Embodied

For most of guest host Omisade Burney-Scott's life, she was a reluctant viewer of horror films — squinting through her fingers long enough to get to the closing credits. In recent years, that trepidation has turned into thrill as she's watched the Black horror genre evolve. She talks with a filmmaker, director and horror scholar about how they see their own experiences reflected in the Black horror renaissance. Meet the guests: - Lana Garland, writer, director, producer and curator of the Hayti Heritage Film Festival, reminisces about the Black horror films that left their mark on her and how the genre has evolved - Dr. Kinitra Brooks, Leslie Endowed Chair in literary studies at Michigan State University, shares her own Black horror memories and examines key ingredients in the genre - Bree Newsome Bass, artist, organizer and filmmaker, talks about the evolution of the genre both on and off camera Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita pretty much stopped wearing bras in the pandemic, and she's likely not going back. But she knows that for many, a good bra is clutch for daily comfort. She traces the surprising history and technology of the brassiere with the inventor of the sports bra and an expert who consulted with the Army on their first-ever tactical bra. Then she meets two people whose bra stories bump up against how we define and redefine gender and social norms for ourselves and others. Meet the guests: - Lisa Lindahl, an author and entrepreneur, tells the story behind the invention of the sports bra - Jené Luciana Sena, a bra expert, author and host of the podcast "Visible Panty Lines," explains the technicalities of bra fit and shares her work collaborating with the Army on their first-ever tactical bra - Destiny Liley, a freelance content creator, talks about the challenges of being a larger-chested person and her thoughts on bralessness - Ren Gutierrez, a first-generation Latine advocate for queer and trans mental health, reflects on going through his bra collection in the weeks before getting top surgery Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram Dive deeper: - The origins and evolution of the bra - Behind the invention of the sports bra, via the National Inventors Hall of Fame

Anita has long taken a laissez-faire approach to digital security. But as she's learned (the hard way), just because she doesn't have something to hide, doesn't mean she has nothing to lose. She calls in experts, including an abortion doula and sex worker, to learn strategies for keeping personal information safe online. Meet the guests: - Amanda Bennett, a project manager for Digital Defense Fund, walks us through the basics of digital security and shares practical tips - Kestrel, an abortion doula and member of the Mountain Area Abortion Doula Collective, shares what they and their collective members do to protect themselves - Dr. Olivia Snow, a sex worker and research fellow at UCLA’s Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, talks about what we can learn from sex workers when it comes to digital security Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram Dive deeper: - How to keep your abortion private and secure, from the Digital Defense Fund - A report tracking abortion criminalization - Digital Security tools from the Electronic Frontier Foundation

Anita revisits a conversation with folks who've undergone facial feminization surgery as part of their gender confirmation process. FFS is a set of bone and soft tissue surgical procedures that reshape the forehead, brow, jaw and more. They share what the surgery meant for them, plus a medical anthropologist helps unpack who gets to decide what femininity looks like. Meet the guests: - Emma Ward, songwriter, producer and community manager, shares her experience of facial feminization surgery - Eric Plemons, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona, discusses some of the history of this set of procedures and how we define a "feminine" face Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Guest host Omisade Burney-Scott is a proud Aries Sun-Leo moon-Virgo rising and has been looking to the stars since the ‘70s. She and her best friend of over 50 years look back on how astrology influenced their relationship growing up and how they move in the world today. Plus, she talks to two astrologers about how this practice can play a role in social justice movements and in the intersections of our identities. Meet the guests: - Cheyanne Headen, a community and de-escalation specialist and Omisade's cousin and best friend, talks about how astrology influences her work and parenting styles - Jessica Lanyadoo, astrologer and host of "Ghost of a Podcast," explains how our cultural understanding of astrology has evolved and how this practice can be applied to social justice - Zacchary Powell, astrologer and former president of the Association of Young Astrologers, explores how a spiritual practice of astrology can deepen self-understanding Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita shares an episode of “This Is Uncomfortable,” a podcast from Marketplace that explores the ways money messes with our relationships and life plans. Rebecca Danigelis never planned to stop working. Raising two kids as a single mom, everything she earned went to making sure they got the best education she could afford. But when her son Sian-Pierre's career took off, hers started to crumble. Find “This Is Uncomfortable” wherever you get your podcasts. Look out for their next season in early October. