Popular culture may feel like an escape from everyday life, but the stories we watch, the music we hear and the content we encounter online influence how we understand women, power and equality. In this episode of Grabbing the Bullhorn, Natalie Bober and Karen Zimbler welcome Professor Elizabeth Benacka for a wide-ranging conversation about feminism and popular culture. Professor Benacka received her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from Loyola University Chicago. She earned her master’s degree and PhD in Rhetoric from Northwestern University, along with a Certificate in Gender Studies. During the last 18 years, she has taught courses including Argumentation and Advocacy, Introduction to Cinema Studies, Feminism and Popular Culture, Rhetoric of Humor and Rhetoric of Civil Rights. She currently serves as Chair of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois. The conversation begins by exploring what feminism means and why some people support gender equality while resisting the feminist label. Professor Benacka explains how rhetorical analysis can help audiences recognize the messages embedded in movies, television programs, songs, comedy and social media posts. The discussion then turns to representation. Including women in a story is not necessarily the same as giving them power within that story. A character may appear independent or progressive while still being defined primarily through her relationship with a man. Professor Benacka discusses how dialogue, plot and visual choices can reveal whether a female character possesses genuine agency. Natalie, Karen and Professor Benacka also consider the popular narrative of the exceptional woman who reaches the top. Her success may be inspiring, but one individual achievement does not automatically eliminate the barriers facing other women. The conversation asks audiences to look beyond symbolic victories and examine whether progress extends to women without wealth, status or a public platform. The episode also addresses what it means for women to support one another when they have different experiences, resources and political beliefs. That question leads to a discussion of intersectionality and the importance of recognizing how gender interacts with race, class, age, disability and other circumstances. When popular culture presents one woman’s experience as universal, whose story is left out? Because Grabbing the Bullhorn brings together a Baby Boomer and a Millennial, the conversation examines generational tensions within feminism. What do older and younger women misunderstand about one another? What can each generation contribute to lasting change? Finally, the episode honors Gloria Steinem and reflects on her influence as a journalist, author, organizer and advocate. Although Steinem became one of the most recognizable figures associated with the women’s movement, her work consistently emphasized listening, community and collective action. Professor Benacka considers which parts of Steinem’s legacy deserve greater attention and what the next generation can learn from her life. After listening, return to your favorite films, television programs, music and social media feeds with a new question: What are these stories teaching us about women? Then tell us: Which piece of popular culture first made you think differently about women or feminism?
