Stuff Mom Never Told You

Are women more passive-aggressive?

08 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, fine, whatever. What is passive aggression, and why is it associated stereotypically with women? Cristen and Caroline break down what passive ag...

Obsessed with OCD

06 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is obsessive-compulsive disorder and why does it happen? Cristen and Caroline separate mental health facts from pop cultural fiction about this c...

A White, Marmorean Flock

01 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why did an exceptional group of ex-patriot, 19th-century female sculptors become known as a "white, marmorean flock"? Cristen and Caroline discuss the...

The Female Nude

30 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The female nude is a cornerstone of Western art, so how should we interpret her importance? Cristen and Caroline investigate the art history and socie...

The Professional Dominatrix

25 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The dominatrix has become a common pop cultural trope and fashion theme, but mainstream depictions are often misleading. Cristen and Caroline discuss ...

BDSM 101

23 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Is BDSM a safe and healthy sexual lifestyle? Cristen and Caroline guide listeners through the basics of Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sa...

The Real Queen Victoria

18 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How did Queen Victoria's personal life set the tone for the entire Victorian era? Holly from Stuff You Missed in History Class stops by to dish about ...

The Woman Pharaoh

16 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Hatshepsut was one of the most successful kings in ancient Egypt -- who also happened to be a woman. Cristen and Caroline talk with Egyptologist Kara ...

Women in Architecture

11 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Are men better at designing buildings? Cristen and Caroline explore this question the has perplexed the architecture industry since Louise Bethune bec...

Women in Construction

09 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Women are a rarity sight on construction sites, making up .less than 10 percent of the building industry. Cristen and Caroline break down the particul...

Slut Shaming 101

04 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Slut shaming is one of society's favorite forms of policing female sexuality. Cristen and Caroline explore the history, science and psychology of slut...

Stalking 101

02 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Stalking wasn't illegal in the United States until 1989. Cristen and Caroline outline the different forms of stalking, differences between male and fe...

Haute Couture Feminism

25 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Can high-end fashion and feminism ever mesh? Cristen and Caroline discuss the ongoing debates about how clothing fits with feminism from Women's Lib t...

Where are the black female directors?

18 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

When the Oscars snubbed 'Selma' director Ava DuVernay, it left many with a bigger question about the absence of black female directors in Hollywood. I...

Hollywood's First Female Directors

16 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In 1896, Alice Guy Blache became the world's first female director who also went on to trailblaze a host of innovative film techniques. Just in time f...

Premature Ejaculation

11 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

One in the three men are reported to suffer from premature ejaculation. But just how premature is premature ejaculation and why does it happen? Criste...

Do women ejaculate?

09 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Written descriptions of female ejaculation first appeared two thousand years ago, yet scientists still debate whether squirting really happens. Criste...

The Gay Best Friend

04 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Pop culture tells us gay men and straight women make the best of friends, but why? Cristen and Caroline dissect the sociology, culture and evolutionar...

Shine Theory

02 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

According to Shine Theory, powerful women make the best friends. But does success in life and career get in the way of healthy female friendships? Cri...

Stargazers, Part 2

28 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Today's lady astronomers are following a trail that was blazed by brilliant women centuries ago, but it hasn't always been easy-going. Cristen and Car...

Stargazers, Part 1

26 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Women have been making critical contributions to the field of astronomy since ancient times, but once it became professionalized in the modern era, ma...

Not Your Average Period Panties

21 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Julie Sygiel reinvented the period panty with her company Dear Kate. Cristen and Caroline chat with this startup STEM major-turned-underwear entrepren...

A History of Panties

19 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The history of women's underwear is probably shorter than you think. Cristen and Caroline unpack the evolution of pantaloons to panties and how what w...

Women in Comics, Part 2

14 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

When the Underground Comix Revolution happened in the 1960s, women still weren't welcome in comics circles, but it didn't stop them from making their ...

Women in Comics, Part 1

12 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In 1896, Truth magazine published the first comic strip drawn by a woman. In the first half of a two-part podcast, Cristen and Caroline trace the earl...

