Chat In The Commons

A chat about coming of age in a man’s world. As Rebecca Solnit says, “It gets you even if it doesn’t get you. You have to think every day of your life as a girl and a young woman, if I wear this what will happen? If I go out, what will happen?” and girls and women are getting the message that “this is not your world, this is not your street, this is not your city, this is not your adventure, you are not the protagonist.”
In this hour, Elle and Natalie reflect on growing up female, and unpack the conditioning all girls and women are subjected to.
EPISODE LINKS
Rebecca's English Hub |Tik Tok
Science of Smiling | National Library of Medicine 
Lake Bell Interview | CBS Mornings
Why Some Grown Women Sound Like Girls | Psychology Today
In A World | Lake Bell
Inside Voice | Lake Bell
Untamed | Glennon Doyle
The Gift of Fear | Gavin de Becker
Men Hazing Girls & Women | Rebecca Solnit
Men Explain Things to Me | Rebecca Solnit
The Hero’s Journey | Joseph Campbell
The Heroine’s Journey | Maureen Murdoch
Twelve Feminist Lessons of War | Cynthia Enloe
Cynthia Enloe Interview | Subject To Power
Women’s War Stories | Sonora Jha
I’m Gonna Be an Engineer | Peggy Seeger
CONTACT
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 
CREDITS
Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A continued chat about Project 2025 and the Trump Administration. In this episode we cover the gutting of the Department of Education and its ripple effects, and Trump’s inaugural-day declaration that there are only two sexes, and what that means for women. Elle and Natalie talk frankly about how the Democratic Party abandoned women during the Biden years and how the Trump administration capitalized on that. We also explore alternatives to US right-left party politics and how women leaders in other countries are showing the way.
EPISODE LINKS
Eliminating Dept of Education | MSNBC
The Roots of Eliminating Dept of Ed | NEA 
Declaring Two Genders | NBC News 
Trump’s Executive Orders | The White House
Erasing Harriet Tubman | CNN
Claudia Scheinbaum’s First 100 Days | Mexico News Daily
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir's Election | Pace TV
Women in Politics | Pew Research
The National Women’s Party | Alice Paul
Women’s Rights Party New Zealand
Party of Women, UK
Suppressing the Democratic Process | Marianne Williamson
The Reckoning | Kara Dansky
Victoria Smith | The Critic Magazine
Council of Women World Leaders
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir on Women in Politics | Inspired by Iceland
Trump’s Executive Orders Align with Project 2025 | Forbes
CONTACT US
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 
CREDITS
Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat about the Trump Administration and their 180-Day Playbook. Were fears about Project 2025 justified or was it simply fear-mongering from the Left? In this 2-part series, Elle and Natalie attempt to decode key chapters of Project 2025 and what it means for women.
Part 2 will be out next week.
EPISODE LINKS
Identity Politics - Jackson Katz | The Spectator
Project 2025 Authors | Revolving Door Project
Trump’s Denial of Project 2025 | Washington Post
The Heritage Foundation - Kevin Roberts | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Project 2025
CSAM Report 2021 | Australian Institute of Criminology
Project 2025 Tracker 
Abortion Law Tracking | Jessica Valenti 
Rep. Jasmine Crockett Immigration | NAACP
S.A.V.E. Act | NPR
Trump 2028 Hats | The Times
CONTACT US
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 
CREDITS
Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat about marriage. In this first episode of our four-part series on 4B, the feminist movement from South Korea, Elle and Natalie dive into all things marriage. We explore why we marry, how women are faring within marriage, and why women are choosing not to marry.
Episode Links
4B Movement | ABC Australia
I Don’t | Clementine Ford
Letters from a War Zone | Andrea Dworkin
Leta Hong Fincher | Subject to Power
Left Over Women | Leta Hong Fincher 
Mel Hamlett | TikTok
GirlOnTheCouch | TikTok
Looking for a Man in Finance | TikTok 
Hope Peddler | TikTok
Mariam Tazi-Preve | Subject to Power
Motherhood in Patriarchy | Mariam Tazi-Preve 
CocoHasideas | TikTok
Marriage Rates Worldwide
US Marriage Rates
Suffer in Silence | Cecilia Regina TikTok 
Women’s Co-Housing Community
Contact Us
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 
Credits
Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat about the highs and lows of feminist movements past and present. We spotlight significant events across the world that have had huge impacts for women. We also take a hard look at the current state of feministing and its promises of so-called women’s empowerment and individual liberation. 
Episode Links
Gail Dines | Subject to Power
1975 Iceland Women’s Strike | BBC
Elisa in Iceland | Tik Tok
Equal Rights Amendment | PBS
Ann Pettitt | Greenham Commons 
Pray the Devil Back to Hell | PBS
UK Supreme Court Decision | The Guardian
4B Movement | ABC Australia
Trials of Brett Kavanagh & Clarence Thomas | CBC News
Mexico City Femicide Protest | The London Standard
Yesenia Zamundio, Mexico | Brut India 
President Claudia Scheinbaum | Latina Republic
National Coalition For Men
Contact Us
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Email:  https://www.chatinthecommons.com/contact 
Credits
Hosted by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Produced by Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat exploring a new perspective on coercive control. Natalie and Elle have a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of coercive control - as a behavior and as a covert strategy used by men to control women. Also discussing the many challenges in defining this behavior in law and language, as well as how we as a society, deal with men who ensnare women into long-term abusive relationships.
Episode Links
The Goodness Paradox | Richard Wrangham
Carol Christ 
When Love Goes Wrong | Ann Jones, Susan Schechter
Coercive Control | Evan Stark
See What You Made Me Do | Jess Hill
No Visible Bruises | Rachel Louise Snyder
How He Gets Into Her Head | Don Hennessy 
Why Does He Do That? | Lundy Bancroft
Coercive Control Legislation Global Database
Murder of Jennifer Dulos 
Murder of Jennifer Magnano
Jennifer's Law gets Turned on its Head in Chaotic Family Court Case | CT Inside Investigator
Women Who Kill | Ann Jones
Contact Us
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Credits
Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat about relationship abuse. In this episode, Natalie and Elle have a provocative discussion about how men’s violence within the four walls of the home is never contained - it spills over into our communities and all of society. We also have a critical look at the well-funded industry built to respond to domestic violence and reflect on why men’s abuse is worse now than ever.  Men’s violence in the home does not exist in a vacuum and we unpack the patriarchal bargain that continues to grant men dominion over women and children.
Episode Links
Jane Gilmore | TEDx
Grant Wyeth Article
Judith Herman Quote
Laura Richards | Crime Analyst 
VAWA Biennial Report
NNEDV Annual Report
Dr. Jacqueline Campell | Danger Assessment Tool
DASH Risk Checklist
Dr. Christine Cocchiola | Perfect Prey Podcast 
Reem Alsalem | UN Special Rapporteur
Deborah Tuerkheimer | Credible
Contact Us
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons
Credits
Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

