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    I Don't Know Her

    Avery and Rita are on a mission to share the stories your history books left out. Every episode they tackle the brave, complicated, courageous, and important stories of women you've probably never heard of, but you should have. Many of our episodes specifically highlight women of color and LGBTQ+ folks. Join us. Find your new heroes.
    enAvery V. Mead136 Episodes

    Episodes (136)

    ACTIVIST - Sybil Stockdale

    ACTIVIST - Sybil Stockdale

    At the top of the show, Amanda shares a demoralizing experience being misgendered at work. Then Rita tells the surprising story of Sybil Stockdale, a Navy Commander’s wife who organized a grassroots campaign to take on the U.S. government & hold them accountable for the missing & imprisoned during the Vietnam War.

     

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    https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

    COMEDIAN - Fanny Brice

    COMEDIAN - Fanny Brice

    The hosts talk about inappropriate questions. Then Amanda tells the tumultuous story of Fanny Brice, the original comedienne who paved the way for all female comics who came after, and whose life story was memorialized in one of the most iconic Broadway shows of all time--Funny Girl. Before Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett, there was Fanny Brice.

     

    Support us on Patreon and TeePublic!

    MUSICIAN - Poly Styrene

    MUSICIAN - Poly Styrene

    At the start, the hosts talk about the tragedy in Georgia and we have some good news for our Patreon subscribers! Then Rita tells the story of punk rocker Poly Styrene. Before Bikini Kill and Kathleen Hanna was Poly Styrene, a biracial teen girl who single handedly changed the face of punk in the 70s and paved the way for the Riot grrrl movement of the early 90s.

     

    Support us on Patreon and TeePublic!

    Anna May Wong & Masako Katsura

    Anna May Wong & Masako Katsura

    After the killings of 6 women of Asian descent in Georgia, Amanda & Rita decide to revisit the stories of two Asian women you should know, but perhaps have forgotten. Anna May Wong was a brilliant, beautiful actress who was the first Chinese-American Hollywood movie star who became the first Asian American to ever be the lead of a television show. Then, Masako Katsura was a trailblazer in the world of billiards, competing among some of the most talented men in the industry and cementing her title of “The First Lady of Billiards.”

     

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    https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

    WARRIOR NUN: Ani Pachen Dolma

    WARRIOR NUN: Ani Pachen Dolma

    The hosts talk about where the line is between bearing witness & reliving trauma. Then Rita tells the story of Ani Pachen Dolma, nicknamed the “Tibetan Warrior Nun.” Ani became the tribal leader of her clan after her father’s death, helping to fight the invading Chinese. She was imprisoned and tortured for many years, but miraculously didn’t give up.

    Support us through Patreon & Tee Public: https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

    ACTIVIST: Belva Ann Lockwood

    ACTIVIST: Belva Ann Lockwood

    At the jump, the hosts discuss murder shows--why we like them & why they're problematic. Then Amanda tells the story of Belva Ann Lockwood, educator, activist, attorney & the first woman to run for U.S. President. 

    If you'd like to support us, please follow us on social media, subscribe to our Patreon, or purchase our merch! You can find all of them on our Linktree.

    JAZZ MUSICIAN: Melba Liston

    JAZZ MUSICIAN: Melba Liston

    At the top of the show, Amanda shares an infuriating incident of "pushback" in her school against Black History Month. Then they tell the story of Melba Liston. Liston was the first woman to play trombone in a big band (that wasn't an all-female band), and went on to become a respected and prolific jazz arranger, who worked with the most well-known and beloved musicians in the game. From Dizzy Gillespie to Quincy Jones, Liston is the one who arranged the music that made these men as famous as they are.

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    ACTIVIST: Claudette Colvin

    ACTIVIST: Claudette Colvin

    Rita gets deep at the start of the show--she shares a question her therapist asked her that she isn't able to answer. Then Amanda shares the story of Claudette Colvin, a teen girl who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, nine months before Rosa Parks, and she was one of the plaintiffs in the landmark case that made segregation on public transportation unconstitutional. But her story was purposely overlooked and overshadowed.

    Support our show by becoming a Patreon subscriber or buy some merch on Tee Public. Find both on our Linktree

    FASHION DESIGNER: Irene Lentz

    FASHION DESIGNER: Irene Lentz

    Amanda shares something personal at the top of the show today. Then Rita tells the remarkable story of Irene Lentz, a fashion and costume designer who became a one-named powerhouse, dressing the likes of Ingrid Bergman, Ginger Rogers, and Lana Turner. Her story is equal parts inspirational and tragic.

    Please consider supporting us by subscribing to our Patreon or purchasing items on our Tee Public store.

    GOVERNOR & WAR CORRESPONDENT: Carolyn B. Shelton & Louise Mack

    GOVERNOR & WAR CORRESPONDENT: Carolyn B. Shelton & Louise Mack

    Amanda tells the story of Carolyn B. Shelton, the first woman to step in as an acting governor of a state in the U.S. And Rita tells us about Louise Mack, a gossip columnist turned first female war correspondent. Subscribe to our Patreon to get this and other bonus content material!

    https://www.patreon.com/idkherpodcast

    DIVER: Vicki Draves

    DIVER: Vicki Draves

    Amanda tells the story of Victoria (Vicki) Manalo Draves, a Filipino American woman who made history when she won two gold medals in diving, becoming the first Asian American to ever win a gold medal (and the first woman in diving to win two!). 

    Bonus content includes discussions of mean girls, being petty, and some of the worst things the hosts did as teens.

    Check out our social media and subscribe to our Patreon: https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

    MATHEMATICIAN: Amalie Emmy Noether

    MATHEMATICIAN: Amalie Emmy Noether

    Amanda makes an impassioned speech about why we need to do better at understanding how people become radicalized. Then Rita dives into the story of Amalie Emmy Noether, a German Jewish mathematician who continuously pushed against sexism and anti-Semitism in academia to eventually change the foundations of mathematical physics. 

    Find out more about our show and support our Patreon! https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

    Listen to the Bundyville podcast by Leah Sottile if you want to know more about white radicalization.

    ACTIVIST: Mary Ann Shadd Cary

    ACTIVIST: Mary Ann Shadd Cary

    The hosts weigh in on the asinine WSJ op-ed that criticized Dr. Jill Biden for using her rightfully earned honorific. Then Amanda talks about Mary Ann Shadd Cary, an outspoken activist, lawyer, and teacher who became the first Black woman publisher in North America and the first woman in Canada. 

    More about I Don't Know Her, including our Patreon here: https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast