It's Been a Minute

Who gets to have a safe pregnancy?<br/><br/>Across the internet, women are sharing their experiences with the physical and emotional difficulties of pregnancy. But for Black women, the complications, negative health outcomes, and even death are more common. Today, Brittany is joined by Dr. <a href="https://www.law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-profiles/khiara-bridges/"target="_blank" >Khiara Bridges</a>, Earl Warren professor of public law at UC Berkeley School of Law and author of <em>Expecting Inequity: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans </em>to talk through why wealth and status can't outrun racism at the doctor's office.<br/><br/>Want more on women's health and wellness? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5683324/sex-is-pleasurable-it-should-feel-safe-too"target="_blank" ><strong>Sex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.</strong></a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5829928/it-only-takes-30-minutes-to-be-a-good-mom"target="_blank" ><strong>It only takes 30 minutes to be a good mom</strong></a><strong>.</strong><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Who gets to <em>Kill Bill</em>? <br/><br/>As in, who’s allowed to seek revenge when they've been wronged by a man? That was the question at the top of Brittany’s mind after seeing Alesha Harris’ <em>Is God Is</em>, a film following twin sisters on a quest to kill their abusive father. The film has been a surprise hit, but there’s a subsection of men who felt this portrayal of a ‘bad’ Black man was in poor taste. <br/><br/>That made Brittany wonder: in the pantheon of vengeance films featuring female protagonists, what does it mean to seek justice? And what does catharsis look like when the villain is sometimes patriarchy itself? <br/><br/>To help answer those questions and more, Brittany is joined by film critic and programmer <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/is-god-is-review-vivica-a-fox-sterling-k-brown-1236595084/"target="_blank" >Jourdain Searles</a> and staff culture writer at Slate, <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2026/05/is-god-is-movie-sterling-k-brown-horror-scary.html"target="_blank" >Nadira Goffe</a>.<br/><br/>Want more about women in film? <br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/1263527049/oscars-the-substance-nosferatu-babygirl"target="_blank" >What women want: to embrace their inner monsters</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/10/24/1197954182/its-been-a-minute-draft-10-24-2023"target="_blank" >The new "final girl" in horror; plus, who's afraid of a horny hag?</a><br/><br/><br>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>. <br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Are you ready for a whirlwind summer romance?<br/><br/>Making plans to capitalize on summer can get overwhelming - from finding the right spot to hang or feeling comfortable in your clothes in the sweltering summer heat. So what does it mean to approach summer with a romantic joie de vivre?  Brittany is joined by <a href="https://carly-olson.com/about/"target="_blank" >Carly Olson</a>, freelance journalist covering architecture and business, and <a href="https://www.garrettschlichte.com/"target="_blank" >Garrett Schlichte</a>, writer and chef, to walk us through how to have a rom-com summer where you're the star.<br/><br/>Want more on how to be the best version of yourself? Check out these episodes:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/22/nx-s1-5581582/tips-for-dinner-parties"target="_blank" ><strong>How to make friends & get good gossip</strong></a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5829928/it-only-takes-30-minutes-to-be-a-good-mom"target="_blank" ><strong>It only takes 30 minutes to be a good mom</strong></a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/><br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

It's hot, school’s out, put your PTO in - summer’s here! And that means Brittany’s back for It’s Been a Minute’s annual summer books episode! This time around authors Sasha Bonét (<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717223/the-waterbearers-by-sasha-bonet/"target="_blank" ><em>The Waterbearers</em></a>) and Cindy Pham (<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/801225/the-secret-world-of-briar-rose-by-cindy-pham/"target="_blank" ><em>The Secret World of Briar Rose</em></a>) join the show to give their summer reading recommendations. From wanderlust to first time love - there’s something for everyone. <br/><br/>Want more summer book recommendations?<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/18/1263527148/its-been-a-minute-summer-book-recommendations-2025"target="_blank" >Sexy & Spiteful: the best books to read this summer</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/16/1197958204/its-been-a-minute-summer-reading"target="_blank" >Simmering over summer books</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Left-behind dog poop is annoying. But it’s also a sign of anti-sociality.