Girlboss, Interrupted

Catherine Ruth Pakaluk is an Associate Professor of Social Research and Economic Thought at Catholic University, and the author of the new book, Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. In the midst of a historic "birth dearth," why do some 5 percent of American women choose to defy the demographic norm by bearing five or more children? Hannah's Children is a compelling portrait of these overlooked but fascinating mothers who, like the biblical Hannah, see their children as their purpose, their contribution, and their greatest blessing.Dr. Pakaluk, herself the mother of eight(!), traveled across the United States and interviewed fifty-five college-educated women who were raising five or more children. Through open-ended questions, she sought to understand who these women are, why and when they chose to have a large family, and what this choice means for them, their families, and the nation.Beyond her formal training in economics, Dr. Pakaluk studied Catholic social thought under the mentorship of F. Russell Hittinger, and various aspects of Thomistic thought with Steven A. Long. She is a widely-admired writer and sought-after speaker on matters of culture, gender, social science, the vocation of women, and the work of Edith Stein, which she shared on this podcast once before. She lives in Maryland with her husband, Michael, and eight children. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

It's Holy Week, which means that on Friday night, I'm probably going to lose the last ten pounds of baby weight in tears while watching The Passion Of The Christ.One of Gibson's many genius, and deeply Catholic, choices in the film is his deliberate inclusion of scenes involving Christ's Mother. One stands out: as Christ first falls while carrying His cross to Golgotha, Mary sees Him. We are given a flashback, where He as a child stumbles on a stone path. Mary runs to Him, arms outstretched, her presence His succor. Flash forward, and she runs again, arms outstretched, as Christ chokes on His own blood, crushed under the weight of the cross. I imagine the profound grief and gratitude comingling in both of their hearts for just a moment of one another's presence.The crucifix takes on new meaning from perspective of the woman standing beneath it, soaked in His blood, blood of her blood. In so many ways, His wounds are hers, too. I imagine her human, maternal nature, her desire to bring Him comfort, to take her baby's pain away, to switch places, something, anything — all brushing up against the knowledge of the greater good to come. The cross is the fulfillment of her ultimate confidence in God's promise, unchanged by the bitter fact of Simeon's prophecy. She suffers alongside her Son, as only mothers do, in total surrender. His words in the Garden of Gethsemane and hers at the Annunciation echo one another: Thy will be done.Catholic tradition holds that we take Christ seriously by honoring who He honors. I love Gibson's Passion for so many reasons, but primarily because He takes Christ seriously by paying serious attention to His mother — and, relatedly, by refusing to shy away from the brutality He endured, she by proxy.This sincerity, the act of taking historical subjects seriously, is accomplished by placing oneself in the shoes of those subjects without pretense, judgment, or ideological imposition. Dr. Rachel Fulton Brown, my guest in this episode of Girlboss, Interrupted, in her latest book, Mary and the Art of Prayer: The Hours of the Virgin in Medieval Christian Life and Thought, has accomplished something so unique and interesting by doing just this. This history of Marian devotion begins with a call for readers to take their subjects, medieval Christians, seriously, by praying the psalms as they did throughout the day.I won't spoil any more surprises. This episode was so fun to record. Please enjoy, and as ever, send messages, leave comments, share with friends, and drop me a 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts.I hope y'all have a holy Holy week. Christ is coming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Here at the dawn of the engagement-maximization era, the sex wars have gone nuclear. Every day, despite a pretty exhaustive “mute” list, my Twitter and TikTok feeds are inundated by sanpaku-eyed influencers opining the absolute impossibility of modern love. Pearl Davis, whose star rose ex nihilo as the first wife of the red pill right, has made it her mission to convince men that marriage is primarily a raw deal for them. Modern women are all dishonest w****s, she insists. Even the speaker? Compare that to the swarms of liberal feminist influencers who teeth begin to gnash every time Ballerina Farms makes a new post. She peddles a dangerous lie that being a stay at home mom is ideal, let alone a real possibility, they whine.In a sea of bad (and confused, if not dishonest) PR, the institution of marriage needs defending.In today's episode, I chat with Brad Wilcox, Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, Future of Freedom Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Having recently authored Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization (Harper Collins, 2024), Wilcox came to present the case for marriage as good, not just for society or children or taxation purposes, as it has been previously argued, but for men and women as individuals.Enjoy! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with your friends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Nancy Pearcey is the bestselling author of seven books, including two ECPA Gold Medallion Winners: Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity and How Now Shall We Live? (co-authored by Chuck Colson and Harold Fickett). Additional books include The Soul of Science, Finding Truth, Saving Leonardo, Love Thy Body, and most recently The Toxic War on Masculinity. Find her on Twitter (X) @NancyRPearceyIn this episode, I speak with Professor Pearcey about her most recent book, addressing some of the following questions: how has the cultural ideal of masculinity changed over time? In what ways are feminists responsible — or is there something even deeper at play? How can men lead in a world that retains such a low view of them?Enjoy this episode! Be sure to leave a 5 star review on whichever platform you discover it, follow me on Substack at Ladies' Late Rome Journal, share your thoughts, and share with a friend!Chat soon. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

