In this Um, Civics episode, Emily and Samie take a haunting journey through the history (and modern echoes) of witch hunts, from 1600s Sweden to 1990s Wenatchee, Washington.
They unpack Mona Chollet’s “In Defense of Witches”, dive into the Torsåker Witch Trials, and draw uncomfortable parallels between centuries-old misogyny and how society still punishes women for independence, ambition, aging, or simply existing outside the lines.
From the absurd torture “logic” of the Malleus Maleficarum to the tragic 1994 Wenatchee “witch hunt,” the hosts connect dots between history, pop culture, and politics, tying it all back to the ongoing war on women’s autonomy. Expect irreverent laughs, feminist fury, and Outlander references. Just replace the word witch with woman and it’s the same story.
🔥 Tune in for sass, smarts, and spells, and remember, not all witches are evil; some are just tired of mediocre men.
Listen
A Day in the Life of an Ass with Lily Ruiz & Andrea Brown – Spotify Podcast
Dim Lights & Stiff Drinks – Podcast Website
The War on They (includes conversation on ethics surrounding commercial surrogacy) - Hysteria Podcast
Visit
Watch
“Momsplaining” Witch Trials were about money, not magic – Stillaworkinprogress TikTok
Men made up man god to get land – mossymatriarch_alt, TikTok
Morbid Podcast with Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley – YouTube
Outlander – IMDB/Starz/Netflix
Blood of My Blood - IMDB/Starz
The Four Seasons (1981) - IMDB/Amazon Prime
The Four Seasons (2025) - IMDB/Netflix
Read
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial - Goodreads
10 Bizarre Reasons People Were Accused of Witchcraft During the Salem Witch Trials - Sparknotes
Wenatchee Witch Hunt: Child Sex Abuse Trials in Douglas and Chelan Counties – HistoryLink
Was It A Witchhunt? Interview with Kathryn Lyon – CBS News
The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It? - Wired
Other Resources
Washington Public Disclosure Commission
Oh yeah, and RELEASE THE FILES!
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