Material Girls

Witch Please Productions is on Spring Break, so we're taking the opportunity to re-introduce you to Gender Playground, a podcast co-hosted by Marcelle Kosman and Raimi Marx about the joys of gender-affirming care for kids. This show launched to our Patreon last year and through patron support, we were able to launch it to the public in February of this year! We're dropping Episode 5 into your feed: Plans, Trans, and Autonomy. In this episode, Marcelle and Raimi discuss “transition.” We begin with an anecdote from Marcelle about the discomfort she feels labelling her daughter Billie as trans, given Billie started using she/her pronouns soon after becoming verbal. Together, Marcelle and Raimi think through the shortcomings and utility of labels, gender as a social construct, and the importance of affirming the gender and gender expression of people of all ages. Raimi then explains “transition” as an umbrella term that includes a range of actions pertaining to internal, social, legal and physical changes and choices folks may make. Marcelle asks some questions and there’s a fair amount of giggling! As always, we end with a couple recommendations and a promise to continue our discussion of transition in coming episodes.We’re continuing to find our audience for this podcast and we need your help! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with family and friends — and leave an Apple Review! If you’d like to directly support production of this show, head to ohwitchplease.com/sponsorships. For just $250 USD, you can become a Gender Playground sponsor, run an ad on our show and get a shoutout. We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode of Material Girls. :)

Material Girls is on Spring Break! But don't fret! We unlocked an episode of Making Worlds, our Patreon-exclusive video podcast hosted by Hannah McGregor.Making Worlds is dedicated to the liberatory possibilities of other worlds! In each episode Hannah speaks with a guest (or two) about a sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction, or magical realism text that has changed the way they view the world.In this episode, Hannah talks with scholars (and friends) Lucia Lorenzi (she/they), and Clare Mulcahy (she/her) about Dimension 20! They explore the intimacy of collaborative world-making and the magical possibilities of pretending together. Then Lucia and Clare share what they take from Dimension 20 into their own lives. It’s a heartfelt discussion between three friends who really love Dimension 20, so get cozy and enjoy!If you want more Making Worlds, become a Patreon supporter at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If you want more Witch, Please Productions, head to ohwitchplease.com for transcripts, reading lists, and merch! You can follow us on Instagram @ohwitchplease for reels and other fun content! And you can follow our Substack which features a monthly newsletter called The Monthly Hoot where you get access to an assortment of recommendations, podcast updates, and monthly playlists. We also release behind-the-episode newsletters that delve into the research process for our public scholarship. Go to ohwitchplease.substack.com to subscribe for free.Music Credits: Special thanks to Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle who wrote our theme song! Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Like the serious academics they are, Hannah and Marcelle not only researched Disney in academic journals, they also went to the happiest place on earth! They made custom Theodor Adorno t-shirts, scooped Marcelle's eight-year-old and Gender Playground co-host, Raimi Marx, and wen on their way! In this bonus episode, they answer your questions about the experience. Sharing one mic, Raimi, Marcelle and Hannah talk about managing expectations, capitalism's hold on joy, the relationship between surrealist world-making and psychedelics and so much more! If you enjoy this episode, head over to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease for Part II! The rest of the conversation is available at all our tiers. For just $5 USD/month you'll have access to the rest of this conversation (including the story about Robbie — the Disney employee who made a bad day better), all the bonus perks we've already released, and Hannah's new video podcast, Making Worlds.And, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

What drove Hannah and Marcelle to go to Disneyland? And what is with all the rainbow Mickey ears? And where does pinkwashing end and real change begin? Tune into this episode about the happiest place on earth to find out! In this episode, Marcelle leads Hannah through a history of the term pinkwashing. She then draws on an article by Karine Duplan called “Pinkwashing Policies or Insider Activism? Allyship in the LGBTIQ+ Governance–Activism Nexus,” to better understand what leads to making public spaces inclusive for queer and trans folks. Together, Hannah and Marcelle think through their own pleasure in experiencing Disneyland, while dissecting the tension between corporations' bottom lines and the value of representation and inclusivity. Ultimately, Marcelle and Hannah consider: if pinkwashing is by necessity surface-level public image campaigning that masks ongoing harm, is Disney doing something different? You can learn more about Material Girls at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back next week with a bonus episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

