Assigned Reading with Becky Mollenkamp: Conversations about Feminist Essays

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Check out the Season 10 trailer for Here’s What I Learned with Jacki Hayes, a fellow member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.This season is built around real experiments. Jacki isn’t just talking about ideas. She’s inviting coaches and service providers to assign her an actual experiment from their area of expertise. She runs it in her business, then they come back together to break down what worked, what didn’t, and what the results actually show.If you like practical insight, honest reflection, and learning from real-world tests instead of polished theories, this season is worth a listen.Find the show wherever you listen to podcasts or visit https://www.jackihayes.co/podcast

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Our friend Nicole just dropped the trailer for her new podcast Just Rest — and we're SOOO excited!We’re both part of the Feminist Podcast Collective, and watching this show come to life has been such a joy. Just Rest is for people who care deeply, work hard, and are tired of being told burnout is just the price of caring.This podcast is all about rest as resistance, sustainable change, and staying human in a grind-obsessed world. It’s thoughtful, grounded, and deeply compassionate — the kind of show that feels like a long exhale.Give the trailer a listen, then rate & review if it resonates. It makes a huge difference for indie, values-driven podcasts.🎧 https://justrest.buzzsprout.com

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/What does it really mean to dismantle systems of oppression? In this episode of Assigned Reading, Becky is joined by writer and publicist Cher to unpack Audre Lorde’s iconic 1979 speech “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House.” They explore tokenism, parenting under patriarchy, the trap of girlboss feminism, and how discomfort is often a necessary part of real allyship and liberation. From personal storytelling to deep analysis, this conversation is a powerful, intersectional reflection on how we show up—for ourselves and each other.This week’s text: ✍️ “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” by Audre LordeThis week’s guest: Cher Hale is a publicist, writer, and creative multi-hyphenate who explores the intersections of identity, equity, and expression. She’s known for her radical integrity, boundary-setting magic, and powerful voice.Find Cher: 🌐 https://www.cherhale.com 📱 https://www.instagram.com/cherhaleDiscussed in this episode:Tokenism in feminist spacesParenting without power-over dynamicsCreating diverse friendships with intentionWhy TERFs are not feministsRejecting girlboss, hyper-capitalist feminismNavigating rejection and community buildingThe challenge of creative expression under capitalismResources mentioned:The Messy Liberation PodcastErica Courdae (imperfect allyship)The Peanut appJordan Maney’s episode on rest and asking for help👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower 🎤 Proud members of the Feminist Podcasters Collective

