Rude History

This week we're covering an oldie but a goodie: Luis Alberto Urrea's THE DEVIL'S HIGHWAY. Originally published in the early aughts, this book tells the story of a group of Mexican migrants who attempted to cross the unforgiving Arizona desert. Spoiler: It went terribly for everyone involved. Unfortunately, this story remains incredibly relevant at the border, and Erika and Clare discuss how not much has really changed in the 21 years since these poor men set out across the desert. Links: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive Got something to say to us? Email us at pleasestayontopicpod@gmail.com

today we're discussing Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism! Using Kendall's work, we dig deep into issues of white feminism: Namely, how centering middle class white women damages the feminist movement as a whole. We get into what "really counts" as a feminist issue--including a hard discussion about why, when most hungry Americans are WOMEN, mainstream feminism isn't doing much to combat this most basic of problem Links: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive Got something to say to us? Email us at pleasestayontopicpod@gmail.com

In this episode, our intrepid hosts discuss Amanda Montell's Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. As the title suggests, the book is about the linguistic techniques cults use to shut down critical thinking and encourage compliance. Groups as diverse as Jonestown and CrossFit are covered--and yes, Scientology and MLMs also make an appearance. You will never think of phrases like "it is what it is" in the same way again...which is good, because you were probably overusing them, anyway. Sources: "MLMs might not be able to get away with their shady promises much longer" by Emily Stewart for VOX. Links: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive Got something to say to us? Email us at pleasestayontopicpod@gmail.com

In this episode, Clerika discuss Susannah Cahalan's The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness. The book covers the famous Rosenhan experiment, which took place in the late sixties and early seventies and involved regular people faking their way into insane asylums. The experiment helped justify the closing of the asylums and the revamping of the DSM, so it was kind of a big deal. But wait--there's a shocking twist! Which we will annoyingly NOT reveal in the show notes! Links: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive Got something to say to us? Email us at pleasestayontopicpod@gmail.com

Please Stay on Topic kicks off its first season with Angela Chen's Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. This is a topic near and dear to cohost Erika, because she's demisexual. If you don't know what that means, then don't worry--we've got you covered! And if you DO know what that means, then don't worry--we go deep enough that you still might learn something! Either way, it's going to be a great time. Sources: https://www.vox.com/23021971/florida-gay-trans-lgbtq-laws https://www.thedailybeast.com/same-sex-marriage-foes-get-band-back-together-for-dont-say-gay-push https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/04/florida-dont-say-gay-bill-children-mental-health https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/ Links: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive Got something to say to us? Email us at pleasestayontopicpod@gmail.com

Learn all about the new series, Please Stay on Topic: A Social Justice Book Club. New episodes begin next Monday.

Hey guys, we're back--but only with a re-upload of an older episode. Sorry, sad trombone noise, etc. Anyway, here's the first part of the story of Catherine Howard--Henry VIII's fifth and most-maligned queen. We'll be back in two weeks with the follow-up.

For this week, we re-recorded our episodes on Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. DiAngelo's work focuses on the ways in which white supremacy protects itself by encouraging white people to throw absolute fits whenever confronted about racism. Clerika discuss times when they have pulled this shit themselves. Shockingly, it is super uncomfortable. These episodes are the end of Season 1; we'll be back February 19. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

