It's the last episode of Season Four! To commemorate this moment in Feminist Hotdog history, I decided to reflect a bit about the show's origin story, how four seasons of immersing myself in feminism changed me, and a few other things I've learned about myself, the patriarchy, and how to fight it. Feminist Hotdog will be going on hiatus for a few months while I focus on getting REVA Recovery Support off the ground. What will it look like when it comes back? I'm not sure yet, but I'd love to know what you think. More recovery content? More guest interviews? More examples of what makes my feminist heart sing? Something else? Let me know!Stuff I Talked About on This EpisodeLutze B. Segu - The Social Justice Doula Amelia HrubyEbonyJanice MoorePleasure Activism - adrienne maree brownRachel Cargle

The news of Derek Chauvin's conviction and the shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant by a police officer in Ohio both hit hard last week; these events have reignited my thinking about how I can take action to improve outcomes for Black and brown and poor people when they encounter police or become ensnared in the justice system. With that in mind, I decided to rebroadcast this interview with Ashley Edwards about why the cash bail system is a worthy place to put our activist attention and how confronting it can keep literally millions of people safer from the abuses of incarceration. It's not abolition, but it's a start. (Original show notes below.)____Bailout funds have been in the news for weeks now, but how do they fit into the bigger picture of the criminal justice and cash bail systems? Ashley Edwards of MGM Bailout joins Feminist Hotdog this week to talk about the racism inherent in the cash bail system, the predatory lending practices that surround it, how listeners can work to abolish cash bail, and why we should view this as a feminist issue. Things We Talked About on This EpisodeMGM Bailout National Bailout Until Freedom Comes Bailout Toolkit Black Mama’s Bailout Southerners On New Ground After Cash Bail: A Framework for Imagining Pretrial Justice

Clubhouse has revealed itself to be a place where folks (like me) who have difficulty moderating will quickly run into trouble. Luckily, before I weaned myself off, I had the opportunity to meet Cynthia Wright, a self-described "queer writer and military brat" who also hosts the fabulous recovery podcast Getting Your Sh*t Together. Cynthia's pod offers a unique mix of storytelling, interviews, personal development, social commentary, and—of course—recovery tips. We had a great conversation about how podcasting can be a form of therapy, how intersectionality shows up in recovery spaces, and how self-compassion played a pivotal role in her own story. Enjoy! Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeGetting You Sh*t TogetherNavigating That Sober Summer LifeA Bih Talks About Disrespecting YourselfHow Guilt and Shame Impacts Your LifeSelf-Compassion Deep Dive

Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation.When Sara and I first spoke about her appearance on Feminist Hotdog, I wasn't entirely clear on the connection between feminism and suicide prevention. However, after this conversation, I realized that suicide is a stigma-laden topic that—like addiction and abuse—often impacts women in unseen ways and must be talked about openly for anything to improve.In this episode, Sara explains how our medical and emergency response systems are falling short when it comes to suicide prevention and how we can become agents of change by using our voices to challenge cultural narratives about women and mental health. We also dig into some promising developments in policy and treatment and how you can get involved in spreading the word and smashing the stigma around suicide.If you've ever lost someone to suicide or know someone who has, I highly recommend you listen to this healing and inspiring episode.Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeAmerican Foundation For Suicide PreventionBecome an Advocate for Suicide Prevention

Zillah Eisenstein is an influential scholar, writer, and activist who has engaged in feminist action and inquiry for over 40 years. Her book Abolitionist Socialist Feminism profoundly affected me when I read it last year, so I was thrilled when she agreed to come on the show to discuss her career and the state of the world. Among many other topics, we talked about being a white woman raised as an anti-racist, why protests of police brutality gained so much traction in 2020, the many social hierarchies COVID has exposed, and how she stays engaged and inspired after 40-plus years of feminist and progressive activism. One particular powerful mantra she shared: “Whatever you do, you don’t wait.” Stuff We Talked About on This Episode Zillaheisenstein.wordpress.comAbolitionist Socialist Feminism: Radicalizing the Next Revolution"The New US: While Calling Out Trump White Women""The Misogyny of COVID and White Supremacy""A Letter to My Anti-racist Feminist Sisters in the Time of COVID-19"

