research has found that open relationships may be healthier than monogamous ones. Cristen and Caroline investigate the dynamics, risks and rewards of open relationships. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're a millennial with a smart phone, there's a good chance you're on Instagram. Caroline and Cristen chart the brief history of the popular photo filter app, who uses it and what our Instagram feeds say about modern life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anger is complex emotion, especially when gender gets involved. Caroline and Cristen explore how men and women experience and express anger differently and how to manage anger when it naturally arises. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristen and Caroline get down to the stinky science and gender differences of passing gas because, like it or not, everybody farts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder why there isn't a women's Tour de France? Women competitive and pro cycling has long lagged behind men's pro cycling, but not for lack of athleticism. Caroling and Cristen discuss female cyclists' uphill fight for recognition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1985, graphic novelist Alison Bechdel described "The Test" for movies that require a) two named women on screen, b) talking to each other, c) about something other than a man. Cristen and Caroline talk about the Bechdel Test today and how it can evaluate representations of gender and race in movies and television. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florence Williams, the author of "Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History," stops by the show to talk about the evolution of breasts, the history of breast implants and how environmental toxins are invading breast tissues. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women are waiting longer to have children, but when does fertility take a nosedive? Caroline and Cristen explore the science of female fertility and why 35 isn't necessarily the beginning of the end for natural conception. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Debbie Sterling was an engineering student at Stanford University, the small number of female engineers got her thinking about how to engage young girls in STEM fields. Cristen chatted with the engineer-turned-entrepreneur, about her invention of Goldieblox, a toy designed to teach girls engineering principles within a narrative framework, and why toys for girls should diversify beyond pink princesses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As soon as women entered the American workplace in the 1860s, sex and romance have been a common undercurrent of office life. Cristen and Caroline explore the risks and rewards of 21st-century office romances, along with cupid contracts, trading sex for promotions and sexual harassment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did it take until 1998 for Cosmopolitan to use the term "bachelorette party?" Because the raucous pre-wedding shindigs haven't been around very long, since bachelor parties were for grooms and showers were for brides. Cristen and Caroline explore the social and sexual symbolism of the rise of the bachelorette party. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Betrothed men and women have exchanged rings for centuries, but women receiving diamonds is a 20th-century invention. Cristen and Caroline take an unromantic look and how DeBeers taught us that diamonds are forever and should cost two months salary. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled The Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage between a man and a woman, unconstitutional. Caroline and Cristen look at a history of gay marriage in the United States and the next steps toward legalizing same-sex marriage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Word War II, pets became a standard part of American homes. Now, some think that the love and money we shower on our domesticated animals constitutes pet parenting. Cristen and Caroline discuss pet attachments and how it relates to couples who are childfree-by-choice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are two-thirds of diagnosed kleptomaniacs women? Cristen and Caroline explore the 19th-century rise of retail consumerism, shoplifting and how kleptomania was invented to help keep wealthy women out of prison. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are online "whisper" communities giving people brain orgasms? Caroline and Cristen discuss autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, and investigate what's up with those strange tingling sensations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has Photoshop, social media and modern advertising altered the meaning of beauty? Cristen interviews beauty scholar Autumn Whitefield-Madrono of The Beheld about 21st-century beauty and how it intersects with technology and feminism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For their annual summer reading episode, Caroline and Cristen discuss the impact of gendered book covers, the viral "cover flip" challenge, and whether books written by women are taken as seriously by publishers and critics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When actress Mary Pickford cut off her long hair in 1928, the haircut made The New York Times front page. Since short hair is still shocking today, Caroline and Cristen examine the sociocultural meanings of close-cropped women. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's normal for kids to wet the bed, but scientists still don't know exactly why they do. Cristen and Caroline talk Freud, genetics and moisture alarms as they explore the psychology, physiology and neurology of why bedwetting happens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The term "drunkorexia" was coined in 2008 to describe people who intentionally drink on an empty stomach to "save" calories and money. Media reports suggest that it's sweeping college campuses, but Cristen and Caroline also discuss how the trendy term has more serious implications for the intersection of eating disorders and substance abuse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final Boys of Summer installment, Caroline and Cristen highlight William Moulton Marston, the polyamorous inventor of Wonder Woman and how Marston's feminism influenced the iconic comic book superheroine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than 50 years on TV, Barbara Walters is retiring in 2014. Cristen and Caroline discuss her legacy as a pioneering female broadcast journalist and soft-news aficionado, and why TIME magazine called her the "Most Appalling Argument for Feminism." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.