Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd

In this engaging discussion, Amanda Moll, a Senior reporter at Bloomberg focused on Southern topics, and Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd, author of Southern Beauty, dive into the shifting cultural landscape of the U.S. They explore why more students from the Northeast are flocking to Southern colleges, fueled by vibrant campus cultures and social media trends like 'Rush Talk.' The conversation also touches on the evolution of Southern womanhood and how historical changes have shaped modern identity, making the South a potent influence on American culture.

Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd, author and scholar of Southern cultural history, discusses how antebellum and Lost Cause beauty rituals shaped modern Southern femininity. She traces links between sorority rush, pageants and Confederate pageantry. The conversation connects those aesthetics to MAGA style, television influence, and performative signals of class and nostalgia.