Herstory

Join comics Shelby Stockton and Amy Claire as they sift through archives to bring you stories of badass women throughout history. Because this is HERstory.

Repost: Women of the North Pole 12/18/2025

Repost: Women of the North Pole Repost and Vacation Alert We'll see you with a new Herstory on Jan 8th. Happy Holidays! Welcome to Women of the North Pole! Amy covers Ann Bancroft, the first woman to reach the North Pole. Shelby talks about the first all-women relay expedition to the North Pole. We're getting super niche here, people. Intro Song: What I Do by Kristy Krüger © ℗Just Like Freddy Music ASCAP Instagram: herstorythepodcast /episode/index/show/herstory/id/39375005

Party of One: Solo Female Traveling 12/11/2025

Party of One: Solo Female Traveling In this Party of One, Shelby discusses one of her loves - solo travel. She was inspired by a YouTuber, Noraly Schoenmaker, who goes by the handle Itchy Boots. (Check her out!) Shelby then discusses the feminist origin story behind LA's Hotel Figueroa. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/39373950

Party of One: Architectural Misogyny 12/04/2025

Party of One: Architectural Misogyny Amy is out, so you get one-on-one time with Shelby as she discusses how public spaces are not built for women's bodies and needs. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/39278585

Repost: Native Americans 11/27/2025

Repost: Native Americans Herstorians - It's a blast from the past! Please enjoy this episode from 2019 (Ep 21) on Native Americans. Gobble, gobble Herstorians. It's our Thanksgiving episode, and we're dedicating it to lady Native Americans. Shelby discusses Dr Susan LaFlesche. That's right. She's a doctor. Amy tells us about civil rights activist Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich. She strings words together beautifully. Grab a piece of pie, and take a listen. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/39186105

Shelbys 11/13/2025

Shelbys this episode comes out on Shelby's birthday, so we're covering women named Shelby! Shelby (your co-host) discusses Shelby Knox, a teenage activist from Texas who challenged abstinence-only education and became a national voice for comprehensive sex education and women’s rights. Amy tells us about Shelby Ivey Christie, an American fashion and costume historian who specializes in the contributions of Black designers. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/39000530

Better Than the Boys 11/06/2025

Better Than the Boys This week, we do a compilation of women who beat men at something. We cover six extraordinary ladies who were some of the greatest at their craft. Shelby discusses Jackie Mitchell (baseball pitcher), Masako Katsura (billiards player), and Rena “Rusty” Kanokogi (judo expert). Amy discusses Lise Meitner (nuclear physicist), Marian Anderson (opera singer), and Gertrude Ederle (competitive swimmer). /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38932495

Mythical Monsters and Dark Gddesses 10/30/2025

Mythical Monsters and Dark Gddesses It's our third installment of our Spooky Season episodes, and today, we cover Mythical Monsters and Dark Goddesses. Shelby gives a thorough explanation of Siguanaba, a shapeshifting spirit from Central American folklore. Amy covers Tlazoltéotl, an Aztec goddess of vice, filth, purification, and childbirth. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38834360

Vampires 10/23/2025

Vampires As we continue through the spooky season, we take a "stab" at Vampires. Amy educates us on the Casket Girls, women brought from France to the French colonies of Louisiana to marry. But there's a spooky twist. Shelby discusses Countess Dolingen de Gratz, a literary character in one of Bram Stoker's short stories, "Dracula's Guest." /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38746480

Possessed 10/16/2025

Possessed It's spooky season, so we're kicking it off with women who were either legitimately possessed or claimed to be. What do we know? We've never been possessed, so we don't judge. Amy covers Clara Germana Cele, a South African Christian girl, who was said to be possessed by a demon. Shelby recounts the story of Anna Elisabeth "Anneliese" Michel, a German woman who underwent 67 Catholic exorcism rites during the year before her death. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38609065

Jane Goodall 10/09/2025

Jane Goodall It's our 200th episode, and what's better than dedicating it to the late and great Jane Goodall? Amy and Shelby put their heads and research together to give you a thorough account of this amazing woman's life. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38502350

Colombia 10/02/2025

Colombia Herstorians - First, an apology. For whatever reason, our recording equipment decided to act up again, and the sound on this episode is not our best. You can hear us, but we sound far away. Regardless, please enjoy this episode on Colombia. Shelby covers Policarpa Salavarrieta Rios, aka La Pola. She was a 19th-century seamstress who spied for the Revolutionary Forces during Colombia's fight for independence from Spain. Amy educates us on Débora Arango, a Colombian artist marred by scandal, just because she was ahead of her time. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38372535

Mabon 09/22/2025

Mabon It's officially fall. The days are getting shorter, everything tastes like pumpkin, and discount stores have their Halloween decor out for consumption. We decided to take a different route and discuss Mabon, a Pagan and Wiccan festival celebrating the Autumn Equinox, a time of balance between day and night, harvest, gratitude, and preparation for winter. Grab a warm drink, and take a listen /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38316895

Party of One: The Herricanes 09/15/2025

Party of One: The Herricanes Shelby talks about the documentary The Herricanes, which covers a women’s full-tackle football team from the 1970s. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/38222515

