Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, playwright, composer, and all-around intellectual menace to the patriarchy.

In this episode of Queens Podcast, we trace Sor Juana’s rise from hacienda library goblin to celebrated court intellectual and how she used wit, logic, and theology to argue that women deserved education because women are people. Radical stuff.

Paired with a twist on the Paloma cocktail, we explore her poems like You Foolish Men and essays such as Respuesta a Sor Filotea, works that helped shape modern feminist thought centuries before feminism had a name.

Sor Juana did not just challenge misogyny. She out-argued it, and history is still taking notes.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction and Content Warning

00:36 Meet the Hosts: Katy & Nathan

01:36 Introducing Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

02:56 Patreon Shoutouts and Mocktail Recipe

05:31 Sor Juana's Early Life and Education

14:43 Juana's Move to Mexico City

16:45 Life with the viceroy's court

18:28 Juana's Intellectual Challenge

20:55 Becoming a nun

24:59 Juana's Writing Career Begins

26:08 A Close Relationship with Maria Louisa

30:23 You Foolish Men: A Poem of Hypocrisy

37:57 Juana's Feminist Manifesto

43:59 Juana's Downfall and Final Years

47:00 Legacy of a Feminist Icon

Sources:

• Dr. Peyton Cristina Del Toro's YouTube
• Stuff You Missed in History Class
• Biography.com
• Poets.org

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Today we’re diving into the wildly dramatic life of Mary Shelley, the mother of science fiction and the ultimate OG Goth Girl. From radical feminist and revolutionary parents, to graveyard hookups, to the stormy summer that gave us Frankenstein, Mary’s life was just as haunting as her work.

In this episode, we unpack how Mary Shelley’s grief, genius, and chaotic social circle shaped one of the most influential novels of all time and how she remained quietly radical long after the world tried to tame her.

In this episode, we cover:

• Mary Shelley’s radical upbringing and goth childhood

• Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and the messiest friend group imaginable

• The true origins of Frankenstein

• Grief, motherhood, and loss

• Mary Shelley’s underrated radical legacy

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings

03:26 Mary Shelley's Early Life and Family

04:37 Mary Wollstonecraft & William Godwin: Radical Parents

16:53 Teenage Years in Scotland (Emotional Glow-Up)

19:43 Percy Shelley has entered the chat

24:09 The Graveyard Scene & Running Away

31:53 Return to England and Family Rejection

36:58 The Birth of Frankenstein

47:26 Loss, Grief & Moving to Italy

54:14 Mary Shelley's Later Life and Legacy

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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In this episode of History’s Mysteries, we’re diving into one of the bloodiest and most debated events in early modern Europe: the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

Thousands of French Protestants were brutally murdered in August 1572, after what was supposed to be a royal wedding that symbolized peace. Historians have argued for centuries about who was responsible — and today, we’re asking the big question:

Did Catherine de Medici order it?

This episode blends historical analysis, feminist storytelling, and intuitive tarot reading to look at Catherine de Medici not as a caricature, but as a complex political operator navigating power, survival, and legacy in a brutal era.

If you'd like to find more Tandy you can find her on instagram
If you want to try Unicorn Wellness for 30 days head here: https://www.unicornwellnessstudio.com/30-day-guest-access

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement

00:47 History's Mysteries Series Overview

01:36 Meet Tandy: The Wellness Witch

03:38 The Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre

10:40 Catherine de' Medici's Role in the Massacre

11:44 Tarot Reading: Did Catherine Call for the Murder?

15:35 Card 1: The Seven of Cups

17:33 Strategic Planning and Power Dynamics

23:38 Card 2: Four of Wands

24:47 The Gloves Are Off: A Violent Message

26:21 Catherine de Medici's Disconnect and Strategy

38:03 Card 3: The Hierophant Card

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Welcome back to another Queens Kiki for December 20, 2025.

This week we’re talking tragic losses, Vanity Fair doing what it does best, horror films finally getting their flowers at the Golden Globes, and the pop culture chaos keeping us afloat.

We break down Rob Reiner’s legacy, dissect the now-infamous Vanity Fair Trump cabinet photo spread, argue (passionately) about whether Michael B. Jordan deserved two nominations, and spiral joyfully through what we’re watching, reading, and loving right now.

Pop culture, chaos, and coping — just another Kiki.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the Kiki Queens Podcast!

00:24 Reflecting on 2025: A Year to Forget

00:45 Tarot Reading: Setting the Tone

02:48 Heartbreaking News: The Reiner Family Tragedy

04:28 Celebrating Rob Reiner's Legacy

09:00 Vanity Fair's Trump Cabinet Spread

11:19 Analyzing the Photography: Intentional or Rushed?

21:22 What we're watching/reading

27:54 Golden Globes Horror Nominations

33:12 Bowen Yang please be my friend

34:24 Byeeee

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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We’re back with Part 2 of our deep dive into Helena Blavatsky—the controversial, chaotic, and endlessly woo woo founder of modern occultism. In this episode, we follow Madame Blavatsky’s journey to America, where she teams up with Henry Steele Olcott and steps fully into her era as a spiritualism celebrity.

From the founding of Theosophy to her many scandals, disputed “miracles,” and the wild amount of cultural appropriation baked into her work, we’re unpacking the messy, fascinating legacy that shaped New Age spirituality, occult history, and the modern mystic movement.

If you’ve ever wondered how one woman became the blueprint for so much 19th-century spiritualism—for better and worse—this episode has you covered.

Time stamps

00:00 Intro

01:26 Helena's Lost Decade and Move to America

02:37 The Rise of Spiritualism

06:23 Helena's Struggles and New Beginnings

10:14 Meeting the Eddie Brothers

14:02 Partnership with Henry Steele Olcott

17:26 Founding the Theosophical Society

22:47 The Success of 'Isis Unveiled'

26:03 Helena's Celebrity Era

26:27 Move to India and Cultural Appropriation

29:51 Blavatsky's Popularity and Controversy in India

32:51 Health Issues and Betrayal

40:50 The Secret Doctrine and Blavatsky's Theories

45:40 Final Years and Legacy

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Surprise, y'all! It's a kiki on the main feed! Katy and Nathan are stuck at home for the holidays, so obviously we’re talking shit into microphones.

In this series you can expect tarot pulls, feminist history side quests, pop culture rants, internet drama (looking at you, rage bait), and whatever else is living rent-free in our brains this week. Grab a drink, grab your headphones, and come kiki with us while we gossip about the past, present, and extremely cursed timeline we’re living in.

00:00 Introduction and Holiday Plans

02:35 Thanksgiving Recap and Family Stories

03:47 One Card Tarot pull

06:14 Word of the year Rage Bait

12:11 Spotify Wrapped and Listener Stats

17:44 Wicked Fatigue and Movie Reviews

25:58 The Running Man and why are movies so long

28:39 Diddy Documentary Review

30:49 Sabrina Carpenter vs The White House

35:55 Stranger Things and Aging Cast

40:10 Frankenstein and Woke Criticism

43:18 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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In this episode, we dive into the chaotic, controversial, and extremely entertaining life of Helena Blavatsky — the 19th-century mystic, world traveler, occult celebrity, and eventual co-founder of the Theosophical Society.

But before she became the founder (grifter?) of a major spiritual movement, she was just a kooky little girl born into the Russian aristocracy with a flair for folklore, drama, and telling everyone she could talk to ghosts. Whether you know her as a spiritual icon, a fraud, or the original chaos witch of the Victorian era, this episode explores the myths, scandals, astral projections, and truly unhinged adventures that shaped the occult revival, Victorian spiritualism, esoteric philosophy, and the early New Age movement.

If you’re into messy historical women, occult weirdness, or “Ma’am, what are you doing?” energy… welcome home.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction & chat

02:51 Introducing Helena Blavatsky

03:52 Mocktail Recipe: Black Magic Mocktail

05:55 Helena's Early Life and Family Background

28:34 Formative Years in Tiflis

30:36 Discovering Esoteric Knowledge

35:10 Helena's Paranormal Experiences

38:24 The Runaway Bride

49:14 Helena's Lost Decade

55:42 Introduction to Spiritualism

Sources:

• Jules Evans, “Madame Blavatsky and the Perils of Mass Occultism” ⁠https://julesevans.medium.com/madame-blavatsky-and-the-perils-of-mass-occultism-333fcd765c43⁠

• JSTOR Daily — “Spiritualism, Science, and the Mysterious Madame Blavatsky” ⁠https://daily.jstor.org/spiritualism-science-and-the-mysterious-madame-blavatsky/⁠

• CBC Radio: Ideas — Madame Blavatsky episode ⁠https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/madame-blavatsky-a-seeker-of-truth-and-a-fraud-1.6478885⁠

• Pro Theosophy Documentary ⁠https://youtu.be/WWEpVd2AaBo?si=7wPZ6MmmYE9ooSee⁠

• Blavatsky & Theosophy Video Explainer ⁠https://youtu.be/WAVimQTTlgs?si=G1puAIJQwpDyApAu⁠

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Welcome back, Queens. Today, we're heading to Brazil to get into the life of the iconic fashion designer turned political activist, Zuzu Angel. In the middle of Brazil’s 1960s–70s military dictatorship, Zuzu turned her runway into a rebellion. Her bright, tropical designs celebrated the culture her government was trying to silence, and when her son was “disappeared” for opposing the regime, she used fashion itself as protest.

