Past Programs
Summaries of To the Contrary's shows from 1996 to present are listed. You can also watch full episodes from 2010 to the present online here.
Click on a year below to see a list of that year's shows.
2011: Year in Review
Date: 12/23/2011
Program Number: 2041
Panelists: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); The Heritage Foundation's Genevieve Wood; Former Judge and Federal Prosecutor Debra Carnahan; Independent Women's Forum Executive Director Nicole Kurokawa Neily
Featured Topics:
- Year in Review: We take a look back at the stories that kept us talking all year and impacted women the most.
- Women & Peace: The Obama Administration released the first ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security to get more women involved in preventing conflict and sustaining peace.
Protecting Female Veterans
Date: 11/11/2011
Program Number: 2035
Panelists: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Independent Women's Forum Senior Fellow Sabrina Schaeffer; Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad; Conservative Commentator Darlene Kennedy
Featured Topics:
- Cain Controversy Continues: Will GOP president candidate Herman Cain survive four different allegations of sexual harassment? And a new AAUW study shows sexual harassment affects 50 percent of students.
- Healing Head Start: The federally funded early education program is struggling as the Obama Adminstration announces new guidelines.
- Protecting Female Veterans: The Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention Act passes to prevent female veterans from sexual violence, with an interview with Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY).
The State of Women with Working Mother Media President Carol Evans
Date: 07/01/2011
Program Number: 2016
Panelists: "Feminist Majority's Kim Gandy; Public Notice Executive Director Gretchen Hamel; Journalist and Blogger Danielle Belton; and Independent Women's Forum Executive Director Nicole Kurokawa Neily. Guest Host: The Daily Beast's Patricia Murphy
Featured Topics:
- Credibility Concerns: The case against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn may derail as concerns about the accuser's credibility arise.
- Homework Reform: Some school districts are enacting policies to limit homework to lessen the burden on students.
- The State of American Women: Despite being the most powerful country in the world, America is falling behind several other countries in the advancement of women.
Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids
Date: 06/17/2011
Program Number: 2014
Panelists: Journalist and Blogger Danielle Belton; Independent Women's Forum's Sabrina Schaeffer; The National Organization for Women's Erin Matson; and Conservative Commentator Tara Setmayer. Guest Host: National Council of Negro Women Executive Director Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever
Featured Topics:
- Weiner and the Media: Rep. Anthony Weiner's sexting scandal has captivated the media, but a new survey finds the public is not interested.
- Co-Ed No More: The Catholic University of America has returned to same-sex dormitories in hopes of reducing drinking and sexual activity.
- Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Author and economics professor, Bryan Caplan, is encouraging parents to stop stressing about the kids and maybe even have a few more.
Kah Walla
Date: 06/03/2011
Program Number: 2012
Panelists: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Center for Equal Opportunity Chair Linda Chavez; Villanova University Professor Lara Brown; and Concerned Women for America President Wendy Wright. Guest Host: Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad
Featured Topics:
- Nutrition Battle: First Lady Michelle Obama and the USDA unveil a new nutrition icon to replace the food pyramid.
- Palin's Media Mania: Sarah Palin keeps the media guessing about her next move on her multi-state bus tour, drawing the media spotlight away from GOP presidential hopefuls.
- Kah Walla: Cameroonian presidential candidate and grassroots activist Kah Walla captures the attention of the world as she makes a historic run.
Education RHEE-Form
Date: 04/01/2011
Program Number: 2003
Panelists: Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad; Fox News Political Analyst Angela McGlowan; Political Commentator Lara Brown; and The Heritage Foundation's Jennifer Marshall.
Featured Topics:
- Maternity Tourism: Wealthy, foreign women are spending big bucks to deliver their babies on American soil.
- Women v. Wal-Mart: Female employees of America's largest private employer band together before the Supreme Court.
- Education Rhee-form: Michelle Rhee, former Chancellor of Washington D.C. public schools, discusses her new endeavor for reforming the nation's schools
U.S. Ambassador Karen Kornbluh
Date: 03/25/2011
Program Number: 2002
Panelists: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); The Heritage Foundation's Genevieve Wood; Judge and Former Federal Prosecutor Debra Carnahan; and Conservative Commentator Tara Setmayer.