<br/><br/>Spotting unidentified poop outside is an unfortunate and unavoidable part of being alive, but in some cities, there’s a scourge being left behind by some people’s four-legged friends. <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1004889801/manuela-lopez-restrepo"target="_blank" >Manuela L</a><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1004889801/manuela-lopez-restrepo"target="_blank" >ó</a><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1004889801/manuela-lopez-restrepo"target="_blank" >pez-Restrepo</a>, writer and producer at <em>All Things Considered</em>, couldn’t stop noticing it – and she wondered if it might be a sign of something deeper going on. Paired with dogs popping up in places they maybe shouldn’t be – she wondered: can dogs be a vector for anti-social behavior? And what would it look like for people – and their pets – to share space more harmoniously? <br/><br/>Manuela shares her reporting with Brittany and they get deeper into the story of the dookie. <br/><br/>For more episodes about culture and how we share public space, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/25/1256217320/coldplay-kiss-cam-surveillance"target="_blank" >The Coldplay kiss cam & moral surveillance</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/19/nx-s1-5612631/searching-for-safety-in-an-unsafe-world"target="_blank" >Crime is down. Why don't people feel safe?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/21/1263527179/its-been-a-minute-dining-out-gay-restaurants"target="_blank" >In search of a safe place to cry...</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

We love a pop princess, but what about the pop peasants?<br/><br/>These are the pop music artists who might have some mainstream success and fame, but they're not exactly household names. Fans on the internet have created a metaphorical space for these pop almost-stars...the Khia Asylum. But how can artists break out of this pop star purgatory?  And what does a fictional mental institution say about the way fans and artists are thinking about the music industry? Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/766798576/isabella-gomez-sarmiento"target="_blank" >Isabella Gomez Sarmiento</a>, NPR music reporter, and Billboard staff writer <a href="https://www.billboard.com/author/kyle-denis/"target="_blank" >Kyle Denis</a>.<br/><br/>Want more episodes about how we perceive pop stars? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/09/nx-s1-5706505/bad-bunny-redefined-what-america-means"target="_blank" ><strong>Bad Bunny redefined what "America" means</strong></a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/07/nx-s1-5601052/rosalia-the-evolving-definition-of-latinidad"target="_blank" ><strong>Rosalía & the evolving definition of Latinidad</strong></a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/><br>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

What happens when GLP-1s interact with eating disorders?<br/><br/>About 1 in 8 US adults are currently taking a GLP-1. They’ve been described by a lot of people as a miracle drug – they treat high blood sugar and diabetes, and have also shown promise as a treatment for addiction and metabolic conditions like PMOS, formerly known as PCOS. And a lot of Americans are taking it for one reason: weight loss. But for people with eating disorders, that weight loss could be dangerous. So even though GLP-1s are a miracle drug for many struggling with certain health conditions – what does it mean that they’re becoming incredibly available to everyone? And how do we reckon with their place in a culture that prioritizes thinness… sometimes to the point of real danger to someone’s health?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/profile/allegra-i-broft-md"target="_blank" >Dr. Allegra Broft</a>, a psychiatrist and an assistant professor at Columbia University Medical Center who specializes in eating disorders, and <a href="https://hannahseo.com/"target="_blank" >Hannah Seo</a>, an independent journalist who wrote about GLP-1s and eating disorders for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/04/ozempic-semaglutide-eating-disorders"target="_blank" ><em>The Guardian</em></a>.<br/><br/>For more episodes about weight, body image, and culture, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/09/nx-s1-5670240/chinese-peptides-ozempic-biohacking"target="_blank" >Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/16/nx-s1-5677307/the-difference-between-losing-weight-being-healthy"target="_blank" >The difference between losing weight & being "healthy"</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/04/20/nx-s1-5788715/the-strange-politics-of-pilates-manosphere-love-is-blind"target="_blank" >The strange politics of Pilates</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

How much time should moms spend with their kids? What if it's quality over quantity?<br/><br/>CEO and co-founder Emma Grede set social media on fire when she described herself as a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/emma-grede-book-start-with-yourself-a7b2c82d"target="_blank" >“max three-hour mum”</a> and said that she would rather focus on creating “high-impact, core memories” with her children. The founding partner of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS also said that remote work is ‘career suicide’ for women. The idea that a working mother - even a CEO mom - would spend so little time with her kids was outrageous to some…but isn’t that the reality for most parents? <br/><br/>To get into all of this, Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.thecut.com/author/kathryn-jezer-morton/"target="_blank" >Kathryn Jezer-Morton</a>, writer of the Brooding column from The Cut, and <a href="https://helenaandrews.com/"target="_blank" >Helena Andrews-Dyer</a>, journalist and author, to unpack the 'controversial' notion of a mother not wanting to spend all her time with her kids.<br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Is the American empire in decline?<br/><br/>The Trump administration's recent military actions have had certain observers asking... are we going full empire? But <a href="https://history.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/core-faculty/daniel-immerwahr.html"target="_blank" >Daniel Immerwahr</a>, a historian and the author of <em>How to Hide an Empire,</em> argues that the U.S. has engaged in empire building for hundreds of years — we've just been sneakier about it than other countries.<br/><br/>In this episode from our friends at <em>Code Switch, </em>host Gene Demby is joined by Daniel to break down why we don’t really think of ourselves as a colonial power – and how President Trump's international escapades are scrambling the global order.<br/><br/>For more episodes about the US empire, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/11/nx-s1-5816338/the-human-labor-that-makes-ai-work"target="_blank" >The human labor that makes AI work</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/02/1263527125/its-been-a-minute-canada-us-relationship-politics"target="_blank" >Canada hates us, but it's not all Trump's fault.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