If you love your fashion with a side of badass activism, then this story is for you.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction and Content Warning

00:59 Katy's Trip to Rio and Brazilian Women in History

02:29 Introducing Suzu Angel: From Fashion to Activism

03:33 Brazilian Cocktails and Listener shoutouts

06:58 Early Life of Zuzu Angel

12:26 Zuzu's Family and Early Career

16:07 Rise to Fame: Zuzu's Fashion Journey

24:36 Political Climate in Brazil

30:54 The Rise of Student Dissidence

37:47 Zuzu's Artistic Resistance

45:57 The Tragic Fate of Stuart

55:16 Zuzu's Legacy and Final Thoughts

Sources:

• Traditional Bahian dress: https://www.alamy.com/bahiana-woman-in-traditional-dress-salvador-bahia-brazil-image1929717.html

• Carea Embroidery: https://vettycreations.com.au/white-threads/2013/05/22/south-american-whitework/

• Letter from Alex

• https://americasouthandnorth.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/get-to-know-a-brazilian-zuzu-angel/

• https://thestylestorian.com/2016/08/16/zuzu-angel-the-rebel-of-brazilian-fashion/
  

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Here it is, the finale to the wild life of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury and last great Plantagenet. What a rollercoaster it's been. We jump back into Henry VIII’s chaos: Catherine of Aragon cast aside, Anne Boleyn crowned (and gone), Thomas Cromwell on the rise, and our fiercely Catholic Margaret trying to keep her head

We follow Reginald Pole’s “turbo treason” across Europe and watch as the Exeter Conspiracy brings down Margaret and her family. From skipped coronations and pointed petitions to house arrest and the Tower, we unpack how a 60-something noblewoman became the poster child for Tudor paranoia, and why her 1541 execution by bill of attainder stunned Europe.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:39 Recap of Margaret Pole's Life

02:48 Margaret Pole's Political Struggles

11:10 Reginald Pole's Defiance

22:28 Margaret Pole's Family Dynamics

26:03 Reginald Pole and the Exeter Conspiracy

28:18 Jeff's Arrest and Interrogation

30:22 Margaret's Incriminating Evidence

33:05 Speculations and Interrogations

40:28 Margaret's Imprisonment and Execution

46:18 Margaret's Legacy

Sources:

• https://rebeccastarrbrown.com/2018/01/13/the-last-plantagenet-margaret-pole-countess-of-salisbury/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi7lMHlQty0 

• https://tudortimes.co.uk/people/margaret-plantagenet-life-story/the-wrath-of-a-prince-1538-1541 
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LUAzFiDpEbj0QiP92Ac33

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Spooky season is upon us witches and in this Patreon fave we are taking y'all to one of England's oldest (and most haunted?) castles: Warwick Castle. There we'll meet some of their most famous ghosts, talk Victorian era seances and maybe even meet a shapeshifter or two.

Tune into this one for: Wars of the Roses ghosts, Aleister Crowley séances, the ghost of Sir Fulke Greville, gray ladies, real life dungeons and so much more. Pair it with our haunted Hampton Court palace episode if you're really in the mood for a fright.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction to Queen's Podcast

00:45 Warwick Castle: A Haunted History

02:02 Warwick Castle Through the Ages

05:22 Modern-Day Warwick Castle

08:43 The Ghost of Sir Fulke Greville

17:04 The Legend of the Black Dog

20:29 The Gray Lady of Warwick Castle

23:16 Countess of Warwick and the Supernatural

29:50 Daisy and Alistair Crowley's Seance

34:13 Hauntings in the Dungeon

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Lady Catherine Gordon: Wife of Perkin Warbeck| Tudor & Wars of the Roses History

In this special rerun from Katy’s Corner (originally released to Patreon in 2022), Katy dives into the fascinating, often overlooked life of Lady Katherine Gordon, wife of the infamous pretender Perkin Warbeck — aka the guy who pretended to be Richard Duke of York (of the Princes in the Tower fame).

This episode is a perfect little snack for fans of Tudor history, Wars of the Roses drama, and under-told stories of women in history.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction to Queen's Podcast

00:57 Lady Elizabeth Gordon: The Mysterious Wife of Perkin Warbeck

01:24 Catherine's Scottish Roots and Family Dynamics

05:41 Marriage to Perkin Warbeck

08:04 Life at the Scottish Court and Perkin's Ambitions

16:36 Capture and Life in England

24:32 Catherine's Later Years and Legacy

Sources:

•  https://tudorsdynasty.com/king-henry-vii-and-the-mystery-of-lady-catherine-gordon/

•  https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/resource/catherine-gordon-and-perkin-warbeck/

• https://thehistoryjar.com/tag/perkin-warbecks-son/

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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