Embodied

Embodied is back for a second season!

Anita says all the time "what's personal is political." So, she's interested to see how a new presidential administration will affect the ability of transgender Americans to serve in the U.S. military, which has long suffered from barriers to equity for troops and veterans from marginalized communities. Meet the guests: - Lt. Col. Bree Fram, the highest-ranking, out transgender officer in the Department of Defense, shares what it meant to come out after Obama lifted the ban on trans service members and the challenges with Trump's reversal of the policy. - Marine Sgt. Samson Gibbs talks about how he's experienced more support than transphobia as an active duty military. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Watch "Uneven Battlefield," a live event sponsored by WUNC's American Homefront project to meet more people working toward fair treatment and equity for all U.S. military troops and veterans. Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is all kinds of in love with her newborn niece, a relationship that has her thinking more about motherhood. Her thoughts on the matter are at least somewhat informed by listening to "The Double Shift" podcast, which challenges the status quo for moms. This episode explores the roles of gender and community in raising kids through the story of a transgender man named Ted. Plus, Anita extends an invitation for a virtual hangout. Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is admittedly anxious about aging and what she'll have to re-negotiate about her body and her relationships as she gets older. Wisdom wanted.Meet the guests:- Omisade Burney-Scott, creator and host of "The Black Girls' Guide To Surviving Menopause" talks about how aging has affected her mind, body and spirit- Pepper Schwartz, a sociologist, sexologist and relationships expert, talks about how the cultural myths around aging shape how people approach sex and relationships- Ellen Ashley, talks about getting divorced at 60 and her varied experiences of dating online- Laura Stassi, host and creator of the podcast "Dating While Gray," shares her personal story that inspired the project- Anita’s parents talk about the changes they’ve noticed in their aging bodies and how it’s affected their relationshipRead the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guideFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita knows how frustrating it can be to find the right doctor and get good healthcare. Transgender people have to navigate all those challenges and take extra measures to advocate for their wellbeing with medical providers who are too often untrained to treat them. Meet the guests: - Max Brown, a transgender teenager living in North Carolina, talks about being misgendered in the healthcare system and how finding a supportive healthcare provider has changed his physical and mental health. - Frances Brown, Max's mom, talks about advocating for her son and advice for parents of other trans teens. - Katherine Croft, nurse and program manager for the UNC Transgender Health Program, shares the importance of delivering gender-affirming care. - Rebby Kern, director of education policy at Equality NC**,** talks about the role in-classroom educators play in creating positive experiences for trans kids. - Morgan Givens, storyteller and audio producer, talks about his long road to finding a supportive healthcare provider and the difference that doctor has made in his life. Read the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guide Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is thinking more and more about entering the club of motherhood. But first, she'd appreciate a reality check on things we don't often talk about — like child care and health concerns around pregnancy and labor. Meet the guests: - Angela Garbes, writer and author, talks about the cultural baggage surrounding American motherhood and how she separates the signal from the noise - Dani McClain, journalist and author, outlines how racial bias shapes the personal and professional experiences of Black mothers - Katherine Goldstein, journalist and creator of "The Double Shift," talks about rethinking the nuclear family - Anita’s parents talk about the changes they’ve noticed in their aging bodies and how it’s affected their relationship. Read the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guide Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita loves podcasts, especially ones that make space for intimate, unexpected conversations. "The Only One In The Room," hosted by Laura Cathcart Robbins, is one of those shows. This episode explores the excitement and emotions of being in an open marriage. Read the transcript Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita has a gut feeling none of us know as much as we should about the connection between our intestinal health and how our minds work. Meet the guests: - Ian Carroll, assistant profession of nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill teaches us what we need to know about our gut microbiome. - Lin Chang, a gastroenterologist and co-director of the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, explains the science behind the "gut feeling." - Lydia Greene, a postdoctoral fellow at the Duke Lemur Center, explains what lemur poop teaches us about humans. - Anita's parents talk about why it was okay to talk about poop at their family dining table. Read the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guide Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is a workaholic. Being overworked stresses Anita out. Too much stress leads to poor health. Don't be like Anita. Meet the guests: - Amelia Nagoski, conductor and co-author of "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle" talks about the physical and psychological signals our body sends when its in distress. - Emilio Vicente, activist and communications manager for Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, shares the unique burnout challenges for activists and how changing his relationship with success has helped him experience less burnout. - Anita's parents talk about where Anita's tendency to overwork comes from (her dad) and how he's learned the health consequences of burnout the hard way. Read the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guide Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita questions whether her inner feminist will ever let her come around to enjoying porn without shame.Meet the guests:- Monèt Noelle Marshall, an artist and activist, talks about creating an artistic project exploring sexual shame.- Shine Louise Houston, founding director and producer of Pink and White Productions, takes us behind-the-scenes of creating ethical porn.- Mia Little, an adult film actor and content creator, talks about challenging the sexual stereotypes about Asian people while they are hard at work.- Gina Gutierrez, co-founder and CEO of Dipsea, talks about why audio erotica can help folks access their sexuality.- Anita's parents talk about their relationship with porn...and Anita's dad surprises them both on mic.Read the transcript | Review the podcast | Explore the podcast discussion guideFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram CORRECTION: Mia Little uses they/them pronouns and identifies as Filipino-American. An earlier edit of this episode used incorrect pronouns to identify them. This has since been corrected. But we're still bummed about it.