To mark the two year anniversary of this podcast, I am so pleased to welcome Dr. Carrie Gress back on to talk about her new book, The End of Woman: How Smashing The Patriarchy Has Destroyed Us. Carrie Gress is a Fellow at the Washington, D.C. based think-tank, Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at Catholic University of America.She has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America and is the editor at the online women's magazine Theology of Home.Please be sure to leave a 5 star review if listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Chat again soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Robin Atkins is the chair of the mental health subsection of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG).  As a licensed mental health counselor, Robin has been in practice for over 15 years with a specialty in reproductive issues, including infertility, high-risk pregnancy, traumatic birth, postpartum depression and anxiety, perinatal hospice and palliative care, pregnancy loss, infant loss, adoption, and abortion.Find her on Twitter (X) at @TruthAgape and on Substack at @RobinAtkins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Sit down with me as I chat with Suzanne Venker, life coach and author of The Flipside of Feminism: What Conservative Women Know – and Men Can't Say (cowritten with her late, great aunt, Phyllis Schlafly). In this episode, we discuss integrity, femininity, polarity, and the forgotten dignity of women's worlds. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

“Homemaking is a daily battle for self-governance in an increasingly hostile world.”So says Lane Scott, mother of many, businesswoman, and PhD in political philosophy. From where do these hostilities arise? How do we face them head on? How do we build a world more conducive to homemaking than the current one, beyond the ideological capture of traditionally helpful institutions, the unavoidable antinatal propagandizing, and atomization in general?In this episode, we explore some of the answers Lane has to offer: self-government, sisterhood, and more. You don't want to miss this one.As ever, remember to like, comment, subscribe to this episode on all platforms—and share with your friends!Happy New year! xo-Helen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Dear listeners, I heard you! Per your vehement requests…Author and Catholic matriarch, the lovely Leila Lawler, joins this week to gently remind us that the work of homemaking is indeed work—work that we can, in fact, be good at! Find her on Twitter here, and buy her beautiful set of books (great for display) here.As always, don't forget to share, subscribe, and like this episode. Chat soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

Faith Moore is back!This time to chat about her recently released novel, Christmas Karol.Faith Moore is a freelance writer and editor who runs The Story Club. She quit her job as an elementary school teacher back in 2014 so she could have her son, and never looked back. She's now a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful boys whose writing has been published in The American Mind, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The Federalist, and more. Her book, Saving Cinderella, has nearly 50 five-star reviews on Amazon. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenroy.substack.com

