Podcasts · History · Society & Culture

Womanica

Acast Creative Studios

300 episodes

Thinking back to our history classes growing up, we had one question: Where the ladies at? Enter, Womanica. In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history. On Wonder Media Network’s award-winning podcast, we’re telling the stories of women you may or may not know — but definitely should.

More about the show

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Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Our Favorites: Medusa

    · 5:57 · S7 E43

    The writhing serpent hair. The fearsome gaze that can turn onlookers to solid stone. Medusa is one of the most instantly recognizable monsters of Greek mythology. But her story and image have evolved over the centuries…

  2. Our Favorites: Rigoberta Menchú Tum

    · 9:12 · S7 E42

    Rigoberta Menchú Tum (1959-present) dedicated her life to speaking out for Indigenous Guatemalans, fighting tirelessly against the human rights abuses that occurred during and after the Guatemalan Civil War. For the…

  3. Our Favorites: Poly Styrene

    · 6:58 · S7 E41

    Poly Styrene (1957-2011) was a feminist punk icon who made her mark on the white male-dominated music genre. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories of women you may or may now know– but definitely…

  4. Our Favorites: Ch’en Shu

    · 7:38 · S7 E40

    Ch'en Shu (1660–1736) was a Chinese painter from the Qing dynasty, known for her exquisite flower-and-bird paintings that blended precision with delicate beauty. As one of the few recognized female artists of her time,…

  5. Our Favorites: Bebe Barron

    · 6:54 · S7 E39

    Bebe Barron (1925-2008) and her husband Louis’ pioneering work in electronic music helped lay the foundation for the sound of sci-fi. Their blips, buzzes, gurgles and groans in Forbidden Planet (1956) made up the first…

  6. Our Favorites: Fatima Jinnah

    · 9:16 · S7 E38

    Fatima Jinnah (1893-1967) is remembered in Pakistan as the “Mother of the Nation.” Her memory is a symbol of feminism and democracy. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories of women you may or may now…

  7. Our Favorites: Florence Foster Jenkins

    · 8:17 · S7 E37

    Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) was an opera singer that drew massive crowds for her terrible voice. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories of women you may or may now know– but definitely should.…

  8. Our Favorites: Toni Morrison

    · 8:28 · S7 E36

    Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was a groundbreaking writer and the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Her works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved—where she coined…

  9. Our Favorites: Masako Togawa

    · 7:05 · S7 E35

    Masako Togawa (1931-2016) was a crime novelist, singer, and club owner. She created a chanson salon called the Blue Room, which catered to LGBTQIA+ artists and music enthusiasts during a time of legal discrimination,…

  10. Our Favorites: Mamá Tingó

    · 5:28 · S7 E34

    Mamá Tingó (1921-1974) was an Dominican activist who is often overlooked in historical accounts. She led protests to save her farm — and the farms of 350 other families — from an illegal land seizure. She was…

  11. Our Favorites: Kiki de Montparnasse

    · 6:08 · S7 E33

    Kiki de Montparnasse (1901-1953) inspired Man Ray and many other painters, photographers and sculptors. An artist herself, she impressed critics with her paintings and made waves with her risqué memoirs. She was a…

  12. Our Favorites: Maya Lin

    · 7:59 · S7 E32

    Maya Lin (1959 - present) is a sculptor, architect, artist, and designer known for her memorial work and focus on landscapes and the environment. At age 21 she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which was…

  13. Our Favorites: Mr. and Mrs. How

    · 6:24 · S7 E32

    James How, also known as Mary East, and their wife Mrs. How (c. 1760s) were pillars of their eighteenth century English community, until a blackmailer attempted to expose Mr. How's "true" gender. For the past six…

  14. Our Favorites: Minnie Riperton

    · 7:29 · S7 E31

    Minnie Riperton (1947-1979) was an American soul singer, best known for the 1975 hit song “Lovin' You.” From an early age, Riperton captivated audiences with her extraordinary five-octave vocal range and command of the…

  15. Our Favorites: Margaret Watts Hughes

    · 6:41 · S7 E30

    Margaret Watts Hughes (c.1847-1907) was a Welsh singer, songwriter and scientist. She invented the eidophone, which allowed her to observe and visualize the human voice. For Further Reading: • The Century, 1891:…

  16. Our Favorites: Anastasia Romanov

    · 7:38 · S7 E29

    Anastasia Romanov (1901-1918) was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. Her death was hotly debated for years, as she was believed to have survived her family’s execution. For Further…

  17. Our Favorites: Sappho

    · 6:15 · S7 E28

    Sappho (c. 615 BC) was an ancient Greek poet and an architect of the very words we use to talk about queer identity today. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories of women you may or may now know– but…

