Our Favorite 'F' Word

Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
♪ Entertain me, entertain me, right now ♪

(00:04):
Hello, and thank you for spending time
with the Pop Culture Junkie podcast.
I am Shauna, and I am here with Olivia.
And we have a lot to talk about.
A lot of stuff is happening.
A lot of stuff is the nice way to put it.
A lot of very, very bad stuff.
Yeah, not a lot of it's good, but we are here.

(00:25):
And speech is still free for, you know, now.
And so let's keep Pamela and carry the fuck on, Malah.
Too soon, too soon.
Also, that was very marvel of you in the beginning.
I'm like, "But we are here."
It's all night from my hero academia
and whenever he shows up, he goes, "Oh, yeah, man."
And everyone's like, "Yeah, it's all night."

(00:45):
If only.
If only, all night was here right now.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So how's life?
Well, well, as I told my hairstylist
yesterday when I got my hair dark as my soul, it looks beautiful.
Thank you.
Thank you that I've been crying on and off all week.
And she asked, "Why would happen?"
I said, "The horrors."

(01:07):
And then you gestured vaguely around you and said, "You know, the horrors instrument."
Yep.
Totally got it.
Totally got it.
And then I made the good critical, I don't know.
It was a good movie, but the mistake of watching
the Aubrey Plaza movie, "My Old As."
You shit.
See, I don't know if I want to watch it because

(01:27):
they don't look alike to me in the promos.
To me, 39 is an old.
Yeah.
But I don't know.
Should I watch it?
She's 18, like the young version of her is 18.
And then she comes and visits her at 39.
"Fold my eyes out."
It's so good.
It's so sad.
It's such like a coming of age, like love story.

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And like I was watching it with my mom,
there's a lot of stuff with like your mom and appreciating your mom.
Just a weep, you know.
That's how you need to get to Rob it in.
Sorry to rub it in for having a mom.
What's that like?
That's it.
And it was like,
there's this part where she's like about to leave for Seattle and move.

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And all this stuff, and I just went like, "Mom and I was like, yeah, no, it was so good."
I told my friend that I'm never taking another movie wreck from her.
I'm like, "Because I literally cried so hard and I had done fabulous makeup that day."
It was like good for doing your makeup since last two days.
Because I am not.

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I feel horrible, but I can look good on the outside.
And that's been what I've been trying to tell myself.
But I had like a dark purple makeup on and I'm just like crying and I'm trying so hard.
I'm trying to get my hair done.

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(03:37):
Okay, you have this drink and you I want to watch you finish that beverage right?
Yeah, and then I didn't have any liquor so I made her jug a Grand Marnier. Yeah, she's like,

(04:02):
here's a shot of Grand Marnier I don't do it. Let's do it. Things were needed you were working for
like six a.m. yeah, tall working is hard that party at like 10 p.m. yeah, I worked a long day and
I snuck in like one car. And as the night went on and it got clearer and clearer that it was not
gonna go the way that we wanted it to I mean, okay, one three nine past and then we all went

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yeah, and then we're like okay, now like like oh god, oh god, oh god, and we were invited to like
an after party and all of us just met. I'm gonna go home. I want to be in my jam jam so well.
I went home and was like, I'm gonna need a bar bit you it. Mixing my uppers and my downers.

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But culture junkie does not can do it. I did make Andrew stop on the way. Oh, but I got a
bottle of red wine. Yeah, I feel like they're gonna be celebrating or lamenting. And I wept and he
held me in the next day. I want to feel to be love. Oh my god, you had your mother to love you.

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I have that husband to love me. I guess you will equal. It's fair. Can I borrow your mother and you
can borrow my husband? I think that's fine. Okay, fair. Sorry, Andrew. Can I still borrow your mom?
Yes, yes, you can borrow my mom. She would love to help me. Yes. And then the next day I woke up and I was
like I cried enough. I need something like I need to just comfort and take care of myself all day.

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So Andrew made a nice like MX pot of good coffee. It was a nice chilly morning. So I just went out
in the patio and was just like I felt like a shell of a human like I cried as much as I could. And then
I go inside and I was like, what do I need that will make me feel better in this of Buffy the vampire's
layer? So I watched some Buffy. Yeah, you know, I had a man who must not be named who left a dog

(06:06):
with me who was watching Buffy with me at the time. So I haven't been able to watch Buffy in two years
because it reminds me of it so much. He left Ziggy with no penny. Oh, but we were made Buffy binge
whenever he disappeared without a trace. I don't know if the podcast knows this lower. So I haven't
been able to watch Buffy again since then, but I should revisit it. Yeah, do not associate Buffy with

(06:29):
it's on him associated with me. We'll do something stupid during an episode of Buffy or something.
Iconic Buffy episodes, but I can't start it from the beginning. Let's start from the beginning and
I will go over to your house and like run around naked or like shit in your floor. And then you'll never be
able to watch me. She's really really my dear time. I'm a great shot. I'm turning into a feral beast.

