Episode Summary: Welcome to the Advancing Women Podcast! In this Halloween-themed episode, we reclaim the witch archetype as a symbol of female power, independence, and solidarity. Building on last year’s Season of the Witch, we explore how the witch reflects the experiences of ambitious women across history and today…from the backlash faced by independent women to the double standards confronting women leaders.
Through media, history, and lived experience, we uncover how witches (and women!) have been feared, misunderstood, and sometimes punished for asserting autonomy. But there’s a bright side: the witch is being reclaimed in fiction, in culture, and in women’s networks, offering a model for persistence, solidarity, and strategic power.
Join us as we dive into:
- The historical and modern symbolism of the witch
- How autonomy, economic independence, and ambition have provoked backlash across centuries
- The parallels between historical witch hunts and modern workplace double standards
- The power of covens—real and metaphorical—and what I call persisterhood
- Strategies for building networks of support, mentorship, and collective resilience
This episode is a call to embrace your coven, celebrate your independence, and wear your power proudly. Because we are the persisterhood, and our solidarity, creativity, and courage are our most potent magic.
“We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren’t able to burn. Let’s wear that badge proudly.” #covenofpersisterhood #seasonofthewitch #persisterhood #genderbias #leadershipbias #leadership #advancingwomenpodcast #genderequity
Resources & References:
- Mona Chollet, In Defense of Witches
- Joan Williams, research on the tightrope bias and workplace double standards
- Media examples: Wicked, Practical Magic, Marvel’s Agatha Harkness
- Historical context: Matilda Joslyn Gage on persecution of witches (Woman, Church and State, 1893)
Connect & Engage:
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Leave a review or a like on Instagram if this episode resonated with your inner witch!
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More on Dr. DeSimone here! https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-desimone-phd-mba-ba00b88/
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