Send us Fan Mail

Episode 6: Belonging

What does it really mean to belong?

Most conversations about belonging focus on finding the right people or finally fitting in. But what if belonging isn't about fitting in at all? What if it's about finding the places where you can be fully yourself without having to shrink, perform, or compromise who you are?

In the final episode of this series, Wendy and KLynn explore belonging through a different lens. Together they discuss why the desire to belong begins so early in life, how childhood experiences shape our search for acceptance, and why treating belonging as a need instead of a choice can leave us vulnerable to unhealthy relationships, communities, and identities.

From personal stories of feeling like outsiders to conversations about discernment, authenticity, toxic belonging, and the courage to leave spaces that no longer help us grow, this episode brings together the themes explored throughout the series. The discussion challenges listeners to consider not just where they belong, but whether the places they choose truly allow them to become more fully themselves.

Because maybe belonging isn't about finally fitting in.

Maybe it's about finally coming home to yourself.

As always, we ask: What's missing from the discussion?
:::

This description can also be shortened for podcast platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you need to fit within their recommended character limits.

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

Was Disco Demolition Night really about music?

In 1979, thousands of fans packed Chicago's Comiskey Park expecting a baseball game and a spectacle. By the end of the night, disco records had been blown up, a riot had broken out, dozens of people had been arrested, and a Major League Baseball game had been forfeited.

But decades later, one question still lingers: Was the outrage really about disco—or was something much deeper happening beneath the surface?

In this episode of Wendy Wednesday: Moral Crossfire, Wendy and her guest explore one of the most infamous nights in sports history through the lenses of crowd psychology, cultural change, marginalized communities, and the stories we tell ourselves about what we're really fighting against.

When does a publicity stunt become a cultural statement? How does mob mentality change individual behavior? And can people become part of something much bigger than they ever intended?

As always, we don't tell you what to think—we invite you to wrestle with the question yourself.

Because sometimes the biggest story isn't what happened... it's what it revealed.

Historical Sources

• Major League Baseball – Disco Demolition Night Retrospective – Overview of the event, the promotion, attendance, field invasion, and game forfeiture.
• PBS American Experience – The War on Disco – Documentary examining the rise of disco, the anti-disco movement, and the broader cultural context.
• PBS American Experience – "We Rock 'n' Rollers Will Resist—and We Will Triumph!" – Historical article covering Steve Dahl, the White Sox promotion, and the events of July 12, 1979.

Cultural & Historical Context

• Wikipedia – Disco Demolition Night – A well-sourced overview with citations to books, newspaper archives, and academic discussions surrounding the event.
• Wikipedia – Steve Dahl – Background on Steve Dahl's firing, his anti-disco campaign, and his role in organizing the promotion.

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 5: Beneath the Mask

What does it really mean to be authentic?

We're constantly told to "just be yourself," but what if you've spent years becoming who everyone else needed you to be? What if the masks you wear weren't chosen—but built out of survival, expectations, and the need to belong?

In this episode of Outside the Footnotes, Wendy and Klynn explore the lifelong journey of authenticity. Together, they examine the roles we inherit, the identities we perform, and the hidden cost of abandoning ourselves to meet the expectations of others. Through honest conversation and deeply personal stories, they discuss childhood conditioning, gender expectations, people-pleasing, vulnerability, boundaries, and what happens when choosing yourself means risking relationships that no longer fit.

Authenticity isn't about perfection or radical self-expression. It's about having the courage to uncover who you are beneath the mask—and learning to remain loyal to that person, even when it comes at a cost.

Because sometimes the hardest person to become... is the person you've always been.

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 4: The Risk of Being Seen

What does it really cost to let yourself be seen? In this episode of Outside the Footnotes, Klynn, Wendy, and Heather explore the courage—and fear—that come with vulnerability. From hiding behind carefully crafted versions of ourselves to risking rejection in exchange for genuine connection, they discuss why being truly known can be one of the hardest and most rewarding parts of being human. Together, they ask: Is the risk of being seen worth taking?

Follow us on

TikTok - Outsidethefootnotespod

Intagram -Outsidethefootnotespod

Substack - Outsidethefootnotes

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Wendy Wednesday: Moral Crossfire – Episode 1: Gary Plauché

What would you do if someone hurt the person you love most?