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I'll stop his donating. My floor, my rental. The man who ghosted me and left a dog with me after that.
Yeah, she was a good dog and then she died. Sorry, sorry, listen. This is where we're at. This
episode is going to be like remember we were both abandoned. Let's talk about our trauma.
But Buffy, you're your ex my dead mom. It's great. My dead dog. Your dead dog. I can get my people

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listen to this podcast. Everything is fine. We're doing it's fine. Everything's great. But on that note,
segue to topic. Okay, you know, at the hard times, we've always found ourselves leaning on the
women around lives. Exactly. Is what we actually want to discuss today and just, you know, this podcast is

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inclusive to all gender, sexualities, ethnicities. The girls gaze in days are united. We do this for
the girls, gots and gaze, baby. Yes. And we wanted to talk a little bit about feminism and what it
means to us, what the history is and really how we have persisted through so many years of hard times,

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even in times like this. So even through this election, we're not going to see our first woman
president yet. I still hold my heart that there will be a fucking female president. Yes. Women still
matter shocking. And we can see that in the media and in pop culture, is there equal representations

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between all gender, sexualities and ethnicities? No. But we have seen that change for the better
in some recent years. And a big reason for that is my favorite f word. Feminism. No, that is not a
dirty word. It's thanks to the various feminist movements of the last 100 in years or so that we

(08:58):
have rights that we do and still have for now. And the fact that representation in the media has become
more diverse and authentic because it wasn't that long ago that it really wasn't. So we're going to
look back on how feminism and pop culture so to speak. So we're going to go kind of decade by decade
here for a little bit and just talk about that intersection of pop culture and feminism. The 1910s

(09:23):
of the 1920s. First wave feminism made its mass media. It's needed. Okay. The people need it. The
people. I needed it. I needed it. Keep going. 1913. The women's suffrage parade in Washington,
DC generates unprecedented media coverage. 1920. Lappers and mergers cultural icons challenging the

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Victorian gender norms through fashion and the behavior. 1927. The release of wings which I looked
into in as a action movie about airplanes. Features clara bow as the it girl representing a new female
independent. And if you are a swifty or you've just listened to me speak ever. Clare Boe is

(10:11):
done that. Yeah. Yeah. Apparently whoever is listening to this podcast is too. Clare Boe is actually
referenced in the tortured poets department. Oh, love that. And it's actually called Clare Boe.
And the song. Yeah. Yeah. And so she is the most iconic kind of early 1920s actress. She's,

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as you mentioned, where we get the term it girl. But it's truly been just an icon throughout the
years. I think Stevie next Taylor Swift. Yeah. That's kind of the theme of song and them going through
it. So. Yes. And obviously the 1910s and 20s we talk about like flapper isn't like first wave feminism.
And this throughout history is going to be predominantly white women. Yep. So we do realize that that

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the 1910s and 20s are not the same for everybody. Yes. Experience. Yes. As we know, then we really
run into the 1940s to the 1950s World War II and then the post war period. The most iconic imagery
that you're going to think of and see within this time of course is Rosie the Riveter poster.
She becomes a cultural phenomenon. Of course, the only reason that we started letting women work

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is because all the men were off to war and they had to and then when the men came back, they said,
"Oh, those women don't need to anymore. Go on and go back into the kitchen." A lot of them just
tried and fought to stay in the workplace. Of course, they're like, "Could we are actually good at
this?" Yeah. Enjoy this. Yeah. They couldn't keep their own big accounts. But we still, you know,
that was kind of the beginning of women in the workplace in 1949. Simone de Bouvoirs, the second sex

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influences popular discourse. In 1953, we have the launch of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner,
and Sparks debate about objectification versus liberation, which is still going on to the day.
Which, very fun fact, did you know that he bought Marilyn Monroe's pin-up photos without her concern?

