Divided States of Women

Too often, women are thought of as a monolithic bloc, and they were often discussed that way throughout the 2016 election. But women are in fact divided on major issues. Liz Plank (a progressive) and Hitha Herzog (a conservative) are friends who get along, but don't always agree. Together, they cover the complicated, multifaceted, intersectional debates that make up the life of the modern American woman. Produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Episodes

It's Here: the Backlash for Exposing Sexual Misconduct

November 30, 2017 • 33 mins

As powerful men are toppled one after the other for their sexual predation, why are some women still missing from the dialogue? Women in service industries, who are often subject to severe power imbalances with their customers, have not been centered in the conversation about harassment. And one response to widespread sexual misconduct allegations has been the implication (or veiled threat) that exposing sexual harassment will lead...

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The Women Who Get Left Out of #BlackGirlMagic

November 16, 2017 • 20 mins

CaShawn Thompson is credited with creating the social media movement that is #BlackGirlMagic. The hashtag is widely used as a celebration of black womanhood, beauty, and perseverance. But not every black woman endorses the term. When Dr. Linda Chavers saw the ubiquity of #BlackGirlMagic, she bristled—and she published an essay about why she felt the term was exclusionary. That's when the online backlash from other black women began...

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Lessons from a year full of toxic masculinity

November 9, 2017 • 51 mins

This week, an interview with Wade Davis, the NFL's first Diversity and Inclusion consultant and, well, a professional feminist. (Ok, maybe that one's not on his business card). Davis uses his public platform to talk to men and boys about masculinity as a societal construct -- one that is a performance as harmful to men as it is to women. We'll also hear from Vox.com reporter Anna North, who attended the Women's Convention in Detroi...

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Esther Perel: Why Women Cheat and Why Women Stay

November 2, 2017 • 49 mins

Today, women are cheating nearly as much as men. But why do we judge women more harshly than men, whether they're the cheater, the victim of the cheating who decides to stay, or the mistress? Our guest today is Esther Perel, preeminent couples and family therapist whose new book, "The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity" looks at infidelity from multiple perspectives and attempts to contest some of the cultural stereotypes we h...

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Is It My Fault If I Hate My Body?

October 26, 2017 • 50 mins

Women of all shapes and sizes feel insecure about their bodies. Hitha and Liz compare notes, and discuss the economic and cultural ramifications of our stereotypes about "overweight" women. We hear from Emily Martin at the National Women's Law Center about how women's bodies are used against them in the workplace. And we'll hear from two women who are living with chronic illness about the insecurities and social pressures that come...

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Let's Talk About Disability Porn

October 19, 2017 • 23 mins

You've probably seen it in your social media feeds without even knowing it. "Disability porn": those stories that use disabled people's narratives to inspire the able-bodied. Some disabled people reject these narratives, especially when they're in the form of memes that travel across social media. But there are plenty of disabled people who endorse and participate in "inspirational" storytelling, or don't see anything wrong with it...

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Does Marriage Make Women Happy?

October 12, 2017 • 32 mins

What are the benefits of marriage for women? Liz talks to feminist writer Jill Fillipovic about how the institution has changed over the last decade, and what that means for women's happiness and economic stability in 2017. Hitha is hiding in a closet at her sister's wedding, but she calls in to talk about the pragmatism of her marriage being governed by "1950s" values.

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Hugh Hefner, American Hero and Sexist Pig

October 5, 2017 • 28 mins

Hugh Hefner was an exceptional businessman whose legacy is built upon the exploitation of women. Our hosts and guests, including Liz’s mom, debate how Hugh Hefner should be remembered, and discuss the role of the Playboy empire in the sexual revolution.

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Is That a Gun I See in Your Corset?

September 28, 2017 • 45 mins

We visit the NRA's first concealed carry fashion show, and learn about the firearm equivalent of a "nip slip." We also talk with Dr. Angela Stroud (a gun owner herself), who studies how race, class, and gender identity shape Americans' perceptions about private gun ownership.

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Can You Be A Conservative And A Nasty Woman?

September 21, 2017 • 34 mins

In our debut episode, Liz talks to young women at a conservative summit in Texas to find out if they agree with her on...anything. We also interview the editor of the new anthology "Nasty Women," Samhita Mukhopadhyay.

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Introducing: Divided States of Women

September 14, 2017 • 5 mins

Hosted by Liz Plank and Hitha Herzog, Divided States of Women uncovers the complicated, multifaceted, intersectional debates that make up the life of the modern American woman. Liz (a progressive) and Hitha (a conservative) may be friends who get along, but they certainly don’t always agree. They’ll bring prominent feminist thinkers, politicians, and celebrities onto the show as guests, and they’ll report from the field to hear fro...

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