In our first episode of Wendy Wednesday: Moral Crossfire, we examine the story of Gary Plauché—a father whose split-second decision shocked the nation and continues to divide opinions decades later.

Was it justice? Revenge? Or something that defies simple labels?

Each Wednesday, we explore real-life cases that force us to wrestle with difficult moral and ethical questions where reasonable people can disagree. Our goal isn't to tell you what to think—it's to challenge the way we think.

Join the conversation and let us know: What would you have done?

REFERENCES

Primary sources consulted for this episode include contemporary news reporting, court and sentencing summaries, and later case overviews documenting the 1984 abduction of Jody Plauché, Jeff Doucet’s arrest, Gary Plauché’s airport shooting of Doucet, and the resulting manslaughter plea and suspended sentence.

Key references: Associated Press reporting; The New York Times coverage; CBS News/broadcast archives; History.com case summaries; Encyclopedia/Britannica-style case overviews; Oxygen crime reporting summaries; publicly available Gary Plauché, Jeff Doucet, and Jody Plauché case summaries.

📧 Email: outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

Follow us for more conversations:
📱 TikTok: @outsidethefootnotespod
📸 Instagram: @outsidethefootnotespod

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 3: After Survival

Surviving is only part of the story. What happens after the crisis ends? In this episode of Outside the Footnotes, Wendy, Klynn, and Courtney explore what it means to rebuild, heal, rediscover identity, and move forward after life's most difficult experiences. Join us for an honest conversation about resilience, growth, and finding purpose beyond survival.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and your story.

📧 Email: outsidethefootnote@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @outsidethefootnotespodcast
🎵 TikTok: @outsidethefootnotespodcast

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

When does care become control? In Episode 2, Wendy and Klynn explore why controlling behaviors are so often mistaken for love. Through conversations about relationships, friendships, family, religion, and personal growth, they examine how fear, insecurity, and attachment can blur the line between genuine care and unhealthy control—and what healthy love actually looks like when autonomy, trust, and respect are allowed to thrive.

Resources & Support

If you are experiencing abuse, coercive control, emotional manipulation, or feel unsafe in a relationship, help is available. You do not have to navigate it alone.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

• Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• Text: START to 88788
• Available 24/7 for confidential support, safety planning, crisis intervention, and local resources.

love is respect

• Call: 1-866-331-9474
• Text: LOVEIS to 22522
• 24/7 support focused on dating relationships, relationship abuse, healthy boundaries, and young adults.

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 1: Toxic Masculinity

When most people hear the phrase "toxic masculinity," they think of aggression, abuse, or violence. But what if those are only the most visible symptoms of something deeper?

In the premiere episode of Outside the Footnotes, Wendy and Klynn step beyond the headlines to explore one of today's most misunderstood cultural conversations. Using psychiatrist Terry A. Kupers' framework, which describes toxic masculinity as a constellation of socially reinforced traits such as emotional suppression, dominance, misogyny, and aggression that can become harmful to both individuals and society, they examine what happens when these behaviors are normalized rather than questioned.

Together, they explore the difference between leadership and control, confidence and arrogance, strength and domination. Through personal experiences, cultural observations, and thoughtful discussion, they consider how toxic behaviors often appear in subtle ways long before they become obvious forms of harm.

More importantly, they ask a deeper question:

If we recognize toxic behavior when it becomes abusive, why do we struggle to recognize it in its everyday forms? And if these behaviors continue to exist because they are rewarded, what are we rewarding without realizing it?

Rather than offering simple answers, Outside the Footnotes invites listeners to examine the assumptions, expectations, and social norms that shape our understanding of masculinity, power, and human behavior.

Because understanding a problem requires more than identifying its most extreme examples. It requires asking what keeps it alive.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this conversation. Email us at outsidethefootnote@gmail.com and let us know what resonated with you, challenged you, or made you think differently.

Follow Outside the Footnotes on TikTok and Instagram for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and continuing conversations between episodes.

Thank you for listening.

Support the show

Email: Outsidethefootnote@gmail.com

TikTok: Outsidethefootnotes

Instagram: Outsidethefootnotes

Substack: Outsidethefootnotes