A chat about women’s collective awakening to patriarchal backlash. At a time when women are enjoying unprecedented gains and liberties, we are also seeing a roll-back of rights and a rise of violent misogyny. The collective actions of yesteryear’s feminism won women significant freedoms, protections and material gains, but where are we now?
In the first episode of Chat In The Commons, hosts Natalie and Elle reflect on coming of age and living life as a woman amidst the historical human rights struggle called feminism. We look at the battles we’re losing and winning, trying to hold on to our hard-won autonomy and agency. We unpack the patriarchal backlash and ever-evolving attempts to regain control over women, and how women resist and persist.  
We connect individual events to macro patterns - to better understand what this cultural moment holds for women. We zoom out in order to see the interconnected systems that trap women and men in destructive structures, but also to see the millions of like-minded humans - now connecting, gathering and shaping a new consciousness.
Episode Links
Man v. Bear TikTok
Telegram Rape Chatgroup Article
Mia on TikTok  
Jessica Valenti on TikTok  
A World Without Rape
Pregnancy Justice 
PBS News Hour - No Fault Divorce 
Contact Us
Website:  www.chatinthecommons.com
Instagram: @chatinthecommons
X: @ChatInCommons 
Credits
Hosted by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Produced by Elle Kamihira and Natalie Blundell
Edited by Elle Kamihira
Audio Engineering by Jason Sheesley at Abridged Audio
Cover Art by Reda Tomingas
Music by Moushumi

Have women achieved equality or are we losing all our rights?Clashing narratives tell us women can do anything, while we’re simultaneously being shackled and shut down. Hosts Natalie Blundell and Elle Kamihira chat candidly about how women are actually faring, in our cultures and in our lives.