(12:15):
Yeah. Was the first cover? Did she not consent to that being the cover? No. Oh, damn. I've seen
that very famous. She's like on a rub, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's how it got started.
That feels like objectification. Well, that's Marilyn's life for you. Yeah. That's really
cool. Marilyn, but Marilyn's life for you. Yeah. And then in 1955, we arose a parks, a rasp, which

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highlights intersection of civil rights and the women's rights movement. Exactly. The 1960s
brought about second-wave feminism. So in 1963, we have Betty for Dan's, the feminine mystique,
which became a bestseller. 1966, the formation of the national organization for women, also known
as Now, which still existed this day. Hire me, I think you my resume. Please hire me.

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1968, Miss America protests sparks bra, burning mythology in media. I love the bra, burning stuff.
Everybody watching us on camera, I have a tattoo of a burning bra on my arm. I just love that.
And then 1969, nice. Our bodies ourselves and credible book was published revolutionizing women's

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health discourse. We're still there. And we are still there. Imagine that women of health needs
today need taken care of and legal access to. In 1971, we have Miz magazine launching in 1972,
title nine passes leading to increased representation of women in sports media. Another thing, we're

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still struggling with. Yes. Yes. I love it. Back to when our parents were still doing
the things. We have the iconic Rocky Horror picture show challenging gender norms, which
come in 1975 in 1977, free to be you and me by Marlowe Thomas promotes gender equality.

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And in 1979, Margaret Thatcher becomes UK Prime Minister, sparking media discussions about women in
power. That's so funny. Media discussions. Could a woman really lead? Oh my gosh.
No, they have a queen. Right. She's really lead. She just kind of sticks knives and decades.

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Yeah. And that's corkies. Yeah. Yes. The 1980s that working woman era.
So not only pardon exactly that is literally the first note is 1989 to five highlights workplace
sexism. 1983 Madonna emerges as a controversial figure. A controversial figure. But she released

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that book in what the 80s or 90s to all about sex. Yes. What was it called? What was a documentary?
It was like a tabletop book too. Madonna's movie was truth or dare, which I've never seen. The
documentary. But I bet it's sexy. It's really good. It has a lot of gay representation.
But there's a lot of gay clubs. I mean, yeah. Bush. Bush and gay. Not George Bush, but

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I've got like Bush, Bush, Bush, the better Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush.
1984 Geraldine Ferreros vice president domination generates widespread media coverage.
And then in 1988 Murphy Brown debuts featuring a single career woman protagonist.
Imagine that. Then we get head into the 1990s with girl power and third with Batman.

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And then what I grew up with. Yes. Spice Girls, baby power.
So in 1991, we have the famous Anita Hill testimony, which brings workplace harassment into
the national spotlight. Fuck you, Claire. It's literally. We both deep sigh.

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If only if only people believe women imagine what we would be dealing with. Imagine. Just imagine.
Imagine. Imagine. Imagine. In 1992, we have the year the woman in American politics.
Come out. I don't know why that made me laugh.
We're just if we don't laugh. If we don't laugh, we cry. Literally.

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In 1994, we have the right girl movement peaks combining punk rock and feminist ideologies.
I love right girl music, dude. I listened to so much. I have a whole playlist that I listened to whenever
I'm on my way to political advocacy events. And yes, fucking bumped. I listened to it with you in the car.
Yes. And it was very happy. In 1996, the Spice Girls popularized the girl power message.

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And in 1998, sex in the city debuts, sparking discussions about female sexuality.
Actually, in my gender study class, I wrote a paper about how each character of sex in the city
really represents different female tropes and all of those things. And I think it was the maiden

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the horror, like the Madonna versus Horde. Yeah. And the different types of women that are allowed
and accepted but still sexualized. And so I think HBO created an amazing show to really represent
the change in women the way they were thinking, what it looked like to be 30 and be sexy.

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And still it's their own person while Charlotte is obsessed with getting married. I love sex in
the city because you see someone like Samantha who. And they're still friends. Yes. Yeah, absolutely.
And it is like, I mean, we've talked about that show so much on the podcast, but it's like a
a moment in time, obviously, and it has its flaws. But for what it was when it first came out,

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it was revolutionary 100%. The 2000s digital age feminism. So in 2002, we have Eve Insler's
the vagina monologues, which became a global phenomenon, which I've never seen. I actually
haven't, but I know it as, you know, Ben Shapiro's worst freaking nightmare. Oh my god. That's for sure.
Of course. 2006 social media platforms enable new forms of feminist activism. In 2008, 2008. Oh my

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god. Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2008 before Obama. She, she was trying to get the
Democratic. I know I totally forgot. It just feels like so long ago. Oh my god. We hated women
forever. Oh my god. I remember that. Actually, yeah, that was the first election I ever voted in.
Now that I think about it. Yes. Hillary Clinton ran for president. I would say primary. In the

