BadAss Women Throughout History

WaveHouse Media

Video pod celebrating the rebels, geniuses & visionaries
we weren’t taught about in school. Highlighting women from history who used what they and did what they could-and changed the world.

  1. Jun 3

    MABEL PING-HUA LEE: Fought for the Vote… But Couldn’t Cast One

    In episode 18 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, a Chinese immigrant, activist, educator, and suffragist who became one of the most powerful voices in the fight for women's voting rights in America. At just sixteen years old, Mabel led thousands of marchers on horseback through New York City in one of the largest suffrage parades of the era. She advocated for women's education, economic independence, and political equality long before those ideas were widely accepted. But when the 19th Amendment finally passed in 1920, granting women the right to vote, Mabel herself was still barred from the ballot box. Because of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese immigrants were denied citizenship, making it impossible for her to vote despite helping advance the very movement that won the right for millions of other women. Amy explores Mabel's remarkable journey from Guangzhou, China, to the streets of New York, her groundbreaking advocacy, and the lasting impact of a woman whose contributions were largely erased from mainstream history. SOURCES: WomensHistory.org article: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mabel-ping-hua-lee Podcast: Unsung History Podcast about Mabel Lee Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas
https://youtu.be/ZpD3fVdsfCw?si=AcOSNZthkudW-9By → Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi
https://youtu.be/e1UAQ4FZF-0?si=vSKbjJrnU34NuczK → Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movementhttps://youtu.be/Eo2Y3n0fG18?si=N1BNgSIeMvy5eWZ7 If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes
 → Like + comment (it pushes this to more people)
 → Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced, your support directly helps it grow! WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/

    14 min

  2. May 27

    MARY TYLER MOORE: Changed What Women Could Be

    In episode 17 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Mary Tyler Moore - the sitcom star who helped redefine womanhood on television. At a time when female characters were expected to be wives, girlfriends, or punchlines, Mary Tyler Moore stepped onto screen as an independent working woman with ambition, complexity, humor, and a life of her own. From The Dick Van Dyke Show to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she helped quietly shift American culture episode by episode - tackling topics like workplace sexism, equal pay, divorce, grief, and female independence years before television was comfortable talking about them. But behind the smile and groundbreaking success was a woman navigating enormous pressure, personal loss, addiction, and the cost of becoming a symbol for an entire generation. This is the story of the woman who turned the world on with her smile and changed television forever. SOURCES: Being Mary Tyler Moore documentary - HBO Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas→ Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi→ Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes→ Like + comment (it pushes this to more people)→ Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced, your support directly helps it grow! WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/

    17 min

  3. May 20

    MADAME CJ WALKER: First Female Millionaire in America

    In episode 16 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Madame C.J. Walker - the daughter of formerly enslaved parents who transformed herself from a washerwoman earning barely enough to survive into a groundbreaking entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist. At a time when Black women were excluded from most opportunities in America, Walker built a beauty empire specifically for them - creating products, training thousands of women as sales agents, and helping generations of Black women achieve financial independence. Her story is about resilience, ambition, reinvention, and using success to open doors for others. This is the story of a woman who turned survival into legacy. Sources: On Her Own Ground book by A’Lelia BundlesShort Stuff podcast: Madame CJ Walker Dinner Party History podcast: Dinner with Madame CJ WalkerMy Favorite Murder podcast: Get Your Blade Hands ReadySee Madame CJ Walker’s mansion Villa Lewaro Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas→ Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi→ Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement Merch: Amy wears the a silk scarf twilly from the Tutti Frutti Collection by artist Cara Kozik. Shop the look: https://www.carakozik.com/products/famino-tutti-frutti-silk-twilly Shop all Cara Kozik Designs: https://www.carakozik.com/collections If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes→ Like + comment (it pushes this to more people)→ Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced, your support directly helps it grow! WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/

    15 min

  4. May 6

    GRACE O’MALLEY: The Pirate Queen Who Faced an Empire

    She wasn’t supposed to lead ships.She wasn’t supposed to build power.And she definitely wasn’t supposed to sit across from a queen… and negotiate. But Grace O'Malley did all three. In episode 16 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Grace O’Malley. In 16th century Ireland, Grace O’Malley built a maritime empire from nothing—commanding fleets, controlling trade routes, and holding her ground against the expansion of England. And when everything she built was threatened…she sailed to London and demanded a meeting with Queen Elizabeth I. No shared language.No formal power. Just two women… and a negotiation that changed everything. This is one of the most overlooked power plays in history. SOURCES: Grace O'Malley, Pirate Queen of Ireland Episode from “Pirates-Behind the Legends” series  by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC  “Grace O’Malley: The Pirate Queen Who Ruled the Irish Seas” Article In this episode: How Grace O’Malley built and led a fleet in a male-dominated worldThe real story behind the “pirate queen” labelWhat actually happened when she met Queen Elizabeth IHow she negotiated power without statusWhy her story still matters today Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas→ Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi→ Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes→ Like + comment (it pushes this to more people)→ Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced—your support directly helps it grow. WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/

