In 1950s America, airlines refused to hire Black women as stewardesses. When Patricia Banks Edmiston is repeatedly rejected, she refuses to stay silent. By calling in civil rights leaders and taking on Capital Airlines, Patricia launches a landmark discrimination case that reshapes the skies and the industry.

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/

SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS

United States

Mental Health

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988, or chat online - https://988lifeline.org/ 
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – education, support groups, and helpline: 1-800-950-6264 - https://www.nami.org/ 

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – hotline 1-800-656-HOPE; also online chat - https://rainn.org 

United Kingdom

Mental Health 

• Samaritans – 24/7 phone support at 116 123 - https://www.samaritans.org/ 
• Mind – mental health information and support - https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence

• Rape Crisis England & Wales – national helpline and local support centres - https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/ 
• The Survivors Trust – specialist sexual violence support https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ 

Australia

Mental Health

• Lifeline Australia – 24/7 crisis support: 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 
• Beyond Blue – mental health support and helpline: 1300 22 4636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence

• 1800RESPECT – national sexual assault, domestic & family violence counselling service: 1800 737 732 - https://1800respect.org.au/ 

Canada

Mental Health 

• Talk Suicide Canada – call or text 988 (nationwide) - https://988.ca/ 
• Crisis Services Canada – nationwide crisis support network - https://thelifelinecanada.ca/ 

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence 

• The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (CASAC) – directory of local crisis centres.
• Ending Violence Association of Canada – provincial crisis lines - https://endingviolencecanada.org/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1960s, stewardesses were forced to retire at 32, no matter their skill or experience. When Patt Gibbs and her colleagues publicly challenge the age rule, they confront a culture that values women only while they look young. The fight turns personal when a beloved mentor is quietly pushed aside.

The archive you heard included the commercial “the Air Strip” from Braniff International and a 1963 television address by President John F. Kennedy on civil rights from John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS

United States

Mental Health

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988, or chat online - https://988lifeline.org/ 
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – education, support groups, and helpline: 1-800-950-6264 - https://www.nami.org/ 

United Kingdom

Mental Health 

• Samaritans – 24/7 phone support at 116 123 - https://www.samaritans.org/ 
• Mind – mental health information and support - https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

Australia

Mental Health

• Lifeline Australia – 24/7 crisis support: 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 
• Beyond Blue – mental health support and helpline: 1300 22 4636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

Canada

Mental Health 

• Talk Suicide Canada – call or text 988 (nationwide) - https://988.ca/ 
• Crisis Services Canada – nationwide crisis support network - https://thelifelinecanada.ca/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Behind the cocktails and movie stars, stewardesses’ jobs depended on staying under strict weight limits. When Patt Gibbs is suspended for gaining a few pounds, a company doctor hands her diet pills with potentially dangerous consequences. As women push their bodies to extremes, Patt begins to fight back and discovers how costly defiance can be.

You heard archive from the documentary The Rise of Labor from the CIA collections of the U.S. National Archives.

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS

United States

Mental Health

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988, or chat online - https://988lifeline.org/ 
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – education, support groups, and helpline: 1-800-950-6264 - https://www.nami.org/ 

Eating Disorders

• NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) – helpline chat, screening tool, and resources - https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ 

United Kingdom

Mental Health 

• Samaritans – 24/7 phone support at 116 123 - https://www.samaritans.org/ 
• Mind – mental health information and support - https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

Eating Disorders & Body Image

• BEAT Eating Disorders – helpline, online chat, and resources - https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ 

Australia

Mental Health

• Lifeline Australia – 24/7 crisis support: 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 
• Beyond Blue – mental health support and helpline: 1300 22 4636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

Eating Disorders & Body Image

• Butterfly Foundation – helpline + online chat for eating disorders: 1800 33 4673 - https://butterfly.org.au/ 

Canada

Mental Health 

• Talk Suicide Canada – call or text 988 (nationwide) - https://988.ca/ 
• Crisis Services Canada – nationwide crisis support network - https://thelifelinecanada.ca/ 

Eating Disorders 

• NEDIC (National Eating Disorder Information Centre) – helpline and online chat https://nedic.ca/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the golden age of flying, air travel looked glamorous, but for the women working onboard, it was tightly controlled. Nell McShane Wulfhart takes us inside American Airlines’ “Charm Farm” where young stewardesses, like Patt Gibbs, were trained to be thin, obedient, and perfectly groomed. But everything changes after Patt impulsively attends a union meeting.