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Becky Mollenkamp and Sandhya Sudhakar dive into adrienne maree brown’s blog post "Relinquishing the Patriarchy." This rich, layered discussion covers gender roles, emotional labor, discomfort, and how patriarchy harms us all. From parenting to dating, personal identity to privilege, they explore how internalized systems shape us—and what it really takes to unlearn them. With insights into Enneagram types, somatic therapy, and white womanhood, this is a powerful reflection on liberation, healing, and building a better future.This week’s text: ✍️ "Relinquishing the Patriarchy" by adrienne maree brownThis week’s guest: Sandhya Sudhakar 🌐 https://www.selfatwork.com/ 🎧 Working Your Way Podcast 📱 LinkedInDiscussed in this episode:The emotional and practical challenges of raising a white son under patriarchyHow dating cishet men intersects with feminist valuesWhat men are “owed” by society (and what they aren’t)The emotional cost of privilege and powerEnneagram as a tool for understanding social rolesWhite discomfort, male fragility, and the journey to awarenessThe limits of "burn it all down" rhetoricSomatic therapy, internal safety, and how to actually do the workResources mentioned:Somatic Experiencing International practitioner directory“My Grandmother's Hands” by Resmaa MenakemEnneagram InstituteThe Narrative Enneagram👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower, for more conversations that call in your heart and your brain: https://beckymollenkamp.com/rants 🎤 Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week, Becky and Goddess Erica discuss Andrea Dworkin’s 1988 essay on pornography and power. They explore ethical porn, sex education reform, and the intersection of pleasure, patriarchy, and AI. A bold, vulnerable conversation about dismantling shame and building new systems for healing and desire.This week’s text:  ✍️ “Pornography: Men Possessing Women” by Andrea DworkinGoddess Erica:🌐 https://goddesserica.com🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/goddess-erica-show📱 https://instagram.com/goddessericaDiscussed in this episodeAndrea Dworkin’s legacy and critiquesMainstream porn vs. feminist pornThe role of AI in shaping porn cultureTeaching kids sex education through pleasure and media literacyMake Love Not Porn and other ethical platformsThe difference between erotic and pornographicReclaiming bodily agency through semi-nude meditationResources mentionedMake Love Not PornDipseaAudre Lorde’s 'Uses of the Erotic'👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/In this episode of Assigned Reading, Becky and Kim unpack Barbara Love’s essay on developing a liberatory consciousness. Using the framework of the “4 A’s”—Awareness, Analysis, Action, and Accountability—they reflect on the deeply personal work of moving from complicity to liberation. This episode explores queer identity, internalized oppression, white feminism, and how awareness shapes every step of meaningful change.This week’s text:✍️ “Developing a Liberatory Consciousness” by Barbara LoveThis week’s guest: Kim Romain is a seasoned coach, facilitator, and intuitive guide who supports high-achieving women and gender-expansive folks to embrace their inner knowing, get unshackled from grind culture, and create spacious, values-aligned lives.🌐 https://kimromain.com  🎧 https://anchor.fm/kimromain  📱 https://www.instagram.com/kimromain  Discussed in this episode:Barbara Love’s 4 A’s of liberatory consciousnessHow internalized oppression shows up in dominant and subordinate identitiesWhite saviorism and perfectionism in anti-racism workThe emotional process of coming out as queer later in lifeIntersectionality and identity overlapWhat liberatory embodiment *feels* like👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower, for more conversations that call in your heart and your brain. https://beckymollenkamp.com/rants🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Aging, feminism, and power collide in this juicy conversation. Becky and podcast producer Ana Xavier discuss Susan Sontag’s The Double Standard of Aging and how it still resonates decades later. From gray hair and menopause to child-free choices and decentering men, this feminist talk gets real about the aging double standard and what it means to opt out of performative femininity.This week’s text: ✍️ “The Double Standard of Aging” by Susan Sontag This week’s guest: Ana Xavier Ana Xavier is a podcast producer and strategist who helps creators amplify their voices through meaningful content.🌐 Website | 🎧 Podcast |📱 Instagram Discussed in this episode:Susan Sontag’s essay and its continued relevanceAging without shameGray hair and public perceptionChild-free by choice and societal pressureDecentering men from life decisionsPerformative femininity and gender rolesAging and career reinventionCultural differences in how aging is viewedResources mentioned:“The Double Standard of Aging” by Susan Sontag“Fearing the Black Body” by Sabrina Strings👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower, for more conversations that call in your heart and your brain. https://beckymollenkamp.com/rants🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/What happens when the law can't see you? This episode dives into Kimberle Crenshaw’s landmark 1989 essay on intersectionality, exploring how courts systematically erase Black women. Becky and Tori break down Crenshaw’s trapdoor metaphor, legal analysis, and the continuing relevance of intersectional feminism today.This week’s text✍️ “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex” by Kimberlé Crenshaw This week’s guestTori, aka Tori, Etc., is a neurodivergent speaker and educator on deconstructing fundamentalism, white supremacy, and internalized misogyny. Raised in a far-right religious household, she now brings sharp analysis and vulnerable storytelling to conversations about identity, power, and liberation.Find TORI🌐 https://instagram.com/tori.etc 🎧 https://www.torietc.com/podcast 📱 https://www.instagram.com/tori.etcDiscussed in this episode • The legal system’s failure to recognize Black women’s intersectional oppression • Crenshaw’s trapdoor and street intersection metaphors • Gaslighting in law and social discourse • Moynihan Report and structural racism • The burden of perfectionism in white supremacy and capitalism • Personal narratives of unlearning from fundamentalismResource mentioned • "My Grandmother’s Hands" by Resmaa Menakem👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower 🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/In this episode, Becky Mollenkamp and Taina Brown dive deep into Sylvia Rivera’s 2001 speech, "Bitch on Wheels." They unpack Rivera’s righteous rage, explore the erasure of trans voices in LGBTQ history, and reflect on the importance of solidarity and intersectionality in the fight for liberation. This raw speech from a legendary activist is just as urgent today.This week’s text: ✍️ “Bitch on Wheels” by Sylvia RiveraThis week’s guest: Taina Brown is a justice-centered DEI consultant and co-host of the Messy Liberation podcast. She brings an academic and embodied lens to conversations about liberation, identity, and collective care.Find Taina: 🌐 https://www.ifthenand.org/ 🎧 https://messyliberation.com 📱 InstagramDiscussed in this episodeSylvia Rivera’s legacy and speech contextStonewall riots from a trans perspectiveMarsha P. Johnson and Rivera’s activismRespectability politics and performative feminismWhite saviorism, allyship, and call-in vs. call-outSuicide and mental health in the trans communityThe role of anger in activismCollective care and intersectionalityResources mentionedLee Brewster history🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/In this powerful conversation, Becky Mollenkamp and Faith Clarke unpack Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s iconic essay *We Should All Be Feminists*. They explore how feminism intersects with race, colonization, shame, and identity. Faith shares deep insights from a Black Caribbean lens, and the two reflect on how culture is created—and can be disrupted.This week’s text:  ✍️ “We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThis week’s guest: Faith Clarke is an organizational health and inclusion specialist for organizations committed to healthy workplace culture. She’s redefining work ecosystems for post-pandemic humans looking to do work better. From computer programmer on Wall Street to autism advocate to organizational health expert, Faith’s whole career has been influenced by systems and engineering—she helps people by creating systems that integrate human motivation.Find Faith: 🌐 https://faithclarke.comDiscussed in this episodeChimamanda’s evolving views on trans women and nuance in public dialoguePatriarchy’s harm to men and the myth of neutralityThe prison of whiteness and how identity shapes oppressionBlack women’s complicated relationship with feminismStorytelling and culture-building as resistanceShame, fear, and the backlash to DEISocial Change Now framework by Deepa IyerMisogynoir and internalized misogynyResources mentionedSocial Change Now by Deepa Iyer🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/ ✍️ This week’s essay:“Love as the Practice of Freedom” by bell hooks🎙 This week’s guest:Heather Vickery is a coach, speaker, podcast host, and joy-bringer. Her work centers around intentional living, courageous leadership, and aligning action with values. Heather brings radical honesty and warmth to everything she does—even when it’s tough love.Find Heather: 🌐 vickeryandco.com 🎧 Was it Chance? 📷 @vickeryandcoDiscussed in this episode:What “love as liberation” really means in the context of political and personal resistanceThe difference between kindness and niceness—and why love is often neitherHow to balance boundaries with compassion without playing the “both sides” gameLove as an ethic, a choice, and a verb—not a passive feelingHow domination, control, and toxic positivity masquerade as “love”Heather’s personal experience with self-love, queerness, and choosing relationships with intentionParenting through a feminist love ethic: Holding boundaries as an act of careNavigating the guilt of not doing “enough” while doing what’s possible with what you’ve gotWhy white women talking about love must include interrogating privilege and practicing collective accountabilityResources mentioned:“All About Love” by bell hooks“The Road Less Traveled” by M. Scott Peck👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower, for more conversations that call in your heart and your brain.

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week’s text: ✍️ “What No One Else Will Tell You About Feminism” by Lindy WestThis week’s guest:Paige Worthy (she/her) is a writer, editor, and brand messaging strategist for progressive entrepreneurs. Known for her spicy takes, thoughtful wordcraft, and zero tolerance for misogynist bullshit, Paige shows up in business and life as a truth-teller and cat-loving rage queen. She’s currently on sabbatical—joyfully making pottery, resisting capitalist productivity, and embracing rest as rebellion.Find Paige: 🌐 paigeworthy.comDiscussed in this episode:What this essay gets right—and all the ways it misses the markRage, burnout, and taking sabbaticals in a broken worldWhite feminism, exclusion, and the danger of ignoring intersectionalityWhy catty jokes and sarcasm aren’t the revolutionHow our feminism has evolved since “girl power” and Jezebel daysWhy trying to “educate men” isn’t the job of feministsThe difference between calling in vs calling out—and when each makes senseHow to keep growing, even when learning out loud is scarySubstack, internet rage, and nostalgia for the blog eraResources mentioned:“White Feminism” by Koa Beck: https://amzn.to/42UtHrU“Abortion, Everyday” Jessica Valenti’s Substack: https://jessica.substack.com/ 📺 Shrill on Hulu🚨 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower: https://beckymollenkamp.com/rants🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE 🎤http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week’s text: ✍️ “Speaking of Nature” by Robin Wall KimmererThis week’s guest: Nancy Harris (she/her) is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and facilitator supporting leaders and organizations committed to equity, people-centered work, and transformational change. She’s the founder of Restart Consulting, host of The Intersection podcast, and a lifelong nature-lover rediscovering the power of slowing down.Find Nancy: 🌐 restartconsulting.com 🎧 The Intersection podcast 📱 LinkedInDiscussed in this episode:The objectification of nature—and the people we treat like objects tooHow Indigenous language teaches respect through grammar and animacyWhat it means to re-humanize the world around usWhy slowing down is radical and reconnecting is revolutionaryThe power of rest, seasonality, and nature as a model for leadershipWhat “nature deficit disorder” is and why we feel it so deeplyHow language has been used to colonize, erase, and devalueParallels between natural resource extraction and human exploitationWhy mindfulness and appreciation can be powerful acts of resistanceHow we might live and lead differently by learning from the earthResources mentioned:• “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer• “Wintering” by Katherine May• On Being podcast with Krista Tippett• ”The Other End of the Leash” by Patricia McConnell• “The Privatization of Everything” by Donald Cohen & Allen Mikaelian🚨 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week’s text: ✍️ “Compulsary Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence” by Adrienne RichThis week’s guest:Lindsay Johnson, aka The Radical Connector, is a sales & visibility coach for misfit entrepreneurs building their businesses to the beat of their own drums and radical enough to believe they can change the world! Lindsay’s superpower is getting entrepreneurs over their fear and discomfort of selling, taking bold action, and gaining the confidence to put themselves out there!  After 20+ years of helping entrepreneurs make money in a way that feels good, their message is clear: you matter, your work is important, and you deserve to make excellent money while you change the freaking world!Find Lindsay: 🌐 theradicalconnector.com ▶️ youtube.com/c/theradicalconnector 📱instagram.com/radicallindsDiscussed in this episode:What to do when important ideas come from problematic peopleCancel culture, nuance, and evolving past rigid thinkingThe roots of compulsory heterosexuality in capitalism, colonialism, and white supremacyLindsay’s vulnerable journey to understanding their non-binary identityHow proximity to power complicates identity and solidarityThe dangers of the incel pipeline and raising feminist boysQueerness, gender, and neurodivergence as natural human expressionsThe power and politics of the “lesbian continuum”Choosing labels vs. living beyond themResources Mentioned:“You and Your Gender Identity: A Guide to Discovery” by Dara Hoffman-Fox“The Invention of Heterosexuality” Jonathan Ned Katz (essay)Adolescence on Netflix“Is Gossiping Feminist?” by Abbie Teal🚨 Sign up for Becky's newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE 🎤