Featured Topics:
- Obama's Lady Hawks: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.N Ambassador Susan Rice, and National Security Council aide Samantha Power apparently persuaded President Obama to take military action against Libya.
- The HE-covery: New federal government data shows men are outpacing women in the recovery job market, after women were relatively unaffected by the recession.
- Women's Economic Power: U.S. Ambassador Karen Kornbluh discusses America's role in improving the economic condition of women around the world.
Fat Studies
Date: 03/18/2011
Program Number: 2001
Panelists: The Feminist Majority's Kim Gandy; Conservative Commentator Dana White; The Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel; and Public Notice Executive Director Gretchen Hamel.
Featured Topics:
- Arab Women's Revolution: Uprisings are sweeping Middle East nations, but will the culture shift enough for women to gain more rights?
- Mommy Blog Power: Corporations are seeing huge returns from marketing their products and services to blogging moms.
- Fat Studies: Colleges are teaching young women to develop a healthy body image and how to decipher media messages about weight.
Equal Rights Amendment
Date: 03/04/2011
Program Number: 1952
Panelists: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Center for Equal Opportunity Chair Linda Chavez; Center for American Progress' Erica Williams; and Independent Women's Forum's Sabrina Schaeffer.
Featured Topics:
- The State of American Women: This week, the Obama Administration issued the first report on American women's progress at home and in the economic and social arenas.
- For White Men Only: A nonprofit organization, the Former Majority Association for Equality, has created a college scholarship exclusively for white men.
- Rallying for an ERA: Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) talks about what she and other women's rights advocates are doing to guarantee women equal protection under the U.S. Constitution.
Carole Simpson
Date: 02/25/2011
Program Number: 1951
Panelists: The Heritage Foundation's Genevieve Wood; BlackSnob.com Editor/Creator Danielle Belton; Conservative Commentator Dana White; and Voto Latino Executive Director Maria Teresa Kumar.
Featured Topics:
- Ditching DOMA: The Obama administration comes out in support of gay marriage.
- Budgeting Out Women: Are majority-female unions and programs benefiting women being unfairly besieged in state and national budget battles?
- News Lady: In her new memoir, Carole Simpson, the first African-American woman to anchor a major network newscast, talks about her career and racism and sexism in journalism.
Women on Corporate Boards
Date: 02/18/2011
Program Number: 1950
Panelists: National Council of Negro Women's Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever; The Heritage Foundation's Genevieve Wood; Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad; and Former EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez.
Featured Topics:
- The President's Budget: White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett talks about President Obama's proposed 2012 budget and how it will benefit women and families.
- Women On Corporate Boards: Norway, Finland, and Canada have all succeded in increasing the number of women to sit on corporate boards. We hear from female leaders in each of those countries on how they were able to get more women at the table and why doing so is good for the bottom line.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter
Date: 02/11/2011
Program Number: 1949
Panelists: National Council of Negro Women's Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever; Center for Urban Renewal and Education President Star Parker; The Feminist Majority's Kim Gandy; and Public Notice Executive Director Gretchen Hamel.
Featured Topics:
- First Family Faith: First Lady Michelle Obama gets frank about her family's faith.
- STEM Women: New research hones in on why so few women pursue careers in math and science.
- Cinderella Ate My Daughter: From a young age, girls are bombarded with dolls, pink clothes, and makeup. What kinds of cultural messages is this implanting in their minds?
Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL)
Date: 02/04/2011
Program Number: 1948
Panelists: Conservative Commentator Tara Setmayer; Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); The Heritage Foundation's Genevieve Wood; and Political Commentator Lara Brown
Featured Topics:
- What Singles Want: A new Match.com/MarketTools survey finds more unmarried men are seeking marriage and children, while single women desire independence and casual relationships.
- Conservatives Come Out: This week, Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, publicly supported gay marriage, which opposes her father's stance on the issue.
- Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL): The first black woman to represent her state in Congress discusses her historic win and her legislative agenda for the next two years.
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