Messy Liberation: Feminist Conversations about Politics and Pop Culture - Messy Conversations on Parenting and Social Justice (plus, an 8-Year-Old’s Take)

Messy Conversations on Parenting and Social Justice (plus, an 8-Year-Old’s Take)

Explicit content warning

09/16/24 • 53 min

Messy Liberation: Feminist Conversations about Politics and Pop Culture

In this special episode of Messy Liberation, Becky Mollenkamp’s eight-year-old son, Gus, makes his podcast debut! Gus joins Becky and co-host Taina Brown to discuss what it’s like being a young person in today’s world. Gus shares his thoughts on racism, LGBTQ+ rights, guns, and even a few of his business ideas. Later, Becky and Taina debrief on the experience of parenting through an intersectional feminist lens, navigating patriarchy’s impact on kids, and the complexity of raising children in a world steeped in societal expectations.

Key Discussion Points:

Racism & Social Justice: Gus tackles racism and LGBTQ+ rights, expressing his wish for a world where people stop discriminating against others based on appearance.
Parenting in a Patriarchal Society: Becky and Taina reflect on how patriarchy impacts young boys early in life, influencing how they express feelings and relate to peers. They discuss the challenges of raising a child in an intersectional feminist household while the world still reinforces harmful societal norms. Becky shares her philosophy of intuitive parenting, trusting her instincts over traditional parenting models.
Business & Creativity: Gus shares his entrepreneurial endeavors, including his summer juice stand where he sells watermelon juice and baked goods.
Patriarchy & Parenting: Becky and Taina get into a deep discussion about how patriarchy shapes childhood, especially for boys. They explore the pressure boys face to "man up" and how this starts as early as kindergarten.
Balancing Activism and Everyday Life: Becky and Taina share strategies for raising feminist kids, including focusing on empathy, respect, and care..

Resource Mentioned: Why Does Patriarchy Persist? by Carol Gilligan and Naomi Snider

Tune in next week for more insightful discussions on life, business, and social justice with Becky and Taina!

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LEARN MORE:

Taina Brown WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS
Becky Mollenkamp WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS | FEMINIST FOUNDERS

Key Discussion Points:

Racism & Social Justice: Gus tackles racism and LGBTQ+ rights, expressing his wish for a world where people stop discriminating against others based on appearance.
Parenting in a Patriarchal Society: Becky and Taina reflect on how patriarchy impacts young boys early in life, influencing how they express feelings and relate to peers. They discuss the challenges of raising a child in an intersectional feminist household while the world still reinforces harmful societal norms. Becky shares her philosophy of intuitive parenting, trusting her instincts over traditional parenting models.
Business & Creativity: Gus shares his entrepreneurial endeavors, including his summer juice stand where he sells watermelon juice and baked goods.
Patriarchy & Parenting: Becky and Taina get into a deep discussion about how patriarchy shapes childhood, especially for boys. They explore the pressure boys face to "man up" and how this starts as early as kindergarten.
Balancing Activism and Everyday Life: Becky and Taina share strategies for raising feminist kids, including focusing on empathy, respect, and care..

Resource Mentioned: Why Does Patriarchy Persist? by Carol Gilligan and Naomi Snider

Tune in next week for more insightful discussions on life, business, and social justice with Becky and Taina!

LEARN MORE:

Taina Brown WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS
Becky Mollenkamp WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS | FEMINIST FOUNDERS

Previous Episode

Abortion, Immigration, and Dog Whistles: Dissecting the Harris-Trump Debate

In this special bonus episode, Becky Mollenkamp and Taina Brown get messy while unpacking last night’s presidential debate. With raw honesty, humor, and some well-placed zingers, they break down Kamala Harris’ debate performance, Donald Trump’s unraveling, and what it all means for the upcoming election. While Kamala wiped the floor with her opponent, the hosts also explore their mixed feelings about her and the Democratic Party’s moderate stance. Expect sharp critiques, political insight, and a whole lot of shade thrown at mediocrity and narcissism in politics.

Key Discussion Points:

Kamala’s Debate Dominance: Becky and Taina both agree—Kamala Harris owned the stage. From shaking Trump’s hand to dismantling his weak talking points, Kamala’s experience as a litigator shined. They reflect on how refreshing (and long overdue) it was to have a woman discussing abortion rights in a presidential debate.
Abortion, Immigration, and... Eating Pets? Becky and Taina laugh, cringe, and rage at Trump’s bizarre claims, including the racist dog whistle about immigrants "eating cats and dogs." They dissect how Trump’s platform continues to rely on xenophobia, fear, and nonsense, while Kamala stays (mostly) on policy.
Narcissism and the ‘Unraveling’: The hosts discuss the classic narcissist behavior Trump displayed, from interrupting Kamala to unraveling after she cleverly baited him about his crowd sizes. Becky explains why Trump’s inability to control his outbursts was the beginning of the end for him in the debate.
Journalism Fails (Again): Both Becky and Taina express their frustration with the debate's moderators and media for not holding Trump accountable enough—especially when his mic wasn't muted, despite the rules.
Progressive Disappointment: Becky and Taina dive into their complicated feelings about Kamala Harris. They respect her as a candidate but struggle with the Democratic Party’s pandering to moderates and Zionists. They discuss the need for a viable third party that represents true progressive values, beyond the capitalist and centrist agenda of the Democrats.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Brave’ Endorsement? Becky and Taina call out Taylor Swift for her delayed endorsement of Kamala Harris and her contradictory friendship with Brittany Mahomes, a Trump supporter. They challenge the idea that Swift’s endorsement was brave, pointing out the stark choices in this election and why complicity isn't an option.

Resources Mentioned:

Harris 2024 shirt at smashingpatriarchy.com
Impact on Instagram

LEARN MORE:

Taina Brown WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS
Becky Mollenkamp WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | THREADS | FEMINIST FOUNDERS

Next Episode

Intersectional Feminism and Liberation for Beginners: It’s Time to Move Beyond White Feminism

In this episode, Becky Mollenkamp and Taina Brown dive deep into what it means to begin and sustain the journey of liberation. This rich conversation covers topics such as intersectional feminism, transformative justice, Afrofuturism, and fat liberation. Becky and Taina discuss the complexities of dismantling harmful systems like capitalism and patriarchy, while exploring how to foster liberated relationships both personally and professionally. The episode touches on the importance of community care, radical self-care, and how these efforts contribute to building a more just world.

Discussed in this Episode:

Liberation as a Messy Process: Liberation isn’t linear or perfect. Becky and Taina explore the messiness of unlearning oppressive systems like patriarchy and capitalism while embracing the complexity and emotional labor involved in growth.
Intersectionality and Power Structures: The episode delves into how intersectional feminism, based on Kimberlé Crenshaw’s work, helps unpack the layers of oppression that people experience due to overlapping identities such as race, gender, and body size.
Community and Relationships in Justice Work: Building liberated relationships through community care is central to dismantling harmful structures. The hosts discuss how transformative justice and intentional relationships are key to personal and collective liberation.
Reimagining the Future through Afrofuturism and Fat Liberation: The conversation highlights Afrofuturism as a tool for imagining just futures and fat liberation as a framework for deconstructing body oppression. Both are powerful ways to reclaim agency and envision worlds where all people can thrive.

Resources Mentioned:

This episode is packed with reflections, frameworks, and actionable insights for those at various stages of their liberation journey. Whether you are new to intersectional feminism or deep in the work of transformative justice, this conversation will provide you with both theoretical grounding and practical tools to keep pushing forward.

LEARN MORE: