The Suburban Women Problem

Red Wine & Blue

Rachel Vindman thought she’d be a card-carrying member of the GOP forever, until President Trump called her husband a traitor. Microbiologist Jasmine Clark never dreamed of running for office, but then 2016 happened -- now she’s the first Black woman ever elected to represent her suburban district. A US Air Force Veteran turned economist, Amanda Weinstein used to listen to Focus on the Family and lecture her peers about abortion until she couldn’t reconcile her faith with today’s GOP. In the most hotly contested districts in America, suburban women are breaking up with the Republican Party and remaking American politics -- transforming their own lives and getting political for the first time. Each week, Rachel, Jasmine, and Amanda find out why. Want to know what’s causing the GOP’s suburban women problem? Tune in for a political journey through the minds of suburban women, brought to you every Wednesday by Red Wine & Blue. Now in Season 2! read less
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Episodes

Truth Tellers In The Room (with Asha Dahya)
2d ago
Truth Tellers In The Room (with Asha Dahya)
This week, we’re talking about repro. Again. Because somehow politicians and pundits still don’t understand that it’s not just about abortion – although abortion rights are critical. It’s also about birth control, IVF, and all of the other potentially life-saving procedures that are on the chopping block this year. Some of us may have been surprised when Roe v Wade was overturned but we refuse to be surprised again. We can’t stop talking to everyone we know about it in this pivotal election year.Then we’re joined by Asha Dahya, a storyteller, TEDx speaker, and producer of a new documentary about later abortion called Someone You Know. Asha shares what she learned about later abortions while working on the film, including the outsized effect that Catholic hospitals have on the availability of reproductive care in this country. As a former conservative evangelical, Asha has been on a journey and she's a great example of the power of personal stories to change minds.Finally, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to the Ukraine aid bill passing and to being chosen as a Biden delegate in this week's Toast to Joy.If you want to learn more about Project 2025 and what you can do, we encourage you to check out our explainer page here.And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! It’s free and we’d love to hear from you in the comments.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Haircuts and Healthcare (with Amanda Zurawski)
Apr 17 2024
Haircuts and Healthcare (with Amanda Zurawski)
*Content warning: pregnancy loss*The Suburban Women Problem is back! We've missed catching up about the news and sharing our conversations with amazing guests, so we're so excited to be back with you for Season 5.This week, Red Wine & Blue Founder Katie Paris is filling in for Amanda Weinstein. Katie, Jasmine and Rachel chat about all the news from the past 6 weeks, including some truly disheartening abortion bans in Arizona and Florida, and what Red Wine & Blue is doing to help. It's all about having those personal conversations with your friends, family, neighbors, and yes, hairdressers too.Then Rachel sits down for a deep and heartfelt conversation with Amanda Zurawski. Amanda nearly died when her home state of Texas didn't allow her to get the reproductive healthcare she needed, and now she's the lead plaintiff in a court case against the state of Texas.Finally, Katie, Rachel, and Jasmine raise a glass to campaign volunteers, team sports, and the new Pitbull/Dolly Parton collab in this week's Toast to Joy.Have you heard about Project 2025? It’s the far-right extremists’ vision for America that Donald Trump will implement if he wins a second presidential term. If you want to learn more about Project 2025 so you can spread the word, we invite you to join a virtual event on Thursday, April 18th hosted by the African American Policy Forum. You can learn more and RSVP here.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Bonus Episode: The Cost of Extremism with @JoJoFromJerz
Apr 3 2024
Bonus Episode: The Cost of Extremism with @JoJoFromJerz
As Season 2 of The Cost of Extremism draws to a close, we're excited to bring you a final bonus episode. Today, we're joined by @JoJoFromJerz for an in-depth conversation about three stories that are particularly relevant today.First, we have author Seyward Darby from episode 5, The Crunchy Mom to Alt-Right Pipeline. During our interview about white women’s role in the alt-right supremacy movement, Seyward discussed the historical portrayal of white women as martyrs. From literature to popular media, the image of the sacrificial white woman has been perpetuated through countless depictions, all in an attempt to recruit more followers into their white supremacy organizations.Then we have Cherisse Scott, the founder and CEO of Sister Reach, a non-profit that supports the reproductive autonomy of their community through the framework of Reproductive Justice. In episode 1, Crisis Pregnancy Centers: An Anti-Abortion Healthcare Crisis, Cherisse highlighted the different ways Sister Reach has worked to meet people where they are in their advocacy work. Finally, we have Nic Stone from episode 2, The Growing Movement to Ban Books. As the New York Times Bestselling author of Dear Martin and other young adult books, Nic theorizes that the push to limit access to specific books originates from a fundamental lack of appreciation for reading among those advocating for bans.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Meet The Press Secretary (with Karine Jean-Pierre)