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primary, yes, she lost to Barack Obama, which was Obama. It's obviously a revolutionary candidate.
2009 Lady Gaga emerges as a voice for gender and identity politics. And we love that. We love
little monsters. Yes. Little monster. And then we enter into a term. We've probably heard quite
often fourth wave feminism and social media. In 2011, we have Beyonce with her iconic run the world

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girls becomes our feminist anthem. In 2013, the launch of the lean in movement by Cheryl Sandberg comes
out. Now I feel like today, there is a lot of push back against lean in. I do think that Cheryl Sandberg
is an amazing CEO and woman, I figure with in business and with in tech and has a lot of value

(19:43):
that she can provide and to have grown up like her Ted talk is really, really good. I haven't
watched it. I don't think I've got that. Yeah. That of you. Yeah. Her Ted talk is really, really good.
But for her to move her way up in such a tech driven world, I do think she is worth giving her
flowers to even if she's not a perfect person. In 2015, Emma Watson's key for she campaign, she

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collaborated with the UN deeply. Really became an advocate for women and just overall.
In 2017, we had the. Me to movement transform into a global phenomenon. I think we still see it today.
Yeah. A lot of backlash to it today, which is awful. I remember when that first came out and

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everybody using that hashtag and everyone just kind of like you see it on as somebody's wall and
you're like a fuck you too. That's what it is. Me too. Yeah. I think it really came for the movie
industry. Not every Weinstein for sure. Not necessarily within the music industry in the way
that we would want to. It was definitely a movie. We're starting to see that a lot more now with

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everything coming out with Diddy. Yeah. But hopefully we continue to expose abusers and believe
women. 100%. That kind of goes into the next one too by the need me to move my hand. Yeah.
And then in 2018, we have the Times up movement, which launches into the entertainment industry.
Unfortunately, it was a lot of talk and we're still seeing a lot of abuse happening within these

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industries and a lot of people still glorifying individuals around this. Like if you I don't know
if you saw the history of violence with Chris Brown that just got released and all of these things.
But in 2019, a record, a record number of women in Congress generate media attention with their
me two stories. Yes. And just entering into Congress and politics in general, trying to smash that

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glass ceiling, pushing back the 2020. So where we are now, contemporary developments that we're seeing
in 2020, Kamala Harris did become the first female vice president, which I think is something that
doesn't get enough. And firstly, first female president for 40 minutes. That's true. We did discuss
this last night. Kamala Harris was president for 40 minutes. Well, Joe Biden had a colonoscopy.

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We did it, ladies. We did feminism assault racism done. We did it, Joe. We did it, Joe, for 40 minutes.
40 minutes. 2021. Growing focus on intersectional feminism and media started to rise. In 2023,
the Barbie movie sparks discussions about feminism and consumerism. And we have an episode on

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the Barbie movie. And it's actually our most into episode that we've ever had.
Is that funny? I mean, I guess it makes sense because it's just such a global phenomenon.
And people were calling it feminism 101, which honestly, I think is fine. If it's going to be an
intro to people, I like, I have to keep telling myself, not other people are as entrenched as the

(23:00):
feminist movement in politics as, you know, I am or other people might be. And that's fine. Yes.
If the, you know, the Barbie movie was like, okay, feminism light, that's I think I think that episode
we really go into the controversy at the time. And kind of the left and the right discussions
argument. So I definitely recommend checking that out. I still want to think of the men. Yeah,

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if you have not listened to it, it's a great one. We really go into it. And we have a lot of fun
in that as well. I love that movie. I want to name some of my favorite feminist pieces of
pop culture. So we're going to take a quick break. And when we come back, we'll talk about some key
themes at the intersection of pop culture and feminism as well as our favorite female representations
in pop culture. So we both wore t-shirts today that represents some of our favorite feminist

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and pop culture and just female led movies and TV shows. I have Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of course,
she's my girl. And that kind of came out during the 90s when we talked about the girl power third wave
feminism. Buffy represented you can be a girly girl and you know, date boys and wear skirts,

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but then also fight the forces of evil, right? Women are complicated. There can be many sides to us.
Yes. Which I think like the themes still carry on to this day. And again, it's a moment in time
in the show does have some parts that haven't aged as well as others, but overall like,
greatest TV show of all time. No, no, yes. I agree. And I have the craft, which is one of the,

