Fascism, Toxic Masculinity, and Raising an Army of Women and Girls
Fascism is toxic masculinity, and the cure starts at home. Comedian, recovering Catholic and proud girl dad Pete Dominick, host of Stand Up! with Pete Dominick, turns the mic on Andrea to talk about her new book, A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women: 20 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Power in a World on Fire, and how her family's Ukrainian immigrant wisdom holds the key for how we overcome a patriarchal nightmare of complicit silence and cover-ups: "when they throw you out the door, climb back in through the window." The Cornell 7 are the Epstein Class–the elite criminal impunity of male dominance destroying our planet. Andrea and Pete discuss what men can actually do, starting with Pete's rule that, "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept." They also discuss the darker truth of the "Cornell 7," the frat rapists accused of drugging and gang-raping a young woman in 2024, an investigation that has been reopened thanks to the survivor bringing a lawsuit. They also discuss why liberal blue cities may be raising the next generation of the Cornell 7/Epstein Class, and how to stop it. They cover the historical context of male dominance culture, including Christian nationalism, how women were founders of the Christian church before being pushed aside, why Mary Magdalene was arguably the first Pope and how her story–for the most part–survived 2,000 years of patriarchal revisions. They also discuss Iceland's general strike by women that ushered in a female-driven revolution, the MAGA threat against the growing psychedelics market being fast-tracked by Trump's FDA, and the divine feminine experiences widely reported at the heart of indigenous medicinal experiences, and much, much more. The world is ending. The world has always been ending. So Gaslit Nation adopts its official policy, coming soon to a t-shirt: STFU and build something. It's a rallying cry to stop doomscrolling and start planting seeds of hope and change. Progress is thanks to our unleashed creativity, defiance, and beautiful imaginations. And if you want to help us build something–a resistance to Putin–get your tax deductible ticket to Gaslit Nation and Razom's Speakeasy Benefit October 15 in New York City – you can join and be part of the festivities from anywhere: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/people-power-ukraines-unreasonable-women-tickets-2002002955733? Gaslit Nation is funded by our listeners. We could not make this show without you. Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism in these tough times. If you pre-order Andrea's new book and forward your receipt to GaslitNation@gmail.com, we will send you a pre-order thank you gift and a signed book plate to easily stick on to your book so that you have a signed copy. A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women shows how to overcome the emotional exhaustion deliberately caused by fascist movements and turn our rage and grief into meaningful projects you and the world need. For your gift, pre-order A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women from bookshop.org Show Notes Join us for a speakeasy benefit for Razom for Ukraine: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/people-power-ukraines-unreasonable-women-tickets-2002002955733? Want a plan to bash the patriarchy? Live your most creative life and help build a better world with Andrea's new book, A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women: 20 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Power in a World on Fire: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807202/a-reasonable-guide-for-unreasonable-women-by-andrea-chalupa/ Stand Up! with Pete Dominick: https://sitdownwithpete.substack.com/ Razom for Ukraine: https://www.razomforukraine.org A good overview of the Cornell 7: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd2tYudlnHl/?img_index=1 Cornell rarely expels students in sex assault cases https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/09/29/cornell-sexual-assault-rape-expelled-data-exclusive/92007157007/ Frat brothers rape 300% more. One in 5 women is sexually assaulted on campus. Should we ban frats? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/24/rape-sexual-assault-ban-frats District attorney reopens case of alleged Cornell University 'gang rape' (ABC News): https://abcnews.com/US/district-attorney-reopens-case-alleged-cornell-university-gang/story?id=136806149 New York prosecutors reopen investigation after student files lawsuit (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/us/cornell-university-sexual-assault-lawsuit-hnk 50 years ago, the women of Iceland took a day off, and inspired the world (National Geographic): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/icelandic-womens-strike Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the world's first elected female president (France 24): https://www.france24.com/en/20200731-vigdis-finnbogadottir-the-world-s-first-elected-female-president 36 Bankers, 96 Years In Jail (Reykjavík Grapevine): https://grapevine.is/news/2018/02/07/36-bankers-96-years-in-jail/ Why Only One Top Banker Went to Jail for the Financial Crisis (Better Markets): https://bettermarkets.org/newsroom/why-only-one-top-banker-went-jail-financial-crisis/ The lie that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute persisted for centuries (America Magazine): https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2024/06/28/mary-magdalene-theater-review-gospel-248254/ The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle, by Karen L. King (Polebridge Press): https://www.westarinstitute.org/product/the-gospel-of-mary-of-magdala Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter, by Colleen Dulle: https://www.amazon.com/Struck-Down-Not-Destroyed-Reporter/dp/0593728424 Trump signs order fast tracking review of psychedelics for mental health (NPR): https://www.npr.org/2026/04/18/nx-s1-5789859/psychedelic-treatments-mental-health Trump orders FDA to fast-track reviews of psychedelic drugs after lobbying podcaster (Fierce Biotech): https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/trump-orders-fda-fast-track-reviews-psychedelic-drugs-after-lobbying-podcaster D. J. Taylor: Orwell's Voice (The Orwell Foundation): https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/articles/d-j-taylor-orwells-voice/ Donald Trump Jr.'s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by a Russian Oligarch (ProPublica): https://www.propublica.org/article/donald-trump-jr-wedding-bankrolled-russian-oligarch-umar-kremlev-putin Gospel of Mary Magdalene https://www.theculturium.com/gospel-of-mary-magdalene/ The Forgotten History of Mary's Gospels https://time.com/4083110/marys-gospels/ 'The good of the world partly depends on unhistoric acts' https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/10/the-good-of-the-world-partly-depends-on-unhistoric-acts Psychedelics and the Embodied Feminine https://maps.org/news/bulletin/psychedelics-and-the-embodied-feminine/ EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit and GaslitNation.Substack.com for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon or Substack! The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult: Join on Patreon or Substack! Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: Join on Patreon or Substack! Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: Join on Patreon or Substack! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon or Substack! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on Patreon or Substack! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group. Join on Patreon or Substack! As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.