Toxic

Maybe Men Don't Need More Consent Education. Maybe They Need to Give a Damn.

Listen, all of us are tired of womensplaining what consent means to the menfolk. It's not the lack of education that led a bunch of educated Ivy League bros to "allegedly" participating in a sexual assault, joking about a woman being "free" for the taking while not one of the 57 men on the Cornell Chi Phi fraternity Snapchat group thought that was a problem. Hmmm.... In this episode, we're unpacking the Cornell 7 case with updates about what we know now, as well as the institutional failures that followed, the disturbing phenomenon of himpathy, and why the problem may not be that men don't understand consent. It's that too many simply don't give a damn. And where the hell are the men who are willing to call them out? NEW: Every Friday, check out The Toxic Report, our weekly roundup of stories about men behaving badly that might have otherwise flown under the radar. Because, no, there's never a shortage of material. Prefer your Toxic in written form? Subscribe to our newsletter at ToxicThePodcast.com and get your weekly dose of men behaving badly delivered straight to your inbox, plus other fun surprises. No earbuds required. Help us spread the word. Share an episode of Toxic with someone who's just as pissed off as you are that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and please consider leaving us a review. Your support helps us keep these conversations going and amplify stories that deserve to be heard. Because the more we talk about it, the harder it is to ignore.

Women Make History, Russell Brand Makes Headlines

Welcome to The Toxic Report for the week of Nov. 1, 2026. This weekly roundup of domestic violence news is served up every Friday here and directly to your inbox. Visit ToxicthePodcast.com and sign up for our brand-new newsletter These are the stories of men behaving badly that may have flown under the radar, right where these guys hoped they would. Our mission: Call them out. Call them all out. Here's what you'll hear about in this quick episode: The midterms brought historic firsts for women and a glimmer of hope for our future. The gross Russell Brand, self-described guru, turns out to be an actual rapist. Who would've thunk it? And a heartbreaking story out of Texas, where a man far too old to be impregnating a 19-year-old shoots his infant daughter and the baby's grandmother. Only one survived. If you're not feeling safe with your partner, are being subjected to abuse, have experienced sexual assault or are worried about someone in your life who may be in danger, reach out to a trained advocate. See our Resources page for a list of organizations ready to help.

Men Who'd Rather Murder Their Fiancés Than Get Married

Welcome to the first episode of The Toxic Report: a weekly roundup of domestic violence news served up every Friday by us, your hosts of Toxic. These are the stories of men behaving badly that may have flown under the radar, right where these guys hoped they would. Our mission: Call them out. Call them all out. A few of the stories you'll hear in this quick episode: A Florida man is charged with his fiancé's murder 15 years after she went missing, even though her closest friends and family knew the whole time. The wheels of justice turn slowly. An Arizona mom is recovering after being stabbed by her fiance, but we can help her and her two daughters find a new, safe, non-crime-scene home where they can heal together. Please consider sharing these episodes amongst your circles. The headlines won't stop coming because abusers just don't give a f*ck. That's on them, but it's also on our culture. Toxic masculinity hurts everyone, not just women, but also the men who think they have to prove something by beating, controlling and murdering women. Talk to your kids. Break the cycle. And someday, hopefully, we'll have a lot less to rant about. Until then, stay angry. Stay informed and believe women. Sign up for our newsletter at toxicthepodcast.com and get these headlines to your inbox every Friday. And consider picking up some scandelous (?!) Toxic merch that works as fantastic conversation starters in our Bonfire store. If you're not feeling safe with your partner, have experienced sexual assault or are worried about someone in your life who may be in danger, reach out to a trained advocate. See our Resources page for a list of organizations ready to help.

We Were All Watching O.J. We Should Have Been Watching Nicole.

We all remember the Bronco. The glove. The 1995 televised trial. And somewhere underneath all of it was Nicole Brown Simpson, a 35-year-old mother of two young kids who had spent years telling people she was afraid. Her sister, Denise Brown, has spent the last 30 years traveling from one side of the country to the other trying to warn people about what we didn't see and what she wishes she'd known. We're honored to have her on Toxic to talk about how we're all angry that, despite so many of us yelling from the mountaintops, things seem to be getting worse, not better. TOMORROW, Oct. 6, Denise Brown's first book, "For My Sister Nicole: Love Shouldn't Hurt—What to Know About Domestic Violence," comes out. fI you want to support Denise's ongoing and tireless work, buy the book and keep the conversation about domestic violence going. Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com to learn more about us, access previous episodes and pick up our "Stop Killing Women" merch—and more. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Make It Make Sense: Keisha Golden Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter After Boyfriend Tried to Kill Her