For this week, we re-recorded our episodes on Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. DiAngelo's work focuses on the ways in which white supremacy protects itself by encouraging white people to throw absolute fits whenever confronted about racism. Clerika discuss times when they have pulled this shit themselves. Shockingly, it is super uncomfortable. These episodes are the end of Season 1; we'll be back February 19. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's our second-to-last episode of the season, and it's definitely cursed! This week, Clerika takes on the life of Hatshepsut--that barrier-breaking, gender-bending female king of ancient Egypt. Unfortunately, because of the paucity of available sources, there's a lot of uncertainty in this one. But don't worry! Both Clare and Erika are going to have a FUCKING MELTDOWN about how much they hate researching antiquity! Also, trigger warning: Apparently the ancient Egyptians were not shy about sexualizing extremely young girls. It gross. Also, definitely keep your headphones in for this one, because we wound up discussing male masturbation a whole lot. It's pertinent, we promise. But still definitely not something you want your children to overhear. Sources: The Woman Who Would be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's time for part two of Push Back! But before we get to that, something...weird happened in the United States this Wednesday. Donald Trump threw himself an itsy bitsy wittle coup. You know, the kind of mistake that ANY fascist dictator might make as he's being shown the door! Why is everyone being SO UNCOOL about this? Anyway, Erika and Clare discuss that landmark historical event for...awhile, as an intro to the episode. If you're all coup-ed out, our discussion of Push Back begins at 49.14. As for the actual episode, we get into the nitty gritty details of how, exactly, the natural childbirth, lactivist, and attachment parenting industries are lying their asses off and causing parents (especially mothers) undue stress and torment. Highlights include the fact that breast milk is not the liquid gold lactivists claim it is: Breastfed infants do have some minor protection against colds and diarrhea for the first year, but that's it. Seriously. THAT IS IT. In addition, an epidural cannot "sedate" your baby, and children actually attach to their parents very quickly and easily--which means that all the elaborate rituals attachment parenting gurus demand are a bullshit waste of time. Get ready to enjoy a full buffet of pseudoscience, misogyny, and treating children like glorified props in their parents' lives! Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Happy New Year, nerds! It's a Social Justice Book Club week, and this time around, we're discussing Dr. Amy Tuteur's "Push Back: Guilt in the Age of Natural Parenting." Dr. Tuteur is a retired OBGYN who has become somewhat notorious in certain crunchy corners of the Internet for critiquing the natural childbirth and natural parenting industries. In her book, Dr. Tuteur discusses the anti-feminist origins of natural childbirth in particular, as well its gender essentialist rhetoric. Why do we care? Because as Tuteur makes clear, so much of the information natural childbirth and natural parenting advocates spout is fundamentally wrong--and yet they've been allowed to dictate the course of many public health campaigns, including the ongoing effort to bully women into breastfeeding for longer. Also, taken to its most extreme, this shit can become a death cult--but no one cares, because the only people who die are women and babies. So strap in, folks: We're going to start off 2021 by talking birthing plans, midwives, and why you should absolutely, positively NEVER "trust birth." Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Hey guys, it's Christmas 2020! Erika is a practicing Christian, and Clare is an atheist who really enjoys presents, so we're audi today. However, we do have a minisode to tide you over until next week! When we were recording episode one, about Susannah Cahalan's "The Great Pretender," we ended up having to cut a section for time. Now, here it is! You should definitely listen to episode 1 before diving into this week's ep, but otherwise it should be fairly self-explanatory. Happy Holidays! See you next week! Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's time for the rest of Cleopatra VII's story! When we left off, she'd just lost her boyfriend Julius Caesar to assassination--and also assassinated her brother-husband as a housekeeping measure. In this episode, Cleopatra hooks up with her "great love" Mark Antony...but was their love really so great? Asides include whether or not Cleopatra was even capable of true love, having been raised in an actual snake pit, and why Caligula is our favorite. Sources: Cleopatra and Antony: Power, Love, and Politics in the Ancient World by Diana Preston Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

This week, we're talking about one of the more maligned women in history: Cleopatra VII of Ptolemaic Egypt! Cleopatra was the last pharaoh, but she was not an actual Egyptian: Her ancestor, Ptolemy I, was a Macedonian Greek who claimed the land in part by running off with Alexander the Great's mummified corpse. The Ptolemies were...a lot. In this episode, Clerika discuss the hot mess incest express that was Ptolemaic Dynasty, and how Cleopatra made the best of the absolute shit sandwich she inherited. We cover her early reign--during which she was kicked out by her own court--and her "epic romance" with Julius Caesar, who was old enough to be her dad. Asides include whether or not a severed head EVER makes an appropriate gift, and which one of us would have willingly banged Caesar. Sources: Cleopatra and Antony: Power, Love, and Politics in the Ancient World by Diana Preston Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's a Social Justice Book Club week, and today we're discussing Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism! Using Kendall's work, we dig deep into issues of white feminism: Namely, how centering middle class white women damages the feminist movement as a whole. We get into what "really counts" as a feminist issue--including a hard discussion about why, when most hungry Americans are WOMEN, mainstream feminism isn't doing much to combat this most basic of problems. Also, hey! We're doing a giveaway! Listen for details. Source: Mikki Kendall, Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

