Advanced TV Herstory

Welcome to Advanced TV Herstory, the podcast that connects the dots of TV & feminism and American politics & culture. We tell the stories of women in TV who have had a profound impact on the confidence and aspirations of generations of girls and women.

We highlight the pioneering journalists, talented actresses, and gutsy writers who challenged societal norms and provide historical context for their achievements within the cultural and political trends of the time. By exploring the past, we ensure that the struggles, triumphs, and milestones of these women are not lost to history.

Hosted and produced by television scholar Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Advanced TV Herstory is more than just a podcast. It is a research-based examination of the evolution of television and women in our society. Each episode is an opportunity to inspire listeners to believe in themselves, challenge norms, break barriers, and shape the future of television and our world.

Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at www.tvherstory.com/.

June and Pepper: Early 70s LGBTQ+ Allyship

Sep 10, 2024

In the last 10-20 years, attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people in America have shifted due to more positive visibility and evolving cultural norms. Cynthia takes a look at two moments from 1970s television that revealed glimpses of LGBTQ+ allyship—a talk show moment and a 1974 episode of Police Woman.

In 1970, June...

Women Leaders of WGA and SAG-AFTRA

Aug 16, 2023

Labor Day 2023 will mark the major event of a combined strike of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Both unions are currently led by women: Fran Drescher, Meredith Stiehm, and Lisa Takeuchi Cullen.

Even prior to the two union...

Diana Ross’ 1983 Concert: Legacy & Impact - Part 2

Oct 22, 2021

Podcast Episode Description

In this second part of the two-episode series, Advanced TV Herstory host Cynthia Bemis Abrams continues her deep discussion with poet, author, and professor Shayla Lawson about Diana Ross’ unforgettable 1983 Central Park concert. They explore how the Showtime broadcast amplified Ross’...

Examining Impact of Diana Ross' Central Park Concert - Part 1

Oct 17, 2021

Podcast Episode Description

In this thought-provoking episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by poet, author, and professor Shayla Lawson to revisit Diana Ross’ iconic 1983 Central Park concert. As captured in Lawson’s book, This Is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being...

I Still Believe Anita Hill: The Impact of 1991 Senate Hearings

Sep 21, 2019

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams revisits Anita Hill’s groundbreaking testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991. Before the #MeToo movement and the widespread conversations about workplace harassment, Hill’s testimony ignited national discussions about power, credibility, and gender dynamics in...