What happens when you can't recognize your mom anymore?<br/><br/>For Linli, the protagonist of the book <em>New Skin</em>, this is her reality: her mom Fanny has gone through so many back-alley plastic surgery procedures, Fanny’s face barely looks human anymore. When Fanny gets the opportunity to go on a reality TV show for the chance to fix her botched face, she jumps at it – and Linli tags along. But what happens when you can’t recognize your parent anymore? And what would achieving the perfect face really help?<br/><br/>Brittany chats with author <a href="https://barnard.edu/profiles/sarah-wang"target="_blank" >Sarah Wang</a> about <em>New Skin</em>, immigration and intergenerational trauma, and our botched quests for beauty.<br/><br/>For more episodes about parent relationships or beauty culture, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/28/nx-s1-5613912/why-some-families-stop-speaking"target="_blank" >Why some families stop speaking</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5759733/the-morbid-lifelessness-of-modern-beauty"target="_blank" >The morbid lifelessness of modern beauty</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/17/nx-s1-5749440/the-beauty-industry-has-an-epstein-problem"target="_blank" >The beauty industry has an Epstein problem</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Are psychedelics the next big thing?<br/><br/>Psychedelics include the drugs LSD, magic mushrooms, peyote, and often ketamine and MDMA too, among others. And some of these drugs have a history of spiritual practice spanning millennia. Then many of these drugs became synonymous with hippies and 60s and 70s counterculture.  But now, psychedelics have new cheerleaders: tech bros and CEOs. So why the rebrand?<br/><br/>To get into it all, Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.tiu.ac.jp/etrack/faculty/maxim-tvorun-dunn/"target="_blank" >Maxim Tvorun-Dunn</a>, PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/emma-goldberg"target="_blank" >Emma Goldberg</a>, business reporter at the New York Times, to discuss what it means that these drugs are getting championed – and sometimes financially backed – by the tech elite, and how might that affect our culture’s relationship with psychedelics.<br/><br/><em>This episode originally aired on March 24, 2025.</em><br/><br/>Interested in hearing more of Brittany's series "Losing My Religion?" Check out these episodes:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/1263527059/its-been-a-minute-wellness-spirituality-religion"target="_blank" >Goodbye, church... Hello, Wellness Industrial Complex!</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/1263527067/manifestation-internet-lucky-girl-syndrome"target="_blank" >Am I a god?! Why "manifesting" your reality is easier than ever</a> <br/><br/>Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.<br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluse<br>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Defectors from the ‘New Right’ say that sexism is a feature, not a bug of modern-day conservatism.<br/><br/>New York Magazine’s Sam Adler-Bell published <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/young-women-leaving-maga-new-right.html"target="_blank" ><em>The Young Women Leaving the New Right</em></a>, detailing the experiences of conservative women who say that rampant misogyny within the space is pushing them out of a community they helped build. From demanding that women stay home and out of public life to advocating for the repeal of civil rights law - some conservative women have reached their limit. But host Brittany Luse wonders: will this change of heart stick in the voting booths? Or is this just more of the same?<br/><br/>To answer that question, Brittany is joined by Editor at Large of the 19th and NABJ President, <a href="https://19thnews.org/author/errin-haines/"target="_blank" >Errin Haines</a>. Errin helps unpack the link between the ‘new’ and ‘old’ right, white women checkered political history, and how searching for community can sometimes lead people down dark paths. <br/><br/>Want more about women and politics? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/12/nx-s1-5813744/progressive-women-have-had-it-and-theyre-fighting-back"target="_blank" >Progressive women have 'had it!' And they're fighting back.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/09/1250191977/gen-z-women-liberal-politics"target="_blank" >The political power of Gen Z women</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/07/nx-s1-5665105/enough-is-enough-is-it-time-to-leave-america"target="_blank" >Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.<br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluse<br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.<br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Are you a “high agency” person?