The theme of this season is royal women, and up first is Rosemary Kennedy! Rosemary was the oldest daughter of Joe and Rose Kennedy, and sister to one president and two senators. Unfortunately for Rosemary, her birth was badly mishandled, and she was left with an intellectual disability because of prolonged oxygen deprivation. Even more unfortunately, her parents could never accept her for who she was, which led Joe to have her lobotomized at the age of 23. Uplifting! Sources: Susannah Cahalan, The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness Kate Clifford Larson, Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide, graphic self-harm, and general discussion of mental illness. And we are BACK! We're going to a new season system so that Clare actually has time to research, and we're starting off with a Social Justice Book Club entry. This week, we cover Susannah Cahalan's The Great Pretender. Cahalan's book begins as an investigation into the Rosenhan experiment, in which a handful of people faked their way into mental institutions back in the late 1960s/early 1970s. From there, the book spirals out into a broader discussion of the history and present state of mental health care in the United States. Spoiler: It's real bad, folks. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Hey guys, it's a timely reminder that in the United States, you could legally own another human being up until 157 years ago! If you're having a hard time picturing how long ago that was, then imagine two 60 year olds and a 37 year old hanging out. See? It's less than three lifetimes ago. Gee, I wonder why African Americans are still pissed about it... Anyway, Rude History will be discussing the life and times of Harriet Ann Jacobs for the next two weeks. Harriet was born into slavery in the 1810s, but managed to escape northward in her late twenties. Later, she wrote and published an autobiography that is still taught in many college classes, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl." In this episode, we cover Harriet's early life and family background, as well as the birth of her children. Finally, we talk about her courageous decision to escape from a tyrannical sexual predator--not to mention all the ways she managed to trick his dumb, racist ass. We also get into the institution of slavery more generally, and how it was modified and upheld by southern whites during the antebellum period. Prepare to be real ashamed of the United States, everyone! Sources: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet Ann Jacobs Harriet Jacobs: A Life, by Jean Fagan Yellin "Dating Harriet Jacobs: Why Birthdates Matter to Historians," by Mary Maillard Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Because September 11 is next week, we're reposting our series about the attacks. Original description: Aaaaaaaand we're back! In this episode, Erika and Clare discuss "The Unthinkable" by Amanda Ripley, which is about the way human beings behave during disasters. Learn about why panic is largely a myth, Black Friday stampedes are the fault of store owners, and how capitalism + peer pressure killed a ton of people on 9/11. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

September 11 is next week, so we're reposting our series about what happened that day. Original description: The girls are back! This time with a multi-part series about what happened on September 11, 2001. The upside: You won't have to wait for the rest of the series, because it all drops today! The downside: We're covering the historical event that looked at Pearl Harbor and was all, "hold my beer." Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

September 11 is next week, so we're reposting our series about what happened that day. Original description: The girls are back! This time with a multi-part series about what happened on September 11, 2001. The upside: You won't have to wait for the rest of the series, because it all drops today! The downside: We're covering the historical event that looked at Pearl Harbor and was all, "hold my beer." Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

September 11 is next week, so we're reposting our series about what happened that day. Original description: The girls are back! This time with a multi-part series about what happened on September 11, 2001. The upside: You won't have to wait for the rest of the series, because it all drops today! The downside: We're covering the historical event that looked at Pearl Harbor and was all, "hold my beer." Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