+JMJ+ Emma Waters joins the pod to respond to current female stereotypes with characters from Scripture. Emma Waters is a Research Associate for the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion and Family at The Heritage Foundation. Her work focuses on marriage and family, sex and gender, and assisted reproductive technology policy. Waters is also a Visiting Fellow with Independent Women's Forum and a monthly contributor with World magazine. Prior to this, she worked as the Coalitions Manager of American Moment and periodically cohosted their podcast, Moment of Truth. Previously, she worked as a Research Intern with the Institute for Family Studies and a Research Consultant for the Realignment Podcast. In 2021, she won the American Enterprise Institutes' Young Scholars Award where she wrote and published an in-depth paper on child support policy in the state of Tennessee, including qualitative interviews with 25 nonresident fathers.  Her work may be found in Fox News, Newsweek, RealClear Policy, RealClear Health, The Federalist, the Institute for Family Studies, Problematic Women podcast, The American Conservative, The American Mind, The Daily Signal, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, and more. She graduated Valedictorian of Lee University with a double major in Political Science and Biblical & Theological Studies.  Waters lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and their daughter. You can find her on Twitter @emlwaters.

+JMJ+ Audience favorite Tiger Lily returns to share happy, healthy home birth stories. 

+JMJ+ Audience favorite Tiger Lily returns to share happy, healthy home birth stories.

Stephanie Winn is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Portland, Oregon. She runs the You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist podcast and produced the documentary “No Way Back: The Reality of Gender Affirming Care,” formerly titled “Affirmation Generation”.   Follow her on Twitter, YouTube, and Locals at @sometherapist.   http://nowaybackfilm.com/

“Step by step, I retreated from God and went forth to meet the world, the flesh, and the devil. . . . I'd join the devil himself. . . . There is no doubt that I traveled with him at my side and that he extorted a great price for his company.”   This is how Bella Dodd (1904–69) described her long battle with atheistic communism, an ideology her Church calls a “satanic scourge.” She later described it as a “school of darkness,” a school of “hate,” a school for which she was a master organizer and infiltrator of every organization—public, private, and even ecclesiastical.   Bella Dodd courageously left the Communist Party and its diabolical machinations. Her former communist affiliates then smeared her with eerily familiar epithets to modern ears, dubbing her everything from a “fascist” to a “racist.” Some things never change.   One thing that changed, however, was Bella Dodd. The man who helped pull her from the pit? A priest. A priest by the name of Fulton Sheen. Bella Dodd's story thereafter changed dramatically from one of seduction by the devil to redemption through Christ. She dedicated the remainder of her life to a special penance: warning the world of the evil of communism and its plans.   https://a.co/d/9Uo8hN8

Catherine Ruth Pakaluk (Ph.D, 2010) joined the faculty at the Busch School in the summer of 2016, and is the founder of the Social Research academic area, where she is an Associate Professor of Social Research and Economic Thought. Formerly, she was Assistant Professor and Chair of the Economics Department at Ave Maria University. Her primary areas of research include economics of education and religion, family studies and demography, Catholic social thought and political economy. Dr. Pakaluk is the 2015 recipient of the Acton Institute's Novak Award, a prize given for “significant contributions to the study of the relationship between religion and economic liberty.” Pakaluk did her doctoral work at Harvard University under Caroline Hoxby, David Cutler, and 2016 Nobel-laureate Oliver Hart. Her dissertation, “Essays in Applied Microeconomics”, examined the relationship between religious ‘fit' and educational outcomes, the role of parental effort in observed peer effects and school quality, and theoretical aspects of the contraceptive revolution as regards twentieth century demographic trends.    Beyond her formal training in economics, Dr. Pakaluk studied Catholic social thought under the mentorship of F. Russell Hittinger, and various aspects of Thomistic thought with Steven A. Long. She is a widely-admired writer and sought-after speaker on matters of culture, gender, social science, the vocation of women, and the work of Edith Stein. She lives in Maryland with her husband Michael Pakaluk and eight children.   Read Edith Stein here:   Essays On Woman (The Collected Works of Edith Stein) (English and German Edition) https://a.co/d/7IHdJZY   Edith Stein: The Philosophical Background https://a.co/d/h8F3cIA