    17 min

  5. Apr 29

    WANGARI MAATHAI: Planted Trees… and Took on a Government

    Wangari Maathai started with trees.The government saw her as a threat. In Kenya, she mobilized women, rebuilt land, and challenged corruption at the highest levels. The response was arrests, violence, and public attacks. But she didn’t stop. This is the story of how one woman turned environmental activism into a movement powerful enough to shake a nation, and became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In this episode of BadAss Women Throughout History, we re-release the incredible story and life of Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who led the Green Belt Movement. It explores her childhood, education, activism, and the impact of her work on the environment and women's empowerment. Social Media https://linktr.ee/BAWTH Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ Sources https://takingrootfilm.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJtC-3DKwfM A video called “Wangari Maathai: the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Who Planted Trees”  from the Nobel Peace Center YouTube account) DONATE TO THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT! https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/donate/

    17 min

  6. Apr 22

    LOZEN, The Apache Warrior Who Refused to Surrender

    Lozen wasn’t just a warrior—she was a force the U.S. Army couldn’t contain for a very long time. A Chihenne Chiricahua Apache woman, Lozen fought alongside her brother Victorio and later Geronimo, using both strategy and spiritual insight to protect her people during one of the most brutal periods in American history. She led women and children through enemy territory. She crossed hundreds of miles alone to bring others to safety. And she returned—again and again—to the front lines. In episode 13 of Badass Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Lozen—the woman known as “a shield to her people.” This is a story about resistance, survival, and what it means to fight for your home when everything is being taken from you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple 📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly episodes ⭐ Leave a 5-star review to support the show 🔗 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ SOURCES “Women Warriors” podcast  2 part episode on Lozen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Im19PzovApIFVrNqO7HwB?si=UTefy1JTRMSwfgklyQnC3g “Ridiculous Romance” podcast  on iHeart radio : https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DhAvw3TEsAGsHpyA5WUdZ?si=cmbBfZrwTKWOsbHPLnfjNg Youtube vid by Ancientcovery: https://youtu.be/-Sp3zODy9OI?si=Bcr-bA3Lm7kBTJ5n

    18 min

  7. Apr 15

    GIULIA TOFANA, The Woman Who Poisoned 600 Men… or Saved Their Wives?

    Before forensic science…Before women had legal rights pretty much anywhere…There was Giulia Tofana. In 17th-century Italy, she created a poison so undetectable… it could kill without suspicion.A few drops. Over a few days.No trace. No crime. No escape for the men it was used on. But this is where it gets complicated. Because the people buying it weren’t assassins.They were wives. Trapped in violent marriages.With no legal way out.No divorce. No protection. No autonomy. In Episode 12 of Badass Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Giulia Tofana - the woman said to have helped kill over 600 men… And asks the question history never answered cleanly: Was she a serial killer?Or was she a system’s inevitable consequence? WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ SOURCES https://historiamag.com/giulia-tofana-poisoner-murderer-saviour/ Killer Stories with Harvey Guillen: “Giulia Tofana with Women and Crime”

    12 min

  8. Apr 8

    MARIE CURIE, The Woman Who Changed Science Forever

    Before we understood radiation… before cancer had targeted treatments… there was Marie Curie. In the late 1800s, science was still a closed world — especially for women. Universities didn’t welcome them. Labs didn’t hire them. Discoveries didn’t credit them. And yet, Marie Curie didn’t just enter science… she rewrote it. Born Maria Skłodowska in Poland, she fought her way into higher education in Paris, where she began studying a strange, invisible energy coming from uranium. What she uncovered would become an entirely new scientific field: radioactivity. In episode 11 of Badass Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of how Marie Curie: -Discovered two new elements: polonium and radium-Became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize-Then became the first person EVER to win it twice-Ultimately sacrificed her own health in pursuit of knowledge that would change medicine forever This is not just a story about brilliance.It’s a story about obsession, resilience, and a woman who pushed past every barrier placed in front of her, even when it cost her everything. WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast Facebook: @BAWTH Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ SOURCES “The Genius of Marie Curie” Video by TED Ed The History Chicks Podcast — “Marie Curie” part 1 and “Marie Curie" part 2

    15 min
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Video pod celebrating the rebels, geniuses & visionaries
we weren’t taught about in school. Highlighting women from history who used what they and did what they could-and changed the world.

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