The Babblery has a full episode coming out later this month about the challenges and joys of motherhood, but on Mother’s Day, I thought maybe we should stick with the joys. I hope you enjoy this short episode from mothers who will never regret their decision.
What happens when a photographer, a mature woman herself, welcomes older women into her studio to get the “full glamour treatment”? In this episode, we explore how a session with photographer Jana Marcus inspired and thrilled the women who took part. Even though beauty is supposed to be a superficial attribute, seeing themselves as beautiful, strong, and desirable had a deep and lasting effect on these women.
The 1960s is well-known as a turbulent time, but in this memory, Bettina revisits a scene that was particularly influential in years to come. The Student Free Speech Movement has served as a template for protests by young people since, from the Vietnam War to Black Lives Matter. In this memory, feminist scholar Bettina Aptheker reflects on how a fact of her upbringing led her to stand on a police car at a rally, in a scene reminiscent of fact and fiction that took place later.
Noted feminist scholar Bettina Aptheker explores the dawning of her feminist consciousness in waves. Daughter of a communist, Aptheker had to throw off a lifetime of conditioning about sexuality and the role of women in order to come into her own as a woman and a scholar.
Some thoughts on cats, haters, and fighting the good fight with feminist scholar Bettina Aptheker.
Herpetology is a science with a dubious distinction. It is one of the least diverse professions, especially in terms of gender. Our guests on this episode noticed their own uniqueness. In fact, it was often pointed out to them how unusual they were. But they also noticed the special bonds they formed with their female colleagues around the world. So one day, they set out to do something about it. The result is a book, Women in Herpetology, 50 Stories from Around the World.
Our upcoming episode is about how one woman herpetologist being asked to tell her story led to a book featuring 50 women who practice this unusual profession.
In this episode, we talk about the origin of the disconnect between economic indicators and our household realities. Women operate in an economy that was designed to ignore and devalue much of the work we provide. Rickey describes our economic system not as an inevitable fact, but instead as a story to be retold with all people in mind.
The Babblery has been official for a year, and that year feels very full. I interviewed women on the topics of science, winemaking, comedy, history, music, art, pregnancy, and writing…..
In this episode, we discuss how one woman’s work in the 21st century is illuminating some of America’s invisible women of the past. Through painstaking research, Carolyn Zola is finding, naming, and honoring them. This episode not only features Carolyn’s work, but also performances of songs and texts from the time.
