The Science of Women Dominating Politics | A Podcast Nation

Could Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other young politicos lead for half a century?

Women live longer than men. And in the realm of politics, simply sticking around has an advantage, as seniority often dictates power — particularly in Congress and state legislatures. But that hasn’t helped women traditionally. Until now.

For decades, men have more often gotten elected at a younger age, whereas women either struggled to win races or didn’t choose to join politics until after raising children. Take Nancy Pelosi, perhaps the most sustainably powerful female American politician in history, who won her first race in her late 40s. But the equation for a career in American politics is shifting in favor of women like never before, driven by a combination of advances in health and a surge of political activism.

Season 5 of The Thread — OZY’s chart-topping podcast — explores how perhaps the most iconic moment in women’s sporting history almost didn’t happen.

July 10, 1999. A crowd of 90,185 at the Rose Bowl. A nation holding its breath, with nearly 18 million households watching on TV. Magazine covers. And finally, the indelible image of an overjoyed Brandi Chastain in her sports bra.

Nine days earlier, all of this was in doubt. Facing Germany in the World Cup quarterfinals, the U.S. women’s soccer team trailed 2-1 at halftime, and Chastain had scored — in the wrong goal.

The stakes couldn’t have been higher, with women’s sports fighting for acceptance and soccer itself still the sports punditocracy’s punching bag.

Podcasts for South Koreans aren’t just about being entertained.

The creators of the now-famous South Korean podcast Naneun Ggomsuda (“I’m a Sneaky Trickster”) couldn’t have known what they were setting into motion back when they began broadcasting their smash-hit political satire in 2011. Sure, the four-man comedic commentary team attracted 6 million downloads within months by taking potshots — mixed with serious political reporting — at the country’s conservative and allegedly corrupt ruling class.

But what started as a joke grew into a national trend that some say has helped transform the country’s media landscape. These days, nearly 2 out of 3 South Koreans listen to podcasts.