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita grew up betwixt and between two religious communities and never felt like she fully belonged to either. The upside? She had a lot of room to figure things out on her own. She talks with two people who didn't find that freedom until they left their conservative religions. They tell her about extracting themselves from tight-knit religious communities and reconnecting with their sexuality and identity on their own terms. Meet the guests: - Nicole Hardy, writer and author of the memoir "Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin," tells Anita about why she left the Mormon church as a single woman in her mid-30s, and how that process shaped her sexuality and relationships. - Dr. Jon Paul Higgins, creator and executive producer of "Black, Fat Femme" podcast, shares their experience growing up as a Jehovah's Witness, what led them to leave, and their ongoing healing work to make sense of religious trauma. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Before recording this episode, Anita would have turned to Google for her burning questions about abortion. But now, she knows better. She meets two abortion doulas who share the practical and philosophical components of their job. They reflect on what has changed for them since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and what's stayed the same for their alternative and community-based networks of care. Meet the guests: - KáLyn Banks Coghill, an abortion doula, writer, organizer, educator and doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University, shares their on-the-ground experience serving their community as part of the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project - Raven Freeborn, full spectrum doula and community educator, brings us into their work training abortion doulas If you’re interested in finding an abortion fund or practical support organization in your area and learning more about what they do, these sites may be helpful: https://apiaryps.org/pso-list https://www.ineedana.com/ https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita had a terrible 18th birthday (she'll tell you later), but not much changed for her when she legally became an adult. For tens of thousands of young folks in the U.S. each year who turn 18 while in foster care, "legal adulthood" brings a slew of new challenges. Two women who aged out of foster care tell Anita about their experiences and how they informed the relationships they're building today. Plus, she meets someone who's seen the foster care system from both sides — as a kid, and as a foster parent. Meet the guests: - Stephani Smith, a mental health professional, shares how her time in foster care shaped her philosophy on relationships — especially the relationship with her stepdaughter - Ángela Quijada-Banks, holistic purpose coach and author of "The Black Foster Youth Handbook," explains how her foster care experience impacted her romantic relationships - Jessica Lloyd-Rogers, chair of the National Foster Parents Association Council of State Affiliates, talks about how her own time in the system informed how she parented her daughter and the young people she fostered Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is a dog mom. Her wire-haired, bearded terrier Oliver has been her companion through heartbreak, job changes and pandemic turmoil. She's never going to feel ready to say goodbye, but she knows from watching others lose family pets, that pet grief can wreck you, and it's better to acknowledge this reality sooner rather than later. She talks with pet owners, a veterinary social worker, a vet and her own parents about making space for pet grief and memorializing the animal companions we have loved. Meet the guests: - Corban Smith, adjunct professor at James Madison University, jail/emergency services clinician at Valley Community Services Board talks about being the pet guardian of the late Dallas - Sarina Manifold, certified grief recovery specialist and owner of Authentic Healing Counseling shares what it’s like to be a veterinary social worker - Dr. Erika Lin-Hendel, board member of Not One More Vet and a relief veterinarian, opens up about the veterinary mental health crisis and what community care for vets could look like Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita's idea of relaxation often involves a good book. She's begun exploring the vast world of romance novels and was surprised to learn how much more diverse the genre has become since the days when Fabio was the only inspiration for sexy book covers. Three neurodivergent authors tell her about writing the characters they longed for as readers and making space for new takes on the "happy ending." Meet the guests: - E.S. Yu, author of the paranormal romance “Human Enough” talks about the way indie publishing has welcomed her as a reader and writer - Ceillie Simkiss, author of two romance novella series, including "Learning Curves" shares her favorite romance tropes to upend in her writing - Emery Lee, author of "Meet Cute Diary" talks about the art of writing neurodiverse characters in young adult books Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita does not work with her boo, but after sharing home office space for two pandemic years, she's started to wonder how couples who *do* work together make it work. She talks with two sets of couples in very different professional industries about their strategies for tackling finances, alone time and intimacy. Meet the guests: - Sarah & Austin McCombie, the married duo behind the North Carolina-based band Chatham Rabbits talk about how they learned to give each other constructive creative