  18. Our Favorites: Regina Jonas

    · 6:11 · S7 E27

    Regina Jonas (1902-1944) asked a short, but important question: Can women serve as rabbis? She dedicated her life to proving that the answer to that question was 'Yes.' For the past six years, we’ve been telling the…

  19. Our Favorites: Juana Maria

    · 6:49 · S7 E26

    Juana Maria (unknown-1853), also known as the lost woman of San Nicolas island, lived a solitary and fabled life as one of the last members of the Nicoleño tribe. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories…

  20. Our Favorites: Gwen Verdon

    · 7:13 · S7 E25

    Gwen Verdon (1925-2000) was a true Broadway icon. Her status as a triple threat dancer, actor and singer earned her four Tony awards during her career. For the past six years, we’ve been telling the stories of women…

  21. Our Favorites: The Heroines of Jiangyong

    · 5:39 · S7 E24

    The Heroines of Jiangyong were women in rural China who made a secret language – Nüshu – to communicate with each other. Nüshu translates directly to “women’s writing” and is a series of phonetic scripts. The practice…

  22. Our Favorites: Assata Shakur

    · 8:45 · S7 E23

    Assata Shakur (1947-present) was a member of the Black Liberation Army who was imprisoned and convicted of murdering a police officer. She escaped prison in 1979, and has lived in exile in Cuba ever since. In 2013, she…

  23. Our Favorites: Daphne du Maurier

    · 5:23 · S7 E22

    Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was an English novelist and playwright whose gothic romance works have been described as “moody and resonant." Many of her novels and short stories have been adapted into films including:…

  24. Women of the Wheel: DJ Spinderella

    · 5:50 · S7 E21

    Deidre Muriel Roper (b. 1970), better known as DJ Spinderella or simply “Spinderella,”) is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as the third member of Salt-N-Pepa, one of the first all-woman rap…

  25. Women of the Wheel: Darlene Anderson

    · 5:26 · S7 E21

    Darlene Anderson (1939-present) is the first Black woman professional roller derby skater. Known for her speed, stamina, and competitive spirit, Darlene was inducted into the Roller Derby Hall of Fame in 2009. For…

  26. Women of the Wheel: Nirmala Patwardhan

    · 4:01 · S7 E20

    Nirmala Patwardhan (1928-2008) revived an ancient glaze technique, taught generations of potters, and left her mark on ceramic art around the world. For Further Reading: • New Handbook for Potters • Late Nirmala…

  27. Women of the Wheel: Yui Kamiji

    · 6:03 · S7 E19

    Yui Kamiji (1994-present) is a Japanese professional wheelchair tennis player. She won 32 major titles at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and a gold for both singles and doubles at the 2024 Paralympics. For Further…

  28. Women of the Wheel: Gunta Stölzl

    · 7:20 · S7 E18

    Gunta Stözl (1897-1983) was a German textile artist who pioneered a modern, industrial textile design style through the German Bauhaus school. Her experimental, kaleidoscopic, and richly tactile designs remain…

  29. Women of the Wheel: Kittie Knox

    · 7:11 · S7 E17

    Kittie Knox (1874-1900) was an American cyclist and prominent figure in the then-early American sport. She was the first Black member of the League of American Wheelmen, joining in 1893, challenging and joining the…

  30. Women of the Wheel: Margaret Rarru

    · 4:02 · S7 E16

    Margaret Rarru (1940-Present) is an indigenous Australian master weaver. She is most known for her conical baskets and creation of “mol,” a black dye which she alone can give permission to use. For Further Reading: •…

  31. Women of the Wheel: DJ Sumirock

    · 4:31 · S7 E15

    Sumiko Iwamuro (1935-present), known as DJ Sumirock, is a Japanese DJ. She worked in her family’s restaurant for decades before deciding to go to DJ school in her seventies. In May 2018, she was recognized by Guinness…

  32. Women of the Wheel: Clotho the Spinner

    · 3:24 · S7 E14

    Clotho is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. The youngest of the Three Fates, or Moirai, she spins the thread of human life that decides a soul’s destiny at birth. For Further Reading: • The Fates • The Fates:…

  33. Women of the Wheel: Margaret Anderson

    · 4:32 · S7 E13

    Margaret Anderson (1959 - present), known as The Ranking Miss P, was a DJ “spinner” in the 1980s, and the first black female DJ on BBC Radio 1. She brought reggae, soul, funk, and Black British culture into the UK…

