Stuff Mom Never Told You

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.

In the third Boys of Summer installment, Cristen and Caroline hat tip JK Starley, the engineer who invented the bicycle as we know it today, and explain how the bicycle was a transportation revolution for women. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in the 19th century, women's colleges now dwindle in number and popularity for female scholars. Caroline and Cristen discuss the history of these all-female institutions and the pros and cons of their 21st-century existence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the second "Boys of Summer" episode, Caroline and Cristen discuss the life and legacy of John Rock, a devout Catholic and co-inventor of America's first birth control pill. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A court decision to lift age restrictions on purchasing Plan B emergency contraception set off a firestorm of controversy. Cristen and Caroline talk about what Plan B does and its impacts on young women's sexual health. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Poiret was a French designer credited with unlacing women from corsets. Cristen and Caroline explore the intersection of fashion history, industrialization and gender equality in the first installment of their Boys of Summer series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fitness inspiration, known as fitspo, is supposed to get women exercising, but is it helpful or hurtful for women's body images? Caroline and Cristen assess the health of fitspo and its links to eating disorders and compulsive exercise. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As more women are choosing natural childbirth, Caroline and Cristen look into what "natural" actually means and how women deal with the pain of having a baby without meds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dorothy Parker once wrote that "men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses." Cristen and Caroline explore why so many negative stereotypes are attached to women wearing glasses and whether we have hipsters to thank for making glasses cool. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1942, "Now Voyager" starring Bette Davis was Hollywood's first major "magical makeover" movie. Caroline and Cristen explore the intersection of the beauty culture, film history and feminism in "magical makeover" movies deliver and ponder why we love watching them so much. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are Chinese children raised with a greater sense of family loyalty than kids in the West? Join Caroline and Cristen as they discuss Eastern parenting practices, the Chinese principle of filial piety and how family devotion affects Chinese kids' success. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women tend to score much lower than men on financial literacy tests. Why? Is money management a man thing? Does financial planning pander to women? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Sunday, Americans will spend more than $16 billion dollars celebrating Mother's Day. Cristen and Caroline discuss why we treat moms to brunch and flowers every second Sunday in May, and why the founder of Mother's Day regretted how popular it became. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is photography still a male-dominated industry? Listen in to learn more about women's roles in the history of photography, including the work of Frances Benjamin Johnston, Margaret Bourke-White, Diane Arbus and other notable female photographers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.