Stuff Mom Never Told You

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.com See 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.com See 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.com See omnystudio.c...

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.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

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 h...

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.com See omnystudio.com...

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.com See omnyst...

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.ihe...

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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See omnystudio.com/list...

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.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See 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.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.