20: Where the Girls Were, with Kate Schatz

Today’s conversation is one about history — but also about now. About 1968 and about 2026. About who gets control over their own body — and who never truly has. About the quiet, complicated ways parents try to protect their children, and the unintended harm that can hide inside “what’s best.” About the tension between safety and freedom. Between acceptance and autonomy. Between love and control.

We’re so excited to talk with a podcast favorite, Kate Schatz, about her new book Where The Girls Were, in today’s episode, and we REALLY dive into everything we mentioned above, and more. If this resonates, please share - we think this is a book and conversation that everyone should be having and reading right now. 

What to listen for: 

• How personal this topic is for Kate, and the return to her creative storytelling roots

• That each parent wants what’s best for their children – and the ways that show up differently for each set of circumstances

• Zooming into a tiny nugget of a topic (birds) and out to a tremendously wide topic (abortion rights)

What to do differently: 

• Grab this novel and discuss it with your book club

• Share this idea with your elders to see if they have any stories from their generation

• Talk with the younger generation about pregnancy, how the body works, different experiences people have accessing healthcare – anything to normalize these conversations so they don’t feel as alone as the main character does in the novel! 

About the author: 

Kate Schatz is a feminist author from California. She's the New York Times bestselling author of Do the Work: An Anti-Racist Activity Book, with W. Kamau Bell, and the "Rad Women" book series (including Rad American Women A-Z, Rad Women Worldwide, and Rad American History A-Z). Her book of fiction, Rid of Me: A Story, was published as part of the cult-favorite 33 1/3 series.