feedback - Brandé Elise and Danielle Gray, co-founders of CBD product and lifestyle company Unoia share why they felt ready to start a business together just three months after they started dating Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita has not participated in a Dry January, but there are times when she's motivated to pay extra-close attention to her relationship with alcohol. Most recently: during the pandemic. While some of us started drinking more, another group of folks committed to sober curiosity: a movement encouraging introspection about your relationship with alcohol. She meets two people who are years into building sober lives and asks them to reflect on how their sobriety journeys have shaped everything from relationships to thoughts about the future. Meet the guests: - J.Nicole Jones, co-host of the “Sober Black Girls Club” podcast and host of “The Grief Bully” podcast talks about choosing sobriety at age 23 - Tawny Lara, co-host of “Recovery Rocks” podcast, shares what it was like to become sober after years working as a bartender Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita's now living in one of the few places in the U.S. South without an abortion ban. As her home state becomes the nearest safe provider for millions of people, she's observing how abortion providers here are preparing for the spike in demand. She reconnects with one of them, Dr. Rathika Nimalendran, who has been providing access to abortions in North Carolina for years, to talk about what action she's taking in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Meet the guest: - Dr. Rathika Nimalendran, family physician with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health talks about what is on her heart and mind in this moment Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita comes from a tea-drinking family, but she's happiest when she's holding a mug of coffee the size of her face. For years, she's been reading headlines about why coffee is "good" for you, but she's not sure where myth ends and fact begins. So, she turns to the experts: Dr. Rao (her dad) is back to explain why coffee makes you poop, and how it affects your gut. A neuroscientist tells her about what her brain is doing once coffee hits her system. And two folks with deep ties to java talk about coffee culture, from bean to brew. Meet the guests: - Dr. Satish Rao, gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at Augusta University (and Anita’s dad), gives Anita the coffee-gut advice she needs - Dr. Shannon Odell, science communicator and neuroscientist goes Magic School Bus on coffee science - Samuel Ngwa, founder of Safari Pride Coffee shares how his family’s story as coffee farmers in Cameroon inspired his coffee business today - Austin Jeffries, co-owner of Borough Coffee mobile coffee cart, talks about his hopes for a more slowed-down coffee culture in the U.S. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita treasures sleep and moments of silence. So when she hears typical narratives of early parenthood that include unending cries and restless nights, she has concerns for the mental toll on new parents. But culturally there is a lot of silence around how challenging it can be and recognizing deteriorating mental health while caring for another person can be isolating. In part two of the postpartum series "Delivered," she meets a prolific artist whose experience with postpartum depression catalyzed a mental health journey and a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder. She also talks to a couple about what folks should know about sex and relationships postpartum and why the mental health of non-birthing partners should be part of the postpartum conversation. Meet the guests: - A’Driane Nieves, artist and mother of two, talks about her personal story of postpartum depression - Shannon Purdy Jones, co-owner of Scuppernong Books in Greensboro and mother of two, talks about how her postpartum mental health impacted her marriage - Darren Jones, Shannon’s husband and director of Pricing at Mack Trucks, Inc, shares his mental health journey as a non-birthing partner, and how therapy has helped support their marriage Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita has been around enough postpartum folks to know that there's a whole lot they felt unprepared for when it came to how their physical bodies would experience pregnancy and childbirth. In part one of a two-part series, she hears from folks about meeting their new postpartum bodies. A postpartum doula talks about her trauma-informed approach to caring for the physical body; a photographer shares why they're trying to diversify the images we associate with postpartum bodies; and a former Marine talks about navigating the pressures of a highly physical job postpartum. Meet the guests: - Lydia-Carlie Tilus, birth and postpartum doula at her practice, SageFemme Wellness, and a certified massage therapist talks about her philosophy on postpartum care - ash luna, social worker, photographer and founder of the 4th Trimester Bodies Project shares her experience photographing postpartum bodies for more than a decade - Letticia Solomon, teacher and mother of two takes us into her experience being a postpartum woman in the U.S. Marine Corps Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita got glasses young, and as a kid every time her prescription got worse, her anxiety about losing her vision spiked. She realizes now how much of that fear was ableism at work. Three artists who've lost their sight and found myriad ways to fortify a culture of blind pride show her it's about disrupting the binary and pushing for a more accessible, creative future Meet the guests: - Dr. M. Leona Godin, writer, performer, educator, and the author of "There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness" talks about the term occularcentrism - James Tate Hill, author of the novel "Academy Gothic" and the memoir "Blind Man’s Bluff" shares his personal story of hiding his low vision from most folks his life for almost 15 years - Lachi, award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and inclusion advocate shares how she is pushing to make the Grammy’s more inclusive Read the transcript | Review the podcast . Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita finally learned how to put on sunscreen properly and care for her body’s largest organ, thanks to medical and skincare industry experts who give advice she revisits in this episode. Their tips helped her figure out what to focus on in her skincare routine, and how to resist the temptation to fall down Tik-Tok beauty rabbit holes. Meet the guests: - Dr. Chesahna Kindred, a board-certified dermatologist at the Kindred Hair & Skin Center in Maryland, teaches Anita about the science of the skin and why focusing on a few small things consistently will go a long way - Anay Castro is a certified physician assistant at the North Carolina Center for Dermatology. She talks about how our skin changes as we age, and why she works to give culturally-sensitive skincare advice - Leo Louie takes Anita inside the beauty and skincare industry. He shares insights from years working jobs ranging from Sephora brand representative to writer for the website Beauty Tap Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita turns the mic over to guest host Omisade Burney-Scott to explore the many ways folks are raising kids outside the nuclear family unit. First, Omi talks with her former romantic partner about their evolution from significant other to co-parents. Plus, she meets a woman who is part of a four-person parenting structure and hears from someone who is creating resources for folks in blended families. Meet the guests: - Michael Scott, Omisade’s coparent and father of Taj talks about their evolution as partners in parenting - Zena Sharman, writer, LGBTQ+ health advocate and author of the book “The Care We Dream Of” shares her experience as part of a four-person coparenting structure - Trina Greene-Brown, founder of Parenting for Liberation, illuminates the existing and needed resources for folks in blended families Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita knows there's no way she can prepare herself or her loved ones for the ways a terminal illness can alter their lives. But meeting people with incurable conditions, and their loved ones, helps her understand what is possible when time suddenly becomes limited. A couple navigating a terminal ALS diagnosis share their story and how their definition of intimacy has evolved. Plus, a woman in her 20s talks about building a dating profile and keeping her sense of humor when her life expectancy is unknown. Meet the guests: - Andrea Lytle Peet, triathlete, person living with ALS and creator of Team Drea Foundation talks about how her definition of intimacy has evolved - David Peet, Andrea’s husband shares how he and Andrea are constantly in conversation about how to best support one another - Megan Yaeger, blogger, contributing writer for theMighty.com and an aspiring photographer talks about dating with a life-threatening illness Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita's clocked hundreds of hours in therapy, and she's a fan. But there's a part of the profession she hasn't tapped yet: sex therapy. This kind of counseling is designed to support couples — and individuals — through challenges with their bodies and in the bedroom. Some experts join her to share how it can help people reconnect, plus she tests a smartphone app that helps folks broach uncomfortable sexual conversations.Meet the guests:- Dr. Lauren Walker, a registered clinical psychologist and an associate professor at the University of Calgary, talks about the role of sex therapy for folks with cancer diagnoses- Dr. Donna Oriowo, a sex and relationship therapist based in Maryland, shares why she invites clients to work at the intersection of where their race meets their sexuality- Zoë Kors, a consultant for the sexual wellness app Coral, shares how new technology is making sexual wellness more accessibleRead the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita sniffs out what's so fascinating about the science of smell — and gets her mind blown. A psychologist shares why smell is our most emotional sense, plus stories about the mental health consequences of anosmia (losing your sense of smell), and a scent designer describes how to re-create memories through candles. Meet the guests: - Bonnie Blodgett, author of “Remembering Smell" talks about what it was like to lose her sense of smell - Rachel Herz, neuroscientist and author of “The Scent of Desire" shares how our brain processes scents - Christina Degreaffenreidt, founder and creator behind Multifaceted, a candle-making company based in Greensboro, talks about the art of scent design Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita shares an episode of a podcast produced by her colleagues that gets her teary every time she listens (but in a good way). “Black Widow” from the podcast Great Grief features Grammy-nominated musician Nnenna Freelon reflecting on what’s changed for her in the years since her husband Phil’s passing. Nnenna’s now grappling with a brand new identity: widow.