<br/><br/>The tech world has been buzzing about the benefits of being a “high agency” person: someone who doesn’t wait for permission to pursue their own agendas. And that idea has been trickling out into the wider culture - for instance, posts that say things like “you can just do things,” or “when you remember you have free will.” High agency's wider appeal speaks to some of our biggest anxieties and existential questions, like: do we have control over our lives? And what do we risk to achieve the things we want?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by Sophie Haigney, a journalist and critic who wrote about high agency for <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/opinion/high-agency-silicon-valley.html"target="_blank" >The New York Times</a></em>, and Max Read, a journalist and editor of the <em>Read Max</em> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/cw/MaxRead"target="_blank" >newsletter</a>, where he covers trends, tech, politics and culture.<br/><br/>For more episodes about agency in our modern world, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/02/nx-s1-5729108/the-joy-of-breaking-up-with-dating-apps"target="_blank" >The joy of breaking up with dating apps</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/23/nx-s1-5721208/the-high-cost-of-getting-food-delivered"target="_blank" >The high cost of getting food delivered.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/16/nx-s1-5713915/make-life-harder-and-better-learn-another-language"target="_blank" >Make life harder (and better): Learn another language.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

How does it feel to be called hostile?<br/><br/>What about barren? Inhospitable? Geriatric? These are all words women over the age of 35 have heard in doctor's offices for decades to describe their reproductive health as they explore options for childbirth. The terminology has been changing, but for some, not quickly enough.  When the culture is pushing for more humane ways to talk about women's bodies, how long will it take modern medicine to catch up? Brittany talks with <a href="https://www.rachelegross.com/book"target="_blank" >Rachel E. Gross</a>, author of <em>Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage</em> to understand what the use of these words reveal about our cultural expectations of pregnant people.<br/><br/>Want more on the culture of women’s health? Check out these episodes:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5683324/sex-is-pleasurable-it-should-feel-safe-too"target="_blank" >Sex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/17/nx-s1-5543523/thriving-after-menopause"target="_blank" >The key to thriving later in life: menopause</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Is social media giving you analysis paralysis? You’re not alone.<br/><br/>In his new book, ‘<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671349/minor-black-figures-by-brandon-taylor/"target="_blank" >Minor Black Figures</a>,’ novelist <a href="https://brandonlgtaylor.com/"target="_blank" >Brandon Taylor</a> explores this vicious cycle and what it does to our self-worth. His characters are artists hyperaware of how social media can make or break their careers - and how it affects the art they make too.<br/><br/>In this episode, Brandon joins Brittany to talk through what it means to make art in a world of critics - online and off - and the beauty of giving yourself grace.<br/><br/><em>This episode originally aired on October 15, 2025.</em><br/><br/><br>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Political podcasting is said to be a men's game (and predominantly conservative). But two women stood up and said "I've had it!" Now they are revolutionizing political commentary in America.<br/><br/>The hosts of the ‘<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ivehaditpodcast/"target="_blank" >I’ve Had It’ podcast</a>: Jennifer Welch, a lifelong atheist, and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan, a former evangelical conservative, started their podcast to air petty grievances. But, as American politics got heated so did their podcast. Wine jokes became unfiltered takedowns of both Democrats and Republicans. In the process, they gained millions of followers and changed how the progressive media system works. And there's no slowing them down. <br/><br/>Host Brittany Luse sits down with Jennifer and Angie to talk about the power women have for shaping politics, why women just can't let go of Trump, and how Democrats can actually listen to progressive women.<br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Can AI really do everything by itself?<br/><br/>AI has impressed a lot of people with its output. But even though it’s sold as an autonomous, inhuman tool, there’s a lot of human work that goes into it. While that work does happen in the US, many AI laborers also live overseas – and get paid less to do it. Everything that goes into making AI function – from the data it feeds on to the labor that trains it – smacks of colonialism, according to some scholars and researchers. This has led to the emergence of the term "data colonialism." Is this comparison a fitting one, and what are the broader implications of data colonialism for society at large?<br/><br/>Brittany gets into it with <a href="https://www.reginecabato.ph/"target="_blank" >Regine Cabato</a>, a freelance journalist based in the Philippines who’s written about AI laborers there for <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/28/scale-ai-remotasks-philippines-artificial-intelligence/"target="_blank" ><em>The Washington Post</em></a>, and <a href="https://ulisesmejias.com/"target="_blank" >Ulises Mejias</a>, professor at SUNY Oswego and co-author of the book <em>Data Grab the New Colonialism of Big Tech and How to Fight Back.