It's crazy how much of human history comes down to a woman not being able to poop out a baby without modern medical intervention. This week, Clerika talks about the tragically short life of Princess Charlotte of Wales--the woman whose death let to Queen Victoria's reign. Born in 1796, Charlotte was the only legitimate grandchild of George III, and therefore Heiress Presumptive to the throne of Great Britain. Unfortunately for Charlotte, she did not have Victoria's obstetric luck, and she died a few hours after the birth of her only child. But although Charlotte didn't make it to her 22nd birthday, she was a real one. Listen to learn about how she outwitted her terrible parents, charmed everyone she ever met, and made a love match for the ages that made Erika cry, the sap. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on Tumblr Sources: Charlotte & Leopold: The True Story of the Original People's Princess, by James Chambers We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals, by Gillian Gill

Brought to you by poor time management, it's a repost week! It's not just woman-hating misogyny, it's science! In this episode, our heroes travel back in time to Tudor England to discuss all the things that the Tudors DID NOT KNOW about the human body! From birth control to insemination to infanticide, we've got you covered. Trust us: You will never be the same again. Rated NC-17, cause no durrrrrr. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Elizabeth Norton: The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women Ruth Goodman: How to be a Tudor Tracy Borman: The Private Lives of the Tudors

Brought to you by poor time management, it's a repost week! Clerika makes a blatant appeal to the masses by wading into the fast food of the historical world: Tudor England. In this episode, we cover what life was like for adult women during the period, from choosing the right midwife to bewitching local children with your evil old eyes. You know, because you're too old to have your period anymore and the devil has to escape from SOME kind of orifice. Listen, people, there's no reason to get upset--it's just science. This episode is rated PG-13, because the subject of childbirth comes up a lot and--shockingly--so do vaginas. And butter. Together. Cause again, science. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Elizabeth Norton: The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women Ruth Goodman: How to be a Tudor Tracy Borman: The Private Lives of the Tudors

And now for something a little different! Clerika discuss the podcast's change in direction because of Clare's obsessive compulsive disorder. Then, our girls talk about what it was like growing up neurodivergent in the 1990s. Asides include how Clare's aughts-era benzo habit made her fall off a vespa and onto her face, and how Erika's ADHD is sometimes like working with a friendly ghost. Guest appearances by Erika's very angry sun conure, Luca, and Clare's incredibly old orange tabby, Mimi. Guys, it's quarantine. Deal with the occasional pet noise. If this week's discussion isn't your bag, then don't worry: We'll be back to actual history next Friday. Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Clare is recovering from surgery--so because she's a weenie, we're just doing a minisode this week! We round out our coverage of the life of Ada Byron Lovelace by discussing her probable half sister, Elizabeth Medora Leigh. In this episode, we discuss the financial power that husbands had over their wives during the Victorian Era, as well as how Victorian doctors thought that opium was the cure to...everything. Have fun! Source: The Bride of Science: Romance, Reason, and Byron's Daughter, by Benjamin Woolley Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

Last week, we discussed her parents' terrible marriage. This week, we're discussing the actual life of Ada Byron Lovelace! We divided the episode into two parts: In the first, we discuss Ada's enduring contributions to the history of computer science. In the second, we discuss how her parents's shitshow of a marriage traumatized her mother so badly that she emotionally and financially abused Ada well into adulthood. Uplifting! Sources: Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet, by Claire L. Evans The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, by Walter Isaacson The Bride of Science: Romance, Reason, and Byron's Daughter, by Benjamin Woolley Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

The first in a two part series about Ada Byron Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer! This introductory episode deals with the story of Ada's parents: Lord George Gordon Byron, famed poet and noted chaos gremlin, and Anne Isabella Milbanke, a normal human being. Over the course of almost two hours (sorry, everyone), we'll discuss the dangers of internet dating in the 19th century, why you CAN love your sister too much, and how the greatest crime any woman can commit is being a buzzkill. Pandemic warning: You can hear Clare's husband doing something in the kitchen towards the very end of the episode. It's annoying, it cannot be scrubbed from the audio, and he's barely sorry for your pain. C'est la vie. Sources: Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet, by Claire L. Evans The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, by Walter Isaacson The Bride of Science: Romance, Reason, and Byron's Daughter, by Benjamin Woolley Ada's Algorithm: How Lord Byron's Daughter Ada Lovelace Launched the Digital Age, by James Essinger Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