Teenyboppers: From Musicomaniacs to Beliebers

07 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Long before Beatlemania, 19th-century women threw themselves on stage to touch pianist Franz Liszt. Ever since, emotional teenyboppers have been misun...

Why take Taylor Swift seriously?

05 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most powerful women in the music industry, Taylor Swift has amassed a global legion of fans through her catchy songwriting, social media sa...

2014 Best of Stuff Mom Never Told You

31 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What do big butts, revenge porn and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg all have in common? They were some of the most popular Stuff Mom Never T...

Night Shift Moms

29 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of working moms work night shifts to reap its possible parenting benefits. Cristen and Caroline look into the intersections of motherhood and...

Murder She Watched, Part 2

24 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Lansbury was 59 what she began starring in "Murder She Wrote" as Jessica Fletcher. Cristen and Caroline pick up their lady detective talk with ...

Murder She Watched, Part 1

22 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Women detectives have been a prime-time staple since the 1950s. In part one of their investigation into female crime solvers on TV, Cristen and Caroli...

The Chess Queens

17 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Chess, one of history's oldest games, is considered a man's game -- but why? Cristen and Caroline examine how the queen piece revolutionized chess and...

Why do women join cults?

15 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Are women likelier to join cults? Cristen and Caroline investigate how destructive cults like the Manson Family work and why women join them and then ...

The Only Girl in the Band

10 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Cristen and Caroline chat with Belle & Sebastian member Sarah Martin about women in indie rock and what it's like being the only girl in the band....

Shapely Ankles and Cankles

08 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why are women getting plastic surgery to slim down their ankles? Cristen and Caroline explore how slender ankles became a feminine beauty standard and...

Eggsurance

03 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why is egg freezing the most hotly discussed health benefit in Silicon Valley? Cristen and Caroline put the science and success rates of oocyte cryopr...

Uterine Fibroids 101

01 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

As many as 75 percent of women develop uterine fibroids, yet few are aware of this women's health issue. Cristen and Caroline break down what fibroids...

Pocahontas and the Indian Princess Myth

26 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Pocahontas myth has perpetuated the "Indian Princess" stereotype since the 17th century. Cristen and Caroline explore how this stereotype mangles ...

The Basics of Bitch

24 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Where did basic bitches come from? Cristen and Caroline take an etymological journey through the history, gender politics and reclamation of women's m...

Women Who Vape

19 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Oxford English Dictionary declared "vape" its 2014 Word of the Year, and it's not just men getting into vaping culture these days. Cristen and Car...

Why is Ebola killing more women?

12 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why is the Ebola virus killing more women than men in West Africa? Cristen and Caroline chart the spread of the Ebola virus and the gender roles that ...

Can nail polish prevent rape?

10 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Nail polish that changes color in the presence of date rape drugs is just one of many products and apps being developed to prevent rape. Cristen and C...

How should lady lawyers dress?

05 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The verdict on female lawyers' proper courtroom attire is murky at best. Cristen and Caroline investigate why workplace wardrobe is particularly vexin...

Is PMS a myth?

03 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

It might seem like a preposterous question, but many researchers wonder how much of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is physical fact versus culturally ...

Women and the Art of Dying

29 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Where do our death rituals come from? Kate Sweeney, author of "American Afterlife: Encounters in the Customs of Mourning" talks to Cristen and Carolin...

Girls in Gangs

27 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why is gang membership among girls on the rise? Cristen and Caroline explore the history of girl gangs and what gang life means for young women past a...

Stay Golden

22 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Almost as soon as The Golden Girls premiered in 1985, it became one of the most beloved shows on television. Cristen and Caroline discuss the show's h...

Domestic Violence 101

20 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Intimate partner violence, or domestic violence, accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime in the United States. Cristen and Caroline uncover the c...

Mastectomy Tattoos

15 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In recent years, tattoos have become a common part of breast cancer recovery. Beginning with a brief refresher on the history of women and ink, Criste...

Cliteracy

13 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The clitoris has been one of the most misunderstood and maligned female features in medical history. Cristen and Caroline uncover the incredible geogr...