Feb 21 2024
Meet The Press Secretary (with Karine Jean-Pierre)
Today we were honored to be joined by Karine Jean-Pierre! She’s the current White House Press Secretary, and she’s the first Black and the first openly LGBTQ person to hold that position. She chatted with us about reproductive rights, what it’s been like to break so many glass ceilings, and the wins (so many wins!) from the Biden-Harris administration that we can share with our friends. We also dreamed up a collab between Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Tracy Chapman - just manifesting that into the universe!After that, Jasmine, Rachel and Amanda raise a glass to being inspired by our families and to finally learning how to cook rice (we’re proud of you, Amanda!) in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”This is our last episode before we take a little spring break, but don’t worry, there will still be new episodes in your Suburban Women Problem podcast feed! We’re launching Season 2 of our investigative series The Cost of Extremism on Wednesday February 28th. We’ll be covering crisis pregnancy centers, the radicalization of young white men, the “crunchy yoga mom to far-right pipeline,” and more. Be sure to tune in every Wednesday!And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! It’s free and we’d love to hear from you in the comments.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
We Go High With Love (with Rep. Sara Jacobs)
Feb 14 2024
We Go High With Love (with Rep. Sara Jacobs)
We know from both statistics and personal stories that representation matters. Whether it’s people of color, LGBTQ folks, or young women running for office, it’s crucial to our democracy that everyone’s voice is heard. And fighting for our values doesn’t mean we don’t "go high when they go low," it means we fight disinformation and fear with facts and love. One place you can fight disinformation is around the myth that people often regret transitioning; this week we referenced the largest study of trans people to date, which showed that 94% of people were more satisfied with their life.This week, Amanda got the chance to sit down with Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. At 35, she’s the youngest member of Democratic House leadership, and she’s bringing a perspective that some of her older male colleagues might not think about: the importance of childcare, the privacy of our reproductive data, how to bridge generations, and more. Finally, Jasmine, Rachel and Amanda raise a glass to the Super Bowl halftime show, Girl Scouts, and to celebrating happy milestones in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”We invite you to join us this Thursday for a virtual Ask Me Anything event about the facts and myths on trans sports policies. We’ll be joined by Anya Marino of the National Women's Law Center. You can learn more and RSVP here.And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! It’s free and we’d love to hear from you in the comments.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Fearless Women Uplift Each Other (with Sophia Danner-Okotie)
Feb 7 2024
Fearless Women Uplift Each Other (with Sophia Danner-Okotie)
Lately there’s been a surge of attacks on diversity - affirmative action was overturned by the Supreme Court, Harvard president Claudine Gay was forced out of her seat with people calling her “a diversity hire,” and anti-DEI bills are popping up all over the country. So this week, as we start Black History Month, we’re talking about attacks on diversity programs. We got the chance to chat with Sophia Danner-Okotie, a small business owner in Atlanta, to talk about how difficult it is to get business loans as a Black woman. And now one of the firms that invested in her, The Fearless Fund, is under legal attack. Women of color already receive only 1% of venture capital funding, and extremists like Edward Blum are trying to take that tiny percentage away.Finally, Jasmine, Rachel, and Amanda raise a glass to Sojourner Truth and to women uplifting each other in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”We invite you to join us next Tuesday for a virtual Ask Me Anything event where we’ll talk about the suburbs with a panel of Black moms. We’ll dig into attacks on DEI and affirmative action, the glass cliff, and the 2024 elections. You can learn more and RSVP here.And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! It’s free and we’d love to hear from you in the comments.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Planes, Vans, and Voting (with Tayhlor Coleman)
Jan 31 2024
Planes, Vans, and Voting (with Tayhlor Coleman)