It's been three years since the rolling social, medical, and political revolution sparked by the coronavirus began. Alex Gutentag was a special needs teacher who began writing about the inconsistencies and outright lies peddled by bureaucrats during the pandemic. As she kept writing, her work gained national attention for its clarity, incisiveness, and fearless dedication to the truth. She is now a columnist at Tablet magazine as well as Compact. Follow her on Twitter for more.   https://twitter.com/galexybrane

The fertility industry is lying to women.   Jennifer Lahl is the founder and president of The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network. Lahl couples her 25 years of experience as a pediatric critical care nurse, a hospital administrator, and senior-level nursing management with a deep passion to speak for those who have no voice.   Lahl's writings have appeared in various publications including First Things Magazine the American Journal of Bioethics. In 2009, Lahl was associate producer of the documentary film, Lines That Divide: The Great Stem Cell Debate, which was an official selection in the 2010 California Independent Film Festival. She made her writing and directing debut, producing the documentary film, Eggsploitation, which has been awarded 2011 Best Documentary by the California Independent Film Festival, has sold in over 30 countries, and is showing all over the U.S. In December 2012, she released her film, Anonymous Father's Day, which tells the stories of people created via anonymous sperm donation. An updated and expanded version of Eggsploitation was released in September 2013, adding new egg donor stories and updates. Her forthcoming documentary film, addressing Surrogacy, was released in January 2014. In 2015, Ms. Lahl released, "Maggie's Story", her first documentary short film on one woman's story of being a ten-time egg donor now battling stage IV cancer.

Caylan Ford an international affairs specialist, documentary filmmaker, writer, and education reformer. She earned a Bachelor's degree (Hons.) in Chinese history from the University of Calgary, then relocated to Washington DC to pursue a Master's degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University. More recently, she graduated with distinction from Oxford University with a Master's degree in International Human Rights Law, where she wrote her dissertation on the international crime of genocide. Her current documentary project examines the problem of “cancel culture..” A mother of two young children, Caylan is also involved in the education field. She is the founder and board chair of the Calgary Classical Academy, a new charter school offering Canada's first public, non-denominational classical education program.    caylanford.com    

Adam worked for years as a licensed psychotherapist and now focuses his specialty as an Attachment Specialist. Through his new role, Adam helps men and women build a new foundation for their life by addressing the unique attachment wounds that are common to each. According to Adam, attachment issues as their core means you can transform your relationships in marriage, dating, work, friendship, and family. By showing his clients how to repair their attachment wounds, Adam teaches people to open up to others, find their voice, receive the love they've always wanted, and live with confidence.     Find him at https://adamlanesmith.com — on YouTube at @attachmentadam — on Twitter @Brometheus

Dean Abbott is a counselor and mental health professional living in Ohio. He tweets and writes almost daily about relationships and the state of the modern soul. He is the author of two books, both of which are available on Amazon.   On Character and Community: https://a.co/d/0Z3QmyN Common Good: Reflections on Everyday Vices and Virtues: https://a.co/d/5cdCoTK    

Going Godward is a school-based therapist and educational consultant with many years of experience dealing with the challenges faced by families and children in an unraveling culture.  In addition to being the mom of two, she is also a professional social worker and writer.     Follow Going Godward: https://twitter.com/goinggodward?s=20&t=L0plqYX-GdHJvE4y_I4vsA   Book links: https://www.amazon.com/Being-There-audiobook/dp/B06XYW3RQ8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YVPPBKIN62Q8&keywords=being+there&qid=1674068969&sprefix=being+there%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-4 https://www.amazon.com/Life-Bottom-Worldview-Makes-Underclass/dp/B08RLKNRCK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=17YM49UY09OKT&keywords=life+at+the+bottom&qid=1674068993&s=audible&sprefix=life+at+the+bottom%2Caudible%2C77&sr=1-1  

