Big Reputations

45. The Women of the MCU

In this episode we talk about female superheroes, focusing on the women of Marvel and most specifically, the women in the MCU. We cover some of the history of women in comics and discuss the ways in which women have been depicted in the different phases of the MCU. Then we consider some of the hot takes from different media outlets regarding some of these female superheroes. Spoiler alert, they’re not all positive! After that we look into the motivations behind the stories being told about women superheroes and why that might skew perception of these characters. And finally, we wrap up by looking at both the negative and positive impact women in the MCU have had on audiences, especially women and girls. 
Includes spoilers for MCU films and shows through May 2023.
Trigger Warnings: PTSD and death
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
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Sources:
"We Need to Talk about Marvel's Women Problem," by Maureen Lee Lenker
Protectors of Wakanda: A History and Training Manual of the Dora Milaje by Karama Horne
Superheroes Decoded: The Hypersexualization of Women in Comics
"The MCU Keeps Doing Its Women Dirty," by Petrana Radulovic
“SuperPowering Girls: Female Representation in the Sci/fi Superhero Genre” a study put out by Women’s Media Center
“Who Watches the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Race, Sex, and the Audience for Onscreen Diversity,” by Bethany Lacina in Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, edited by Edited by Nicholas Carnes and Lilly J. Goren.

44. Waverly Jong (The Joy Luck Club)

In this episode, we discuss the literary character Waverly Jong, from the book and film The Joy Luck Club. We talk about how she was seen by her mother, and other women in the book. We dive into how audiences reacted to Waverly’s conflicts and relationships, both the good and the bad. And lastly, we ​analyze Waverly’s motivations, and dig into her relationship with her mother and how it affects her outlook on life.
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
The Joy Luck Club film, currently streaming on Amazon
“American Rules and Chinese Faces: The Games of Amy Tan’s ‘The Joy Luck Club.’” by Tara Fickle
“‘Only Two Kinds of Daughters’: Inter-Monologue Dialogicity in The Joy Luck Club,” by Stephen Souris
“A Summary and Analysis of Amy Tan’s ‘Rules of the Game’ by Oliver Tearle

43. Malala Yousefzai

In this episode, we discuss the Nobel Peace Prize winning Pakistani education activist, Malala Yousafzai. We consider how she was perceived and treated by Taliban terrorists in her own country and how she ended up in the UK. Then we look at the reasons she fought for education and how she continues to do so today. Finally, we explore where she is now with her life, controversial opinions on choices she has made, and the impact she has had on education and culture in Pakistan and beyond. 
Trigger warnings: gun violence
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
“I Know The Power A Young Girl Carries In Her Heart”: The Extraordinary Life Of Malala by Sirin Kale
"Malala Goes Hollywood: How the ‘Stranger Things’-Loving Activist Wants to Shake Up TV," by Manori Ravindran
Class Dismissed: Malala’s Story
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai 

42. Selena Quintanilla Perez

In this episode, we discuss the tejana music star, Selena Quintanilla Perez. We look at her history in the music industry, the reactions of audiences, and the reception of her music in Mexico and the United States. We then talk about her death, especially as it relates to fan reactions and how, in some ways, her death overshadowed her life in mainstream pop-culture. Finally we consider the impact Selena had both during her lifetime and after it, including her impact on the Latin music scene of the 1990s and beyond. 
Trigger warnings: brief discussion of murder, sexual assault
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
Selena's Secret by María Celeste Arrarás
Selena, Como La Flor by Joe Nick Patoski
"Reading Selena’s Father’s Memoir Is an Exercise in Empathy," by Cat Cardenas
To Selena, With Love by Chris Pérez
Selena, the 1997 film
Selena, the 2020 tv series

41. Mary Wollstonecraft

In this episode we discuss Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the western world's first women’s rights activists. We talk about how the world reacted to her, her writings, and Enlightenment era ideas. Then we discuss the culture of the 1700’s and how Wollstonecraft's ideas impacted her daily life in this society. Lastly we reflect on how her words influenced others throughout time.
Trigger warnings: brief mentions of attempted suicide and suicide
 
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, by Mary Wollstonecraft
“The Radical Ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft,” by Susan Ferguson
Eight Women Philosophers: Theory, Politics, and Feminism, by Jane Duran
“Defending the Character and Conduct of Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1803” by the Australian Women’s History Network
Trainwreck by Sady Doyle

Bonus: Keanu Reeves

In this episode of Big Reputations, we discuss the well-known actor, Keanu Reeves. We share some of the things that the media has said about him over the years, then we discuss how awesome he really is. Finally we update you all on where he is now and what he has done and is doing for the world.
Trigger warnings: drug overdose and accidental death
 
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Theo Kunkle and Shawn P. Russell
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
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Happy April Fools!