Keisha Golden called the police more than 50 times in two years to report her boyfriend's abuse. She filed for not one, but two protective orders. She wanted to leave, but was pregnant. Like so many survivors, she still held out hope that Calvin Sydney could change. He had other plans. When she was 8 months pregnant, he attacked her. She fought back and Calvin ended up dying from a stab wound to the leg. Keisha found herself cuffed and put behind bars, about to have a baby any day. Survivors who seek help are often retraumatized by the system meant to protect them. Some will argue a crime is a crime. But that fear of winding up arrested for saving one's own life is what keeps so many survivors trapped, silent and feeling helpless. Learn more about one alternative to prison in "What Is Restorative Justice?" And sign the petition to pardon Keisha's here. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

TV Taught Us Sex....Poorly: A Conversation with Doménica Feraud That Might Change the Way You Think About Intimacy

Have you ever watched movie sex and then wondered why the sex you have is so.....not that? Sure, we know it's scripted, but in the same way romcom writers make stalking look romantic, so too is over-the-top passionate 30-second sex the best orgasam of any woman's life. Umm......what? How are these completely inacurate portrayls of sex influencing our own ideas about what intimacy should look and feel like? And how does it especially impact young people who are growing up with a completely inaccurate expectation for sex? Doménica Feraud is a writer, producer and actor whose new book, You Are What You See: How My Favorite Shows Became My Worst Influences, examines how the movies and television we consume shape our ideas about sex, relationships and ourselves. She also wrote an ahhhhmazing essay that went viral for good reason: The 26-Year-Old Virgin. Tl; dr: We need more women writing sex scenes because—shocker—men are writing about the sexual responses they *think* women should be having. And sorry guys, this just isn't it. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Pride Month: Inside the Playbook of Queer Abusers

Pride is about visibility, but not everything is rainbows and glitter, despite what the media feeds us about queer relationships. This episode dives into how intimate partner abuse shows up in queer relationships, including the tactics and dynamics that can fly under the radar. But never fear—we end on a lighter note with the queer shows we love (and the scenes we'll never stop thinking about). Love is love, bitches. As mentioned in the episode, here are some LGBTQ+-specific organizations that are here if you need someone supportive and nonjudgmental to talk about what's going on in your relationship, or need help leaving an abusive partner. L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual; Transgender Community Center (New York) CenterLink, The Community of LGBTQ+ Centers Community United Against Violence (CUAV) FORGE, for transgender and non-binary survivors LGBT National Help Center National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging The Network/La Red The Mazzoni Center We want to hear from you. Have a story we should cover or a guest we need to feature? Head to ToxicThePodcast.com and tell us what's on your mind. We can't always respond right away—but we are reading, and you are not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, you deserve support. You can connect with a trained advocate near you at DomesticShelters.org. If this episode resonated, share it with a friend, a group chat or honestly, anyone else who's fed up that this is still happening. Follow Toxic wherever you listen, please leave a review i and help us keep these conversations loud. Change doesn't happen quietly and we're not done talking.

The Absolute Audacity of Abusers Even in Prison—Survivor Mae Scott Talks About Her Long, Messy Fight to Be Believed

We're back! Sorry for the hiatus, but life threw us some curveballs (we'll tell you about them in this episode). But really, we're here to talk to Mae Scott, survivor and author who so bravely shares her story of what abuse can look like up close: not just fear, but confusion, manipulation and a slow erosion of reality. Then comes the fun part (read: not fun at all)—navigating a legal system that doesn't seem to want to believe or even listen to women. It's raw, frustrating, and necessary listening about what survivors are really up against—and why believing them matters more than ever. Got a story we should be talking about? Or a guest we need to have on? Tell us everything at ToxicThePodcast.com. You'll also find some sweet merch bound to start conversations. If you're dealing with an abusive partner, you don't have to navigate it alone. You can connect with a trained advocate through DomesticShelters.org. And if this episode lit a fire under you (rage counts), don't keep it to yourself. Share it. Follow. Leave a review. Help us get these stories in front of more people who need to hear them—and maybe a few who really need to hear them.