(24:34):
I would say earlier representations of goth culture. Yeah. And just complex nuanced female characters
who aren't only evil. They've experienced abuse that lead them to like this decision making and
all these things. Honestly, I love watching. Right. I just rewatched it over Halloween and I realized

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that too. It's like you can say that Nancy's just a villain, but she's also going through abuse at
home and obviously struggles with confidence as like all of the women do and learn their lessons.
And the end. Yeah. We talked about sex in the city and you know, how it's represented feminism at
the time and just like that, which kind of dropped the ball during it's a Tim set kind of being a

(25:20):
little more intersectional with its feminism. I do think that there is much to be said about the
intersection of like we are culture and feminism. So we get shows where we see more trans women
represented more black women, obviously women of color taking the wheel, which is amazing. I'm trying
to think of more of like everything I watch, I feel like it's kind of like a female. I need that.

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And we grew up with Disney princesses, right? Who were in the early days all having to be saved by
the prince. And then during the 90s kind of came out with that girl power again, Mulan,
Pocahontas, kind of. Yeah. Then we had Frozen who the sisters saved each other.
Yeah. I didn't find husbands. Right. Like the main focus of that wasn't the romance. Same with

(26:08):
Moana, right? And I see the pushback from the right and from men sometimes that they say,
Oh gosh. Like now that even the female Eminem can't be sexy anymore. And all these movies are
about female empowerment. So is that the right thing? Okay, Tucker Carlson. Let us know you have an
Eminem King. You can't fuck this. It's fine. It's fine. You can just be into Eminem. It's fine.

(26:34):
It's fine, bro. It's fine. Only your conservatives are going to judge you. Well,
well, once you repent, you could fuck a bowl of him. And yeah.
You've just, you know, joined the furry community. That'll accept you. Get a furry little Eminem.
Oh my god. You know, I hate that pushback that we see. And it goes on decade after decade where

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no matter what advancement, feminism and the female rights movement seems to get, it's like
there's someone there to be like, Oh, God, they're going to go to work. And then, Oh, God, we're going
to let them vote. Well, that was before going to work. And oh, God, now we're going to let like
black women vote and go to work in Hispanic women. And oh, my God. Now the trans women,
when will it stop? Like, yeah, it was interesting. Actually, I saw a quote from Stevie Nex. The first

(27:25):
time she ever voted was this election, actually. And I think of Stevie Nex as someone who is so
feminist, so powerful, so witchy, right? And she said one of her deepest regrets is not voting. And so,
you know, I think they're, you know, doing it now. Yeah. I think there is so much in our history of

(27:48):
women being pushed down and less educated and things like that where, even the opportunities to be
able to educate themselves, like we weren't able to take out credit cards until the 70s. We weren't
able to divorce our husbands until like the 70s as well. Like go to college, get degrees,
things like that. So it was just like you said, being pushed down. Yeah. Yeah. I think that, you

(28:12):
know, despite where we may be going back to, we look at this timeline that we just gave there
is so much growth for women. It's nice to read it when it's all laid out like that. Yeah.
When we're having like, I feel for obviously we've both been mourning for the past week or so.
I don't know when this will come out, but at this point, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as

(28:34):
the next president. And that terrifies me. And I know that terrifies a lot of women, especially
women of color who like have been leading the charge dude, like voting overwhelmingly opposed to him.
And I know that leaves us all scared. And so it's nice to kind of look back on how far we've come and
see where we have to go with that. Let's talk about some kind of like key themes throughout history

(28:56):
where we see the intersection of feminism and pop culture. First, I'll talk about media
representation of women. So the evolution of female characters in film and television,
where it starts. I mean, you think back to like, I love Lucy Roy and she's the doding housewife.
And obviously she's hilarious. And I think she's a feminist. I'm leading her own show. She has a
friend who comes over. She can be sassy with her husband, but they're definitely sleeping in

(29:22):
the separate beds. And she has to wear the makeup and the dresses every day and is very distinct
gender roles. And I was looking at old clips yesterday of Bewitch. Yes. And where Darren is talking to
Samantha. That's the her name, right? Samantha the way to Samantha's mom. And

(29:47):
he's like, well, I think that she'll be just fine if she doesn't use her witchcraft. And she's
just going to be a normal lady. And her mom's like, why are you trying to stifle her? Shouldn't you
love her for who she really is? And he just wants her to be a normal wife who stays home and cooks and
cleans. And somebody commented that like Bewitch and I dream of Jeannie, which are such fun shows.