Gone Girls

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is a sociopath, and why are women with antisocial personality disorder so rare? Cristen and Caroline confront the clinical realities of s...

"Spicy" Latinas

29 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Stereotypes about Latinas' bodies and behaviors abound, and perhaps none are more pop culturally persistent than that of the "spicy" Latina. Cristen a...

The Eyelash Lengths We Go

24 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why do women care so much about their eyelashes? From science and ancient history to to a mascare inventor named Rimmel, Cristen and Caroline get deep...

Black Hairstory

22 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Black hair contains an entire history of ethnic pride, discrimination and assimilation. Lori L. Tharp, author of "Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of ...

Daddy's Girls

17 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How do girls' relationships with their fathers influence who they grow up to become? Cristen and Caroline unpack the psychology of "daddy issues" and ...

Mama's Boys

15 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How do boys' relationships with their mothers influence who they grow up to become? Cristen and Caroline unpack the psychology of "mama's boys" and th...

"Perfect" Teeth

10 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What "perfect" teeth look like depends on where in the world you are. In this episode, Cristen and Caroline shed light on the intersections between be...

The Grandmother Hypothesis

08 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

According to the "grandmother hypothesis," humans have grandmas, nanas and bubbies to thank for their longer lifespans. In this episode, Cristen and C...

Late Night TV: No Girls Allowed?

03 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Is late night television resistant to women hosts and writers? Cristen and Caroline explore the past and present of late night TV to answer a question...

Is modest hottest?

27 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Since ancient times, women have been advised to cover up in order to protect their dignity. More recently, a so-called "modesty movement" has gotten u...

Cosplaying With Gender

25 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

As cosplay has become more popular outside of Japan in recent years, it has raised fascinating questions about gender, sexuality and authenticity in f...

Curly Hair Conundrums

20 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Curly-haired women often feel like they're living in a flat-ironed, staight-haired world. Cristen and Caroline untangle the science of curly hair and ...

The Female Insomiac

18 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Women are far likelier to suffer from insomnia than men, but why? Cristen and Caroline put the science to rest on the biological and psychological fem...

Fat Bottomed Girls

13 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why do women have larger buttocks than men, and why are they considered attractive? From Hottentot Venus to Instagram's Butt Selfie Queen, Cristen and...

Middle Child Syndrome

11 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Do middle children really get the short end of the familial stick? Cristen and Caroline explore the psychological history of middle children, the infl...

Greek Brotherhood

06 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How did Greek fraternities become a part of college life? Cristen and Caroline investigate the history of fraternities and how problems hazing, drinki...

The Science of BFFs

04 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What's the scientific function of best friendship? Cristen and Caroline put besties and bromances under the microscope to discover the pros and cons o...

Women's Wanderlust

30 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Women who travel alone have long raised suspicious eyebrows for bucking convention in order to see the world. Cristen and Caroline take a trip from th...

Seafaring Women

23 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The earliest seafaring women had to disguise themselves as men just to be allowed aboard ships. In this aquatic installment of their series on explora...

Dear Ladies

21 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Cristen and Caroline visit the Stuff Mom Never Told You listener mail bag to answer questions about asexual dating, modesty, the "hot convict" meme an...

Antarctic Women

16 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the places on the globe, Antarctica has been the hardest for women to reach, barred even from South Pole-bound ships. Cristen and Caroline bund...

All-Terrain Women

09 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

During the Golden Age of Exploration, discovering unknown lands was something that typically required a lot of money -- and being a man. Cristen and C...

Mapping Women Explorers

02 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Exploration has long be considered a manly pursuit, but a new generation of women explorers and adventures are changing that. Cristen and Caroline sur...

Forever Sassy

30 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1986, Jane Pratt founded Sassy, a magazine which revolutionized teen girl media and culture, and now she helms xoJane.com. Cristen chatted with Jan...

Women's Tennis: From Pat Ball to Grand Slams

25 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Among professional sports, tennis often is cited as one of the most gender equitable for female athletes. Cristen and Caroline serve up the evolution ...

