Episodes

  • Outsiders: Annie Hindle
    Jun 5 2025

    Annie Hindle (c. 1840s - c. 1900s) was an actress, comic, and performer who was famous in American variety circuits in the late 1800s. Born in England, and making her name in the Music Hall scene there, she was known mainly as a male-impersonator, becoming the first to bring this performance style to American variety theaters. Annie was also much discussed in newspapers for her multiple marriages, both to men and women. Her marriages to women involved her cross-dressing as a man, under the name Charles E. Hindle.

    For Further Reading:

    • The Wondrous Life of America’s First Male Impersonator
    • Just One of the Boys: Female-to-Male Cross-Dressing on the American Variety Stage
    • A Character Singer In Male Attire: Annie Hindle In America, 1868–1886
    • Digital Transgender Archive: Archival Newspaper Articles on Annie Hindle

      This month we're talking about Outsiders -- women who marched to the beat of their own drum and rejected stereotypes about what women "should" be. They are aesthetic pioneers, norm-benders, and often the only woman in their field.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Original theme music by Brittany Martinez.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
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      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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      8 mins
    • Outsiders: Otake Kōkichi
      Jun 4 2025

      Ōtake Kōkichi (1893-1966) was a feminist writer, artist, and activist in early 20th century Japan. She was a member of the Japanese Bluestocking Society, which aimed to promote women’s rights through literature and education. She is regarded as a pioneer for queer feminism in Japan.

      For Further Reading:

      • Otake Kōkichi — Making Queer History
      • Otake Kōkichi 尾竹紅吉 | U-M LSA Center for Japanese Studies (CJS)
      • Intersections: The New Woman Meets the Geisha: The Politics of Pleasure in 1910s Japan

      This month we're talking about Outsiders -- women who marched to the beat of their own drum and rejected stereotypes about what women "should" be. They are aesthetic pioneers, norm-benders, and often the only woman in their field.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Original theme music by Brittany Martinez.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Show more Show less
      6 mins
    • Outsiders: Patti McGee
      Jun 3 2025

      Patti McGee (1945-2024) a pioneering American skateboarder who became the first female professional in the sport during the 1960s. She gained national fame after winning the 1964 National Skateboard Championship. In 1965, Patti appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine riding a skateboard in her signature move – a handstand – helping to popularize the sport.

      For Further Reading:

      • Skateboarding Hall of Fame Museum - Patti McGee
      • Skateboarding Heritage Hall of Fame - Patti McGee
      • New York Times - Patti McGee, Skateboarding’s First Female Champion, Dies at 79
      • FOX 5 San Diego - Patti McGee, first female pro skateboarder with ties to San Diego, dies at 79
      • Patti McGee’s Skateboarding Hall of Fame Induction Speech

      This month we're talking about Outsiders -- women who marched to the beat of their own drum and rejected stereotypes about what women "should" be. They are aesthetic pioneers, norm-benders, and often the only woman in their field.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Original theme music by Brittany Martinez.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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      7 mins
    • Outsiders: Toyen
      Jun 2 2025

      Toyen (1902-1980), born Marie Čermínová, was a gender-nonconforming Czech surrealist painter. They blurred boundaries not only of gender but of artistic form, producing erotically charged, dreamlike images that challenged both political oppression and societal taboos.

      For Further Reading:

      • One of a kind
      • Mythic Being
      • Toyen - Surreal/Radical
      • Toyen
      • Surrealist Oeuvre of Toyen: Fragmented and Dissolving Bodies
      • Eroticism, Identity, and Cultural Context: Toyen and the Prague Avant-Garde
      • Toyen

      This month we're talking about Outsiders -- women who marched to the beat of their own drum and rejected stereotypes about what women "should" be. They are aesthetic pioneers, norm-benders, and often the only woman in their field.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Show more Show less
      5 mins
    • Word Weavers: Dolores Huerta
      May 30 2025

      Dolores Huerta (1930-present) is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement. She helped found the organization now known as United Farm Workers and helped organize the Delano grape strike in 1965. She is credited for coming up with the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” which means “yes, we can” in Spanish.

      For Further Reading:

      • Dolores Huerta, renowned American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers union alongside Cesar Chavez.
      • Dolores Huerta: The Civil Rights Icon Who Showed Farmworkers 'Sí Se Puede' : The Salt : NPR
      • Dolores Huerta’s Story: Community Organizing, the Chicano Movement and Challenging Gender Norms | Reckoning With Our Racial Past
      • UFW Chronology

      This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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      7 mins
    • Word Weavers: Jean Harlow
      May 29 2025

      Jean Harlow (1911-1937) was an American actress known as the original “Blonde Bombshell.” She grew to stardom as an extra in silent films and early talkies, captivating audiences with her appearance. Her role as Lola in the 1933 film “Bombshell” popularized the term in Hollywood and the use of it to refer to a striking woman. This was a forerunner to the term "sex symbol,” specifically in Hollywood.

      For Further Reading:

      • Bombshell: the life and death of Jean Harlow
      • The Hollywood Beauties: Jean Harlow
      • Bombshell (1933) Film Synopsis and Discussion - Obscure Hollywood
      • Jean Harlow, Film Star, Dies in Hollywood At 26 After an Illness of Only a Few Days
      • Actress Jean Harlow, 26, dies suddenly | June 7, 1937 | HISTORY

      This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Show more Show less
      7 mins
    • Word Weavers: Kerima Polotan-Tuvera
      May 28 2025

      Kerima Polotan-Tuvera (1925-2011) was a Filipino fictionist, essayist, and journalist who coined the term “mani-pedi.” Her influence is felt in the Philippines as a writer and award-winning author, and worldwide through her work in shaping Philippine English.

      For Further Reading:

      • Kerima Polotan Tuvera: 85 Years of a life
      • OED: mani-pedi
      • Biggest-ever addition of ‘Filipino English’ goes into Oxford dictionary
      • OED: Introduction to Philippine English

      This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Show more Show less
      6 mins
    • Word Weavers: Kasturba Gandhi
      May 27 2025

      Kasturba Gandhi (1869-1944) was an Indian political activist and leader in the movement for Indian Independence during British Colonial rule. She was married to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi). During her life participated in many civil disobedience campaigns and marches and did work to support women’s welfare throughout her life. She is said to have been a key inspiration for Gandhi’s Satyagraha, a form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance.

      For Further Reading:

      • Kasturba Gandhi
      • Daughter Of Midnight - The Child Bride of Gandhi by Arun Gandhi
      • Kasturba Gandhi: Accidental Activist (PBS Documentary)
      • Life Sketch of Kasturba

      This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name.

      History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

      Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

      Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

      Follow Wonder Media Network:

      • Website
      • Instagram
      • Twitter

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Show more Show less
      7 mins
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