Ep. 119: Breaking News—Woman Asks Question, Man Requests Facial Expression

After Donald Trump publicly berated Kaitlan Collins of CNN for pressing him about the Jeffrey Epstein files, he used a cheap power move familiar to women worldwide. "Why aren't you smiling?" Because apparently women exist to decorate the room — and keep powerful men comfortable. It's also a great way to deflect questions you don't want to answer. In this episode, we unpack the long history of telling women to "smile" — and why it's one of the most annoying things men can say next to....oh, about anything. We examine how policing women's expressions becomes a way to reassert dominance, derail accountability and minimize a woman's place in a professional seetting. Because when a woman is told to smile, it's rarely about happiness. It's about control. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 118: Dead Women Can't Appeal — Lizzie Weinstein, Family Court and a Death Still in Question

We're starting this episode with Jenna's take from the frontlines in Minneapolis, where she lives, and the horrors she's seen there firsthand in the wake of ICE's terror campaign. Spoiler: It's all bad. But you can do something, no matter where you are. Visit standwithminnesota.com to donate to families impacted and to the tireless volunteers standing guard in the negative temps 24/7. Next, because we can't let ICE distract us from the fact that women are in peril every day, and most often by their own partners in their own homes, we're telling the story of Elizabeth "Lizzie" Weinstein. Lizzie was a mother, former ER nurse and outspoken critic of the family court system whose life ended under still-unclear circumstances last July. After divorcing her ex-husband, prominent attorney Brian Stryker Weinstein, Lizzie alleged abuse and corruption within a system she said stripped her of her children, her finances and her credibility—while protecting power and wealth. What followed was a series of deeply troubling events involving her being put behind bars, subjected to psychiatric confinement against her will and court orders that raise more questions than answers. This episode traces Lizzie's story through its many confusing and perplexing twists, exploring how family court can be weaponized against survivors—and why the full truth of what happened to her may never be known. We close with an interview with Natalie Blundell, Lizzie's friend, a domestic violence advocate and the founder of WeSpoke.org, who shares her perspective on Lizzie's final years and what her case reveals about systemic failures that continue to impact women across the country. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find local advocacy groups and information on all facets of abuse at DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media please leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 117: Hallmark, But Make It Cats

It's one of our favorite episodes of the year where we recap a bad (or is it actually a genius?) holiday movie. This year's pick: Christmas at the Catnip Cafe. Olivia, a marketing exec (OF COURSE SHE IS) is left half a cat cafe in her aunt's will and who owns the other half? A hot vet who loves cats, obviously. Olivia hates cats! And has no time for romance or small towns! But does love to make vegetable tians! Oh my god, WHAT will happen?! Have a very festive, safe holiday y'all. And men, ask how you can help, FFS.

Ep. 116: How the Manosphere Turns 'Poor Me' Into 'Hurt Her'

We're back! Thanks for your patience. We had life stuff. This week, Jenna and Amanda are strapping on their metaphorical hazmat suits and wading into the darkest corners of the internet: the manosphere. What starts as "dating tips" or "how to be more confident" quickly turns into a pipeline of misogyny, conspiracy thinking victimhood narratives ("men have it the worst!"), and in too many cases, encouragement of real-world violence against women. We're breaking down how this ecosystem has gone fully mainstream, how influencers sell young men a fantasy of power and entitlement—usually wrapped in $999 "mastermind" courses—and why boys searching YouTube for perfectly innocent advice on dating or fitness are now just one algorithmic shove away from some of the most toxic women-hating, pro-grape messaging online. Come for the snark. Stay for the unsettling realization that this stuff is everywhere now. If you want to go even deeper into the manosphere, we can't recommend highly enough Laura Bates' book "Men Who Hate Women: From Incels to Pick-Up Artists, the Truth About Extreme Misogyny and How It Affects Us All." And to jumpstart a fun conversation over morning coffee, get your "Prevent Male Podcasts" coffee mug at our Toxic store here! We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and please consider leaving us a [kind] review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 115: Abuser Murders Girlfriend After Judge Lets Him Out While Awaiting Trial For Strangling Her

Sigh. Here we go again. In a case of this-can't-possibly-be-true-oh-my-god-why-is-the-system-so-broken-this-is-why-women-keep-dying, a Tucson, Ariz., judge set free Michael Martinez Duran from a Pima County jail while he was awaiting trial for charges of domestic violence, including strangulation, which we KNOW is one of the deadliest red flags of a future homicide. Due in court Sept. 19, Michael never made it. Instead, he did something most of us could 100 percent predict any abuser who had already been escalting his abuse was going to do when losing power and control—he murdered his girlfriend, a mom and brand-new grandmother, Michelle Gracia, 47, less than two weeks before he was set to be back in court. In this episode, we discuss the deadly consequences of downplaying an abuser's threats — and the heartbreaking ways victims often disconnect from the reality of their danger, because fully facing it can feel impossible. We are also honored to have Michelle's mother, Linda, talk to Amanda in this traumatic aftermath about her daughter's murder, and how it was absolutely preventable. (Apologies for the sound quality of the phone call.) Please consider making a donation to Michelle's GoFundMe, if able, to help support her children moving forward. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 114: Hey, Things Haven't Gotten Better. In Fact, They May Have Gotten Worse! Don't Worry, We're Here

