The Waves: Gender, Relationships, Feminism

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci and Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller talk all things Liz Cheney. They discuss Laura’s piece on how the Republican Congresswoman is coming across like a disappointed mom during the January 6 hearings—and whether comparing women politicians to mother figures is always sexist. Then they dig into what Cheney’s long-game is as she defies the Republican party and goes against Donald Trump.In Slate Plus, Christina and Laura discuss the January 6 hearings’ breakout star, Cassidy Hutchinson. Recommendations:Christina: Caesar salad dressing from Once Upon a ChefLaura: Trailed by Kathryn Miles Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by staff writer Molly Olmstead to talk about the much-hyped threat against the Catholic Church in the wake of Roe’s dismantling. They talk about Molly’s piece, “Is the Catholic Church Under Attack” and where the vandalism against churches stacks up against other religious persecution. Then they take a look at “Cafeteria Catholics” - those who follow the religion, but not all the teachings at the top of the male hierarchy.   In Slate Plus, is the “Little Miss” meme feminist?Recommendations:Cheyna: Apple+ series StillwaterMolly: Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery, and Daisy Rosario. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor of Jurisprudence, Nicole Lewis is joined by Susan Matthews, Slate’s executive editor and host of Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade. Earlier this month, a story about a 10-year-old girl seeking an abortion after she was raped went viral, and Nicole and Susan dive into how themedia’s handedthe story, before questioning how news outlets should handle the influx of first-person abortion narratives in a post-Roe world. In Slate Plus, is asking Vice President Kamala Harris to not be so public-facing, feminist?  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario, and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Amira Rose Davis, professor, historian, and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down to talk about Brittney Griner. The WNBA superstar has been detained by the Russians for months. Cheyna and Amira talk about how Russia treats its women athletes like superstars (until they don’t), while in America it takes weeks for people to really notice when a star WNBA player is missing. Later in the show, they discuss the impact of having Brittney Griner out of the league and Amira recommends WNBA players to watch. In Slate Plus, the fascinating (and feminist!) history of cheerleaders. Recommendations:Amira: Formula 1 racing, including Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive and F1 romance novels like the Fast and Hard series. Cheyna: Jana Schmieding for her roles on Hulu’s Reservation Dogs and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls.  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Brigid Schulte, author of Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time and director of the Better Life Lab, is joined by author Angela Garbes. They unpack the modern challenges of motherhood, further illustrated and then exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They talk about Angela’s new book, Essential Labor, how caregiving is seen as sacred, yet we make it so hard in the United States, and why we pay caregivers—a key part of our society—poverty wages. In Slate Plus, Angela and Brigid talk about the subtitle of Angela’s book: Mothering As Social Change. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel and Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sit down to talk about New York magazine cover story “Canceled at 17,” which features a boy who was ostracized by his peers after he showed a nude of his girlfriend. The talk about whether the article is a display of “himpathy,” and the fact that the writer had a personal connection to the school that she did not initially disclose. (New York magazine’s statement on that matter is available here.) In Slate Plus, Rebecca and Heather talk about what they regret from high school. Recommendations:Rebecca: Apple+’s series For All Mankind.Heather: Netflix’s series, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this emergency episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Slate senior staff writer Christina Cauterucci respond to the decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and get real about how they’re handling this devastating blow. Read Christina’s piece on medication abortions here. Find all of Slate’s coverage of Roe v Wade here, and a guide to basic questions about what happens next here. Recommendations:Cheyna: Getting your kid the COVID vaccine and JellyCat stuffed animals. Christina: Fire Island on Hulu. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel is joined by Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller on the ten year anniversary of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. They talk about the initial reaction to Gone Girl, why the twists packed such a punch, and the enduring impact of the famous “cool girl” speech. Then they explore why, despite many books proclaiming to be so, there has never really been another Gone Girl.In Slate Plus, Laura takes Heather behind the scenes of book blurbs. Recommendations:Heather: The Palace Papers by Tina BrownLaura: TV series Redemption, available on BritBox Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science writer and editor Shannon Palus is joined by Popular Science executive editor and author Rachel Feltman to talk about sex, baby. Rachel’s new book, “Been There, Done That” explores the quirky, wild, and often queer side of the history of sex. Shannon and Rachel talk about why animal sex is so relevant to human sex, the “loop-de-loop” of sexual evolution, and they ponder the age old question, “Why are even men?” In Slate Plus, Rachel talks about why Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) may in some cases not be as terrible as you think. Recommendations:Shannon: Spindrift seltzer Rachel: The horror anthology, Your Body is Not Your Body Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science editor and writer Shannon Palus is joined by freelance science journalist Eleanor Cummins to talk about plastics. Surgery that is. And all the physical and mental concerns that come with altering your body. They start out by talking about Eleanor’s recent piece on the health concerns of breast implants. Then they talk about VIP Syndrome, and how it’s coming for all of us. In Slate Plus, is breast reduction surgery feminist?Recommendations:Shannon: Perfect BarsEleanor: Cotopaxi gear. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices