S2E3 Pinkpilled: The (Patriotic + Slutty) History of Red Lipstick

Being pink-pilled is when you start to see the very real effects of sexism and patriarchy all around you. It’s like the red-pill-blue-pill concept from the movie The Matrix, where the blue pill keeps you ignorantly blissful, and the red pill wakes you up to the hard truth of society.These mini-sodes expose how patriarchy and medical misogyny affect our culture and wellbeing. 💄 “Nothing invites more unsolicited comments than red lipstick.”— Maria CassanoRed lipstick: A quick history* 3500 BC | Queen Puabi wears a mixture of red rocks and lead on her lips in ancient Mesopotamia.* Ancient Egypt | Both men and women wore crimson lips to signify high social status.* Ancient Greece | Prostitutes painted their lips read to signify their low social status.* Medieval Europe | The Church declared makeup “sinful.”* Elizabethan England | Red lipstick was back in style for women. Some believed it could ward off evil spirits.* 18th-Century England | Women could be tried as “witches” for luring men into marriage with makeup.* 1912 | Elizabeth Arden handed out red lipstick to suffragists in New York City as they fought for women’s right to vote, and red lips became a sign of solidarity and independence.* 1920s | Flappers embrace red lipstick.* 1930s | Cartoon character Betty Boop rocks a red lip.* 1940s | Red lipstick is stocked in factories during WWII and becomes a sign of patriotism with colors like “Fighting Red!”* 1950s | Hollywood icons like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe make red lipstick glamorous.* 1990s | Pop culture sexpots like Jessica Rabbit, Morticia Addams, and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman wear a red lip.* Now | Celebrities like Rihanna, Janelle Monae, and Taylor Swift make red lipstick their signature look.That’s it for this mini-sode, friend. Thanks for listening!To support this podcast, become a paying subscriber for just $8 USD/month and get access to upcoming BONUS episodes. 🤫Coming up on Modern Hysteria:* Disorganized attachment* Food x fertility* Postpartum rage… and so much more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit micahlarsen.substack.com