Breaking Down Patriarchy

Amy is joined by author Heather Hester to discuss her book Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen, digging into the coming out process and exploring the best ways we can support queer children through education, self-care, and confronting homophobia.Resources for parents.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyHeather Hester is the founder of Chrysalis Mama which provides support and education to parents and allies of LGBTQIA adolescents, teenagers, and young adults. She is also the creator/host of the Top 1% podcast Just Breathe: Parenting your LGBTQ Teen. As an advocate and coach, she believes the coming out process is equal parts beautiful and messy. She works with her clients to let go of fear and feelings of isolation so that they can reconnect with themselves and their children with awareness and compassion. Heather also works within organizations via specialized programming to bring education and empowerment with a human touch. She is delighted to announce that her first book is out in the world as of May 2024 - Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen. Married to the funniest guy she’s ever known and the mother of four extraordinary kids (two of whom are LGBTQ) and one sassy mini bernedoodle, Heather believes in being authentic and embracing the messiness. You can almost always find her with a cup of coffee nearby whether she’s at her computer, on her yoga mat, or listening to her favorite music.

Breaking Down Patriarchy producer, Sam Rose Preminger, revisits stories of coming into their transgender identity and answers listener questions about transgender and nonbinary experiences, discussing bathrooms, sports, queer youth, and the fight for LGBTQIA+ liberation.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchySam Rose Preminger (they/them) is an editor and producer on Breaking Down Patriarchy. They live in Portland, OR with their partner and rescue pup.

Amy is joined by married partners - poet Phillip Brown and therapist Andres Brown - for an authentic and heartful exploration of queer identity, queer safety, queer relationships and patriarchy through an exchange of poetry and conversation.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyPhillip Watts Brown is a poet and artist after earning a BA in graphic design from Brigham Young University. He earned an MFA in poetry from Oregon State University. He is the author of Boy with Flowers in His Mouth, which was published by Gold Line Press in February, 2025. His work has appeared in literary journals and anthologies, including Ninth Letter, the Common, Ruminate, Nimrod, Tahoma Literary Review, and others. Phillip lives with his husband in northern Utah, where he works as a graphic designer. He's also a poetry editor for the online literary journal, Halfway Down the Stairs.Andres Larios Brown (They/Elle) is a Utah-based licensed marriage and family therapist dedicated to healing for LGBTQ plus communities. As training director and partner at Simple Modern Therapy and Institute, Andres focuses on trauma, healing, and wellbeing for those who feel marginalized or othered. Andres specializes in identity development and reclaiming healing practices for queer, trans, and BIPOC communities. As a therapist of both lived experience and learned expertise, they are committed to helping LGBTQ+ people thrive.In addition to providing therapy, Andres focuses on creating and facilitating training for therapists and teaches at U of V’s Masters of Social Work Program and U of O’s Couples and Family Therapy Program. They have co-authored a chapter in the Rutledge International Handbook of Couple and Family Therapy, as well as a number of other articles in different academic journals. Through therapy, teaching, training, and advocacy. They seek to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice. They and their husband of eight years live in northern Utah where they spend as much time with family and loved ones as possible.

Amy is joined by coach Sara Fisk to unpack people pleasing behaviors, learning how women are rewarded for losing ourselves, rethinking our resources, and making more purposeful choices about when and where we people please.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchySara Bybee Fisk is a master-certified coach and instructor who teaches women how to overcome people-pleasing, perfectionism, and codependency. She is known for her podcast, the Ex-Good Girl Podcast, and her work with the Life Coach School. Fisk is also a former scholars coach for the Life Coach School.

Amy is joined by Breaking Down Patriarchy collaborator Celeste Davis to discuss her late-blooming into feminism, taking up space, re-writing the marital script, and how we can all build better relationships by holding love and accountability in equal measure.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyCeleste Davis is the writer behind the popular Substack ‘Matriarchal Blessing’. She is a certified spiritual director through the Chaplaincy Institute, specializing in LDS faith transitions. She lives in Spokane, Washington with her husband and four kids.

