Inflection Point with Lauren Schiller

This special episode features my live conversation with activist, writer and feminist organizer, Gloria Steinem and Oakland-based artist and activist Favianna Rodriguez. The legendary Gloria Steinem is the author of several best-selling books, was a founding editor of and political commentator for New York Magazine and a founding editor of Ms. Favianna Rodriguez’s art and collaborative projects address migration, economic inequality, gender justice, and ecology. Favianna is also the Executive Director of CultureStrike, a national arts organization that engages artists, writers and performers in migrant rights. Gloria, Favianna and I spoke on stage at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco on February 21st, 2019 as part of Women Lit, a program of the Bay Area Book Festival. Gloria’s book of essays--now in its third edition--and the occasion for our conversation--is called “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions”--and there is no better or more timely theme! In this conversation we talked about the ongoing fight for equality, how much has changed--or not--since Gloria wrote those essays between the 1960s and the 1990s...and how to create the future we envision! This live event was made possible in part by EO essential oils bath and body care products and of course, my home station KALW in San Francisco, and PRX. Giving is a radical act. Help keep these podcasts coming:inflectionpointradio.org/contribute.

This season I’m introducing you to the radical geniuses who are reshaping the systems as we know them. But according to today’s guest, we can all be radical geniuses by embracing a mindset of flexibility and resilience. Katie Goodman is a professional improviser and a comedian. Over the last twenty years her team has taught about 10,000 people from individuals to corporate groups how to use the tools of improv comedy in everyday life. Today, we’ll talk about how the powers of imagination, collaboration and “yes, and” can give us a new way of responding to problems the world throws at us. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed. Here’s a radical idea: contribute to Inflection Point and help us keep telling more stories! inflectionpoint.org/contribute. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Thank you to our sponsors their support! PACT organic clothing: Go to wearpact.com and enter the code Inflection at checkout for 25% off your first order. Zola wedding planning website: Get $50 off your registry on Zola, go to ZOLA.com/INFLECTION Warby Parker: Try on frames for free with Home Try-On! Go to warbyparker.com/inflection so they know you heard about it here.

This season Lauren introduces you to the “radical” people who are reshaping the systems as we know them--to get us closer to an equal society. New episodes every other Wednesday. Support our production with a tax deductible contribution. Click here. You contribute. We produce more episodes. Change happens.

As we finish up the first month of 2019 and embark upon the rest of what will no doubt be a tumultuous year, let’s hear some words of wisdom from a couple previous guests on how to be more intersectional in our feminism and what small, radical acts women and men can take to accelerate change. I’m revisiting advice that will give us hope and motivation in our march toward our goal of equality, while I work on my next season for you. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed on Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Stitcher and NPROne. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Support Inflection Point with a monthly or one-time contribution here.

Khalida Brohi was a teenager when she learned that her uncle had murdered her cousin to restore his family’s honor. Her cousin’s crime: falling in love with a boy who she wasn’t betrothed to marry. Since 2008, Khalida Brohi has been working to end honor killings and domestic violence in the indigenous communities of Pakistan. Her work has led to raising awareness abroad and at home and pressuring the Pakistani government to close loopholes in the law that allowed men to get away with the murder and violence against women in the name of honor. She also works in the villages to change the mindsets of men like her uncle and women like her grandmother. People whose dignity she must respect while helping them loosen the grip honor has had upon their sense of worth. Listen to my conversation with Khalida Brohi, author of I Should Have Honor in a special episode, recorded at the Women Lit event in San Francisco. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. While you’re here, subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed.

Fox News has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to silence women who were sexually harassed and assaulted while working there. The story of former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes’ rise to power and eventual downfall is the story of enablers: people who are willing to look the other way when a predator abuses people, and who are willing to step in and muzzle the victims he leaves in his wake. This story is still happening every day. How do tyrants win such undying loyalty from others? And what will it take to refuse to stand by and let powerful men get away with anything they want? Listen to my conversation with Alexis Bloom, the filmmaker behind the award-winning documentary, Divide & Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes. And when you’re done…consider a contribution, click here. Join The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists making extraordinary change here.

After asking the question all season: "Does all this female empowerment we’re striving for really lead to actual power?" The kind of power that puts women in charge of our bodies, our workplaces, our laws, and our futures... And asking people working in politics, business, tech and media who have a lot to say about empowerment to weigh in on these questions, I have an answer--sort of! Spoiler alert: the answers they gave led to more questions. But really, really important questions. Listen to this season wrap-up to find out what needs to happen next in the quest for equality. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed on Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Stitcher and NPROne. (Please note, this episode was marked explicit because there are three unbleeped swear words.)

What’s going on with men? Why is it so hard to negotiate the gender power dynamic in everyday situations, like work meetings? Can masculinity exist without its more toxic forms? And why can men get away with sexual misconduct---and even end up seeming like the “real” victim when they’re accused? While I’ve taken this season of Inflection Point to focus on what women can do to rise up and have more power, John Biewen and Celeste Headlee of the podcast Scene on Radio - MEN have been examining how the patriarchy that we’re rising up against was formed in the first place--and what to do about it. Today we’re taking a look at the conversations we’ve had over the past seasons of both shows and comparing notes to see if we can find some answers--together. After you’ve listened, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed. And help us meet our goal of 100 monthly supporters at patreon.com/inflectionpoint. This episode is brought to you by StoryWorth. StoryWorth makes it easy and fun for your loved ones to share their stories. Visit storyworth.com/ Inflection for $20 off, when you subscribe.

Author Ruth Whippman has been studying the self-improvement industry for years. She’s come to the conclusion that empowerment feminism is, well, BS. According to Ruth, systemic change doesn’t come from trendy girl-power t-shirts or aspirational Instagram quotes. In fact, Ruth thinks the conceit that women could make equality happen if we just...empowered ourselves more shifts the blame for a system of injustice to individuals with the least power to effect change. So how women are supposed to get power if we can’t simply take it for ourselves? I sat down with Ruth to gain some perspective on this whole question of empowerment---and what exactly needs to change for empowerment to lead to power. Ruth Whippman is the author of "America the Anxious. How Our Pursuit of Happiness Is Creating a Nation of Nervous Wrecks." After you’ve listened, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed. Thanks to support from our sponsor StoryWorth—preserve your family history! Save $20 when you subscribe at storyworth.com/inflection. Help us reach our goal of 100 Patrons—for as low as $4/month. Contribute at patreon.com/inflectionpoint.

Dr. Safiya Noble was studying Library Science when an academic colleague suggested she google ”black girls.” The top search results were images that perpetuated negative stereotypes, misogyny and exploitation. That discovery was the beginning of an investigation that eventually became Safiya’s book, “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism”. Immediate access to powerful search engines is seen as an empowering force in this world, but what if our reliance on search engines is perpetuating oppressive ideas and hateful ideologies--even swaying elections? Find out in this episode. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions. Subscribe to “Inflection Point” to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed! Thank you to our sponsor Zulily. Go to zulily.com/inflection in November for an extra 20% off clothes, decor and more when you sign up.