Warning: This episode contains disturbing themes and bigoted language. Listener discretion is advised.This episode may not be a very joyful one, but it is fascinating and urgent—possibly more urgent than ever. My guest is Dr. Heidi Beirich, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at the nonprofit organization Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. Heidi is an international expert on the far right. Our conversation focused on the role of women within anti-democratic movements and the relationship between feminism, misogyny, and extremism. We talk about what it means for women globally that far-right political candidates are gaining power in countries around the world, including the U.S. And we explore the uncomfortable question: How does the supportive role white women play in white nationalist movements mirror the role white women have played in supporting white supremacy throughout history?Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeGlobal Project Against Hate and ExtremismCynthia Miller IdrissKathleen BelewMia BloomWhite Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad“White Women Were Colonisers Too. To Move Forward, We Have to Stop Letting Them Off the Hook.” by Ruby Hamad

What do you feel when you hear the word abortion? What words do you associate with it? If you’re Amanda Star Kingsley, those words might be fear or sadness but they might also be strength, purpose, and light. Amanda is a post-abortion life coach. Her mission is to help people achieve the vision for their lives that compelled them to choose abortion. Through her coaching and her podcast, Speaking Light Into Abortion, Amanda is smashing stigmas and asking critical—and sometimes messy—questions designed to help her clients embrace their agency and move forward in confidence. Regardless of your relationship to abortion, prepare to feel a paradigm shift during this powerful conversation.Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeAmanda Star Kingsley Speaking Light Into AbortionUnFuck Your Brain After AbortionAcceptance After AbortionHolding Space for AbortionAllowing Grief After AbortionHealthy Relationships After Abortion

It's not every day you get to interview a woman who has inspired you for decades. In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with feminist icon Loretta J. Ross, activist, writer, and scholar, and a critical voice who has helped shape many aspects of the Women's Movement and the ongoing struggle for human rights worldwide. Over the course of her career, she has worked to center Black women and girls in conversations about sexual and gender-based violence, sterilization abuse, violent extremism, and reproductive justice (a framework she co-created). Her more recent work focuses on helping activists hone the skills they need to hold each other accountable without undermining their humanity—an approach she refers to as "calling in," an alternative to "calling out." For anyone who needs a beautiful reminder of the benefits of treating each other more gently, this episode is for you. Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeLoretta J. Ross"What if Instead of Calling People Out, We Called Them In?""Speaking Up Without Tearing Down"

What is your feminist story? What do you desire from your feminist life? My guest this week, Amelia Hruby (you may know her from the Fifty Feminist States podcast, among other great work), has written a beautiful new book that inspires readers to ponder these questions and process their answers in writing: Fifty Feminist Mantras.Learn more about Amelia, her feminist vision for 2021, her book (and how to approach it), and get the scoop on her latest invitation to reflect in feminist community, Feminist Mantra Mondays.Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeFifty Feminist MantrasFeminist Mantra MondaysFifty Feminist StatesSarah Stolar and Rosemary Mexa DesPlasFly Fishing for Equity with Erica Nelson

What conditions are necessary for you to practice the kind of feminism you want to practice? This question is at the heart of today's episode featuring Lutze B. Segu, also known as the Social Justice Doula. Lutze specializes in helping people and organizations create conditions that support deep, sustained social justice work. There's no box-checking on her watch: If you're in Lutze's orbit, you're interrogating white supremacy, un-gentrifying intersectionality, and answering the question, "What do you want your feminism to do?" This episode is a call to action and the perfect way to spark your thinking about what you want your feminist practice to look like in 2021. Happy New Year!Stuff We Talked About on This Episodelutzesegu.comThe Social Justice Doula on Instagram"Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference" by Audre Lorde"Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex" by Kimberlé Crenshaw"The Intersectionality Wars" by Jane Coastan

Meet Robin and Jaimie. They’re lesbian moms (NOT MARRIED TO EACH OTHER) who set out to find LGBTQ parenting stories and ended up starting a podcast—and, now, writing a book: If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making an LGBTQ Family. It’s a great read based on a great show. It’s also an important one because stories about how LGBTQ folks become parents are as diverse as each letter of the acronym, yet rarely do they get the airtime they deserve. Get ready to laugh and learn with the women behind If These Ovaries Could Talk! Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeIf These Ovaries Could Talk podcastIf These Ovaries Could Talk book

Light some candles and get cozy. This week, I’m featuring a guest who has had a profound personal influence on me: Dr. Kate Tomas, creator of the Spiritual Life Upgrade program and the Money Magic Manifestation course. Kate is a psychic, a witch, and a spiritual empowerment mentor who specializes in helping women and femmes activate their power. She’s also an anti-capitalist who’s ready to hex racists and burn it all to the ground!Everything is an energy game, and I highly recommend you direct some of your energy toward Dr. Kate if you have questions about how to remove money blocks, set boundaries, say “no” to losers, or anything else, really. She’s literally magick! Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeThe Spiritual Life UpgradeMoney Magick ManifestationDr. Kate Tomas on Instagram

