Can you be a liberal or progressive woman and still be religious in the United States today?

As conservative, tradition-seeking men increasingly turn to Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism—and a hypermasculine online religious culture grows alongside them—women who grew up in these traditions can find themselves asking a very different question: Is there still a place here for us?

Host Maria Eliades talks with Orthodox theologian Rachel Contos about feminism, faith, the rise of the “Orthobro,” and what happens when women refuse to let conservative religious movements define what their faith is allowed to look like.

Rachel shares her own complicated journey from nearly leaving the Orthodox Church to pursuing a PhD in theology and becoming an outspoken advocate for women and queer people in the Church. Together, Maria and Rachel explore why some disaffected men are drawn to a vision of Christianity built around masculinity and tradition, how churches respond to social change, the fight over women’s roles in Orthodox Christianity, and why remaining inside an imperfect institution can itself become an act of resistance.

And ultimately, Rachel offers a different way to think about faith: you can question your religious tradition, argue with it, take a break from it—and still refuse to let someone else take away something that sustains you.

What does it actually take to build both a meaningful career and a family?

This isn't an episode to convince you whether to have children or not. It's about understanding what's actually required to build both a meaningful career and a family in today's world.

Our Pandora's Box host, Maria Eliades, speaks with humanitarian and development expert Merit Hietanen, author of The Humanitarian Parent, about the realities of pursuing a meaningful career while raising children—and why the conversation is bigger than individual choices.

Drawing on years of humanitarian work and extensive research, Merit explains why balancing work and family depends less on personal sacrifice than on workplace culture, labor rights, supportive partners, community, and public policy.

Together, they discuss:

• Why "having it all" may be the wrong question.
• The hidden support systems behind successful careers.
• Motherhood in demanding professions.
• Caregiving, labor rights, and workplace culture.
• What women in their 20s and 30s should consider as they think about family and career.

Whether you're planning to become a parent, have decided not to, or are still figuring it out, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on one of the defining questions of modern adulthood.

Resources & Links

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Why are women still paid less than men? Award-winning financial journalist and The Ambition Penalty author Stefanie O'Connell joins Maria Eliades to unpack the hidden systems behind the gender pay gap, burnout, and women's financial inequality. Together, they explore why working harder isn't always enough—and what women can do individually and collectively to build greater financial freedom and lasting change.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the gender pay gap is about more than salary
• The hidden barriers that continue to hold women back at work
• What the girlboss and the tradwife have in common
• Why burnout is often a problem with the environment—not the individual
• Practical ways to build financial security, community, and systemic change

Resources & Links

• Subscribe to the Our Pandora's Box Substack for resources from this episode and additional reading.
• Follow Our Pandora's Box for new episodes every other week.