Unladylike

How did Barbie—a voluptuous fashion doll for children—become the It girl of toy aisle in the early 1960s, and what has it taken Mattel to keep it that way? Answer: Beyoncé-level PR and a whole lotta lawsuits. Intern Anuli and Cristen sleuth out Barbie's ascent from gold digger to girl next door; her creator, Ruth Handler, whose own children hated the dolls; when Mattel took "Barbie Girl" to court; and why it took 21 years for Black Barbie to happen. Part 1 of 2...

It's been a BUSY year for abortion law, ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. But what should we make of it, and is it all terrible news?? Repro attorney Natalie Birnbaum gives Cristen a bird's-eye view of America's abortion legal landscape, pseudoscience in the judiciary, rebuilding better than Roe and the promise of shield laws. SEE ALSO: If/When/How Center for Reproductive Rights Shout Your Abortion MORE UNLADYLIKE: Patreon Shop Advertising Learn more about your ad choices...

Storytime, unladies! Often called the first trans celebrity, Christine Jorgensen became world famous practically overnight. AND way back in 1952. In this Unladies Room bonus episode, Cristen tells the why, what happened next and how Jorgensen captured so much (mostly positive!) attention.  Follow Unladylike: IG | Twitter | Tiktok Join the Unladies Room Shop bRaNd NeW mErCh  Contact Multitude Productions for ad rates, etc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Got pee pants (aka incontinence)? UTIs? Pelvic floor probs? Urologist Fenwa Milhouse, aka the Pee, Privates and Sex Doc, treats it all and then some. In this Unladies Room bonus episode, Dr. Milhouse mythbusts urologists as “gynos for men”, shares her unexpected journey into the pale male field and demystifies the unmentionable. FOLLOW Dr...

Do you refuse to laugh at unfunny men, shrug off casual misogyny and/or look past toxic allies? You might be a feminist killjoy - congrats! Queer scholar-activist and feminist theorist Sara Ahmed talks to guest co-host Anuli Ononye about the power of reclaiming the stereotype and the women of color who paved the way and her latest book, The Feminist Killjoy Handbook: The Radical Potential of Getting in the Way...

Why waste a good passport marrying a fellow citizen?? What if your long-distance relationship is due to deportation? How realistic is 90-Day Fiancé? Journalist and author Anna Lekas Miller shares what happened when she "proposed marriage fraud" to a Syrian refugee and how borders, visas and passports decide who gets to be together. Just in time for summer traveling, her new book is Love Across Borders: Passports, Papers, and Romance in a Divided World...

Bonus episode alert! Cristen dives into the FASCINATING backstory of the original Little Mermaid, why it almost wasn't made (hint: sexism), how Ariel saved Disney (!!) and whether Ursula is even more subversive than we thought. Join the Unladies Room Shop NEW merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does a feminist podcast (Unladylike, specifically) make money? Cristen chats with Amanda McLoughlin of Multitude Productions about indie podcasting, surviving Big Podcast Industry and whether it's possible to make a podcast living without selling your soul to the capitalist gods. Plus, a special request to for listeners who appreciate quality podcast ads! Advertising inquires and tips: sponsors@multitude.productions Shop **new** merch: unladylike...

What happens when women in long-term relationships with straight men realize they're bi, and why are they less likely to come out? Writer Maggie Zhou shares her own reckoning with the "Bittersweet Privilege of Straight-Passing in Queer Communities," queer imposterism and bisexual erasure. Maggie and Cristen also offer advice to two married unladies feeling stuck in the bisexual closet. Episode mixed and mastered by Multitude...

How do you empower nonbinary and trans kids struggling with their changing bodies? Gender Spectrum executive director Cameron Van Fossen shares their expert advice on distinguishing gender congruence from beauty norms, checking in with kids about their mental and emotional wellbeing and responding to critics who don't get it. But first, Cristen has a question for nonbinary unladies listening. Episode mixed and mastered by Multitude...