Breaking Down Patriarchy

Amy joins the renowned writer Carol Lynn Pearson in her home for an illuminating and tender conversation about the life and struggles of a major figure in LDS feminism, her insights into queer people in the Church, the lingering ghost of polygamy, and what it takes to be an independent thinker inside a patriarchal institution.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyRenowned Mormon feminist, Carol Lynn Pearson, is an American poet, author, screenwriter, and playwright. She frequently addresses the topics of LGBT acceptance and the role of Latter-Day Saint women. She has written many important works, including Goodbye, I Love You, The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy, and most recently, The Diaries of Carol Lynn Pearson – Mormon Author, Feminist, and Activist.

Amy is joined by author Naima Brown to discuss her newest novel, Mother Tongue, exploring the consequences of change, finding our authentic selves, motherhood, right-wing radicalization, and the importance of fiction in our fight against patriarchy.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyNaima Brown holds degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology and Religious Studies. Her essays have appeared in Vogue Australia, the Guardian Australia, and more. She wrote, along with Melissa Doyle, the non-fiction book How to Age Against the Machine. She has spent over a decade working in news, current affairs and documentary - save for her brief stint in reality TV, which inspired her first novel, The Shot. She was born and raised in Northern California before living and working in Yemen and Afghanistan, and now lives in New South Wales with her husband and her dog. Her second novel, Mother Tongue, was published in March 2025.

Amy is joined by Dr. Keisha Blain to discuss her new book, Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights, shining a light on unsung heroines of activism and the critical importance of preserving history in our precarious political landscape.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyDr. Keisha Blain is an award-winning historian of the 20th century United States. She is a Professor of History and Africana Studies at Brown University, as well as one of the founding leaders of the African American Intellectual History Society, and she serves as the editor-in-chief of Global Black Thought, a journal of essays on Black ideas, theories, and intellectuals.Blain is the author of the books Set the World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom, and Until I Am Free: Fannie Lou Hamer's Enduring Message to America. And her most recent book, which we’ll be discussing today, is titled Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights and it was published just this September.

Amy is joined by publisher and sex educator Susan Bratton for a tell-all discussion about sex under patriarchy, the power of pleasure, and practical steps towards liberation in the bedroom.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchySusan Bratton is co-founder and CEO of two companies serving the direct-to-consumer intimate wellness space. She is a manufacturer of supplements and a publisher of online courses focused on having a great relationship your whole life long. Her expertise is in ageless sexuality, sexual biohacking, libido supplementation and sexual regenerative therapies that roll back the clock on aging. She is a sought-after speaker from the stage, has been on countless podcasts, radio shows, and television segments worldwide. Her weekly email newsletter has nearly a half a million readers. And she is beloved as the "trusted intimacy wellness expert to millions 💋."Susan believes that shame-free, frequent sexual pleasure is every man and woman’s birthright.

Amy is joined by Mary Catherine Starr, author of Mama Needs a Minute!, to discuss how even with the best intentions parents can easily fall into patriarchal and unequal gender roles, how to take a closer look at our relationships and households, and how comics can help us cope with the overwhelm of motherhood.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyMary Catherine Starr is a mother-of-two and a graphic designer, illustrator, yoga teacher, author, and the artist behind the viral Instagram account @momlife_comics. Mary Catherine's work focuses on the challenges of marriage, motherhood, double standards, and inequality in both the household and the workplace. She is passionate about speaking up for women and bringing awareness to the mental load and the invisible labor of motherhood. Her first book, a comic memoir entitled Mama Needs a Minute!, came out in March, 2025. Mary Catherine lives in Massachusetts with her husband, her children, and her son’s large collection of plastic dinosaurs. Learn more about Mary Catherine Starr at marycatherinestarr.com.