Dear Sugars

Delving into the complexities of feeling disconnected in relationships and coping with emotional repercussions, the podcast explores challenges of concealing pain from oblivious friends. The narrators share a desire for companions who comprehend their struggles, highlighting the importance of finding solace in similar emotional burdens. It also discusses struggles of a bisexual immigrant feeling isolated in a relationship with a man who struggles to comprehend her experiences, emphasizing the challenges of being misunderstood and marginalized in significant relationships.

The podcast explores the challenges of maintaining male-female friendships, discussing the possibility of platonic relationships and the impact of romantic feelings. They address confronting unwanted attention and challenging patriarchal norms. They also offer advice on dealing with controlling boyfriends and friendship breakups. The hosts emphasize open communication and mutual respect in navigating the complexities of heterosexual friendships.

The podcast discusses frequently asked questions about friendships, exploring topics such as hating a friend's significant other, coping with jealousy, supporting friends in toxic relationships, and navigating political differences in friendships.

The podcast discusses the complexities of stepchild-step parent relationships, including the impact of step-parenting in adulthood and strategies for navigating strained relationships. It also explores the fears and concerns of navigating a parent's new relationship and offers guidance on finding gratitude. The podcast shares a story of a stepchild who felt abandoned after their stepfather cut off contact, and discusses the experience of feeling like an outsider in blended families and the desire for stable and loving relationships. The chapter on navigating the pain of withdrawal offers advice on dealing with the grief of someone leaving your life.

Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights, shares his struggle with a spending addiction. The hosts discuss misconceptions around spending addictions and how they affect personal lives. They also explore the impact of behavioral addictions and lack of acceptance in society. A writer opens up about their spending addiction stemming from OCD and anxiety as a single mother seeking advice. The podcast emphasizes self-discovery, reflection, and setting a positive example for others.

The Sugars discuss doubts in relationships, the importance of saying 'I love you', navigating physical attraction, the complexities of love and prioritizing honesty, taking chances in relationships, and navigating doubts before marriage.

Exploring the emotional turmoil of feeling ugly, the hosts discuss societal beauty standards and the negative feelings associated with one's physical appearance. Writer Ariel Henley shares her experiences with facial differences and finding self-acceptance. The podcast also explores the power of being an outsider and the significance of recognizing these experiences as valuable lessons.

Catrice M. Jackson, a leading voice for racial justice, joins the Sugars to discuss privilege and creating spaces for women to discuss issues of racism, white supremacy, white privilege, and white feminism. They also explore the ways in which white women engage in interpersonal violence and the importance of understanding everyday racism.

The podcast discusses the challenges of transitioning from financial dependency to independence for young adults. It explores the importance of defining boundaries, creating one's own rite of passage, and fostering problem-solving skills.

Produced by WBUR, Boston’s NPR, in partnership with The Trace, The Gun Machine looks into the past to bring you a story that most Americans never learned in history class: how early partnerships between mad scientist gunsmiths and a fledgling U.S. government created the gun industry in the Northeast, and how that industry has been partners with the government ever since. Host Alain Stephens examines how this 250-year relationship underpins all Americans’ interactions with guns — including our failures in dealing with the fallout of gun violence. The Gun Machine episodes drop every Wednesday, starting Oct. 4, 2023. Listen and follow on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts. https://link.chtbl.com/thegunmachine