What does political leadership look like when women have a real seat at the table? In this episode, we explore why women’s representation in political leadership matters—right now. From the current state of women in office in the United States to how we compare with other countries around the world, this conversation looks at both the progress made and the gaps that remain.

Resources: Facts and figures: Women’s leadership and political participation | UN Women – Headquarters, Women account for 28% of lawmakers in the 119th Congress – unchanged from the last Congress | Pew Research Center, #GetOutTheBias: Let’s push back against gender bias in elections, Women’s Power Index | Council on Foreign Relations, Center for American Women in Politics, Running Start, She Should Run

We talk a lot about how the world is working - or not working - for women. But we sure as hell don't live in a silo! This two-part conversation is all about men: what's working, what's not, and how we can work together better.

We are joined by Dr Phil Wagner, professor of Organizational Behavior at the Raymond A, Mason School of Business, William and Mary. In addition to being a dedicated and award-winning teacher, Dr Phil is an astute observer of men and how gender socialization affects us all. And, my favorite, he brings an empathetic, optimistic, and forward-looking lens to the future of gender relations.

You won't want to miss this two-part conversation about changing roles, cancel culture, the four-legged stool of traditional masculinity, caring for children, AI, and so much more.

Resources: State of American Men 2025 | Equimundo, The Radical Candor book — Kim Scott's #1 bestseller that's reshaping modern management, Supercommunicators By Charles Duhigg: The Power of Connection

“Act like a man.” “She talks like a girl.” What does that even mean?

These “gender boxes” refer to the social constructs that define expectations for women and men. In general, men are expected to be tougher and more dominant, to suppress emotions—except for anger—and to eschew anything considered “feminine.” Women are expected to focus on their appearance, be more submissive, and prioritize social relationships and cohesion.

These norms are passed down by family, reinforced by society, learned in schools and religious institutions, and reflected in the media.

But wait—do these boxes REALLY reflect who we are? Or who we want to be? Or are they just stereotypes imposed on us?

Scott and Ashley deconstruct these boxes—where they come from, why we hardly even see them anymore, and how they might just be pigeonholing us into shoeboxes that don’t quite fit. We ask: do these gender boxes really serve women OR men?

Resources: Do Men Actually Like Women, or Just the Performance of Femininity?, Man in Make-Up Accuses Newsom of Not Being Manly, Man in Make-Up Accuses Newsom of Not Being Manly, The Gendered Brain/Gender and our Brains by Gina Rippon NEW 2025, Why do more men die of COVID? It's likely not what you think, We Don't Come Out of the Womb Either Feminine or Masculine

The U.S. Department of Education has excluded nursing from its official definition of "professional degree" programs as part of student loan changes under a new bill. This reclassification, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, means graduate nursing students will have lower federal loan borrowing limits and could impact access to financial aid. Whoa, what? Advancing nursing degrees are not 'professional'? And, let's see if we get this right: this would make it harder - more expensive - to get an advanced nursing degree? Last we checked we already had a nursing shortage. Not to mention that the nursing workforce is aging and not being replaced by younger nurses, hence greater shortages. Oh, and did we mention the profession is almost 90% female? MaryAnn Vitiello, APRN, MSN, NP, nurse and nursing advocate, joins us today. You'll hear not only about the proposed bill, but also about who all these advanced practice nurses are (Nurse Anesthetists? Nurse Practitioners?,) how they came about, and what their growth has meant for health care in America. For anyone who might need health care - and isn't that everyone? - this is for you.

Resources: Full list of degrees not classed as ‘professional’ by Trump admin - Newsweek, Nursing Excluded as 'Professional' Degree By Department of Education | Nurse.Org

Gen Z - our youngest active generation, ages 13-28 - shows a gender divide unseen in any past generation. Polls and voting records in the US and around the globe reveal young men to be far more conservative than any other generation alive today, and young women to be more liberal. Six in ten Gen Z men say men are being asked to do too much to support equality and almost a third say that a man who stays home to care for his children is 'less of a man."

Moreover, many Gen Z men place marriage and children high on their list of life priorities - higher than women of any political persuasion. And our media habits only amplify these divisions - men and women hew toward different podcasts, social media, and books. What's going on here? And how will we come together?

Resources:

If you are one of the 1.3 million active duty military personnel in the US or one of the over 750,000 National Guard and Reserves called into active duty and you are sexually assaulted - or worse - you fall under a military justice system, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Your active commanding officers may well be determining your case. in 2024, there were 8195 reports of sexual assault in the miliary - affecting roughly equal numbers of men and women. In October 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rolled back whistle-blower protections for assault charges in the military. Why are we stepping back from reforms of the last 25 years? Can US military culture be made safer for service men and women? Join Nancy Parrish, Founder and Director of Protect Our Defenders (PoD), a national organization dedicated to ending sexual assault in the military, for a timely discussion of the military and it's policies surrounding sexual assault. (PoD provides pro bono legal assistance to affected individuals as well as advocacy on policy changes).

Resources:

• Veterans See Costs and Risks in Hegseth’s Military Rewind to 1990 - The New York Times
• Protect Our Defenders
• Hegseth’s Rollback of Whistleblower Protections Is Reckless and Dangerous to Mission Readiness
• SAPR.mil
• Lawmakers press for continued funds, staff to combat military sexual assault