It’s a stressful week for just about everybody. As of when this episode posted, we still don’t know who the next U.S. president will be. It’s time to spend some extra time caring for ourselves, and Jocellyn Harvey is here to help. The founder of Soul and Mindset shares some of her favorite techniques for remaining grounded when life feels unbearable, including befriending anger, an emotion most of us try hard to suppress. We also talk about approaching spiritual work with compassion and why love and light isn’t a great recipe for enlightenment—especially when the world feels as fractured as it does right now. Take a deep breath, press play, and take a moment to nurture your soul and check in on your mindset!BONUS: Feminist Hotdog listeners get $25 off Jocellyn’s signature course, Befriending Anger. Just use the code 25ONME at checkout. Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeSoul and MindsetShould and Mindset on InstagramBefriending Anger

Feminist Hotdog is back! In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking to writer Jessica Hoppe about her experience as a first-generation Latina woman with Indigenous roots navigating the recovery landscape. Jessica is using her storytelling skills—and what she learned from getting and staying sober during the Trump era, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent uprisings in defense of Black lives—to talk about why recovery communities must acknowledge and address racism in healing spaces. Whether recovery is part of your life or not, you won’t want to miss out on Jessica's wisdom or her inspiring story! (Music by Ava Luna and Loyalty Freak Music.)Stuff We Talked About In This Episode“The First Step to Recovery Is Admitting You Are Not Powerless Over Your Privilege”Nueva YorkaNueva Yorka on Instagram

Bailout funds have been in the news for weeks now, but how do they fit into the bigger picture of the criminal justice and cash bail systems? Ashley Edwards of MGM Bailout joins Feminist Hotdog this week to talk about the racism inherent in the cash bail system, the predatory lending practices that surround it, how listeners can work to abolish cash bail, and why we should view this as a feminist issue. Things We Talked About on This EpisodeMGM Bailout [https://www.mgmbailout.com]National Bailout [https://www.nationalbailout.org]Until Freedom Comes Bailout Toolkit [https://www.nationalbailout.org/untilfreedomcomes]Black Mama’s Bailout [https://www.nationalbailout.org/history]Southerners On New Ground [https://southernersonnewground.org]After Cash Bail: A Framework for Imagining Pretrial Justice [https://bailproject.org/after-cash-bail/]

Advocates of policing abolition have been pushing to defund the police for years, but the recent explosion of public attention on the Movement for Black Lives has more people than ever talking about what an entirely new system of public safety could look like. In this episode, I summarize what I’ve learned over the last few weeks about community-based alternatives to policing, feminist tensions surrounding the abolitionist stance, and what people mean when they say “defund the police.” NOTE: I am not an expert on policing abolition. This episode offers a high-level overview and recommendations for where you can find much more detailed information from people immersed in this work, such as those listed in the show notes. Things We Talked About on This EpisodeYes, We Literally Mean Abolish the Police by Mariame Kaba [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/opinion/sunday/floyd-abolish-defund-police.html]Angela Davis on Abolition [https://www.democracynow.org/2020/6/12/angela_davis_on_abolition_calls_to?fbclid=IwAR1pesIQKKAX7FAqkD8YSH3RJoikBTkVVHbE05hKNlp7pDieWUmrmhb5uw4]Ruth Wilson Gilmore Makes the Case for Abolition [https://theintercept.com/2020/06/10/ruth-wilson-gilmore-makes-the-case-for-abolition/]MPD 150 [https://www.mpd150.com]Critical Resistance [http://criticalresistance.org]No More Money for Police [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/opinion/george-floyd-police-funding.html?fbclid=IwAR1y9pUCluy65-W-6a1UjXb3SoWqlJp2p_7VKOpOR19q_uZXlmY-ANnxvkA]The Systems That Protect the Police [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/podcasts/the-daily/george-floyd-protests.html]Qualified Immunity Explained [https://theappeal.org/qualified-immunity-explained/]The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander [https://newjimcrow.com]Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson [https://justmercy.eji.org]13th directed by Ava DuVernay [https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741]