The archive you heard was the 1967 commercial “Presenting the Losers” by Eastern Air Lines.

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. 

For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS

United States

Mental Health

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988, or chat online - https://988lifeline.org/ 
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – education, support groups, and helpline: 1-800-950-6264 - https://www.nami.org/ 

United Kingdom

Mental Health 

• Samaritans – 24/7 phone support at 116 123 - https://www.samaritans.org/ 
• Mind – mental health information and support - https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

Australia

Mental Health

• Lifeline Australia – 24/7 crisis support: 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 
• Beyond Blue – mental health support and helpline: 1300 22 4636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

Canada

Mental Health 

• Talk Suicide Canada – call or text 988 (nationwide) - https://988.ca/ 
• Crisis Services Canada – nationwide crisis support network - https://thelifelinecanada.ca/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the golden age of air travel, flying was sold as glamorous, luxurious, and effortlessly chic. But for the young women working the aisles at 30,000 feet, the reality was very different. The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight tells the story of the stewardesses who refused to be grounded. From secret meetings to landmark discrimination cases to high-stakes union votes, these women challenged America’s biggest airlines and the sexism baked into the industry itself. A powerful sisterhood began to form across cabin aisles and crew lounges. They weren’t just fighting for better contracts. They were fighting for control of their own lives.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did it take law enforcement so long to pay proper attention to Derek Alldred’s pattern of fraud against women all over the country? 

In bonus episode four, Anna takes a deep dive into the investigation that finally brought Derek down, and the shortcomings of the many that came before. 

In this four part mini-series, we take a deep dive into our archive of never before heard interviews, to take a closer look at the key themes that underpinned Trust Me Babe. 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Derek Alldred was finally convicted in 2017, it was far from his first run-in with the law. 

In fact, more than a decade earlier, he found himself in the crosshairs of one determined California fire investigator, named Tom Oldag, who suspected him of a very different kind of fraud. 

In bonus episode three, Anna takes a deep dive into one strand of Derek Alldred’s colourful criminal history. Featuring real archival recordings from Captain Tom Oldag’s extensive investigation. 

In this four part mini-series, we take a deep dive into our archive of never before heard interviews, to take a closer look at the key themes that underpinned Trust Me Babe. 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confronting your bestie’s terrible boyfriend about his toxic behaviour can be tempting, but is it always the best course of action? How do you strike a balance between protecting your friend from becoming isolated, and being honest with them about your fears?

In bonus episode two, Anna talks to social worker - Jen Lawrence - to learn more about the red flags of romance scammer behaviour, and what you can do about them. 

In this four part mini-series, we take a deep dive into our archive of never before heard interviews, to take a closer look at the key themes that underpinned Trust Me Babe. 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the years leading up to Derek’s conviction, his victims sometimes came forward to the media about their experiences. 

But when they did so, the reaction from the public wasn’t always sympathetic. 

In bonus episode one, Anna takes a closer look at the stigma that surrounds romance fraud with journalist Rachel Monroe, who covered Derek’s sentencing for The Atlantic back in 2018.  

In this four part mini-series, we take a deep dive into our archive of never before heard interviews, to take a closer look at the key themes that underpinned Trust Me Babe. 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Girlfriends from all over the country finally converge on a house in Texas. 

And they meet a woman who’s been waiting on answers from Derek Alldred, for decades. 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special Agent Mike discovers Dorie isn’t the only woman Derek Alldred’s been seeing in Texas.

Will Tracie agree to help the girlfriends bring him down once and for all? 

If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org.

To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ 

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.