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Join feminist coaches Taina Brown and Becky Mollenkamp for casual (and often deep) conversations about business, current events, politics, pop culture, and more. We’re not perfect activists or allies! These are our real-time, messy feminist perspectives on the world around us.
This podcast is for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
• Why is feminism important today?
• What is intersectional feminism?
• Can capitalism be ethical?
• What does liberation mean?
• Equity vs. equality — what's the difference and why does it matter?
• What does a Trump victory mean for my life?
• What is mutual aid?
• How do we engage in collective action?
• Can I find safety in community?
• What's a feminist approach to ... ?
• What's the feminist perspective on ...?
Becky Mollenkamp
I put on lipstick today for this conversation, and I will have you know that was a political act. We're going to tell you why.
Taina Brown
I saw a TikTok video about what it's like being a boy mom, where a young child put nails or thumbtacks into the foam bullets of his Nerf gun. Apparently, that's "cute boy mom behavior" or worthy of boy mom content on TikTok. And that is political. We're gonna talk about why today.
Becky Mollenkamp
This is our new attempt at making sure you're hooked on what we're about to talk about. We're trying to give you a little quick hit at the beginning of each episode to clue you in before we chit-chat—because somebody said that's the best thing to do, which is also, I'm sure, quite political. Today, we're talking about how everything is political, what that means, and what that looks like. We felt like this might be a good way to start the new year.
Becky Mollenkamp
Taina, when you hear "everything's political," what does that mean to you?
Taina Brown
For me, it means there are always power dynamics at play. When I say "everything is political," I'm looking for where power is situated in a circumstance and how that's affecting people day to day. It could be with your boss, with politicians, or even in your household. Power dynamics exist at both big, systemic levels and very micro levels in relationships.
Becky Mollenkamp
I think that's great. For me, it means every decision or choice—even things that aren't choices—happens within the systems we live in, and all systems are inherently political. Everything we do is political, whether we have more privilege or less. Even something as simple as what shampoo we buy exists within these systems. Let's go back to the examples we started with—like the boy mom and the Nerf gun.
Taina Brown
Yeah, that TikTok video really stuck with me. The whole "boy mom, girl mom" trend feels political because it's situated in a gender binary, which I don't believe in. It erases children who may not identify as boys or girls and parents who don't identify as moms or dads. It's all so binary and exclusionary. Then there's the deeper issue: a little boy choosing violence by modifying a Nerf gun with thumbtacks. That's normalized violence. We literally train kids to use weapons, and that normalization of violence is political.
Becky Mollenkamp
Exactly. And I bet that mom was white, right? Because if a Black child had done the same, the reaction would be entirely different. A Black mom would know better than to share something like that because the systems we live in would punish her child for behavior that's considered "cute" when done by a white boy. This speaks volumes about privilege and how it operates.
Taina Brown
Absolutely. That white mom's casual response reinforces harmful behaviors, allowing her son to grow up thinking there are no serious consequences for his actions. Even if he doesn't become violent, he's learning that privilege protects him. That lack of accountability perpetuates systemic problems like white supremacy and patriarchy.
Becky Mollenkamp
As white moms, we have a responsibility to teach our kids about privilege and how to use it for change. Ignoring these lessons just ensures these systems stay intact. And yes, I can hear the trolls now: "Why do you have to make everything political? It's just a Nerf gun!" But that's the point. Every choice we make is political, even the small ones.
Taina Brown
Right. Parenting itself is political. You're responsible for modeling appropriate behavior and teaching kids how their actions impact the world. Whether it's makeup or Nerf guns, these small decisions are part of larger systems we can't escape. The question is, how do we show up intentionally within them?
Becky Mollenkamp
Exactly. Everything is political because we exist within these systems. The choices we make matter because they reflect the world we want to build. Even small changes can add up when done collectively. Thanks for this conversation.
Taina Brown
Here's to 2025 and building a better world, one intentional choice at a time.
Becky Mollenkamp
Exactly. And even if not everybody, even if only 35% of us—the 35% of people who supported a more liberal ticket—if those 35% all made different choices, that really adds up to a lot. It's a new year. Forget the "new year, new you," but a "new year, new attitude" of like, how do I think about things a little differently and just challenge myself in 2025 to think about the political nature of every decision I make, everything around me.
Taina Brown
Yes.
Becky Mollenkamp
I think that would make a massive difference. So I'm going to make a commitment to be doing more of that too. Thanks for the conversation.
Taina Brown
Yeah. All right. Sounds good. Here's to 2025.