This week, Feminist Hotdog is participating in Podcast Blackout out of respect for the memories of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and in observance of the ongoing fight for racial justice that is happening in cities all across the US. Please listen to today's message. It is short but important.I am also adding my voice to the Women of Color podcast community's Podcasters for Justice campaign. It is in solidarity with these podcasters that I share this message and commitment.We are podcasters united to condemn the tragic murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and many many others at the hands of police.This is a continuation of the systemic racism pervasive in our country since its inception, and we are committed so standing against racism in all its forms.We believe that to be silent is to be complicit. We believe that Black lives matter.We believe that we have the responsibility to use our platform to speak out against this injustice whenever and wherever we witness it.In creating digital media, we have built audiences that return week after week to hear our voices, and we will use our voices to speak against anti-blackness and police brutality, and we encourage our audiences to be educated, engages, and to take action.Things We Talk About on This EpisodeHood Feminism by Mikki KendallThe Urgency of Intersectionality by Kimberlé Crenshaw

Let’s talk about periods! Period poverty affects millions of people all over the world, but we rarely talk about it. Because there’s so much shame and stigma surrounding menstruation, people who can’t afford period products—whether in schools, prisons, or in their daily lives—are often left with nowhere to turn for help. But, thanks to activists and advocates like the guests featured in this episode, that’s changing.You’ll meet Leah Rodriguez, a journalist who covers period poverty globally; Breanna and Brooke Bennett, 12-year-old sisters who started a nonprofit to promote menstrual equity in their community; and Dr. LaToya Clark, a physician committed to making sure every young person who has a period knows how to take care of their body. Let’s put an end to period stigma, once and for all!### Stuff We Talked About on This Episode* [Leah Rodriguez Twitter](https://twitter.com/leahrod)* [Global Citizen](https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/)* ["US Government Acknowledges Period Products Are Necessities in COVID-19 Stimulus Bill"](https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/cares-act-covid-19-menstrual-products-fsa-hsa/)* [Pandora’s Box: Lifting the Lid on Menstruation](https://www.pandorasboxthefilm.com)* [Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity](https://www.periodequity.org/book-1)* [I Support the Girls](https://isupportthegirls.org)* [Women In Training](https://www.womenintraining.org)* [WIT Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/WITKITS/)* [WIT Twitter](https://twitter.com/womenintrainin1)* [WIT Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/wit.womenintraining/)* [Menstrual Hygiene Day](https://menstrualhygieneday.org)

Finding it hard to remember the days before COVID hijacked the world? Me too. So, for this episode, I went into the archives and took a trip down memory lane, unearthing some memorable moments from some of my favorite interviews. I chose three guests who all talked about their incredible passion projects and how their work—whether as writers, performers, or teachers—furthers their vision for collective liberation. You’ll hear from two podcasters, Jana Schmieding of Woman of Size and Amelia Hruby of Fifty Feminist States, as well as anti-bias anti-racist educator and writer Liz Kleinrock. It’s a highlight reel of inspiration designed to lift you up if the coronavirus (and the surrounding ocean of bullsh*t) has got you down. ### Stuff We Talked About on This Episode* [Woman of Size podcast](https://www.womanofsize.com)* [Teach and Transform](https://www.teachandtransform.org)* [Fifty Feminist States](https://www.fiftyfeministstates.com)* [Monochrome Candles](https://www.shopmonochrome.com)

Today’s episode is a celebration of the written word in honor of a major milestone—the completion of the Feminist Hotdog book manuscript! (Coming January 2021.)Since words have been dominating my psyche, I decided to devote this week’s episode to reading (and writing!) for liberation. I spoke with Stef Bernal-Martinez of 1977 Books, poet Angbeen Saleem, and Alana Baumann and Samra Michael of the new podcast She Well Read about the role books and poems are playing in their pandemic lives, and the writers who help them envision a more just and intersectional future. Stuff We Talked About on This EpisodeIntroGirl, Woman, Other by Bernadine EvaristoHood Feminism by Mikki KendallPart I1977 Books@1977books on InstagramThe End of Policing by Alex VitaleBeyond SurvivalHow We Get Free by Keeanga-Yamahtta TaylorCombahee River CollectiveOctavia ButlerMGM BailoutPart II@angribeen on InstagramAngel NafisPaul TranThe Slow Down ShowThe VS Podcast Haymarket Press BreakBeats Poets collectionThe Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross GayDeaf Republic by Ilya KaminskyDesis Rising Up and MovingPart IIIShe Well Read Episode 1@shewellread on InstagramKiera Cass' Selection Series