The Christian Feminist Podcast, Episode #95: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

INTRODUCTIONS

KNOWING

• History and background on the song
  • Neptune’s Daughter (YouTube)
  • A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life: A Portrait by His Daughter by Susan Loesser
  • Excerpt from Frank Loesser by Thomas L. Riis
• Favorite/least favorite versions
  • Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Michael Bublé/Idina Menzel (YouTube)
  • Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Lady Gaga/Joseph Gordon Levitt (YouTube)
  • The Lady Is a Tramp – Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga (YouTube)

READING

• Controversy & Criticism
  • The Christmas Culture Clash Over ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ (Vanity Fair)
  • ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ was once an anthem for progressive women. What happened? (Washington Post)
  • Finding Rape Culture in Surprising Places: Holiday Edition (Persephone)
  • An Honest Performance of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ – Funny or Die (YouTube)
  • Cleveland Radio Station Bans ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ (CNN)
  • Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski (YouTube)
• A Feminist Defense
  • Someone Wrote A Feminist Defense Of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ And I Don’t Know What To Feel (Buzzfeed)
  • Listening While Feminist: In Defense of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ (Persephone)
• Other problematic songs that get overlooked
  • Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt (YouTube)
  • Santa Buddy – Michael Bublé (YouTube)
  • Mary, Did You Know? – Mark Lowry (YouTube)
  • Bad Christmas Songs (Sectarian Review Podcast)
  • Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” Lyrics Rewritten For Feminists Who Don’t Need Santa (Bustle)
  • 8 Christmas Songs That Are Totally, Terribly Sexist (Bustle)
• Conclusions: Skip it or let it play?

PASSING ON

• Ask: Building Consent Culture (Kitty Stryker)
• Christmas Cheers (Straight No Chaser)
• The Birth of Jesus: A Celebration of Christmas (John Michael Talbot)
• Mistletoe & Wine (Mediaeval Baebes)
• 111 Great Songs for Advent: A Spotify Playlist (The Gospel Coalition)