Amy is joined by Somatic Educator Pamela Madsen to discuss sexual self-confidence, feeling good about vulvas, the healing power of pleasure, and how we can all come back to our bodies through sex and somatic practices.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyPamela Madsen is a veteran advocate, activist, and educator. As the founder of Back to the Body, which is now in its 13th year of operations, Pamela’s full-bodied mix of intelligence, humor and vulnerability has made her one of the most mediagenic advocates for integrated sexuality and a taboo-buster around body image. Pamela has a Master’s Degree in Education and is a Certified Somatic Sex Educator.

Amy is joined by author and educator, Dr. Michael Kaufman, to discuss the manosphere, loneliness, hatred, and other risks to today's men and boys, plus practical advice for men who want to help themselves and others by getting involved in the work of gender equity.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyMichael Kaufman, PhD, is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction books. As an advisor, activist, and keynote speaker, he has developed innovative approaches to engage men and boys in promoting gender equality and positively transforming men's lives. Over the past four decades his work with the United Nations, governments, non-governmental organizations, corporations, trade unions, and universities has taken him to fifty countries.

Amy “levels up” her video game knowledge with Game Developer Ashley Ruhl, who teaches us about feminism in gaming, Gamergate, women wastelanders, 'pink games', and how all of us can help support gender equity and representation in this massively popular pastime. Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyAshley Ruhl is a Narrative Director, Narrative Designer, Cinematic Designer, and Writer exclusively in games. Over the past 13 years she has focused on a multi-prong approach of character-driven narrative, eye-catching cinematics, and intuitive game design. She was the first woman at Telltale to hold the titles of Episodic Director and Assistant Episodic Director, credited for Episode 3 and Episode 1 of "Tales from the Borderlands" respectively, and was selected for Forbes "30 under 30" list in video games in 2016. Ruhl focuses on cinematic delivery and strong emotional agency in game narrative, creating memorable moments that encourage players to be authors of their own stories.

Amy is joined by author & illustrator Rebecca Burgess to discuss their graphic novel, Speak Up!, and explore the impacts of patriarchy on the neurodivergent community. Rebecca shares their personal stories of growing up with autism, discusses the importance of representation, and shares invaluable advice for parents and peers of autistic children.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyRebecca Burgess a freelance illustrator currently living in Bristol. Their favorite things are nature, history, comics, psychology, and cuddling their girlfriend. Burgess is most well known for their various long and short comics that explore and explain autism. Their comics are also known for showing big feelings and loveable characters that people can connect to on a personal level. They have both written and illustrated several award winning YA and children’s books/comics, including Speak Up! and How to be Ace.

Amy is joined by author Kathy Iandoli to discuss her book, God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop, exploring the incredible history of female pioneers in hip-hop history from old school crews like The Mercedes Ladies to contemporary superstars like Lil' Kim.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyKathy Iandoli is a critically acclaimed journalist, author, podcaster, media coach, and documentarian. She has nearly 25 years  experience working in the music industry—from media, to publicity, radio, and artist management. Her first book, God Save The Queens: The Essential History of Women In Hip-Hop was named an NPR Best Book Of the Year. She is the author of the biography Baby Girl: Better Known As Aaliyah, as well as the co-author of rapper, Lil’ Kim’s memoir, The Queen Bee. Kathy has written about music and gender for two decades, with bylines in VIBE, The Source, XXL, Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Pitchfork, BUST, Teen Vogue, PAPER, Playboy, i-D, Cosmopolitan, Maxim, The Guardian, VICE, and many others. Kathy was a professor-in-residence of Music Business at NYU for 7 years as well as an alum of Steinhardt's Music Business Graduate Program and has served as a pundit (television, radio, and panels) for discussions on hip-hop and gender.