Stuff Mom Never Told You

A creepy mansion, shifty family, burgeoning romance and a determined heroine. Come join us as we get to the roots of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's 2020 horror novel Mexican Gothic in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there a cultural moment from your past that looks different in retrospect? Maybe it’s a scandalous tabloid story seared into your teenage brain or a political punchline that just feels wrong now. It might be a very specific red swimsuit that inspired a decade of plastic surgery (see: “Baywatch”) or the inescapable smell of an entire generation of prepubescent boys (Axe body spray, anyone?). Each week on IN RETROSPECT, Emmy-winning journalist Susie Banikarim and New York Times editor Jessica Bennett revisit a pop culture moment from the 80s and 90s that shaped them — to try to understand what it taught us about the world, and a woman’s place in it. Listen to IN RETROSPECT with Susie Banikarim and Jessica Bennett on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-in-retrospect-with-susie-122206786/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things come to a head when violence breaks out as the Resistance tries to obtain the vaccine, and Tilda learns more hard truths, and makes even harder choices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the strikes and missing Samantha, Anney contemplates when by helping, you might actually be hurting, and this idea 'you should be so lucky' to have your job. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of Trump's loss in the 2020 election, he and his cronies attacked two Black women poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Shay Moss, baselessly claiming they had tampered with votes. Bridget Todd breaks down why this was so effective, the online eco-system that amplified it, and the ramifications. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jurassic Park's Dr. Ellie Sattler will dig through dino droppings and inherit the Earth. We talk about her legacy and why she was important. And Anney provides an update on her very important Jurassic Park cards. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of movies about possession have been in the news lately, from The Exorcist to Talk To Me. But who gets possessed and why? Are these movies inherently conservative? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the 1999 action-adventure classic The Mummy might not top a lot of feminist movie lists, that didn't stop us from finding some feminist elements in it (and due to Samantha's insistence, The Mummy Returns) to talk about. Come along on this sometimes terribly CGI-ed adventure as we discuss the feminism of these movies and the iconic heroine Evie in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disaster and survival movies don't have the best track record when it comes to their treatment of women. From who deserves to die, consumption of female bodies, to ice queens who, gasp, don't want kids, what are these movies saying about who deserves redemption and who deserves to die? We look into two examples - Jurassic World and Deep Blue Sea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this happy hour classic, we revisit the first episode of our SATC watch episodes and discuss tropes, friendship, toxic masculinity, dramatic exits and of course, 90s fashion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This classic episode is ALIVE! Anney and Samantha delve into the history of women crafting the stuff of nightmares in the realm of horror fiction. Bonus dramatic reading included. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Guide from What We Do in the Shadows is powerful, knowledgeable and just wants to have friends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anney and Samantha dish on the phenomenon of tricking people into dates (oopsi-dating), and some of our own experiences around it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Studies have found that breasts have a significant impact of if and how girls and women exercise. in this classic episode, Cristen and Caroline work out how breast variety, bounce embarrassment and sports bra technology impact female fitness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a whole new take on the 'period piece', Anney and Samantha finally discuss the genre of horror known as 'supernatural menstruation horror' in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dragon Con 2023 has come to an end, and we go over some of the highlights, lowlights, and Disco Luke Skywalker spotlights. Also a recap of Star Wars Family Feud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shipping has gone from a derided part of fandom to a mainstream component, and with that has come good and bad. We talk about the history and psychology of shipping, and why shipping should be included in our conversations about the beauties and toxicities of fandom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're highlighting the work of social entrepreneur, scholar and activist Suhani Jalota. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fallout continues from the forcible kiss at Spain's Women's World Cup awards ceremony. We dig into what is going on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we begin re-entering society, women are reporting low self-esteem around job performance and self-image. Anney and Samantha dig into the science of why that is, and how to deal with it in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.