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week’s text: ✍️ “Joy” by Zadie Smith (New York Review of Books)This week's guest:Jordan Maney is the Radical Joy Coach™ helping Black, brown, and queer folks recover their softness, reclaim their joy, and rest without guilt. She’s a writer, speaker, and coach whose work centers joy as a liberatory, ancestral practice. Jordan’s presence is sunshine—you’ll see what we mean.Find Jordan: 🌐 radicaljoycoach.com 📷 @radicaljoycoach on InstagramDiscussed in this episode:Why Zadie Smith’s essay is “close but no cigar”The bittersweet intersection of joy and griefIs joy a struggle, a surrender, or a risk?What ecstasy (the drug and the feeling) says about manufactured joyThe difference between pleasure, contentment, happiness, and JOYBlack Southern church traditions as containers for joyThe power of presence, noticing, and choosing joy in dark timesWhy resisting despair is a revolutionary act of self-loveConcerts, croissants, and the art of letting yourself become joyResources mentioned:“Beloved” by Toni Morrison“White Teeth” by Zadie SmithRisk It For a Biscuit™ (yes, we’re putting that on a T-shirt)🚨 Sign up for Becky's newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE 🎤

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/This week’s text: ✍️ “Abolition Can Mend Our Democracy” by Angela Y. Davis (Inquest)This week’s guest:Amelia Hruby is a feminist writer, podcaster, and producer with a PhD in philosophy. She’s the founder of Softer Sounds, a feminist podcast studio for entrepreneurs and creatives, and host of Off the Grid, a podcast about leaving social media without losing your clients. Her work explores deep community, collective care, and tech refusal.Find Amelia: 🌐 ameliahruby.com 🎧 softersounds.studio 📱 offthegrid.funDiscussed in this episode:Why prisons exist—and what they really teach us about “freedom”Angela Davis’s vision of abolition beyond incarcerationCarceral logic in our schools, healthcare, diet culture, and even in how we treat ourselvesWhy spirituality, somatic healing, and forgiveness are necessary for abolitionAmelia’s personal journey with abolition, including becoming a prison pen palThe myth of inherently “bad” people—and why we must believe in love after harmHow a society built on punishment requires us to reimagine democracyWhat abolitionist practice can look like in our daily livesResources mentioned:“Are Prisons Obsolete?” by Angela Y. Davis“Women, Race, & Class” by Angela Y. Davis“Freedom Is a Constant Struggle” by Angela Y. Davis“My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem“Democracy in America” by Alexis de TocquevilleBlack and Pink (penpals program)🚨 Sign up for Becky's newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower🎤 PROUD MEMBER OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE 🎤

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Welcome to Assigned Reading—the feminist podcast where we read bold, brilliant essays and talk about them like real people.In this short trailer, host Becky Mollenkamp introduces the show and what to expect: weekly conversations about powerful feminist essays, deep questions, occasional confusion, and a whole lot of curiosity. Each episode features a different guest and a different piece of feminist theory—from classics to contemporary gems.This isn’t a lecture. It’s not a class. There are no pop quizzes. Just honest conversations about big ideas and how they show up in our actual lives.Whether you're new to feminist writing or you’ve been digging into theory for decades, you’re invited to join the conversation.🎙️ New episodes weekly 📚 Essays will always be linked in the show notes 💌 Want more? Subscribe to Becky’s newsletter: Feminist Rants are My Superpower