Angela Erickson is host of the podcast Integrated. Angela is a Catholic wife and mother to five children. She has spent over a decade fighting to end abortion and sharing her zeal for her Catholic faith. Her raw, honest approach to the difficulties women and men face in the modern age in embracing femininity/motherhood and masculinity/fatherhood has made Integrated a rapidly growing apostolate in the last year since it launched. Topics covered in today's episode: the uses and limits of identifying as a feminist in the damaged world that certain versions of the ideology created, personal conversion journeys, how feminist society diminishes sensitivities to difficult and specifically female experiences like infertility and miscarriage.     Show Notes: Fairer Disputations: https://fairerdisputations.org/   Angela's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...  

Thank you for a great year. Merry Christmas.   Linktr.ee/helenroy

Bianca is a women's health + fertility coach passionate about helping women reclaim their power and femininity through learning body literacy. Her horrible experience with being on birth control then getting hit hard with Post Birth Control Syndrome sparked her passion for educating women on the truth about birth control. She shares everything she has learned along the way to help women break up with birth control and optimize fertility.     Show Notes: Break Up With Birth Control- http://biancapennington.com/breakup ig- http://instagram.com/biancapennington… twitter- https://twitter.com/wombhealinqueen    

Faith Moore is a freelance writer and editor who runs The Story Club. She quit her job as an elementary school teacher back in 2014 so she could have her son, and never looked back. She's now a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful boys whose writing has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The Federalist, and more. Her book, Saving Cinderella, has nearly 50 five-star reviews on Amazon. Read her essay on miscarriage here. 

Noelle Mering is a fellow at the Washington D.C. based think tank, the Ethics and Public Policy Center. She is the author of the book, Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology (TAN Books, Spring 2021) order through TAN, TheologyofHome.com, or Amazon. She is an editor for the website Theology of Home and a coauthor of the books Theology of Home and Theology of Home II — order here or here. Read her recent piece on fatherhood here.

This week's very special guest is the darling of the dissident Twittersphere: Tiger Lily. Thoroughly and repeatedly banned for making fun of all the culture's sacred cows, she is a prolific poster; you might even call her a comedian. This is a fun, spooky, goofy conversation about conspiracy theories, the importance of humor, becoming a mother, and more.   Follow Mel on Instagram @tigerlilyharvest and Twitter @mypillowgorl    

Megan Basham is a former film and television editor for WORLD and co-host for WORLD Radio. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate, Claremont fellow, Daily Wire commentator, and author of Beside Every Successful Man: A Woman's Guide to Having It All. Megan resides with her husband, Brian Basham, and their two daughters in Charlotte, N.C.   Her NatCon speech: https://youtube.com/watch?v=UetZXc9QPmI&feature=share&utm_source=EKLEiJECCKjOmKnC5IiRIQ   Book: Beside Every Successful Man: A Woman's Guide to Having It All https://a.co/d/ixfoGnn   Twitter: https://twitter.com/megbasham?s=21&t=UOc0fEcJjEd0JCM9pbnpLg  

Katy Faust is the Founder of Them Before Us, the only organization solely devoted to defending children's rights in family structure. She did her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College and then received a Fulbright scholarship to Taiwan. Her fluency in Mandarin assisted her when she worked with the largest Chinese adoption agency in the world. In 2012 Katy began blogging about why marriage is a matter of social justice for kids. Her articles have appeared in USA Today, Public Discourse, LifeSite News, and The Federalist and The Daily Signal. She has filed three amicus briefs supporting children's rights and advocated for the rights of children with lawmakers in the US and abroad as well as at the United Nations.  She currently appears in a video series called Dear Katy which offers advice on how to live sexual integrity in the midst of morally permissive cultures. She is married and the mother of four children, the youngest of whom is adopted from China. You can learn more about Katy at ThemBeforeUs.com or connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.

