Feminist Hotdog Adrienne van der Valk and Loudspeaker Studios

It's the last episode of Season Four! To commemorate this moment in Feminist Hotdog history, I decided to reflect a bit about the show's origin story, how four seasons of immersing myself in feminism changed me, and a few other things I've learned about myself, the patriarchy, and how to fight it.
Feminist Hotdog will be going on hiatus for a few months while I focus on getting REVA Recovery Support off the ground. What will it look like when it comes back? I'm not sure yet, but I'd love to know what you think. More recovery content? More guest interviews? More examples of what makes my feminist heart sing? Something else? Let me know!
Stuff I Talked About on This Episode
Lutze B. Segu - The Social Justice Doula Amelia HrubyEbonyJanice MoorePleasure Activism - adrienne maree brownRachel Cargle

The news of Derek Chauvin's conviction and the shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant by a police officer in Ohio both hit hard last week; these events have reignited my thinking about how I can take action to improve outcomes for Black and brown and poor people when they encounter police or become ensnared in the justice system. With that in mind, I decided to rebroadcast this interview with Ashley Edwards about why the cash bail system is a worthy place to put our activist attention and how confronting it can keep literally millions of people safer from the abuses of incarceration. It's not abolition, but it's a start. (Original show notes below.)
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Bailout funds have been in the news for weeks now, but how do they fit into the bigger picture of the criminal justice and cash bail systems? Ashley Edwards of MGM Bailout joins Feminist Hotdog this week to talk about the racism inherent in the cash bail system, the predatory lending practices that surround it, how listeners can work to abolish cash bail, and why we should view this as a feminist issue. 
Things We Talked About on This Episode
MGM Bailout National Bailout Until Freedom Comes Bailout Toolkit Black Mama’s Bailout Southerners On New Ground After Cash Bail: A Framework for Imagining Pretrial Justice

Clubhouse has revealed itself to be a place where folks (like me) who have difficulty moderating will quickly run into trouble. Luckily, before I weaned myself off, I had the opportunity to meet Cynthia Wright, a self-described "queer writer and military brat" who also hosts the fabulous recovery podcast Getting Your Sh*t Together. Cynthia's pod offers a unique mix of storytelling, interviews, personal development, social commentary, and—of course—recovery tips. We had a great conversation about how podcasting can be a form of therapy, how intersectionality shows up in recovery spaces, and how self-compassion played a pivotal role in her own story. Enjoy!
Stuff We Talked About on This Episode
Getting You Sh*t TogetherNavigating That Sober Summer LifeA Bih Talks About Disrespecting YourselfHow Guilt and Shame Impacts Your LifeSelf-Compassion Deep Dive

Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation.
When Sara and I first spoke about her appearance on Feminist Hotdog, I wasn't entirely clear on the connection between feminism and suicide prevention. However, after this conversation, I realized that suicide is a stigma-laden topic that—like addiction and abuse—often impacts women in unseen ways and must be talked about openly for anything to improve.
In this episode, Sara explains how our medical and emergency response systems are falling short when it comes to suicide prevention and how we can become agents of change by using our voices to challenge cultural narratives about women and mental health. We also dig into some promising developments in policy and treatment and how you can get involved in spreading the word and smashing the stigma around suicide.
If you've ever lost someone to suicide or know someone who has, I highly recommend you listen to this healing and inspiring episode.
Stuff We Talked About on This Episode
American Foundation For Suicide PreventionBecome an Advocate for Suicide Prevention

Zillah Eisenstein is an influential scholar, writer, and activist who has engaged in feminist action and inquiry for over 40 years. Her book Abolitionist Socialist Feminism profoundly affected me when I read it last year, so I was thrilled when she agreed to come on the show to discuss her career and the state of the world. Among many other topics, we talked about being a white woman raised as an anti-racist, why protests of police brutality gained so much traction in 2020, the many social hierarchies COVID has exposed, and how she stays engaged and inspired after 40-plus years of feminist and progressive activism. One particular powerful mantra she shared: “Whatever you do, you don’t wait.” 
Stuff We Talked About on This Episode 
Zillaheisenstein.wordpress.comAbolitionist Socialist Feminism: Radicalizing the Next Revolution"The New US: While Calling Out Trump White Women""The Misogyny of COVID and White Supremacy""A Letter to My Anti-racist Feminist Sisters in the Time of COVID-19"

Warning: This episode contains disturbing themes and bigoted language. Listener discretion is advised.
This episode may not be a very joyful one, but it is fascinating and urgent—possibly more urgent than ever. My guest is Dr. Heidi Beirich, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at the nonprofit organization Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.
Heidi is an international expert on the far right. Our conversation focused on the role of women within anti-democratic movements and the relationship between feminism, misogyny, and extremism. We talk about what it means for women globally that far-right political candidates are gaining power in countries around the world, including the U.S. And we explore the uncomfortable question: How does the supportive role white women play in white nationalist movements mirror the role white women have played in supporting white supremacy throughout history?
Stuff We Talked About on This Episode
Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
Cynthia Miller Idriss
Kathleen Belew
Mia Bloom
White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
“White Women Were Colonisers Too. To Move Forward, We Have to Stop Letting Them Off the Hook.” by Ruby Hamad