Exotic Beauty

23 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

When Lupita Nyong'o won her Academy Award in early 2014, she was widely hailed as an "exotic" starlet, despite her not-so-exotic rise to stardom. Cris...

Abolitionist Heroines

18 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and in recognition, Cristen and Caroline discuss the often unsung women who helped se...

Single Dads

16 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

More men than ever before are raising kids as single dads. To celebrate Father's Day, Cristen and Caroline trace how single fatherhood has become the ...

The Literary Reign of YA Fiction

11 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

For the 2014 Stuff Mom Never Told You Summer Book Extravaganza, Cristen and Caroline explore the massively popular world of YA fiction and its endurin...

Did WW2 really help Rosie the Riveters?

09 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

World War II often is cited as a watershed moment for getting American women in the workplace. To commemorate D-Day, Cristen and Caroline reexamine wh...

The Amateur Wedding Guest

04 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Writer Jen Doll has attended so many weddings, she wrote a hilarious memoir about the nuptial tradition from the guests' perspective. Cristen chats wi...

Gay Wedding Traditions

02 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

With same-sex marriage increasingly becoming legal around the world, Cristen and Caroline celebrate with a look at how gay weddings combine somethings...

Imagination Celebration

28 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate World Children's Day, Cristen and Caroline explore the science of children's vivid imaginations and why our imaginations fade as we age. ...

The Women Behind Disney

26 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know an army of Disney "animation girls" helped bring its classic films to life? Cristen and Caroline highlight women working in the early day...

The Ghost of Phantom Pregnancy

21 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Not long ago, a Canadian woman went to the hospital intending to deliver quintuplets. But it turned out she had never been pregnant at all, despite he...

How Teaching Became Women's Work

19 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A majority of teachers around the world are women -- why? Cristen and Caroline chart the feminization of the teaching profession and how gender at the...

My Little Bronies

14 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

When "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" premiered in 2010, the cartoon attracted a surprising new fan base: men, aka bronies. Cristen and Caroline ...

Military Wives

07 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Being married to the military comes with unique challenges, including deployment, frequent moves and stereotyping as a frivolous "Army wife." Cristen ...

The Widowhood Effect

30 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Around 245 million women around the world are widows. Cristen and Caroline examine the history of widowhood, societal treatment toward widowed women, ...

Chocoholism

28 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Do women really go crazy for chocolate? Cristen and Caroline unpack the old stereotype of women's chocolate obsessions, one of advertising's greatest ...

Video Games & Women, Part II

23 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like for women who play video games, having to deal with gamer girl stereotypes, in-game harassment and a shortage of strong female characte...

Video Games & Women, Part I

21 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like for women in video games who comprise just 12 percent of the industry? Cristen and Caroline kick-off their two-part series on video gam...

A Scandalous History of Hollywood Gossip

14 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrity studies PhD and new Buzzfeed features writer Anne Helen Petersen stops by the show to talk about the rise of Hollywood scandal, female stars...

The Online Dating Report

09 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Has online dating made it easier to meet people and find long-term romance? Cristen and Caroline trace the fascinating history of people using technol...

Is ADHD different for girls?

07 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, but why? Cristen and Caroline examine the ADHD gender gap...

The New Male Grooming

02 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Beard popularity has led some razor companies to promote more "manscaping" below the neck. Caroline and Cristen explore how men are becoming more inve...

Men and Cars

31 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What's the sociocultural deal with men and cars? Cristen and Caroline take a drive through the gendered history of car advertising, early electric car...

Craft Beer Brewsters

26 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Along with the rise of craft beer has come the revival of women brewmasters who challenge the stereotype of beer as a man's drink. Caroline and Criste...

Do women run Twitter?

24 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

To mark the anniversary of the first-ever tweet in March 2006, Cristen and Caroline take a look at how women use Twitter in greater numbers than men -...

Does self-help help?

12 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Lamb-Shapiro, author of "Promise Land," stops by the show to share her insights on the history of self-help, its particular appeal to women an...