This week, Clerika brings you the simultaneously uplifting and horrifying story of Irena Sendler! Irena was a social worker in occupied Warsaw during WWII. Despite great risk to herself, she managed to save the lives of over 2500 Jewish children. This episode serves as a counterweight to our episodes on Nazis in the caregiving professions ("Lethal Admin" and "A Bad, Bad Man"). Many of those Nazi shits later bleated that they were "just doing their jobs," but Irena's story proves that you don't have the take the opportunities life gives you to be a dick. You can and should do the right thing, even when it's the hard thing. Source Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto, by Tilar J. Mazzeo Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's Catherine Howard, Part 2! The fifth wife of Henry VIII, Catherine Howard was a completely inappropriate choice as queen, and was executed for adultery in 1542. She was probably less than 20 years old at the time. What a prince, that Henry! We pick up where we left off, with Catherine heading off to court to meet her doom. An early example of a morosexual, poor Catherine liked 'em hot and dumb. This...did not serve her well when Henry found out that she was cheating on him with a member of the Privy Chamber. Womp womp. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII, by Gareth Russell Catherine Howard: The Adulterous Wife of Henry VIII, by David Loades Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford, by Julia Fox

Hey bitches, we're back--and now we're weekly! To kick off our hot girl summer, here's the first in a two part series on Catherine Howard. Known as Henry VIII's hottest, dumbest wife, Catherine was executed for adultery/treason in 1542. Unlike her cousin Anne Boleyn, Catherine was actually guilty of stepping out on Henry. But in her defense, she was probably about 18, and her husband was 49. Grosssss. In this first episode, we discuss Catherine's family background, her tumultuous and very eventful adolescence, and what an utter pain in the ass it is to find accurate information about her tragically short life. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII, by Gareth Russell Catherine Howard: The Adulterous Wife of Henry VIII, by David Loades Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford, by Julia Fox

Repost time! This week, I (Clare) finally got around to posting the extremely sanitized version of Empress Wu Zetian's biography on the website. In honor of that, here are the episodes we did about Wu, the only female Emperor in Chinese history. Here's the articles about Wu: rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com/empress…stions/ ORIGINAL EPISODE DESCRIPTION It's Part II of our series on Empress Wu, the only female emperor of China! In this conclusion to our series, Wu goes through crown princes like Kleenex and then declares herself a living God--as you do. But surprisingly, she's not even close to being the craziest person in the royal family! I KNOW! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

Repost time! This week, I (Clare) finally got around to posting the extremely sanitized version of Empress Wu Zetian's biography on the website. In honor of that, here are the episodes we did about Wu, the only female Emperor in Chinese history. Here's the articles about Wu: https://rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com/empress-wu-zetian-without-questions/ ORIGINAL EPISODE DESCRIPTION Not quite in time for Valentine's Day, it's an episode about possibly the baddest bitch to ever exist: Wu Zetian! The only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu ruled in her own right, which is cool, but to get there, she had to murder a bunch of people, which is less cool. Also featured: a LARPing crown prince, the statue of a fallen dancing boy, dueling concubines, a nunnery turned whorehouse, and an alleged murder that was probably just an elaborate setup for a really bad sex joke. Have fun! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