We're thrilled to be joined by Anne Helen Petersen for this episode about the popularity of athleisure! If you don't already know, Anne Helen Petersen (she/her) is the incredible writer, journalist and recovering academic behind the beloved newsletter Culture Study. She is the host of a brand new podcast of the same name and the author of four books, most recently Out of the Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working From Home (co-written with Charlie Warzel) and Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Together we begin with a history lesson from Hannah about WWII's effect on the fashion industry, particular women's clothing and the rise of spandex. Hannah offers some insight from cultural critic Jia Tolentino and her essay, "Athleisure, barre and kale: the tyranny of the ideal woman." We then move on to some helpful framing from theorist Michelle Foucault, sociologists Daniel Nehring and Anja Röcke, and feminist scholars Julie Brice and Holly Thorpe. We talk neoliberalism, fatphobia, and, of course, our culture's obsession with optimization. We end with an honest discussion about the role of pop culture analysis in helping us navigate the murky waters of ideology. We loved having Anne on the show and if you like this episode, we recommend heading to patreon.com/ohwitchplease for more! Anne joins us for two perks you DO NOT want to miss. And of course, you can find more of Anne's specific, timely and thoughtful writing all over the internet @annehelenpetersen!You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! ***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

For this episode, we're joined by the incredible Karen Tongson, Professor of Gender & Sexuality Studies, English, and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. She is the author of Why Karen Carpenter Matters and Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries. Her newest book, normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us provides theory for this episode about the beloved TV show, Gilmore Girls. We begin with a discussion of the early 2000s postfeminist Bush era that defined the early days of Gilmore Girls. Karen then offers some insight into the viewing practices of queer adults who have returned to this show en masse over the last two and a half decades since its pilot aired. We talk about the appeal of the Gilmore girls themselves, the tragedy of Lane Kim's journey into adulthood, the conservative reproductive politics that shape the show and the phenomenon of queer viewers finding both a pleasure and a shame in consuming sentimental content that showcases a fantasy of assimilation and acceptance.normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us (NYU Press) was released in November 2023 and is available now! You can find more of Karen on her two podcasts, Waiting to X-Hale and The Gaymazing Race, and on Instagram@tongsonator.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

Remember about fifteen years ago when we all went a little nuts for sweet potato fries? What was going on there? Well it turns out, that beloved appetizer was more than a tasty treat circa 2007. In this episode, Marcelle leads Hannah through research about the “orange-flesh sweetpotato” and its relationship to GMOs, cash crops, fat phobia and food imperialism. She pulls on the work of Joe Kobuthi for an analysis of food systems that informs her understanding of the sweet potato's zeitgeist-y moment.and she ends with a thesis that's got quite a bite to it.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

Do you play D&D? Do you have a friend who does, but you don't totally *get* what it is? Did you see the recent film Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and think "wow, that role playing game went MAINSTREAM!?" Then this episode is sure to satisfy your curiosity about this zeitgeisty game! Hannah, who herself plays D&D, leads Marcelle through a history of the tabletop role-playing game created by Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, tracing its origins all the way to Dungeons & Dragons 5E (the most recent edition). They then use ludology, the study of games and gaming, to understand the unique role D&D has at the intersection of gaming and narrative. And then, as always, the episode is wrapped up with a beautifully tied together thesis (from Hannah) about the transformation, or rather, realization of the game through the radical acts of people playing it. To learn more about the research that went into today's episode, be sure to follow Witch, Please Productions on Substack at https://ohwitchplease.substack.com! And if you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.*We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.

There was so much more to say about Wonka and Twilight. In Part I of this bonus episode (aka a 'Material Concern' episode), we talk about fatphobia in children's literature, the "representation" of indigeneity in Stephanie Meyer's the Twilight Saga, and so much more. If you enjoy this episode, head over to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease for Part II! The rest of the conversation is available at all our tiers. For just $5 USD/month you'll have access to the rest of this conversation, all the bonus perks we've already released, and Hannah McGregor's new video podcast, Making Worlds.And, if you liked this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.