Episodes - Yesterladies Yesterladies

It's our second annual jingly mish-mash episode, packed full of Christmas and other holiday goodies! How have American First Ladies celebrated over the years? Who is Judith, and what bloody act of courage got her inducted as a Hanukkah staple in the Middle Ages? How do traditional gender roles play out during the holidays? What the heck is a SPUG?? All this and more, in our HOLIDAY SPECIAL!!!! Plus, a promise from Heather and Dayna to get back to a regular posting schedule as soon as possible! Our gift to you, dear listener! Happy Holidays!!

































Further Reading:
Christmas Traditions at the White House (White House History)Women responsible for more jobs than men at Christmas (The Sun)Women abolitionists and Christmas bazaars (Zinn Education Project)Judith and the Hanukkah story (Jewish Women's Archive)Hogmanay and cultural depictions of drunken women (Sceptical Scot)"Spugs" of 1911-13 (Atlas Obscura)

We're ending the season with a patriotic bang, on the eve of Canada's 150th birthday, by bringing you an extravaganza of incredible Canuck ladies. From an intrepid viking to a civil rights heroine, from the first Native saint to the first female Supreme Court Chief Justice, we're celebrating the spunky and brilliant women who have defined our country over the last few hundred years. (Because the Dominion of Canada has been officially sexy since 1867, but everyone knows this has been sexy territory since the dawn of time.) And just wait until you hear about Cougar Annie! Happy Canada Day from Heather and Dayna! #CANADA150

*PLEASE NOTE: We're unfortunately currently having technical difficulties with iTunes, and the podcast is currently unavailable through them, which we know affects other podcast apps. Apple is working on this, and we hope to get back up and running on iTunes as soon as possible, but in the meantime, we're publishing this episode on SoundCloud (listen here!), and of course you can also listen right here, on our lovely website. Thanks for your patience everyone!

































Further Reading: 
Gudridur Thorbjarnardottir Kateri TekakwithaMarie-Madeleine Jarret de VercheresMary Ann ShaddBeverley McLachlinElizabeth TurnerViola DesmondCougar Annie

Just a little announcement this week, cause we're saving our energy for a CANADA DAY SPECTACULAR next Friday!! Celebrate the 150th anniversary of Dominion Day with us in true Yesterladies style on June 30th, and then we'll bid you adieu until the fall, when we'll return with brand new episodes. (We just feel we need to put all our energies into patriotic activities this summer...) See you next week!

Wonder Woman, aka Diana Prince, is having a bit of a moment right now, but she's been on the scene for a lot longer than you might think, fighting for the feminist cause since the day she sprang forth from the pen of noted psychologist, lie detector inventor, polygamist, and women's rights enthusiast William Moulton Marston. Originally hired by the head of DC Comics to make sure the new medium of comic books was psychologically healthy for America's kids, Marston ended up creating the most popular and well-known female superhero of all time, who in her storied career has run for president, launched Ms. Magazine, been a United Nations icon, and of course saved the world countless times. Great Hera! 

































Further Reading:
The Surprising Origin Story of Wonder Woman (Smithsonian)The Freaky, Fabulous, Feminist 'Secret History' Of Wonder Woman (NPR)The Last Amazon (New Yorker)Wonder Woman Designation as Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls (DC Comics)

Polyandry, the practice of one woman taking multiple husbands, has not been very common throughout human history, but anthropologists have recently discovered that it might be a little more common than previously thought! OK, that doesn't sound super exciting, we know, BUT the whys and wherefores of polyandry are actually pretty fascinating, and it turns out this particular style of marriage has cropped up throughout history, from ancient to modern times, around the world. Sometimes it just makes sense to marry more than one dude!

































Further Reading:
Polyandry (Encyclopedia Britannica)When Taking Multiple Husbands Makes Sense (The Atlantic)A Survey of Non-Classical Polyandry (Human Nature)

Nefertiti is one of Ancient Egypt's most famous queens, ruling beside the Pharaoh with unprecedented equality. She and her husband turned the country on its head by instituting a new, controversial religion, and literally uprooting the capitol city, while redefining art and culture. But her death and burial are shrouded in mystery, and not even 21st century science and tech have been able to solve the riddle of just where, exactly, her notorious mummy ended up...

































Further Reading:
Nefertiti (Biography.com)Nefertiti As Sensual Goddess (Harvard Gazette)Bust of Queen Nefertiti (Egyptian Museum Berlin)