Problematic Women

The conservative movement has undergone drastic changes in the past decade, not least of which is the way the political right messages to women. The shift has been subtle; a movement built on the shoulders of conservative leaders who have spent years rejecting the harms of the feminist movement while recognizing that women can “have it all,” just maybe not all at once.   On this episode of “Problematic Women,” we are remembering our history, both as a show and as a member of a movement that has worked to tell women they can be feminine, strong, pro-life, and live out the call God has placed on their lives in the home and the workplace.   Also on today’s show, we announce that after a nearly decade-long run, “Problematic Women” is taking a sabbatical. Join us for the final episode – at least for now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a girl boss or a trad wife? Maybe somewhere in between? Seems like society is pressuring women to pick a side instead of learning to “Lead Like Jael.”   Emma Waters, a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation's Center for Technology and the Human Person, joins "Problematic Women" us to discuss “seven timeless principles for today’s women of faith," principles she details in her new book, “Lead Like Jael.”   For decades, the feminist movement has lied to women, selling boss babe corporate work as the “American dream” instead of being in the home and fostering the next generation. On the flip side, many women are told they can’t be anything more than a stay-at-home mom. It’s important to follow the calling God has put on our hearts, have discernment, be guided by courage and convictions, and equip ourselves to make an impact in our homes and the world, Waters contends.   On today’s episode, we also discuss the importance of advocating for women’s health and the progress being made in conservative spaces on Capitol Hill. It’s not taboo to talk about the fact that birth control has been prescribed to millions of women in America as a pill Band-Aid, one-size-fits-all, and now we are in an infertility crisis. Women deserve root-cause care and we are talking about it on the show.   Enjoy the conversation and pick up your copy of “Lead Like Jael” wherever books are sold.   Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes:  https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/     Connect with our hosts on socials!     Morgonn McMichael:  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=morgonnm  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgonnm/    Emma Waters:   X: https://x.com/emlwaters   Pick up a copy of the book: https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-Jael-Timeless-Principles/dp/1510783539   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Knowing which fork to use or when to put your napkin on your lap at a formal dinner is important, but etiquette extends far beyond galas and black-tie weddings, according to Alison Cheperdak.   Etiquette is “ultimately about kindness and respect and integrity and leading a life with compassion where you see the dignity in every human person, including yourself,” Cheperdak, the founder of Elevate Etiquette, says.   An important part of practicing etiquette is slowing down enough to listen to the person in front of you and ask engaging questions, she explains.   We’ve all been there — standing in the break room at work trying to think of something to say to the coworker you don’t know well, or awkwardly trying to excuse yourself from a stale conversation at a party. These are the situations Cheperdak provides practical tools for navigating in her new book, “Was It Something I Said?: Everyday Etiquette to Avoid Awkward Moments in Relationships, Work and Life.”   Cheperdak joins “Problematic Women” to share her favorite tools for navigating some of life’s most common and awkward social settings. Plus, she explains how she is using her etiquette knowledge to train White House interns and what some of the most common social mistakes young professionals make today.   Enjoy the show and pick up your copy of “Was It Something I Said?” wherever books are sold starting March 17.   Connect with our guest and hosts on socials!    Alison Cheperdak: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevateetiquette/?hl=en Website: https://elevateetiquette.com/about Order a copy of "Was It Something I Said?" https://www.amazon.com/Was-Something-Said-Etiquette-Relationships/dp/1400350123     Virginia Allen:  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/     Morgonn McMichael:  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=morgonnm  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgonnm/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. has hit hundreds of targets in Iran since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, and President Donald Trump says the U.S. will not accept anything less than “unconditional surrender” from Iran. While recent polling shows significant support for the operation, some Americans fear another “forever war” in the Middle East.   Fear over an extended conflict with Iran and its proxies, such as Hezbollah, is driven, at least in part, by the words “regime change,” Natalie Ecanow, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explains.   “Obviously, we would like to see regime change as an outcome of the current American and Israeli operation in Iran. As far as I know, and as far as I understand, that is not a stated objective of our campaign,” Ecanow says.   U.S. actions in Iran, according to the White House, remain focused on eliminating the nuclear and missile threat Iran poses to the U.S. and its allies, a mission that reasonably falls in line with Trump’s “America First” agenda.   “We can throw the door open to regime change. We can support regime change, but we’re not going in and doing the regime change ourselves,” Ecanow says on the “Problematic Women” podcast. “I think that’s a very important distinction to be made when it comes to that argument … about dragging us into another ‘forever war,’ doing another Iraq, etc. It’s really important to understand that the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are mostly military. They don’t really have to do with changing domestic politics in Iran.”   