Booby hatch? Bughouse? Hilarious names for serious places. The Escape Pod goes inside mental institutions of the past to share the tragic tale of Genevieve Pilarski who, essentially, was committed in the 1940s for being strong-willed and desiring independence, nothing more. But others had better fates – escaping the horrors of such places and turning their experiences into advocacy. Nelli Bly, for example, was an early “under-cover” journalist who intentionally got herself committed in order to expose what was really happening behind closed doors. Join the ladies of The Escape Pod this week for this great escape from the “bughouse.”

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 2:57 Intro to this week’s topic

Topic #2 4:43 Genevieve Pilarski

Topic #3 7:54 Evaluate this! The EP takes a detour

Topic #4 9:57 Patient expresses her concerns

Topic #5 18:14 Escape artists become advocates

Topic #6 24:05 Nelli Bly

Topic #7 35:44 Escapism, co-host-style!

Resources & Links

• Driving Her Crazy
• The Story of Gennie Pilarski
• Manteno State Hospital Blog
• Elizabeth Packard
• The Reporter Who Went Undercover at an Asylum

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