In this episode, Helen chats with internet historian Katherine Dee about the rise and fall of the girlboss meme and what the future holds for online feminism.    Follow KD on Twitter: @default_friend  Subtrack: https://defaultfriend.substack.com/  

In this episode, Helen has a conversation with Louise Perry, journalist and author of the recently released “The Case Against the Sexual Revolution.” They cover Perry's background, the reason for her success, and their shared long-term vision of demographic collapse. Helen wrote a review of this book for The Institute of Family Studies, excerpted here:   Not only is Perry's set of evidence eminently understandable to an audience of young women, her tone is empathetic and humble, neither condescending nor blameful. She admits to her own belief of the lie, and believes that most who do, do so earnestly. This combination of accessibility and charity could be what makes The Case Against the Sexual Revolution effective in convincing young women to be chaste—much more effective than the litany of explicitly socially conservative and antifeminist books that have aimed for the same for many years. Already, it has served as the impetus for one such conversion of heart. Bridget Phetasy cited Perry as the inspiration for her article “I Regret Being a Slut,” which went viral on social media in early August.   Perry's Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Louise_m_perry   Follow her for regular insights, which are frequently published by The Spectator, The New Statesman, and Unherd.

In this episode, Helen has the unique privilege of speaking with fiction writer Maya Sinha about her latest novel, The City Mother, available through Chrism Press: https://chrismpress.com/books/the-city-mother/

In this episode, Helen sits down with Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, an economist, writer, founder of The Ruth Institute, and author of the book The Sexual State, which can be purchased through the following link at TAN books:  https://tanbooks.com/products/books/life-family/home-life/the-sexual-state-how-elite-ideologies-are-destroying-lives-and-why-the-church-was-right-all-along/   For a background on the administrative state, check out this Pestritto review:  https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/the-making-of-the-administrative-state/

In this episode, Helen speaks with Kay Clarity about the music industry, soviet-style artistic censorship, fine arts education, and the feminine imagination.   Kay Clarity is a Canadian singer, writer, and composer living in LA. She has worked professionally in the arts and entertainment industry in Europe, the UK, and throughout Canada and the US. After studying classic Philosophy and Theology, alongside ancient languages and literature in Europe, she received her Master's Degree in 2015 from Holy Apostles College & Seminary, graduating summa cum laude.  She works extensively as an artist on her own projects, as well as mentoring and representing talent across the broad spectrum of the artistic field, and sourcing talent for culture-changing companies. Her essays have been published in many publications, with her ghostwriting reaching an audience of millions. She has several albums in progress and will be releasing a new collection of songs through her Catholic project, CASSIA & MYRRH, on October 15th of this year.

Today's guest, Mary Harrington, is a contributing editor at UnHerd and a frequent contributor to The American Mind, The New Statesman, First Things, The Critic, and more. Her book Feminism Against Progress will be published in late 2022. She is a wife, a mother, an avid runner, and a Brit. Explore Mary's work here on her website and follow her on Twitter @moveincircles.

 In this episode, Helen speaks with Ashley Colby about the ways women and mothers are forging new paths for their families in the wake of collapse. Ashley is a founder of Rizoma Field School,and experiential learning farm in rural Uruguay. She is the author of “Subsistence Agriculture in the United States” and host of the podcast and substack “Doomer Optimism.”   Ashley's Links: Subsistence Agriculture in the US: Reconnecting to Work, Nature and Community (Routledge-SCORAI Studies in Sustainable Consumption) https://a.co/d/aGhqf1c https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-tucker-max-and-joe-norman/id1585565573?i=1000539906915 https://substack.com/profile/47365107-doomer-optimism https://twitter.com/rizomaschool?s=21&t=uPuKnkV4qn_vFlIZm5dKzA

In this episode, Helen speaks with Ingri Pauline, a holistic women's weightlifting coach, about rediscovering ancient wisdom about the female body. Ingri shares her insights on how to optimize self-awareness, physical and mental health, and productivity by tracking and honoring the menstrual cycle.    Ingri's Links: Instagram Twitter Website Cycle Fundamentals    