(30:08):
Kind of represent like the male fantasy where you can marry this secretly powerful sexy woman.
But with you, she's just going to be a regular broad who wants to talk about babies and cooking
planes. So no one knows that she's secretly powerful, but you. And I never really thought about it
that way. And then you know, throughout the 90s and 2000s, we kind of have the in 80s that

(30:31):
don't be husband with like the really hot white one. So the Simpsons and Family Guy and all of that.
And married with children, right? Yeah. Where oh, you don't worry. I'll take care of you, which was
made fun of and Kevin can fuck himself. I've seen it, but I really want to watch the first season.

(30:54):
And I really like it. And it goes kind of on that trope where the silly man child husband gets
away with the most absurd things while she's just left pick up the pieces. Yeah. And then I know
we've mentioned this on another episode, but like desperate housewives where we were allowing like
complex women with children over a certain age to be portrayed and complicated and you know,

(31:20):
nuanced and in all these things. They have flaws, but they're likeable, but they are also
dislikeable. And like weeds, she is a single mom who sells weed. I love the first couple seasons.
Yeah. Then I got bad. Then I got bad. The first couple seasons. Yeah. Gold.
And then we see shows where there's a male main character who everybody roots for and then everybody

(31:45):
just hates the woman for some reason. Yeah. Like I think breaking bad is one of the best television
shows of all time. Yeah. The hate the skylar white. Yeah. It makes no sense. It makes no sense.
If you just like take a step back. Well, it does because we're here. But we're here. We are.
Her husband's literally lying to her and cooking meth. Like if you think about it,

(32:05):
of course she's going to be pissed at him. Yeah. And then she kind of goes along with it for a while.
Like what do you want from her? Yeah. Anyway, oh, France. Yeah. Changing portrayals and advertising. So
you know, those commercials back in the day. Like my husband loves it when I use
and love soap. Oh, I got this kind of egg so I can make breakfast for the whole family. And in the

(32:30):
90s, you see a lot of diet commercials where it's like, oh, I lost 10 pounds to using special
gay cereal. Now it's and to age backwards. Yeah. It's like a 12 year old. Exactly. Before it was I'm
not fat anymore. Now it's, oh, look, I'm 12. He wants me. Yeah. And women's voices and journalism
and publishing have definitely changed over the years too. We've definitely seen a lot more. I mean,

(32:54):
Barbara Walters, of course. And dance. Yeah. And Oprah, honestly. And maybe correct. Yeah.
Ricky Lake. Yeah. Ricky likes a delight on Instagram, by the way. I don't know. Yeah. She's delightful.
Yeah. So yeah. And then we move into the music industry. And you know, female musicians are the

(33:17):
top settlers in every category. I mean, especially when it comes to pop music, like men not making good
music. Non original thought. Not original. Yeah. Come on. Hot girl. Hot girl brat summer for
it. Yes. We're on the airs tour, high scrocing tour, which is why all of you then hate her. You know,

(33:40):
you have Charlie X, the X and Troy, so fun, a gay man and a lovely British woman just crushing it.
And you know, men step it up, right? Something original.
Something good. Yeah. Dance. Yeah. I don't even care if you want to dance. Like I like, we used to be
seen kids, like just make something good. Make something good. Make something good. Bring up the emo

(34:04):
music. I do love that there is an absolute take down of Zach Bryan happening right now.
Is he a country singer? He is a country singer. And he treated this thing. And it was like Kanye
over Taylor Swift, Eagles over chiefs, like, and it's one of their thing or whatever. And
guys, literally, yeah, it's like anti-symmetism over a. Oh, but, but he also just it's been exposed that

(34:28):
he would just abused his girlfriend, like terribly over the watch. The swifty's found that he has
stolen a lot of like the the beats from Taylor Swift songs. And you know that woman's looked at
just and I'm like, oh, honey, your most popular songs. They're all of his most popular songs. So
Hey, Jay. Hey, who is that other Morgan Wallen? Thank you. You knew exactly where I was going.

(34:53):
Who threw like a cherry on it. Also, dude, he's a piece of shit. Yeah. I mean, I do want to talk about
fashion and body image a little bit and just kind of the changing beauty standards. I know we've
talked about that a lot. It's impossible to keep up with what society and the media and pop culture
tells us our bodies are supposed to look like right. And so I think that's important nuance take.

