True confessions: as Two Old Bitches, we fully expected the Golden Bachelor to be the height of cringey, old-people porn. Watching 22 women in their 60s and 70s compete for the affections of one old man threatened gladiator-level, fury- induced female feuds. And were we ever wrong!  Kathy Swarts, one of the most memorable of the contestants, set us straight in our delightful conversation with her. Kathy, at 70 years old, helped us understand that the real story of the Golden Bachelor is not a longed-for romance between a man and a woman --in this case, Gerry Turner and his choice, Theresa ..read more

If you were deeply enmeshed in the ‘womyn’s’ music scene or romped topless through the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festivals in the 1970s and 1980s, then you will pulsate with memories of the amazing, kick-ass all-women’s rock group, Fanny. Even if you missed it, we hope you can imagine how revolutionary and transgressive Fanny was in its heyday in the early 70s. Which is why we were thrilled to find June Millington -- wild woman, lead guitarist and the band’s co-founder -- as kick-ass now as she was 50 years ago. At 75, June and her partner, Ann Hackler, run the ..read more

We couldn't resist. We were way too curious about ChatGPT to let all of the controversy and (rightful) concern about the dangers of AI deter us from asking it about our favorite topic: the experiences of women in our second half of life. So we asked Chat to take on the persona of an older woman, "dive into the muddy waters of gender and ageism" and share "wisdom that only comes from years of livin' and loving." What we found? You be the judge. She is clearly artificial and not very intelligent but she gave us a lot to think about and had an amazingly positive view about aging. Hope she similar ..read more

Two Old Bitches love a good reinvention story. By her count at 73, MaryJane Fahey is on “her 5th reinvention!” (But who’s counting?) She was a designer, published author, now an editor, writer, future playwright, future sculptor –and the list goes on. A few years ago, she started Glorious Broads, a media platform that encourages “women of all ages not to be scared of aging.” On Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook, GB lifts up fabulous older women, “sages not saints,” living “imaginative, open, spectacular lives.” This year Glorious Broads is pitching a limited television series about the sex lives ..read more

Branca Moreira Alves, 82, is absolutely certain about a lot of things: that her primary identity is ‘feminist’, that life is a lot of fun, and that moments matter.  A key leader in launching the second wave feminist movement in Brazil -- during its brutal dictatorship from the mid-60s to the mid-80s -- Branca shares vivid memories and poignant reflections on feminist awakenings, political evolutions and balancing public protest and private privilege. She and Joanne met when they both worked at the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in the 90s and have been fast friends ever since ..read more

You know those “aha” moments, those flashing lights of clarity, the thundering realization that you’ve met your passion? We realized that so many of the women we’ve talked with on TOB have had these at different points in their lives. And these epiphanies, turning points and serendipitous happenings continue throughout our lives. So, as we start 2023, we went back to different conversations with the extraordinary women we’ve interviewed on TOB to understand the amazingly diverse ways that epiphanies help us to turn lemons into lemonade, discover our calling, and fully own the ways that we are ..read more

Gifted ceramic artists Rosanne Ebner, 67, and Liberty Valance, 73, have worked with clay for five or six decades. They say laughing that “it just happened,” yet it is clear that their art is an irresistible and abiding calling. It surfaced for Liberty in preschool where she created her first works–an elephant and ashtray she still has— and for Rosanne in high school. Liberty and Rosanne are also generous and skilled teachers. They are both instructors at the Brickhouse Ceramic Art Center, a wonderful space in Long Island City, NY, where they are longstanding members of a diverse intergeneratio ..read more

Gutsy, vital, creative Jody Oberfelder is committed to a life of ‘becoming,’ recognizing that becoming older is also about learning to trust your voice and continue to advance. This New York-based choreographer, director and filmmaker – leading Jody Oberfelder Projects (JOP) -- considers herself ‘mid-career’ at 68. She continues to challenge herself to create live performances that are inclusive and collective and that center each participant’s experience (check out her performances of Walking to Present in Brooklyn and Life Travelers on bridges in Munich, London and Philadelphia). She’s loved ..read more

“I have to create, because that is an extension of my breath,” is just one of the many insights into living deeply and meaningfully as an artist that 62-year old director and choreographer extraordinaire Marlies Yearby shared during our illuminating conversation in this episode. The multiple honors she’s received include Tony and Dora-award nominations for her choreography of RENT, the Drama League Award for the Los Angeles production of RENT and critical acclaim for her company, Movin’ Spirits Dance Theater. Her activism and creativity also extend to healing and wellness as the creator of the ..read more

What are you streaming these days? Two Old Bitches always wants to know, especially if you find shows that feature pithy, provocative and stereotype-busting roles for women of a certain age. Luckily, we're seeing some uptick in those (though not nearly pithy and provocative enough and mostly white women....). That's why we're back with two of our three magnificent Screen Bitches -- Debbie Zimmerman (commentator extraordinaire and fearless leader of feminist film organization Women Make Movies) and Malaga Baldi (goddess literary agent and country bumpkin) -- to explore three recent shows that r ..read more