In this episode, Helen speaks with Inez Stepman about the uses and limits of anti-feminism and how gender wars have flattened the sexes to stereotypes.   Inez Feltscher Stepman is a senior policy analyst at IWF and host of High Noon with Inez Stepman, a podcast that hosts conversations with heterodox thinkers on a variety of important cultural and political subjects. She has over a decade of experience in education policy, and also handles issues related to institutional capture and the definition of sex in law and culture.    She is a Lincoln Fellow with the Claremont Institute and a senior contributor to The Federalist. Her work has additionally appeared in outlets such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Post, and she has made appearances on Fox News, PBS, CSPAN, and NPR. Inez has a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego, and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. She lives in New York City with her husband.    

In this episode, Helen speaks with Mary Eberstadt about faith, family, feminism, and the future.   Mary Eberstadt holds the Panula Chair in Christian Culture at the Catholic Information Center in Washington DC and is Senior Research Fellow at the Faith & Reason Institute. She is an American writer whose contributions to the intellectual landscape traverse genres. An essayist, novelist, and frequent public speaker, she is author of several books of non-fiction, including How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization; Adam and Eve after the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution; and Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics. Her social commentary draws from fields including anthropology, intellectual history, philosophy, popular culture, sociology, and theology.  Central to her diverse interests are questions concerning the philosophy and culture of Western civilization and the fate and aspirations of post-modern man.

Christine Emba is a columnist for The Washington Post writing about ideas and society. Prior, she was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at the New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. In this episode, Helen talks with Christine about the absolute nightmare scenario that is modern dating, why love and sex seem so far from one another, and how women can be more honest about our desires—all topics covered in her recently released book, Rethinking Sex: a Provocation. 

In this episode, Helen and Erika Bachiochi discuss the "lost vision" of women, our rights, and our social responsibility, detailed in Erika's newest book, The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision.   Erika Bachiochi is a legal scholar specializing in Equal Protection jurisprudence, feminist legal theory, Catholic social teaching, and sexual ethics. She is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Senior Fellow at the Abigail Adams Institute in Cambridge, MA, where she founded and directs the Wollstonecraft Project. 

Helen and Abigail discuss the ways that various common ideas about womanhood lead to real personal damage. The conversation covers everything from performative femininity to birth control to transgenderism. Abigail Favale, Ph.D., is a writer, professor, and speaker. She currently directs and teaches in the William Penn Honors Program, a Great Books curriculum at George Fox University. Abigail's essays and short stories have appeared in print and online for publications such as First Things, The Atlantic, Church Life, and Potomac Review. She has written regularly for Dappled Things, a Catholic literary magazine, and was awarded their J.F. Powers Prize for short fiction in 2017. A cradle evangelical, Abigail was received into the Catholic Church in 2014, and her conversion memoir, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion, traces her journey from postmodern feminism to Roman Catholicism. Abigail is available to speak on a range of topics, but her primary focus is articulating the beauty and wisdom of Catholic teaching on sexuality, gender, and the body. Abigail is wife to Michael, and mother to Julian, Margot, and Benedict.

Helen and Carrie discuss the importance of beauty, order, and tranquility in our lives as women -- and how these things are best cultivated in the context of home.   Carrie Gress is a Fellow at the Washington, D.C. based think-tank, Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at Catholic University of America.   She has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America and is the editor at the online women's magazine Theology of Home.   Carrie has written for numerous publications, including Aleteia, Catholic Vote, Catholic World Report, National Review, The Catholic Thing, The Federalist, The National Catholic Register, The Stream, and The Washington Examiner. She is a frequent guest on Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Answers, EWTN Radio, and Relevant Radio, and has appeared on Fox, BBC, CBC, EWTN and Russia Times television.  

Welcome to the introductory episode of Girlboss, Interrupted, where Helen explains the cultural landscape for modern women and explores the various new possibilities bubbling up in reaction against a once-popular but ultimately defunct feminist ideal.