(35:15):
And we've seen a lot more women, especially in like the Instagram and TikTok age.
Social media can be toxic as hell, right? But at the same time, I have I find joy in watching
the women who are like, I really don't care if you think this is what I look good in or if this
is flattering to you. This is what I want to wear. This is what makes me happy. I will shape my hair

(35:35):
and dye my hair. Yeah, there's a lot bigger. The discussion of like dressing for the female gaze.
Versus the male gaze. Yeah. Unfortunately, unfortunately, there's still a lot of women who can't
erase that from their minds. Yeah, which is difficult to deal with. And I think a lot of like internalized
misogyny. Like we're top from a young age that we're supposed to look pretty for the boys. And

(35:59):
just a certain way. So you'll find us. He's way into you because he likes you, which is bullshit.
And then that kind of goes into this next one. It should the digital influence. So social media
activism, online feminist communities, I'm really it helped grow my feminist like activism.
Finding grades and marches and protests on Facebook events and getting really involved in

(36:24):
Instagram communities and following influencers like this great influencer named deja Fox
who stood up to Jeff Flake years ago. And now she is a feminist influencer. Yeah, she's from Arizona.
Just incredible. So as toxic as it can be, I think it can be. Yeah, you know, really empowering to

(36:44):
especially for women. Yeah, absolutely. Well, before we wrap up, what is one feminist piece of media
that you want to recommend someone to watch? Yeah, those are going to be our pops this week. We're going
to through all of the the darkness. I think that it's you know, that's why we wanted to do this

(37:06):
episode. Why it's so important to see how far we've come to talk about how far we need to go.
We still need to increase our activism when it comes to women of color. We still need to break that
glass ceiling of having a woman in charge and there's a lot to be said about trans women and, you
know, native women and the violence that they all face. So there's a long way to go, but I hope that

(37:27):
this kind of makes people feel a little more hopeful that we've come so far. So the pop culture we're
going to recommend today is going to kind of add to that. So I am going to pop a movie called The James.
It's a documentary that came out in 2022. The synopsis is an a free,
robe-weight era female activists calling themselves Jane, build an underground network for women

(37:50):
with unwanted pregnancies and provide low cost and free illegal abortions to an estimated 11,000
women. Yes, so that way when you if you found a poster if it was a word of mouth and you needed an
abortion, which was illegal in this time, you call the number and say, hey, is Jane? And they would

(38:14):
lead you to connecting to this woman, Jane, you know, no real names used, who would connect you with
a healthcare provider who would take you somewhere and give you an illegal abortion. Study up, dude.
Study up, dude. Study up, everybody wants the Jane. We recreate the Jane network.
Literally recreate the Jane wheel. So it's these women faced jail time and legal prosecution.

(38:39):
I mean, just the emotionality of just being with each other through all of this and dying from
sepsis. I mean, hospitals in this time had full on sepsis wards for women who were dying of illegal
unsafe abortions trying to self abort. There's a lot to be said also about the safety of self abortions
and people have been self aborting for centuries, but I will not go on that danger today.

(39:02):
Yes, yes, yes, yes. But this is a very powerful documentary and I think very timely after the fall
of row. So something that we can all watch and learn a bit from. Yeah, what about you?
My pop for this week is she said at the New York Times journalist, Megan Tohee and Jody
Cantor who reported and exposed the sexual allegations against Harvey Weinstein. This story is

(39:28):
actually what started the Me Too movement. And it is such an amazing movie. It has Zoe Kazan and
Kerry Mulligan in it. Ashley Judd. And it was an amazing movie. I think it's going to be more
and more relevant as we go on. Yeah. To really uplift journalists. 100% was on.

(39:51):
To piggyback off of that. I mean, free speech and journalism is going to be under attack over
the four years. And I'm not just making that up. That has been said by the incoming administration.
From the anime within. Yeah. So listen to reputable sources and journalists and female journalists.
And while this week we have not been our normal funny silly goofy silly girls. I think we're still

(40:16):
funny. Yes. We want to be a place where you can come and escape. And we wanted to do this
episode purely because you know, it is an important topic and we stand with women. We always will
stand with women. Yeah. And expect, you know, fun silly goofy things. But we will be here holding

(40:37):
space for all women and really anyone going through difficult time. Yeah. If you're anything like me,
I need to escape. My TikTok algorithm makes me want to like literally jump off a bridge. All I need
I just needed kitties and puppies. Yes. I just need stupid movies and kitties and puppies. So
while this is an incredibly difficult time at next next episode we release we will try to have

(41:00):
fun. We want to be in place where you can escape. But I always feel free to say like we want to
have an episode on this. We would love you to talk about this. 100% short and sweet. We're here for
you. We hold space for you and we love you. Yeah. Absolutely. And I know we're two white chicks
in Arizona. But like we like she said stand with all marginalized communities and just want to be

