What does it really mean to dismantle systems of oppression? In this episode of Assigned Reading, Becky is joined by writer and publicist Cher to unpack Audre Lorde’s iconic 1979 speech “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House.” They explore tokenism, parenting under patriarchy, the trap of girlboss feminism, and how discomfort is often a necessary part of real allyship and liberation. From personal storytelling to deep analysis, this conversation is a powerful, intersectional reflection on how we show up—for ourselves and each other.

This week’s text:
✍️ “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” by Audre Lorde

This week’s guest: Cher Hale is a publicist, writer, and creative multi-hyphenate who explores the intersections of identity, equity, and expression. She’s known for her radical integrity, boundary-setting magic, and powerful voice.

Find Cher:
🌐 https://www.cherhale.com
📱 https://www.instagram.com/cherhale

Discussed in this episode:

• Tokenism in feminist spaces
• Parenting without power-over dynamics
• Creating diverse friendships with intention
• Why TERFs are not feminists
• Rejecting girlboss, hyper-capitalist feminism
• Navigating rejection and community building
• The challenge of creative expression under capitalism

Resources mentioned:

• The Messy Liberation Podcast
• Erica Courdae (imperfect allyship)
• The Peanut app
• Jordan Maney’s episode on rest and asking for help

👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower

🎤 Proud members of the Feminist Podcasters Collective

Becky Mollenkamp and Sandhya Sudhakar dive into adrienne maree brown’s blog post "Relinquishing the Patriarchy." This rich, layered discussion covers gender roles, emotional labor, discomfort, and how patriarchy harms us all. From parenting to dating, personal identity to privilege, they explore how internalized systems shape us—and what it really takes to unlearn them. With insights into Enneagram types, somatic therapy, and white womanhood, this is a powerful reflection on liberation, healing, and building a better future.

This week’s text:
✍️ "Relinquishing the Patriarchy" by adrienne maree brown

This week’s guest: Sandhya Sudhakar
🌐 https://www.selfatwork.com/
🎧 Working Your Way Podcast
📱 LinkedIn

Discussed in this episode:

• The emotional and practical challenges of raising a white son under patriarchy
• How dating cishet men intersects with feminist values
• What men are “owed” by society (and what they aren’t)
• The emotional cost of privilege and power
• Enneagram as a tool for understanding social roles
• White discomfort, male fragility, and the journey to awareness
• The limits of "burn it all down" rhetoric
• Somatic therapy, internal safety, and how to actually do the work

Resources mentioned:

• Somatic Experiencing International practitioner directory
• “My Grandmother's Hands” by Resmaa Menakem
• Enneagram Institute
• The Narrative Enneagram
  
  

👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower, for more conversations that call in your heart and your brain: https://beckymollenkamp.com/rants

🎤 Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

This week, Becky and Goddess Erica discuss Andrea Dworkin’s 1988 essay on pornography and power. They explore ethical porn, sex education reform, and the intersection of pleasure, patriarchy, and AI. A bold, vulnerable conversation about dismantling shame and building new systems for healing and desire.

This week’s text: ✍️ “Pornography: Men Possessing Women” by Andrea Dworkin

Goddess Erica:

🌐 https://goddesserica.com
🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/goddess-erica-show
📱 https://instagram.com/goddesserica

Discussed in this episode

• Andrea Dworkin’s legacy and critiques
• Mainstream porn vs. feminist porn
• The role of AI in shaping porn culture
• Teaching kids sex education through pleasure and media literacy
• Make Love Not Porn and other ethical platforms
• The difference between erotic and pornographic
• Reclaiming bodily agency through semi-nude meditation

Resources mentioned

• Make Love Not Porn
• Dipsea
• Audre Lorde’s 'Uses of the Erotic'

👉🏼 Sign up for Becky’s newsletter, Feminist Rants Are My Superpower

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE