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When all your faves are problematic, it may be tempting, or even natural, to tease out progressive politics or disruptive readings within media which on the surface seems to support the status quo. Is that ultra-macho action movie really about found family? Is your favorite root-for-the-bad-guy drama actually a scathing indictment of violence and toxic masculinity? Well, maybe not, but the tendency to seek a progressive meaning in the media we love is called \u201cleft-reading,\u201d and today on the podcast Carolyn, Ebony, and Anita are taking a look at the phenomena and discussing why it happens and what harm might be done by excusing popular media in this way.