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Enjoy this episode from last summer while we get our shit together and take some vacations!

We take a nostalgic dive into the world of soap operas and their impact on Gen X women's lives, exploring both daytime dramas and primetime sensations that dominated television from the 1970s through the 1990s.

• Daytime soaps like General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, and Young and the Restless provided entertainment primarily for stay-at-home mothers
• Famous stars including Rick Springfield, John Stamos, Demi Moore, and Mark Hamill got their start on General Hospital
• The "Who Shot JR?" Dallas storyline in 1980 was such a cultural phenomenon that one mother asked if her daughter's hospitalization was "serious enough to miss Dallas"
• Primetime soap operas including Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest and Knots Landing featured wealthy families, glamorous settings and high drama
• Soap operas evolved in the 90s to include supernatural elements with shows like Passions and Dark Shadows incorporating vampires, witches and paranormal adventures
• The shift from traditional melodrama to supernatural content parallels changing interests as Gen X women entered adulthood

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Need a summer laugh while we take a quick breather? Lesley's holding down the fort this week as Megan vacations with the mouse at Disney, and she's got some hot recommendations from our back catalog to keep you entertained.

The summer heat is no match for perimenopausal hot flashes, and Lesley candidly admits she's feeling a bit exhausted this July. Rather than cobbling together new content, she's pointing listeners to some gems from last summer – specifically Episode 5, "Life, Death and Disney" (perfect timing with Megan's vacation), and the hilarious Episode 6, "Desperately Seeking Ron Popeill: An After School Special," featuring our infamous call to a 1-800 number that's been "transitioned for other middle-aged women." Trust us, it's worth revisiting just for the laughs.

While we're on break, there are plenty of ways to stay connected with the Gen X Women community. Our LYLAS (Love You Like A Sis) membership program keeps this podcast running for just $10 a month. We've got merch available on our website and Etsy store, and Lesley's even uploading a YouTube short featuring our first-ever fan mail from "super fan Sue" – complete with trinkets and snacks referencing past episodes. We'd love your stories for our "Five Minutes of Fame" segment too – just call 1-888-GEN-X-POD or submit through our website. The world may be on fire, but we're still groovy, and we'll be back with fresh content in two weeks! Leave us those five-star reviews while you wait – we promise we check them all.

Support the show

Get your hands on our MERCH!!!
DONATION SCHEDULE! We donate $1 per item sold with a minimum of $200 to each organization!

Jan-Feb 2025 - Center for Reproductive Rights

March-April - Planned Parenthood

May-June 2025 - Indy Pride

July-August 2025 - WFYI

September-October - ACLU

November-December 2025 - Second Helpings

Love the pod? Love us? Love GenX? Let us know!

SUPPORT THE POD HERE!

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Tell us your own 5 Minutes of Fame story or call it in at 1-888-GEN-XPOD

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Remember when your parents smoked in the car with the windows up? When teachers could paddle students in front of the class? When asbestos was in our schools and lead was in our paint? Megan and Lesley strip away the nostalgia to examine the genuinely problematic aspects of growing up in the 70s and 80s that shaped our generation.

Following their catch-up on recent life changes, the hosts pay tribute to recently departed musical icons Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, then celebrate the 50th anniversaries of both Rocky Horror Picture Show and Jaws. But the heart of this episode confronts the darker realities behind Gen X childhoods—from environmental hazards we somehow survived to educational practices that would be considered abusive today.

The conversation weaves through vivid memories of corporal punishment in schools, public shaming as a teaching tool, and the complete absence of mental health awareness. They explore how these experiences shaped our generation's characteristic resilience and skepticism, while acknowledging the trauma that often accompanied it. From smoking being permitted virtually everywhere to the casual dismissal of abuse allegations, this episode serves as a reality check about the "good old days" that weren't always so good.

Rather than simply criticizing the past, Megan and Lesley emphasize why acknowledging these truths matters—without confronting history honestly, we risk repeating it. As they note while discussing current regulatory rollbacks: we've been here before, and it wasn't pretty. Join us for this unflinching look at the experiences that defined a generation and continue to influence Gen X perspectives today.

Support the show

Get your hands on our MERCH!!!
DONATION SCHEDULE! We donate $1 per item sold with a minimum of $200 to each organization!

Jan-Feb 2025 - Center for Reproductive Rights

March-April - Planned Parenthood

May-June 2025 - Indy Pride

July-August 2025 - WFYI

September-October - ACLU

November-December 2025 - Second Helpings

Love the pod? Love us? Love GenX? Let us know!

SUPPORT THE POD HERE!

Want to continue the conversation?

Sign up for our newsletter! HERE

Tell us your own 5 Minutes of Fame story or call it in at 1-888-GEN-XPOD

Send us your Dear GenX Women letters!

Join us for Meet-Ups and Expert led Discussions

JOIN US in L.Y.L.A.S a GenX Women's Social Club

L.Y.L.A.S (Love You Like a Sis) is our paid membership platform where you can have real-life conversations while supporting this podcast and the work we do in the Facebook group.

Follow us on ...