Ever wondered why Russia spent seven decades as a communist dictatorship? Look no further than the spectacular fuckups of the last Tsar and Tsarina! In this episode, Clerika discusses the fall of the Romanovs: Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Empress Alexandra, and their poor defenseless children who deserved NONE of this bullshit. Buckle in, guys--it's a long episode. We never shut up! Sources: "Nicholas and Alexandra: The Classic Account of the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty" by Robert K. Massie "Alix and Nicky: The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina" by Virginia Rounding "The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra" by Helen Rappaport "George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I" by Miranda Carter "Queen Victoria's Matchmaking: The Royal Marriages that Shaped Europe" by Deborah Cadbury "Could Anyone Have Saved the Romanovs?" by BARBARA MARANZANI on History.com Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

In this week's very special episode, Clerika discuss the history of cholera and the famed 1854 Broad Street Pump incident. Erika finally loses it and gives a five-minute-long rant about how people never learn when it comes to infectious diseases. It's beautiful. Also, for the love of fuck, please stay indoors. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: "The Ghost Map" by Steven Johnson “Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond,” by Sonia Shah

Hey guys, it's part 2! In this episode, Clerika discuss a disease outbreak in America for which the Chinese-American community was blamed. It sounds ripped from the headlines, but the disease was bubonic plague and the year was 1900. Jesus Christ, we never fucking learn, do we?! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: “Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond,” by Sonia Shah "Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague," by David K. Randall "History in a Crisis — Lessons for Covid-19" by David S. Jones (for JAMA)

We’re back, bitches! In this episode, Erika and Clare discuss the current Covid-19 outbreak, then use the work of Sonia Shah to explain how pandemics work. Wonder why everyone’s being SO FUCKING STUPID?! We gotchoo, fam. Note: This one got so long that we cut it for time. There will be another episode up soon on a related topic, so stay tuned! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: “Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond,” by Sonia Shah “From Bats to Human Lungs, the Evolution of a Coronavirus” by Carolyn Kormann (for The New Yorker) This Podcast Will Kill You, Episode 43 “M-m-m-my Coronaviruses” and Episode 50, “COVID-19 Chapter 4: Epidemiology” “Why They're Called 'Wet Markets' — And What Health Risks They Might Pose,” by Jason Beaubien (for NPR)

"Everyone was clean--I learned it in romance novels!" It's our very first repost! Sorry guys, Clerika is busy AF trying to bring you a super-topical episode for next week. So enjoy this oldie but goodie, which is about how Europeans couldn't wash themselves to save their lives--literally! Seriously, some bad, racist shit is going down right now, and we here at Rude History Industries want to take this moment to remind our fellow whites that people of European descent took a SHAMEFULLY long time to learn not to stew in our own filth. So maybe lay off the anti-Asian comments, okay? Okay! BEGIN REPOST: Erika and Clare are back, baby! Closing out the New Year with a reminder that you should always, always wash your butt. Yep, that's right: We're talking about the Europeans and how they couldn't keep clean to save their lives! (Or other people's noses). Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and maybe think about giving the gift of soap. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr (If tumblr still exists) Sources: Katherine Ashenburg, The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History. Ruth Goodman, How to be a Tudor and How to be a Victorian

Hey guys, trying something a little different this week. I (Clare) recorded the the reading collection I wrote about the Flint Water Crisis for use in classrooms. Reminder: Other episodes of this podcast ARE NOT intended for use in classrooms. We drop so many f-bombs, guys. Sources: Anna Clark, "The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy" Mona Hanna-Attisha, "What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City" Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

In this episode, Clerika dives right into the life and legacy of Hans Asperger, a man who has gotten waaaaaaaaay too much credit for advancing our knowledge of autism. And who was also a child-murderer. Whoops. Source: "Asperger's Children: The Origins of Autism in Nazi Vienna," by Edith Sheffer Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses sexual assault, sometimes in explicit terms. If that's a trigger for you, then you may want to sit this one out. Also, we tried not to be graphic about it, but you might want to listen to this using your headphones. Rape is a historical phenomenon, but not one that historians always consider in frank terms. In this episode, we'll talk about modern rape myths and how they contort our society and our judicial system into weird knots. We'll try to avoid being ahistorical and projecting these PARTICULAR myths back onto earlier periods of history, but seriously: Rape myths have existed in one form or another throughout recorded history. We need to take good, long look at them if we want to understand the past OR the present. We'll also discuss that most pernicious of rape myths: The idea that false reports are ubiquitous. Also, MOST importantly, we'll talk about how you can avoid being raped by not wearing overalls. ...yes, that's real advice that some women have been given. God help us all. Sources: Asking for It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture--and What We Can Do about It, by Kate Harding A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America, by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong (now published as "Unbelievable) Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America, by Jill Leovy "The Duke Lacrosse Rape Case" by "You're Wrong About" (podcast) Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

This episode of Rude History is the first in a two-parter about caregivers in Nazi territories...and how Nazi ideology twisted the definition of "care." This first episode is a deep dive into Wendy Lower's "Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields." Join Clerika as we discuss killer nurses, murderous secretaries, adoptive mothers from hell, and wives who really wanted to make sure that their serial killer husbands got a nice snack during a long day of mass murder. This one's fucked up, y'all. Because--and this shouldn't be controversial in 2020--NAZIS SUCK. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

The conclusion to our two part series on the history of adoption. In this episode, we talk about all the ways in which international adoption went horribly, horribly wrong--until so-called "supply" countries started to cut off the United States. Dude, even Angelina Jolie accidentally adopted a kid who wasn't really an orphan (Zahara, for the record). What hope did normal people have? Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Literally too many to list here without getting annoying. Check out the website for the full bibliography on this one.

First part of a two part series on the history of adoption. Yeah, this'll be uplifting! This episode covers Tudor-era parents refusing to deal with their own teenagers, Native Americans refusing to give their children to the incapable English, and multiple instances of cultural genocide. And that's BEFORE we get to the creation of modern adoption and the so-called baby scoop era! Fun, fun, FUN! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Literally too many to list here without getting annoying. Check out the website for the full bibliography on this one.

Happy 2020, nerds! At long last, it's the second half of our two-parter on Roanoke. In this episode, we finally get into the nitty-gritty of the various journeys. Unfortunately, things are about to take a very dark, very familiar turn. The English are going to be presumptive, lazy, and germ-ridden! The Native Americans are going to wonder why these dumb, sick ghosts don't have basic life skills! Violence will erupt! Innocent dogs will be eaten by ill-prepared colonists! 300 black people will disappear into thin air, and yet modern Americans will get hung up on what happened to 100 white people instead! Join us for the thrilling conclusion to this first installment of our ongoing series about early America. It WILL get worse from here, folks. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by James Horn Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony by Karen Ordahl Kupperman Black Tudors: The Untold Story by Miranda Kaufmann

Clerika returns! This time, to discuss the "enduring mystery" of England's first colony in North America, which was based on Roanoke Island in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Colonization is a dumb idea that involves gathering a lot of money and people into one area and then setting them both on fire, so why did the English wanna do it? In this episode, we'll discuss their motivations, their plans, and how piracy factored into the whole thing. Tune in next week to hear about how it very predictably went totally wrong! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by James Horn Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony by Karen Ordahl Kupperman Black Tudors: The Untold Story by Miranda Kaufmann

Aaaaaaaand we're back! In this episode, Erika and Clare discuss "The Unthinkable" by Amanda Ripley, which is about the way human beings behave during disasters. Learn about why panic is largely a myth, Black Friday stampedes are the fault of store owners, and how capitalism + peer pressure killed a ton of people on 9/11. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

The girls are back! This time with a multi-part series about what happened on September 11, 2001. The upside: You won't have to wait for the rest of the series, because it all drops today! The downside: We're covering the historical event that looked at Pearl Harbor and was all, "hold my beer." Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff

The girls are back! This time with a multi-part series about what happened on September 11, 2001. The upside: You won't have to wait for the rest of the series, because it all drops today! The downside: We're covering the historical event that looked at Pearl Harbor and was all, "hold my beer." Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: 102 Minutes byJim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fall and Rise by Marcus Zuckoff