American journalist Heather Radke examines how women's butts have been portrayed throughout history and how beauty standards reflect social inequalities.

For a body part we don't normally see, our butts mean a lot to us.

Women's butts, in particular, have been subject to public scrutiny for most of history.

Unlike an elbow or an earlobe, a woman's butt is much more than just a part of her body — it can signify everything from desirability and virtue to race and class.

Heather Radke is an American journalist and editor known for her contributions to the award-winning podcast Radiolab.

In Butts: A Backstory, Radke analyzes the different symbolic meanings attributed to women's butts throughout history, and how those meanings affect women's relationships with their bodies today.