
White Picket Fence
White Picket Fence interrogates the structures of inequity affecting women since America’s founding. On the newest season, host Julie Kohler investigates the institution of marriage to uncover what’s behind this latest push for the return of a traditional family structure. Join us in exploring where America—and Americans—have fallen short and what we can do to create a better future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Dec 14, 2021 • 26min
When "Career Feminism" Won
When it comes to the failure of the 1971 Comprehensive Childcare Development Act, it's easy to point a finger at conservatives. But that's not the whole story. This week, join host Julie as she dives into the battle between care feminism and career feminism, and how the winner of that match up has impacted women's right advocacy for the last 50 years. If this season's topic resonates with you, we want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 7, 2021 • 33min
The Rise of Neoliberalism
This week, Julie dives deep into the economic ideology that arose alongside social conservatism and prevented public investments in care. We’ll break down what “neoliberalism” is and what the rise of it has meant for family life -- how the mix of low taxes, deregulation, and privatization has made family life more economically precarious for the vast majority of Americans. If this season's topic resonates with you, we want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 30, 2021 • 26min
What Could Have Been
How did the U.S. become a society that treats caregiving as a private family responsibility rather than a public good?In this episode, Julie explores the longstanding and continued role racism has played in preventing investments in public goods that would benefit everyone, including caregiving. We’ll also do a deep dive into the 1970s when the U.S. nearly invested in universal childcare -- and how fear was deployed to block it. If this season's topic resonates with you, we want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 23, 2021 • 26min
The Nuclear Family Myth
This week, host Julie Kohler travels back to the mid-20th century to examine the creation of the “traditional” nuclear family — a myth only made possible through the exploitation of Black women’s domestic labor — and how the family values and nostalgia of this era continue to exist in today’s debate over “caring economy” policies.If this season's topic resonates with you, we want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 16, 2021 • 23min
The Breaking Point
In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic became a global health crisis. But from it bore a whole set of complementary crises: an economic crisis and a caregiving crisis.The pandemic erased more than 30 years of gains in women’s labor force participation, while simultaneously leaving women to shoulder the majority of the family responsibilities. But the conditions for these crises existed long before COVID-19 hit American shores. How exactly did we get here? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 1, 2021 • 7min
Prologue
Welcome to season 2 of White Picket Fence. We're investigating the caregiving crisis that has left millions of Americans —including our host Julie Kohler, a single mom — on the verge of cracking. Raising kids is challenging enough. Why does it have to be this hard?If this season's topic resonates with you, we want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 12, 2021 • 1min
Season 2 coming soon!
In two weeks, we're launching a new season of White Picket Fence. This season, we're diving into the childcare crisis. In the meantime, we want to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at 212-655-5048 with your questions, ideas, experiences, and get a chance to be featured on the show. Check out our website, www.wondermedianetwork.com/white-picket-fence, for more information. Season 2 coming on Nov 1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 23, 2020 • 34min
The Work Ahead
To join a multiracial movement for women's equity, check out Supermajority.To join an online community working to bring women together and take action, check out Pantsuit Nation x Supermajority, GALvanize USA, or "Suburban Housewives" Against Trump. White Picket Fence is a Wonder Media Network production. Follow Wonder Media Network:WebsiteInstagramTwitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 16, 2020 • 32min
A Multiracial Democracy
White Picket Fence is a Wonder Media Network production. To join a multiracial movement for women's equity, check out Supermajority.To join a community working to bring women together and take action, check out Pantsuit Nation x Supermajority, National Domestic Workers Alliance, or ISAIAH/Faith in Minnesota. To learn more about the ongoing fight for gender justice, check out the National Women's Law Center. Follow Wonder Media Network:WebsiteInstagramTwitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 9, 2020 • 29min
The Awakening
White Picket Fence is a Wonder Media Network production. To join an online community working to bring women together and take action, check out Pantsuit Nation x Supermajority, GALvanize USA, or Red, Wine and Blue. Read up on the organizing movements sweeping across middle America, and the history of women's anger. Follow Wonder Media Network:WebsiteInstagramTwitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.