Ecanow joins the show to discuss the nuclear threat Iran has posed to the United States and breaks down the reasons why she believes the operation is in line with the “America First” agenda.   Also on today’s show, we discuss the feminist movement’s response, or lack of response, to the Iranian regime, which, as the European Union reports, has been responsible for the deaths of more women than any other nation in the world. Trump Says Iran Must 'Unconditionally Surrender' to US President Donald Trump says the only deal he will accept with Iran is “unconditionally surrender” to the United States.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia is responsible for the largest “systematic child abduction operation” since World War II, according to European Union Ambassador to the U.S. Jovita Neliupšienė.   “This is actually a civilization erasure, when you actually try to destroy the future of your neighboring country,” Neliupšienė says.   It is estimated that more than 20,000 children have been abducted from Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, according to the ambassador. Some of the older children who were taken are now being trained to fight for the Russian army, she explains on this week’s edition of “Problematic Women.”   “They will try to start to train them as little soldiers, in a way, to go through the brainwashing,” she said. First Lady Melania Trump has become an outspoken advocate for Ukraine's children and has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to return the abducted minors.   Neliupšienė joins the show to share the stories of Ukrainian children who have been abducted, and some who have been returned. She also explain why Russia is targeting a generation of young people.   Also on today’s show, the ambassador addresses U.S. concerns that Europe is losing its culture amid a growing migrant population that struggles to, or chooses not to, assimilate into Western culture.   Enjoy the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the national news cycle may have moved on from the chaos in Minnesota surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the deeper story is only beginning to surface.   What happened in Minneapolis wasn’t spontaneous, but the result of weeks of astroturfed chaos following expanded federal immigration enforcement and a fatal ICE-involved shooting that ignited demonstrations across the state.    To truly understand how the situation spiraled, you have to understand who helped fuel the unrest and who financed the networks that kept it going.    That’s exactly what Daily Wire reporter Brecca Stoll has been investigating. She joins the latest episode of “Problematic Women” to unpack the money, organizations and political forces operating behind the scenes.    And don’t think we’ve forgotten about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. About one month into his tenure, he now faces the reality of governing the nation’s largest municipal economy.    Conservatives warned his democratic socialist promises would collide with real-life fiscal and political constraints. And now, New Yorkers are paying for it.    Catch the full conversation with Elise McCue on her final episode of “Problematic Women”—for now.    Enjoy the show!    Connect with our hosts on socials!    Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/   Follow The Daily Wire’s Brecca Stoll: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=breccastoll Author page: https://www.dailywire.com/author/brecca-stoll   Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes: https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration has created an incentive for Americans to have more children within the next three years.   Any baby born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, is eligible for $1,000 of seed money in a tax-advantaged investment account known as a “Trump Accounts,” though any parent with a child under 18 can open an account for their son or daughter.   The account operates similarly to an IRA, and parents, relatives, and friends can contribute up to $5,000 annually, though they do not have to make regular contributions.   “Your child’s funds will automatically be invested in American companies,” according to the Trump Accounts website.   When the child turns 18, they can either allow the account to continue to grow, or they can withdraw the funds for education costs or to purchase a home.   If the maximum amount is contributed to the account annually from the time the child is born, the account will have grown to over $270,000 by the child’s 18th birthday.   Between the rapid increase in the cost of living over the past 20 years, and many young people in debt with student loans, true financial freedom is a distant dream for many in their 20s and 30s, but “Trump Accounts” could change that for the next generation.   If Americans take advantage of the program to its full extent, Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024, and Beta, born between 2025 and 2039, can hope to avoid the financial situation many millennials and Gen Z young people find themselves in today.   On this week’s edition of “Problematic Women,” we discuss the potential financial and political implications of Trump Accounts. Plus, we celebrate the day of love and romance with our favorite hot takes on Valentine’s Day.   Enjoy the show! Trump Unveils New Initiatives to Bring Real Food to Americans Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Brooke Rollins announce new initiatives to encourage Americans to "Eat Real Food." Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes:  https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/     Connect with our hosts on socials!     Elise McCue  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/     Virginia Allen:  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/     Morgonn McMichael:  X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=morgonnm  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgonnm/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump says a “softer touch” may be needed to carry out his immigration enforcement agenda.   “I learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch, but you still have to be tough. These are criminals – we're dealing with really hard criminals,” Trump told NBC News following the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis in January.   Two separate polls confirm the president’s conclusion is in line with the American public’s view of U.S. immigration policy.   A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that 65% of Americans feel that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have gone too far in enforcing immigration laws. But recent polling from the group Cygnal shows that 54% of Americans support ICE enforcing U.S. immigration laws to remove illegal aliens from the country. The same poll found that 61% of U.S. voters support deporting illegal aliens.   “I think what those two polls are actually doing is talking about policy, and they're talking about the execution of policy,” Meaghan Mobbs, director of the Center for American Safety and Security at the Independent Women’s Forum, says.   “Americans support the policy, which is deportation, but like President Trump said, perhaps there's a way to go about it that's not exactly how it unfolded in Minneapolis,” Mobbs explains on this week’s edition of “Problematic Women.”   “I think that's the threading of the needle where [Trump] said, we're going to keep doing it, but maybe with a ‘softer touch,’ which I do think means increasing communication with local and state authorities, [and] I think means messaging it more effectively.”   Mobbs joins “Problematic Women” to discuss Trump’s decision to deploy border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota and Homan’s actions since he arrived in the Twin Cities. Plus, we discuss the extent to which U.S. support for ICE comes down to a PR and messaging battle.   Enjoy the show! Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes: https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/   Connect with our hosts on socials!   Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/   Virginia Allen: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/   Check out Top News in 10, hosted by The Daily Signal’s Tony Kinnett: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjMHBev3NsoUpc2Pzfk0n89cXWBqQltHY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Dry January” is upon us—the annual reset when people swear off alcohol for a month, whether for health, discipline, curiosity, or recovery. While some are opting to detox from alcohol during the month of January, something bigger is happening beneath the surface: an entire generation is quietly walking away from alcohol altogether.    A 2025 Gallup poll found that only 50% of young adults ages 18-34, reported they drink—down from 72% two decades prior. And yet, alcohol still sits at the center of modern social life—networking events, happy hours, girls’ nights out, and dating culture. If you don’t drink, you’re expected to explain yourself.  In a culture that normalizes constant consumption, slipping into sipping habitually can be like a frog in slowly boiling water; you don’t notice the danger until alcohol starts stealing your clarity, your relationships, your peace, and eventually your purpose.  This week’s Problematic Women, Ericka Andersen, knows this song and dance all too well. She joins this week’s episode to make the case for sobriety in a culture so hellbent against it. Andersen, the author of “Freely Sober: Rethinking Alcohol Through the Lens of Faith,” shares the story of her personal relationship with alcohol and how she leaned not only on facts, but also on her faith, to find her way out.    We also break down the latest trends and statistics on alcohol consumption and what that says about the state of our culture.  Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes: https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/   Connect with our hosts on socials!   Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/   Virginia Allen: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/   Check out Top News in 10, hosted by The Daily Signal’s Tony Kinnett: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjMHBev3NsoUpc2Pzfk0n89cXWBqQltHY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The reasons why women seek abortion have not changed, but society and culture have, according to Emily Berning, president and co-founder of Let Them Live.   Pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood use flashy, professional, and sometimes seductive social graphics and short-form videos to target young women across social media with a pro-abortion messages. If the pro-life movement is going to capture the attention of the next generation, then they must employ a similar strategy, according to Berning.   Today, 76% of Gen Z believes abortion should be legal in almost all cases, according to Pew Research, proving the goal to instill a culture of life in America has yet to be reached.   While the demand for abortion remains, Berning and her team at Let Them Live are filling a practical need for moms considering abortion. The nonprofit, first founded in 2019, provides practical financial support to women considering an abortion.   Let Them Live will, for example, pay an expectant mother’s rent for a year or will take on the woman’s car payment or utility bill while she works to find a job that allows her to be a mother and provider for her child.   Just last year, the group celebrated 1,000 babies saved from abortion.   Berning joins “Problematic Women” to share about the work of Let Them Live and discuss how the next generation views the fight for the unborn. Connect with our hosts on socials! Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/ Virginia Allen: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/ Follow Let Them Live: https://letthemlive.org/ https://www.instagram.com/letthemliveorg/ https://x.com/LetThemLiveOrg https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC236b1WW7VGl22kcFoaVbWQ https://www.facebook.com/LetThemLiveOrg/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices