80: Katie Baskerville on Gossip, Patriarchy and the Power of Women’s Voices | Beyond Belief

In this Reading Is Political episode of In My Good Books, Susie is joined by journalist and author Katie Baskerville to discuss her fascinating new book Beyond Belief. Using gossip as a lens, Katie explores how women’s voices have historically been dismissed, how social speech shapes relationships and communities, and why the way we talk about gossip matters more than we might think.The conversation also explores how gossip operates in the digital age. From celebrity speculation and online communities to whisper networks designed to keep women safe, Katie explains how the internet has amplified both the positive and destructive potential of social speech.Along the way, Katie shares a brilliant list of book recommendations for listeners who want to learn more about feminism, power and society, including nonfiction exploring patriarchy and masculinity as well as powerful political fiction.Find Katie online: https://www.instagram.com/iambaskerville/Buy Beyond Belief: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/beyond-belief-a-defence-of-gossip-and-the-women-who-do-it-katie-baskerville/88d683a75f8a76b8?ean=9780008730604&next=tBooks recommended in this episode: The Patriarchs: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-patriarchs-how-men-came-to-rule-angela-saini/0cc77cdd1a12de4a?ean=9780008418144&next=tPink Pilled: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pink-pilled-women-and-the-far-right-lois-shearing/7657652?ean=9781526170699&next=tKing Kong Theory: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/king-kong-theory-virginie-despentes/254951?ean=9781913097349&next=tCaliban & The Witch: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/caliban-and-the-witch-women-the-body-and-primitive-accumulation-silvia-federici/5080308?ean=9780241532539&next=tA History Of Masculinity: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-history-of-masculinity-from-patriarchy-to-gender-justice-ivan-jablonka/5078242?ean=9780141993706&next=t1984: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/1984-george-orwell/996626?ean=9781784878979&next=tThe Madaddam Trilogy: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/maddaddam-margaret-atwood/b4ee97f2ba2b0f5d?ean=9781844087877&next=tWuthering Heights: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wuthering-heights-vintage-classics-bronte-series-emily-bronte-emily-bronte/3733547?ean=9781784870744&next=tHis Dark Materials: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/la-belle-sauvage-the-book-of-dust-philip-pullman/5258000?ean=9781409025474&next=tTales From EarthSea: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/tales-from-earthsea-the-fifth-book-of-earthsea-ursula-k-le-guin/6452520?ean=9781842552148&next=t