We’re only a month into 2024 but we already know that this November, our democracy depends on everyone coming together- all ages, all races, all genders. And just like other recent elections, we know we especially need young people to join in the fight. So this week, we’re talking to a young woman who uprooted her life in 2022 and started traveling around Texas in a van, registering voters. Tayhlor Coleman shares how the events of January 6th inspired her to add voter registration to her “van life” and how difficult her home state of Texas makes it for people to vote. She also talks about what kinds of conversations she’s been having with voters out on the road and she and our hosts agree that the best way to convince people that their vote matters is to start with local elections. Voting is a habit and making a difference in elections like city council and school board can inspire people to continue making their voices heard.Jasmine wasn’t able to join us this week because she was stuck on the GA House floor debating a bill that Republicans are trying to use to remove Fani Willis. We missed her but we so appreciate her doing the important work of democracy!Finally, Rachel and Amanda raise a glass to sledding with kids and healthy new habits in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”If you know a teen who's interested in learning more about voter registration, please attend our virtual event on Sunday February 4! And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! This week we’re sharing the video of our interview with Tayhlor, a video of our own Rep. Jasmine Clark being cut off while she was in the well speaking about Black maternal mortality, and more. You can sign up by going to swppod.news.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
What's So Complicated About Consent? (with A'magine Goddard)
Jan 24 2024
What's So Complicated About Consent? (with A'magine Goddard)
This week is the 51st anniversary of Roe v Wade and it’s so disheartening to think that there are women alive today who celebrated that victory only to have it taken away from them. But although clearly the fight is never really over, we won those rights in the past and we can win them again in the future.Then we explore a little-known aspect of consent and bodily autonomy with documentary director A’magine Goddard: the prevalence of pelvic exams on women under anesthesia who haven’t consented or even know about it. A’magine walks us through what’s happening, how it connects to the racist and misogynist history of gynecology, and most important how we can advocate for ourselves personally and through legislation. It’s not an easy conversation to hear but it’s so important to know what’s happening so we can fight for our rights.Finally, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to women’s volleyball and the power of film in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”And don’t forget to sign up for our Substack newsletter! This week we’re sharing the video of our interview with A’magine, a deeper dive into the history of gynecology, a Troublemaker video about miscarriage, and more. You can sign up by going to swppod.news. For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
School Moms to the Rescue! (with Laura Pappano)
Jan 10 2024
School Moms to the Rescue! (with Laura Pappano)
We’re officially back in the swing of things here after the holidays and we’re jumping right into it with an interview about public schools. But first, our hosts Rachel Vindman, Amanda Weinstein, and Jasmine Clark catch up about the news. We recently passed the 3-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection and it’s upsetting to see how so many Americans have shifted their views from condemning it to explaining it away. It’s so important to have accurate journalism so narratives like “Jan 6 wasn’t a big deal” don’t catch on. The hosts also discuss the scapegoating and resignation of Harvard president Claudine Gay and the bill in OH that would ban gender-affirming care.Then we dive into the importance of education and the role that deeply involved “school moms” can play in saving our public schools with journalist Laura Pappano. We were so excited to talk to Laura about her new book, “School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics and the Battle for Public Education.” She shares what it was like to attend a Moms for Liberty conference, why inclusion is so crucial, and even that she listens to The Suburban Women Problem while she does Peloton. “School Moms” will be available on January 30th and you can read Laura’s Vanity Fair article here.Finally, Rachel, Amanda and Jasmine raise a glass to new Akron mayor Shammas Malik, to Jasmine’s fantastic fundraising event earlier this month, and to high hopes for a new legislative session in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”This week, Amanda mentioned the bill in Ohio that would ban critical gender affirming care - if you're in Ohio, please call your state reps and tell them to vote no on overturning Gov. Dewine's veto of HB68.And speaking of supporting the LGBTQ community, we're also hosting a live virtual event with author and former pod guest Lesléa Newman to talk about her new book "Always Matt: A Tribute To Matthew Shepard.” The event is on Tues 1/16 at 7:30 Eastern - you can learn more and RSVP here.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Learn From The Past, Fight For The Future (with Ellen Cassedy)