40. Female Rivalries

In this episode we discuss feuds and rivalries between women. We briefly discuss our own experiences with rivalries we had with other girls and women and address the history of rivalries in the workplace, the concept of women fighting over men, and the history of feuds, rivalries, and “catfights” in Hollywood and pop-culture. Next we provide a number of examples throughout history of female rivalries including what the media said at the time and what the women themselves have said about these feuds. Then we dig into some scientific information on competition and how the media feeds into rivalries that aren’t really as bad as they seem. Finally, we wrap up with the impact of feuds and rivalries on larger society and ask ourselves how we think we can change the current norms surrounding the pitting of women against women.
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
“Female Competition: Causes, Constraints, Content, and Contexts,” by Anne Campbell
It’s Time to Break the Cycle of Female Rivalry, by Mikaela Kiner
"Brad Pitt was the only winner of the Aniston-Jolie Tabloid Battle," by Constance Grady
"A Timeline of the Real Feud Between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford," by Emma Dibdin

39. Jenny (Forrest Gump)

In this episode we discuss the fictional character, Jenny Curran. Jenny is the friend, love interest and reluctant villain of the 1986 novel Forrest Gump, and the 1994 movie adaptation of the same name. We talk about how she was treated by the men of the film and how she was perceived by film goers. People were, and some still are, not very keen on Jenny. They saw her as a tramp, a junkie and a user, but we offer a different perspective here. Lastly,  we take a deeper look at Jenny’s narrative, her motivations and discuss what we think her thought process was.
Trigger warning: child abuse, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, STDs, war
 
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
"Forrest Gump: Why Jenny is Unfairly Villainized," by Fionna Farrell
"Why Jenny From ‘Forrest Gump’ Is One of the Most Misunderstood Characters of All Time," by Eryn Murphy
"So I Can Fly Far Away: Why You Were Wrong About Jenny From Forrest Gump," by Sophie Wing
"Forrest Gump: What Illness Jenny Dies From," by Quinn Hough

38. Shirley Chisholm

In this episode we discuss the first African American woman in the US Congress and the first African American woman to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties. We consider the role that the media and other politicians played in her bid for candidacy and then we talk about the huge uphill battle that was Chisholm's political career (spoiler alert the hill includes racism and sexism). Finally we share some of Shirley’s achievements and lasting wins that still benefits us to this day.
Trigger warnings: Death threats, racism and sexism
 
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
Chisholm ‘72: Unbought and Unbossed, directed by Shola Lynch
Shirley Chisholm: Catalyst for Change, by Barbara Winslow
Unbought and Unbossed, by Shirley Chisholm 
The Good Fight, by Shirley Chisholm
National Women’s History Museum entry on Shirley Chisholm
US House of Representatives: History, Art, and Archives - Shirley Chisholm
The Shirley Chisholm Project

37. Megan Thee Stallion

In this episode we discuss the unapologetically pro-woman rapper, Megan Thee Stallion. We talk about how she got into rapping, her relationship with her record label, and the ways in which the media has judged her based on how she looks and the lyrics to her songs. Then we consider how men (especially those in positions of power in the music industry) have felt entitled to Megan’s fame and money and the even more nefarious practice of misogynoir in the music industry. Finally we share some of Megan’s achievements in her relatively short career (so far!). 
Trigger warnings: Gun violence, racism
 
Follow the podcast:
Twitter: @BigRepPod
Instagram: @BigReputationsPod
 
Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod
 
Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois
Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo
Music: Shawn P. Russell
Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell
Research: Kimberly Kunkle
Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources:
"These Female Rappers Don't Want to Be Defined by Industry Sexism. They’re Setting Their Own Rules," by Natalegé Whaley
"WAP – Women Empowerment or Objectification?" by Julia Ross
"Why I Speak Up for Black Women," by Megan Thee Stallion
Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance, by Moya Bailey
The Motherlode, 100+ Women Who Made Hip Hop, by Clover Hope
"Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood," by Rebecca Epstein, Jamilia J. Blake, and Thalia González