What if the pop culture you loved growing up was quietly teaching you to shrink, perform and turn on other women?
In this episode, Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist Sophie Gilbert joins me to revisit the legacy of the 90s and 2000s — a time that likely shaped how you see yourself & other women.
We talk about the toxic version of ‘empowerment’ that dominated the era, why so many of us still feel stuck in competition mode and how we can start untangling the stories we were sold.
💡 You'll hear:
– How porn and pop culture collided to redefine girlhood
– Why so many women still struggle with internalised competition
– What’s changed in how women are portrayed — and what hasn’t
– How to start spotting (and unlearning) the cultural scripts you didn’t choose
– And what reclaiming your story can actually look like
📖 Chapters
00:00 Nostalgia and Reflection on the 90s
03:08 The Power of Pop Culture
05:57 Reality TV and Intersectionality
08:57 Sexualization and Female Power
11:57 The Influence of Porn on Culture
14:55 Empowerment and Its Implications
17:46 Crisis of Female Identity in the 2000s
22:10 The Shift in Celebrity Culture
28:43 Cruelty and Compassion in Pop Culture
29:05 Progress in Women's Representation
31:33 The Impact of Technology on Self-Perception
34:56 Revisiting the Past for a Better Future
🔗 Mentioned:
Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert
Sophie’s writing at The Atlantic
Ed's Doco Series on what led to Britney's conservatorship
💌 More from That's Helpful:
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📬 Got thoughts or guest suggestions? Email me at: thatshelpful @ edstott.com
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