(41:24):
a place where we can all love each other and create peace and fight any kind of injustice that we see
wherever we see it for those that are you know kind and yes. And believe other people should have
rights. They imagine that. Imagine believing other people should have rights. Yes. All people. But then
also we all need to turn off our brains and watch some stupid reality shows and gossip about things

(41:48):
that really don't matter. I've been watching gossip. I know. And I needed something so stupid to
watch the other night. And I'm I might get canceled for saying this but we watched three amigos.
I never seen it. It was one of my husband's favorite movies growing up. Your husband's
back. That's it. I said I was like well if he says it's okay. It's like he's the one he recommended it

(42:10):
and it was very stupid but I chuckled a lot. So watch some things stupid that'll make you
chuckle this week. And on that note, I think it's time for us to jump on our feminist broomsticks and
fly on out of here. We did that in the Halloween episode but I think that it's the same. Can I tell you
where the broomstick came from? Oh my god. Yes. I watched the video that you said please. Okay. Okay.
Okay. Olivia is going to talk us about broomsticks for like two seconds. So the

(42:33):
I followed this account. It is so amazing. It's all of them.
Pinkie history and so basically where the witches on broomsticks came from is women used to dip
halus and eugenics into the broomstick and then put it up their lady parts and ride it to you

(42:58):
know, have stimulation and get highs balls and to distract them from the horrors and and the
drugs that they were doing were halusogenic drugs and so they were acting off freaky and weird.
And there was like that you must pay all your share which is on broomsticks became a thing because
they were sexual. They were hallucinating and they were just having a grand. No, for the first time.

(43:21):
Those are just naked tripping masturbating women. Yeah. Yeah.
That's the end of the day. That's me after the summer. I was going to say which amongst
us is not. That's going to be me for the next four years. Just tripping balls. Yeah. Like that.
The barbituids. I needed them. The ma'am, your barbituids.
I love that. I love this. Sorry. I heard broomsticks. No, it was a necessary interjection.

(43:47):
Don't leave me with that one. No regrets. That interjunction. No regrets.
No regrets. Ladies, get your broomsticks. Get your elusinogenic. Yeah.
Get your dick. I'm right. Okay. Get your maybe maybe not the broomsticks. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. These splinters. Ladies, think of the splinters. Yeah. Castle Megastore.com.
Yeah. There you go. We need to get sponsored by a vibrator company. Yeah. Anyway, Olivia,

(44:12):
that note. Tell everybody where they can find you. I'll be on Instagram @livimariez at
L I V I M A R I E Z or you can find me on TikTok @livyolife420
You can find me, Shauna Trinidad, on Instagram @shaunatrinidad
S H A U N A T R I N I D A D. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

(44:38):
Don't forget you can find the pop culture junkie podcast, social media links and more on our
website popculturejunkie.com. From there, you can find our podcast and all platforms where you can
follow, subscribe, rate and review. Why don't you do it all? Join our family on Patreon for a
measly one dollar a month. We'll give you a special shout out on an episode of the show like this.

(45:02):
Can't stop. I'm sorry. It's gonna happen from now on. It's only $5 a month. You'll get access to
our sweary opinion. It and even a little bit sexually charged video version of the podcast.
But we're going to say it's not just us for every episode. Yeah. Be warned. It's fun. But be warned.

(45:23):
And these women need to calm down. Yeah. Swearing like sailors out here. And of course,
every subscription helps us bring you more insight into the best of pop culture. Find us at patreon.com/popculturejunkiepodcast.
Sign up and get that sneak peek or we can say your name. Say your name. Say your name. At least once.

(45:45):
Oh, man. Oh, man. I hate it. I hate it. That's why I did it. I hated doing it more.
Say it about yourself. Moning my own name. Is that what you do when you ride the Pro-Six?
Moning my own name seems really weird. I'm gonna need to fucking the living.
Ladies start moning your own name. I'm gonna need that power. I was just gonna say I should

(46:08):
fucking other Olivia. You should date a woman named Olivia. When you move to San Francisco,
you're gonna find another. You're gonna find a lesbian named Olivia. I'm gonna enter into a triad.
No, everybody named Olivia. We're all named Olivia. Oh my god. Come back next time for another hit of pop culture.

(46:30):
The Pop Culture Junkie podcast is produced by Jeff Markin and Cheryl Lightfoot for the Pop Culture
Entertainment Network.
Entertain me, entertain me right now.
I need it bad, I need it bad.
I need it bad, I need it bad.
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