Wicked Women: The Podcast

Just in time for Halloween, an episode dedicated to discussing the lives and legacy of Britain’s female murderers.Women throughout history have been seen as the weaker sex both physically and emotionally. While women have been blamed for the fall of men since Eve in the Garden of Eden, their crimes usually centered around sexuality. When women murder, this breaks all the expectations of what women are capable of. Rage, violence, cunning, and vengeance are traits often prescribed to men. In the new world of women’s history, these women complicate the narrative by providing anything but a role model for future generations. But they still provide an essential part of human history. Continue listening as I am joined by Erin Fetterly, author of the recently published book Women Who Kill, as we discuss some of Britain’s most notorious female murderers. Intro music: Wicked Women Theme by Kieren Peatling and A Singular Perversion - Darkness by Kevin MacLeod

Margaret Tudor was the eldest daughter of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York and the elder sister of King Henry VIII. Margaret witnessed some of the most significant moments in her father’s later and her brother’s early reigns. A story filled with political intrigue, personal tragedy, and drama, Margaret has been largely left on the sidelines in later interpretations of Tudor history. Seen as insignificant at best and whiney and manipulative at worst, historian Linda Porter’s latest book, The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor looks to remedy that legacy and bring to light the truly remarkable life of Margaret Tudor. Keep listening to learn more. Featured guest: Historian and author Dr. Linda Porter Intro Music: Renaissance by Audionautix is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

Pirates have been a part of the public imagination since ancient times, but what is known about the women who chose that life for themselves? In today’s episode, I will analyze pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two women who have become more mythical than factual. Joining me today is historian Dr. Rebecca Simon, an expert on all things pirates and author of Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. 

The name Hatshepsut has become synonymous with female power in ancient Egypt. But her daughter Neferura has been largely lost and forgotten. In today’s episode I will be speaking with Malayna Evans, author of the novel Neferura: The Pharaoh’s Daughter in which she tries to recapture the voice of Neferura and the turbulent world she lived in. Listen to my discussion with Malayna as we cover her book, the process of writing about women with very little records left behind, and female bodily autonomy. As Malayna Evan’s describes “Peace, it seems, never lasts for women who wield power in the open.“

Jezebel has been a term used to demean, sexualize, and demonize women for millenia. But before it became a byword for “wicked women”, Jezebel was a queen of Israel who dared to worship different gods. She has been both erased, lost in a tide of scandal and rumor, and immortalized. In the end, perhaps becoming infamous was vindication for her villainization. In today's episode, I will be discussing the life and legacy of one of history's most influential “wicked women”, Jezebel. Joining me to discuss her triumphant novel Jezebel and the infamy of the woman behind the name is author Megan Barnard.

For anyone growing up in a Christian church, the name Mary Magdalene would be familiar. The first person recorded in the four Gospels to see Jesus after the resurrection, her true role as an apostle has been mainly lost over time, replaced by a persistent image of her as a penitent prostitute and sinner. In today’s episode, I will be in discussion with playwright Sylvia Milo, the mind behind the new play Magdalene: I am the Utterance of my Name.