They Named a Building After Her! 09/01/2025

They Named a Building After Her! There are so many buildings named after people whom we have no idea ever existed, and that's why we're focusing this week's episode on women who have a building named after them. Amy tells us about Juana Briones, a Californio ranchera, medical practitioner, and merchant, often remembered as the "Founding Mother of San Francisco." Shelby discusses Mary Stone McLendon (aka Ataloa), a concert vocalist, teacher, humanitarian, and American Indian culture preservationist. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37981055

Professors II 08/25/2025

Professors II We did not realize we had already covered professors before we recorded, so welcome to Professors II! It's a Herstroy first. Amy educates us on Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer, librarian, naturalist, and educator. Shelby discusses American feminist legal scholar, activist, and author, Catharine A. MacKinnon. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37932045

Party of One: Bro Code and Monogamy 08/18/2025

Party of One: Bro Code and Monogamy On this Party of One, Shelby discusses her thoughts on "bro code" and questions if monogamy is the natural state for women. It's a brief episode, but such an interesting topic to discuss. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37864520

A Brief Herstory of Accessories 07/21/2025

A Brief Herstory of Accessories Welcome to another Party of One. Amy tells us about some fascinating accessories made for women. Some you may be familiar with. Others may be news to you. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37472425

Geniuses 07/14/2025

Geniuses Today, we're celebrating the smarty pants - lady geniuses! Shelby covers American geneticist, Nettie Stevens. Amy tells us about U.S. Navy officer and a pioneer in computer programming, Grace Hopper. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37392590

Espionage 07/07/2025

Espionage We love a lady who can keep a secret and fight the bad guys, all at the same time. Today, we talk about women involved in espionage. Shelby covers Virginia Hall, an American who worked with the United Kingdom's clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in France during World War II. She did all of her spying with a prosthetic leg. Amy tells us about Christine Granville, a Polish agent of the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War, who also happened to be a beauty queen. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37299860

Made for Her 06/23/2025

Made for Her Today, we tackle some awful and wonderful things that were made especially for women. There are some highs and lows, so buckle up. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37103875

Party of One: A Brief Herstory of High Heels 06/16/2025

Party of One: A Brief Herstory of High Heels On this week’s Party of One, Amy takes on a little tour of the Herstory of high heels. From Kings to Ladies of the 80s, heels have been around forever. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/37025370

Cowgirls 06/02/2025

Cowgirls Yeehaw! Time to honor those women who felt at home on the range. Amy educates us about Sally Skull, one of the first settlers in Stephen F. Austin's colony in the early 1820s. Shelby tells us about trick rider, sharpshooter, and rodeo queen, Fannie Sperry Steele. For 20% off of Magic Mind, use our code: /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36810270

Alchemists 05/26/2025

Alchemists This episode is gold, if we do say so ourselves, and that's why it's so apropos to cover lady alchemists. Amy tells us about the scandalous Anna Maria Zieglerin, an "alchemist" and a con artist. Shelby gives the juicy details about Italian Renaissance alchemist and writer Isabella Cortese. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36700790

Party of One: A Brief Herstory of Women and Pants 05/19/2025

Party of One: A Brief Herstory of Women and Pants This week, Amy makes her Part of One debut. She takes us on a journey of pants, trousers, pantaloons, and bloomers, and how they’ve been tied (and not) to women throughout history. Rebellion, shame, and fashion! /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36618530

Serial Wives 05/12/2025

Serial Wives Here's to the ladies who can't stop saying "I do." That's right, serial wives - the gals who love the institution of marriage. Amy covers American debutante, socialite, heiress, and philanthropist Barbara Hutton. Shelby talks about American comic actress and singer Martha Raye. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36514270

Mystics and Psychics 05/05/2025

Mystics and Psychics Even if you're not a believer, you'll enjoy this supernatural episode on Mystics and Psychics. Amy gives us the scoop on Margery Kempe, an English Catholic mystic who believed she was married to Jesus. It is believed that she wrote the first autobiography in the English language. Pretty cool! Shelby gives the 411 on Mother Shipton, an English soothsayer and prophetess. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36428205

Party of One: AI and Tarot and Goddesses - Oh My! 04/28/2025

Party of One: AI and Tarot and Goddesses - Oh My! /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36328105

50s Icons 04/21/2025

50s Icons We're covering the Fabulous Fifties with 50s icons! Amy tells us about Japanese actress, Machiko Kyo. Shelby discusses American actress, singer, recording artist, and transgender activist, Christine Jorgensen. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36235850

Ladies in Waiting 04/14/2025

Ladies in Waiting We're getting royal over here and covering Ladies in Waiting. Shelby discusses the scandal behind the British aristocrat and lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria's mother, Lacy Flora Hastings. Amy tells the salacious story of Catherine Dolgorukova, a Russian aristocrat, mistress to the Czar, and his wife's lady-in-waing. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36117055

Dueling Women 04/07/2025

Dueling Women Take 10 steps, turn around, and press play on this episode about women who settled disputes with a duel! Amy covers two exciting stories: a pistol duel between Marquise de Nesle and Comtesse de Polignac and an old fashioned sword duel between Miss Shelby (not the co-host!) and Madame Marie-Rose Astie de Valsayre. Shelby explains the lifestyle of Julie d'Aubigny, a bisexual, cross-dressing swordswoman who killed at least three men in duels. /episode/index/show/herstory/id/36007005

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