</em><br/><br/>For more episodes about AI and modern life, check out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/04/13/nx-s1-5780867/you-might-be-suffering-from-ai-brain-fry"target="_blank" >You might be suffering from AI brain fry</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/04/06/nx-s1-5773103/me-and-my-partner-dont-see-eye-to-eye-about-ai-now-what"target="_blank" >Me and my partner don't see eye-to-eye about AI. Now what?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/27/nx-s1-5762979/the-hard-work-of-having-good-taste"target="_blank" >The hard work of having "good taste"</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The Kennedys are the first family that comes to mind when Americans consider homegrown, pseudo-royal dynasties. From Joe to John and Jackie, they have been elevated to a mythical cultural status. But is it possible that they share more in common with another prominent American family, the Kardashians? Today, Brittany is joined by MJ Corey, author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741643/dekonstructing-the-kardashians-by-mj-corey/"target="_blank" >Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto</a>, to find out how these two American 'royal' families share a cultural Krown.<br/><br/>Want more about famous families and the narratives they spin? Check out these episodes:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/01/nx-s1-5806626/inside-the-michael-jackson-legacy-industrial-complex"target="_blank" >Inside the Michael Jackson legacy industrial complex</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/06/nx-s1-5703364/melania-trumps-multi-million-dollar-infomercial"target="_blank" >Melania Trump’s multi-million dollar “infomercial”</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Many millennials either are already in their 40s or are staring them down. Are they having a midlife crisis?<br/><br/>As this generation enters midlife, their lives look really different from their parents' lives: Millennials are <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/02/14/millennial-life-how-young-adulthood-today-compares-with-prior-generations-2/"target="_blank" >more educated</a> and have a <a href="https://www.lendingtree.com/debt-consolidation/millennials-financial-condition-study/#:~:text=Millennials'%20net%20worth%20is%20higher,baby%20boomers'%20at%20those%20ages."target="_blank" >higher median net worth</a>, but the generation is also <a href="https://inequality.org/article/generational-wealth-inequality/"target="_blank" >more unequal</a> than previous generations, has <a href="https://www.lendingtree.com/debt-consolidation/millennials-financial-condition-study/#:~:text=Meanwhile%2C%2088.1%25%20of%20millennials%20carried,(ages%2025%20to%2034"target="_blank" >higher debt</a> and has lower rates of <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/millennial-homeownership-still-lagging-behind-previous-generations-7510642"target="_blank" >homeownership</a> and <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/27/as-millennials-near-40-theyre-approaching-family-life-differently-than-previous-generations/"target="_blank" >marriage</a>. How does that all shape what millennial midlife crises are starting to look like?<br/><br/>Brittany finds out with Vox senior correspondent <a href="https://www.vox.com/authors/alex-abad-santos"target="_blank" >Alex Abad-Santos</a>, who recently wrote an <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/415046/millennial-midlife-crisis"target="_blank" >article</a> about the millennial midlife crisis, and <a href="https://www.prb.org/people/sara-srygley/"target="_blank" >Sara Srygley</a>, research associate at the Population Reference Bureau.<br/><br/><em>This episode originally aired on June 20, 2025.</em><br/><br/>For more episodes about the forces shaping Millennials’ lives, check out:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/26/nx-s1-5686691/youre-not-broken-the-job-market-is"target="_blank" >You're not broken - the job market is.</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/07/nx-s1-5665105/enough-is-enough-is-it-time-to-leave-america"target="_blank" >Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/04/24/nx-s1-5797969/the-ugly-truth-of-americas-expensive-homes"target="_blank" >The ugly truth of America's expensive homes</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<em></em><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The MET Gala 2026 was eclipsed by its own sponsors, making the event feel out of touch and out of fashion.<br/><br/>Beyoncé made her first MET Gala appearance in ten years. Rihanna showed up (very late). And there were many incredible fashion moments: from Emma Chamberlain to Nicole Kidman to Lena Dunham. But the whole affair was overshadowed by the sponsorship of Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Plus, other tech billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin, made their MET Gala debuts. All calling into question...what is this event (and art) really for?<br/><br/>To get into it, NPR Music's Anamaria Sayre is joined by culture critic Marjon Carlos and culture writer Shelton Boyd-Griffith. Together they rate the best and worst of fashion's biggest night and explain why the MET Gala feels like it's in decline.<br/><br/>Support Public Media.<a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" > Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" > @bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at<a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" > npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>