Dec 20 2023
Learn From The Past, Fight For The Future (with Ellen Cassedy)
This week we’re feeling inspired by the organizing work that women have done in the past, and ready to keep fighting for ourselves and the future. Our hosts shared their heartache over what’s happening to Brittany Watts in Ohio - a young Black woman who suffered a miscarriage at home and is now charged with a felony. These laws are terrifying and seek to turn an already tragic situation into a nightmare. The Dobbs decision criminalized abortion and now they’re trying to criminalize miscarriage! It’s vital that we keep talking about this and we’re glad that ABC News highlighted 18 women’s personal stories in a recent feature.Then we’re joined by Ellen Cassedy, the author of “Working 9 to 5: A Women’s Movement, a Labor Union, and the Iconic Movie.” Ellen shares her inspiring experiences organizing office workers and co-founding the 9 to 5 movement back in the 1970s. She discusses some of the ridiculous things that women were asked to do by their bosses and how they fought back. And she also shares the lessons she learned (listen, be flexible, be creative, and lean into diversity) that can help us continue to fight for our rights today.Finally, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to young people and their parents receiving news about college admissions and to winning an award in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”This is our last episode of 2023 and we're so glad you've joined us on The Suburban Women Problem this year. We're taking a week off for Christmas and we'll see you again in 2024!Here at Red Wine & Blue, we’re taking this opportunity to celebrate everyday heroes - from our pod hosts to our amazing guests to you! We wouldn’t have so many victories to celebrate from this year’s election if it wasn’t for your support. And now, we’re making it easier than ever for you to be a superhero for our sisterhood. To make a donation to our year-end giving campaign, or to learn more, visit pod.redwine.blue/give.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
Extremists, Worry About Yourselves! (with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
Dec 13 2023
Extremists, Worry About Yourselves! (with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
We’ve been feeling heartsick this week over the woman in Texas who couldn’t get the abortion care she needed; first it was good news when a judge approved her request, then it was horrible news when the TX Attorney General threatened to prosecute her doctor and hospital. The same AG who has been accused of bribery and admitted to an extramarital affair! We have a clear message to him and every other hypocritical extremist: worry about yourself!Then we’re thrilled to be joined by Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She chats with our hosts about reproductive rights and the important role that suburban women have played in recent elections and will continue to play in 2024. They also talk about Israel, young people, and how we can make our voices heard. She even shares her home cooking instagram with us: Clean Cooking Congresswoman! Finally, Rachel and Amanda raise a glass to a kind gesture from the community and to men speaking out about reproductive rights in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”Here at Red Wine & Blue, we’re taking this opportunity to celebrate everyday heroes - from our pod hosts to our amazing guests to you! We wouldn’t have so many victories to celebrate from this year’s election if it wasn’t for your support. And now, we’re making it easier than ever for you to be a superhero for our sisterhood. To make a donation to our year-end giving campaign, or to learn more, visit pod.redwine.blue/give.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA
What’s Your Superpower? (with Adrienne Kirschner and Julie Womack)
Dec 6 2023
What’s Your Superpower? (with Adrienne Kirschner and Julie Womack)
This week, we’re celebrating everyday superheroes. From our podcast hosts to our Red Wine & Blue community to you, our listeners, we are blessed and grateful to have so many superheroes on our side. But as the holiday season gets underway, even superheroes are feeling the stress. As moms, so much of the planning and decorating and gift shopping falls on our shoulders, which can turn a meaningful holiday into a stressful to-do list. So this week, we’re joined by Julie and Adrienne from Red Wine & Blue to talk about giving the gift of democracy. There are so many ways we can support democracy all year round, but it’s nice to support causes we believe in as part of our holiday gifts. Finally, Rachel, Jasmine and Amanda raise a glass to brave daughters, new neighbors, and inspiring young people in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”You can find our bookmobile kits here: https://pod.redwine.blue/bookkits. The “what’s your superpower” quiz that Adrienne mentions in this episode can be found here: https://pod.redwine.blue/quiz. And finally, if you’re able to support Red Wine & Blue this giving season, we would be so grateful. You can donate and learn more at https://pod.redwine.blue/give.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA