Busted

Does achieving gender equality only benefit women? Are gender quotas thwarting meritocracy? Are women more risk averse than men? If you think you know the answers to these questions, then think again! Busted is an audio podcast series that busts prominent myths surrounding gender and the economy by teaming up with leading experts in the field. We uncover the origins of each myth and give you the tools to bust each myth yourself!   Busted is a GATE audio series production from the Institute for Gender and the Economy.

  1. Sep 9

    Myth: The manosphere is about men's self-improvement

    It seems like the term "manosphere" is everywhere these days, from news headlines to documentaries. On the surface, some of these online spaces can look like they’re simply about self-improvement. There’s content about dating, fitness, money, and men's rights. But actually, the manosphere is much more than just a self-improvement space. In this episode, we'll unpack what the manosphere is, what's behind its rise, and why this "self-help" content can become an entry point to misogyny and harmful ideas about what it means to be a man.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO. Featured guests: Dr. Luc Cousineau, Recreation Management Director, Instructor and Internship Coordinator, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University Jillian Sunderland, PhD Candidate, Sociology, University of Toronto Resources: Brito, P., Hayes, C., Lehrer, R., & Mahler, J., Salinas Groppo, J. (2024). The Manosphere, Rewired: Understanding Masculinities Online & Pathways for Healthy Connection. Washington, DC: Equimundo. https://www.equimundo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Manosphere-Rewired.pdf Cousineau, L. (2023). “Are there any other male friendly subs on here?” - online men’s rights groups as simultaneous communities of care and hate, inclusion and exclusion. Leisure, Inclusion, and Belonging 47(4), https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.2023.2252812 Sunderland, J. (2025). The rise of the ‘performative male:’ How young men are experimenting with masculinity online. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/the-rise-of-the-performative-male-how-young-men-are-experimenting-with-masculinity-online-268742 Sunderland, J. and Foster, J. (2026). From gym to jawline: What looksmaxxing says about modern masculinity. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/from-gym-to-jawline-what-looksmaxxing-says-about-modern-masculinity-277130 Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

  2. Aug 17

    Myth: Reproductive care isn’t an economic issue

    Reproductive healthcare is often framed as a social, moral, or personal issue. It doesn’t come up a lot in conversations about economic prosperity. But the reality is that reproductive care is actually very closely connected to the economy. It can shape people’s financial stability, their education and career opportunities, and the future of their families. For women in particular, safe and affordable access to reproductive care can have a major impact on whether they’re able to work, stay in school, and make decisions about their futures. In this episode, we explain why reproductive healthcare is an economic issue, and why a reproductive justice framework is crucial to how we think about the economy. GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO. Featured guests: Dr. Diana Greene Foster, Demographer and Professor, OB-GYN Department, University of California, San Francisco Dr. Yana Rodgers, Professor and Chair, Labour Studies and Employment Relations, Rutgers University Resources: Elakbawy, S. and Rawdon, B. (2026). Costs and Consequences: Impacts of Abortion Restrictions Four Years Post-Dobbs. Institute for Women's Policy Research. https://iwpr.org/articles/costs-and-consequences-impacts-of-abortion-restrictions-four-years-post-dobbs/ Foster, D.G. (2020). The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having―or Being Denied― an Abortion. Scribner.McGrew, A. and van der Meulen Rodgers, Y. (2025). Who Benefits? Employer Subsidization of Reproductive Healthcare and Implications for Reproductive Justice. Feminist Economics 31 (1), 53-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/13545701.2025.2458271 Miller, S., Wherry, L.R., and Foster, D.G. (2023). The Economic Consequences of Being Denied an Abortion. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 15(1), 394-437. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20210159 Ross, L.J. and Solinger, R. (2017). Reproductive Justice: An Introduction. University of California Press.  Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

  3. Jun 8

    Myth: The climate crisis affects everyone in the same way

    The global climate crisis is a pressing issue for all of us. Rising temperatures and sea levels, natural disasters like fires, floods, and typhoons, and environmental destruction wreak havoc on the entire planet. But it’s a myth that the climate crisis presents an equal threat to everyone. Existing vulnerabilities and marginalization mean that some people experience the effects more acutely than others. And, to really understand this disparity, we need to explore how closely our economies are tied to climate. In this episode, we’ll discuss why the climate crisis is an equity issue, and how we can apply that knowledge to build more resilient, equitable, and sustainable economies that centre the well-being of both people and planet.  GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO. Featured guests:   Dr. Maria Floro, Professor Emerita, Economics, American University Washington Dr. Lewis Williams, Associate Professor, Joint Appointment with Geography and Environment and Indigenous Studies, Western University Resources: Floro, M. (2026). Climate change, care provisioning, and inequality: transitioning towards a sustainable economy. Oxford Review of Economic Policy. Vol 41(3-4), 1020-1032. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/graf032 Williams, L. Awasis, S., & Ranmarine, J. (2025). Disrupting climate emergency through Indigiqueer futurities. Journal of Indigenous Social Development. Special Issue in Indigenous Resurgence amongst climate disruption. Vol 13(1), 1-14. https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jisd/article/view/81110 Williams, L., Fletcher, A., Hanson, C., Neapole, J., & Pollack, M. (2018).  Women and Climate Change Impacts and Action in Canada Feminist, Indigenous, and Intersectional Perspectives. Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. https://www.criaw-icref.ca/publications/women-and-climate-change-impacts-and-action-in-canada/ Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

  4. May 11

    Myth: Entrepreneurship is all about profit

    What do you think of when you hear the word “entrepreneur”? For a lot of people, the same kind of image comes to mind: a founder, usually a man, who finds a gap in the market, builds something to fill it, and becomes incredibly wealthy—like Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos. In this episode, we challenge that prototype and the idea that entrepreneurship is only about risk, innovation, and profit. Because for many people, especially those from marginalized communities, entrepreneurship is about much more than making money. It’s about community, liberation, autonomy, and survival. We’re going to explore the concept of emancipatory entrepreneurship, and what it can teach us about who entrepreneurship is really for, and what can happen when it becomes more inclusive.  This episode was made possible thanks to funding from Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce’s 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, with backing from the Government of Canada. GATE’s Busted podcast is also made possible by generous support from BMO. Featured guests:   Mick Elliott, PhD Candidate, Haskayne School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Calgary Dr. Micah Rajunov, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta Resources: Pick, B. and Ravanera, C. (2026). Rainbows Ahead: Pathways for 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Research, Policy, and Practice. Institute for Gender and the Economy. https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/faculty-and-research/research-centres/gender-economy/insights/reports/2026/rainbows-ahead/ Rainbow Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub: https://www.rekh.ca/ Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

  5. 07/07/2025

    Myth: Philanthropy belongs to rich, white men

    When most people think about philanthropy, they picture rich, often white, men, writing huge cheques for whatever cause they decide to get behind. And billionaire philanthropy has faced growing criticism: is it really philanthropy, or is it just a sneaky way for the wealthy to avoid taxes and reinforce inequality? But this perspective leaves out a much broader, richer history – one where women, members of racialized communities, LGBTQ+ folks, and others have long used the power of voluntary giving to contribute to the public good and drive important social change. In this episode, we speak to researchers who are challenging the dominant narrative, expanding our understanding of who gives, why they give, and how philanthropy has always belonged to more than just a select few.  Further research: Ackerman, J., Han, X., and Osili, U. (2024) Women Give 2024. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. https://scholarworks.indianapolis.iu.edu/items/b1a60723-37d9-41da-9556-4505270d9c8f Dale, E.J., Ackerman, J., Mesch, D.J., Osili, U.O. and Garcia, S. (2017). Giving to Women and Girls: An Emerging Area of Philanthropy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764017744674 Rumble, T. and Numata, Y. (2023). Prioritizing restitution, Indigenous leadership, and the future with ‘restorative philanthropy’. The Philanthropist Journal. https://thephilanthropist.ca/2025/03/prioritizing-restitution-indigenous-leadership-and-the-future-with-restorative-philanthropy/ GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.   Featured Guests:   Jacqueline Ackerman, Director, Women's Philanthropy Institute, Indiana University Indianapolis Dr. Elizabeth J. Dale, Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy, Grand Valley State University Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

  6. 06/09/2025

    Myth: Care work is low value

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, we got a sense of how devalued care work really is. Care workers were, and still are, working long hours in poor conditions, for low pay, to support elders, children, and people with disabilities. These care workers provide some of the most essential labour in our society, but their work is often overlooked. We rarely stop to think about how much we rely on care, and how everything would fall apart without it. That neglect has consequences: care workers have been leaving the sector, and we’re now facing a global care crisis, with not nearly enough carers to support everyone who needs care. In this episode, we’ll be busting the myth that care work is low value, and talk about what it would look like if society recognized that our communities and economies are built on and sustained by care.   Further research: Prentice, S. & Armstrong, P. (2021, May 25). We must eliminate profit-making from child care and elder care. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/we-must-eliminate-profit-making-from-child-care-and-elder-care-159407 Thomas, C., & Lightman, N. (2022). “Island Girls”: Caribbean Women Care Workers in Canada. Canadian Ethnic Studies 54(1), 29-58. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/ces.2022.0004. GATE’s Busted podcast is made possible by generous support from BMO.   Featured Guests:   Dr. Susan Prentice, Duff Roblin Professor of Government and Professor of Sociology, University of Manitoba  Dr. Carieta Thomas, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Carleton University   Produced by: Carmina Ravanera and Dr. Sonia Kang  Edited by: Ian Gormely

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Does achieving gender equality only benefit women? Are gender quotas thwarting meritocracy? Are women more risk averse than men? If you think you know the answers to these questions, then think again! Busted is an audio podcast series that busts prominent myths surrounding gender and the economy by teaming up with leading experts in the field. We uncover the origins of each myth and give you the tools to bust each myth yourself!   Busted is a GATE audio series production from the Institute for Gender and the Economy.

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