This week's installment of "Crappy News You Can't Believe Is Real" kicks off with Republicans in the Senate deciding, "Nah, the American people don't need to know about the Epstein files," as they quietly murdered an amendment that would've forced the public release. The literal worst FBI director of all time, Kash Patel, said there was "no credible evidence" Epstein trafficked minors, because the dozens of survivors who have come forward over the years to say they have been trafficked don't count because we still don't believe women. Trump then minimized domestic violence as a "little fight with your wife" and the murder of Charlie Kirk stirred up some strong debates about how we need to disagree better, but not about how we need to talk about men's entitlement and their anger issues. Weird how we keep ignoring that elephant. Let's talk about all of this and then do that thing where we're not sure if we're laughing or crying together. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Share an episode of Toxic on your socials with the hashtag #listentothisyafools. JK, hashtag it whatever you want. Please also follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, while free speech is still a thing, and if you're willing, leave us a [good] review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 113: Spoiler Alert—Women Don't Roofie Themselves. Men's Audacity Has No Bounds But Joy Hoover Is Here to Help Us

One in four women will be the victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime and of those rapes, at least 25 percent of the perpetrators will use drugs to assist their sexual assault. Commonly known as roofies, this collection of drugs can take effect in as little as 10 to 15 minutes, not giving us ladies very much time to Nancy Drew the reason why the room is spinning that stranger is now ushering us out to an Uber we don't remember ordering. Enter Joy Hoover, creator of Esōes Cosmetics (prounced S.O.S., for obvious reasons). Her ingenious Bluetooth-connected lipgloss is not only an actual cosmetic, but also a livesaving device that can test your drink to see if it's been spiked, but also send an emergency message to anyone in your contacs or call emergency services with a simple click. Yes, we wish we had a product that stopped men from raping rather than a product that stopped women from getting raped but we this is the reality we're currently in. Joy is hoping to change that going forward, though, announcing recently that she is running for the U.S. House of Representatives for the state of Nevada. WE NEED MORE KICKASS FEMINIST WOMEN IN CONGRESS. Listen to our interview with Joy today and then pick up your Baddie in a Box kit or a #SwipeRed Kit for 10% off with code Toxic10. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and tell us your idea. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Share an episode of Toxic with someone as pissed off as you. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and please leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 112: Rich, White & Wrong: Ghislaine Maxwell Girlbossed In the Wrong Direction

Today we're unraveling the complex story of Ghislaine Maxwell — socialite, heiress, convicted sex trafficker and now prison camp roomies with someone from Real Housewives who tried to swindle elderly people out of their money. Totally the same. Without excusing anything Maxwell chose to do (because crime is a choice), it's important that we try to understand why women in particular are drawn into the recruiter roles in the dark underworld of sex trafficking. From power dynamics to psychological conditioning to daddy issues, in order to actually prevent and end human trafficking and sexual abuse, we need to understand the female side of exploitation. Also, we're on YouTube now! You can see our faces and see our pets! More previous episodes will be uploaded soon. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story, see our merch and access resources for survivors and support persons. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Please leave a rating and a review below. We'll even take one word. "Cool" works. Or maybe "Neat." This helps us to reach more people and amplify these critical stories.

• Transcript

Ep. 111: Tale As Old As Time—Survivor Accuses Politician of Sexually Assaulting Her at 18, Everyone Says "Shhhhhhh"

How many times have we heard this tale? A woman accuses a man in power of assaulting or abusing her. She is immediately put on trial, accused of "ruining a good man's reputation." His assault is swept under the rug and the survivor is called a man-hating feminist (which is not inaccurate and for good reason). Chanel Miller. Amber Heard. Blake Lively E. Jean Carroll. Christine Blasey Ford. And today, Anne Hauben. She bravely reached out to Toxic to let us know she was ready to talk about what happened to her at 18. She's now in her 50s. Before everyone says, "BuT WhY nOw?!" be aware that less than 23% of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to authorities, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The reasons? See above list. Those women went through hell after they came forward. What 18-year-old is eager to sign up for that? What 18-year-old is even 100 percent sure of what constitues rape? Guess what, nonconsent = rape. And that's what Anne says happened during a high school trip to Bermuda. The man in question? A city councilman named Ward Hamilton of Melrose, Massachusetts, a small suburb of Boston. Anne thought the voters might want to know what kind of man they were voting for. Turns out, that was an inconvenience for them more than anything. Anne was called crazy. A liar. Told to take her supposed trauma elsewhere. So she came to Toxic. Because we'll believe her. Because we know women don't lie about this kind of thing for funsies. And we also believe in holding men accountable. Welcome to Anne's story. Which is also E. Jean's story. Which is also Christine's story. This episode is a little long, but worth it. Also, COMING SOON, you'll be able to hear some of the more recent Toxic episodes, including this one, on YouTube. So, stay tuned. Your review of Toxic would help immensely. 3.8 what?! The trolls are coming for us -- please help combat them with a quick click on the five stars below. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org.