  34. Women of the Wheel: Ana Delfosse

    · 5:45 · S7 E12

    Ana Delfosse (1931-2017) was an Argentine race-car driver and Formula One mechanic. She worked for Grand Prix champion Juan Fangio who broke speed records and social barriers when she became the first woman to win a…

  35. Women of the Wheel: Ella Chafee

    · 4:18 · S7 E11

    Ella Chafee (1945-2019) was a professional wheelchair athlete. She competed in the Paralympics three times in fencing, racing, and swimming. She was inducted into the Basketball, Swimming, and Track and Field Hall of…

  36. Women of the Wheel: Louise Armaindo

    · 6:54 · S7 E10

    Louise Armaindo (c.1861 - 1900) was a Canadian strongwoman, trapeze artist, “pedestrienne”, and record-breaking high-wheel racer. She was one of the first professional women athletes. Though her feats of power and…

  37. Women of the Wheel: Caroline Lecount

    · 4:27 · S7 E9

    Caroline LeCount (c. 1846-1923) was a teacher and civil rights activist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who successfully fought to desegregate the city's streetcars. For Further Reading: • Caroline LeCount & the Ohio…

  38. Women of the Wheel: Zinaida Troitskaya

    · 4:21 · S7 E8

    Zinaida Troitskaya (1913-1981) was a Soviet railway engineer and locomotive driver who broke barriers as one of the first women to hold leadership positions in the male-dominated field of rail transportation. She was…

  39. Women of the Wheel: Cheryl Glass

    · 5:02 · S7 E7

    Cheryl Glass (1961-1997) was an American driver and one of the first African American female racing drivers. She competed in sprint car driving in the Pacific Northwest and attempted a national level career as well.…

  40. Women of the Wheel: Eliska Junková

    · 5:24 · S7 E6

    Eliska Junková (1900-1994) was a Czech motosport enthusiast and the first woman to win a Grand Prix racing event. She garnered attention for her prowess on the track in what is still a male-dominated sport. Further…

  41. Women of the Wheel: Julia Barfield

    · 5:59 · S7 E5

    Julia Barfield (1952-present) is a British architect most well-known as one of the designers of the London Eye observation wheel. She continues to work as an architect today, with a particular focus on addressing the…

  42. Women of the Wheel: Fortuna

    · 3:20 · S7 E4

    Fortuna is the Roman goddess of fortune and luck. Often depicted holding a ship's rudder and wheel, she steers fate for better or worse. Her wheel of fortune became a well known literary symbol we still use to depict…

  43. Women of the Wheel: Toshiko Takaezu

    · 4:59 · S7 E3

    Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011) was a Japanese-American ceramicist. Drawing from her heritage, love of travel, and a deep connection to nature and spirituality, she created closed ceramic forms that emphasized presence…

  44. Women of the Wheel: Alfonsina Strada

    · 5:40 · S7 E2

    Alfonsina Strada (1891-1959) was an Italian cyclist and the first and only woman to compete in a men's cycling Grand Tour. In an era when women were discouraged from sports, Alfonsina took up cycling at a young age and…

  45. Women of the Wheel: Joan Weston

    · 4:41 · S7 E1

    Joan Weston (1935-1996) was a California-born roller-derby athlete. She is most known for being one of the highest-paid female athlete in the 1960s, and by her nicknames: “The Blonde Bomber,” the “Golden Girl,” and…

  46. Pink Collar Workers: Lydia Delectorskaya

    · 6:20 · S6 E245

    Lydia Delectorskaya (1910-1998) became the final muse for the celebrated French modernist painter Henri Matisse. This month, we're bringing back some of our favorite Womanica episodes you might have missed! We'll be…

  47. Pink Collar Workers: Mary Eliza Mahoney

    · 5:32 · S6 E244

    Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845-1926) was the first African American to complete a professional training program and work as a nurse in the United States. This month, we're bringing back some of our favorite Womanica…

  48. Pink Collar Workers: Buffalo Bird Woman

    · 7:09 · S6 E243

    Buffalo Bird Woman (c. 1839-1932), also known as Maxidiwiac, was a Hidatsa woman whose recollections on traditional Hidatsa culture, customs, and especially agricultural knowledge, were written down and preserved…

  49. Pink Collar Workers: Miriam Lee

    · 6:00 · S6 E242

    Miriam Lee (1926-2009) was one of the pioneering acupuncturists in America, responsible for acupuncture being legalized in California. This month, we're bringing back some of our favorite Womanica episodes you might…

  50. Pink Collar Workers: Mina Miller Edison

    · 6:33 · S6 E241

    Mina Miller Edison (1865-1947) was the second wife of American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison. She was an advocate for acknowledging the domestic labor required of women. She called herself a “home executive”…

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