Ep. 110: Dogs Are Now Hunting Murder Suspect Travis Decker While Trump's Circus of Distraction Continues

Washington state police are still looking for 32-year-old Travis Decker, suspected of killing his three young daughters last Monday, June 2, near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington. It's just another heartbreaking example of a judge not listening to a woman when she says a man is dangerous. How many examples will it take? Meanwhile, admist his breakup with Elon, Trump is soothing himself with an ego parade on Saturday in D.C. the cost of which could literally eradicate homelessness, while weaponizing the National Guard in Los Angeles and allowing ICE to hunt down brown people for sport. Cool, cool, cool. In response, people with their sanity still intact are rising up in nationwide in more than 2,000 No Kings Day protests this coming Saturday, June 14. Grab a poster board, a sharpie and an American flag, because we're taking it back, and join us. Go to nokings.org to find the protest nearest you. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Share an episode of Toxic with someone at the protest this Saturday, the cop who tries to tell you to move back or your racist uncle, just because. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and please consider leaving us a review so we can be seen in this vast sea of equally talented podcasts. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 109: Inside the Netflix Documentary with Gabby Petito's Mom, Nichole Schmidt

We're honored to welcome Nichole Schmidt to Toxic today — a friend of the pod and a fierce advocate for survivors, especially young survivors of dating violence. In 2021, her 22-year-old daughter, Gabby Petito, was murdered by her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, during what was supposed to be an idyllic cross-country van trip — and instead became a national tragedy. This past February, Netflix released American Murder: Gabby Petito, a docuseries featuring never-before-seen details about how Gabby's story unfolded. Ultimately, she became yet another preventable victim of dating violence, strangulation — and, yes, femicide. Just two weeks before her death, police in Moab, Utah, pulled the couple over after a witness saw Brian hit Gabby. Despite clear signs of abuse — and officers even identifying it as assault — Laundrie wasn't arrested. Instead, they named Gabby the primary aggressor and gave Brian a hotel room usually reserved for domestic violence victims. The incident laid bare just how much law enforcement — and society — still doesn't understand about abuser tactics. A little over a month later, Brian strangled Gabby to death in Wyoming. He later scribbled a confession in a notebook before dying by suicide — because, of course, accountability was never on his itinerary. Today, Nichole shares what life has been like since Gabby's death — and how she's working to keep her daughter's memory alive, one survivor at a time. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Share an episode of Toxic with someone also outraged by the relentless epidemic of violence against women. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and please consider leaving us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.

Ep. 108: Perimenopause: Understudied and Overheating Thanks to Misogyny

Is it hot in here or is it just us? If you're in the throes of perimenopause, you're going to feel right at home in this episode. As ladies of our mid-40s, we have to talk about this. Disclaimer: This is NOT a medical advice podcast. Thanks to overt sexism within medical research fields, most health research funds are allotted to study diseases that affect men, or how diseases that affect both sexes mostly affect men. The National Institutes of Health found that diseases, ailments and conditions that affect men receive twice as much funding as those affecting women. Therefore, it would be correct to say scientists are spending much more time and resources studying erectile dysfunction than perimenopause or menopause, leaving women woefully unprepared and under-resourced for this major life change. How do we deal with that? Well, we're resourceful as always, aren't we ladies? We turn to crowd-sourcing solutions like TikTok and Facebook groups and happy hours. Which means we wind up with a slew of solutions like yam cream, red light therapy, eating more kiwis and drinking mushroom coffee. Will any of it help? Who knows! We'll try it anyhow because dammit, we want to look like we're aging gracefully while also biohacking our faces. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. (We also have some sweet merch!) If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to someone you trust. You can also connect with a trained advocate near you through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us keep this conversation going. Share an episode of Toxic with a friend (or maybe a frenemy?), your eyebrow waxer, your petsitter or really, anyone you want. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media and please consider leaving us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.