Anita has been inhaling the Netflix show "Sex Education." It's bold, not just in its approach to representation and inclusivity, but also sex. A critic, sex therapist and show superfans join her and guest host Anthony Howard (Embodied's intern) to talk about what the show taught them about self-pleasure, boundaries and methods for healthier sexual relationships.Meet the guests:- Drew Gregory, screenwriter, staff writer for Autostraddle, and co-host of the podcast “Wait Is This a Date?” shares the reasons why she's (for the most part) been impressed with how the show handles representation- Dr. Rosara Torrisi, founding director and senior therapist at The Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy talks about what the show gets right and wrong about the sex therapy profession- Claire Holland, a writer and host of the Sexy Books Podcast talks about what the show taught her about self pleasure- Tyra Blizzard, a social activism influencer, shares what they want to see from the show in future seasonsRead the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita remembers only a few things about her in-school sex education: humor-laden condom demos and pregnancy fear. It's safe to say, she had a lot to figure out on her own after class, and that's typical. Only half of U.S. students get info that meets national standards, so it's clear that something has gotta change! Two high schoolers share why they've taken it upon themselves to give their peers inclusive, shame-free sexuality education. Plus, an expert on college sex lives tells us how the sex ed we receive shapes our adult interactions. And we meet a sex therapist who details how she's talking to her kids without references to birds or bees. Meet the guests: - Kyndia Motley, high school student and member of Planned Parenthood’s Teen Council talks about the sex ed she's helping her peers access - Linden James, high school student and youth advocate for SafeBAE and iNSIDEoUT shares what's at stake if our sex ed curriculums don't change - Dr. Lexx Brown-James, sex therapist, shame-free sex educator and founder of The Institute for Sexuality and Intimacy talks about the importance of starting conversations with kids early about sex and their bodies - Dr. Lisa Wade, associate professor at Tulane University and author of "American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus" shares how limited sex education shapes the experiences of college students Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita grew up in the 1990s, the era of Purity Culture. Unlike Britney (Spears) and Jessica (Simpson), she had no purity ring, but she's seen how abstinence messaging shaped her generation's relationship with sex, religion, pleasure and their bodies. She talks to two folks who've been unraveling their own indoctrination, and meets someone who's on an mission to help parents recover from purity culture and raise a more sex-positive generation.Meet the guests:- Lyz Lenz, the author of "God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss and Renewal in Middle America" and "Belabored: A Vindication of the Rights of Pregnant Women," talks about growing up immersed in purity culture- Nathanael Novero, a former youth pastor, shares how he's exploring his relationship with purity culture through filmmaking in a new genre called holy erotica- Cindy Wang Brandt, author of "Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness" and the creator of the "Parenting Forward" podcast talks about how her own break with purity culture informs how she is raising her kids.Read the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita declines invites to gender-reveal parties, but she gets why some expectant parents look to gender as a way of organizing the world — they've been socialized to do so. So what happens when a kid comes out as trans or gender nonbinary? Anita talks to three parents of gender-expansive kids about learning to support and advocate for their children. The parents, and one of their kids, share what it's looked like for them to push back on the gender binaries present everywhere: from doctors offices to summer camps and schools. Meet the guests: - Harrison Casey Garcia, a member of the Youth Leadership Team at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, talks about their advice to other gender-expansive kids - Vincent Garcia, Harrison Casey's dad, shares their family's journey to embracing and affirming Harrison Casey's gender identity - Marlo Mack, a mom, blogger, the host of the podcast “How to Be A Girl" and author of the memoir “How To Be a Girl" tells us about documenting her daughter's transition and confronting her own assumptions about gender - DeShanna Neal, the founder of the Intersections of Pride Foundation and the co-author with her daughter Trinity of the children's book “My Rainbow" shares how her approach to parenting has evolved through raising two gender-expansive kids Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita is confused about hook up culture. Is it a thing, and if so, who makes the rules? She talks to a recent college grad about her research on the sex lives of her peers, plus a therapist who shares her take on why it doesn't feel as liberating as we think it should. Then she dives into Celibacy TikTok — a space where Gen Zers are committing to being sex-free.Meet the guests:- Sophie Aaron, a writer, researcher and 2021 graduate of Oberlin College shares insights from her senior thesis on hookup culture on her campus in the time of COVID- Dr. Cherlisa Jackson, a sexual health educator and counselor based in Atlanta, talks about the myths vs. realities of hookup culture- Cindy Noir, a motivational speaker and TikTok creator, talks about why she has experimented with abstinence in response to hookup cultureRead the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

The name Embodied came to Anita in a dream, and she's on a quest to figure out how that happened. She talks to a dreamworker about strengthening the bridge between dreaming and creativity, unpacks weird COVID-19 dreams and learns about nightmare therapy. Meet the guests: - Angel Morgan, an artist, filmmaker and the founder of Dreambridge, gives Anita a Dream Science 101 lesson and shares how folks can better connect their dreams to their creativity - Chris Ufere, the founder and CEO of uDreamed, a free online service for dream logging, talks about analyzing 3,000 COVID19 dreams and what patterns emerged - Michael Nadorff, an associate professor of psychology at Mississippi State University, shares his research on the link between nightmares and suicide Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita got friend dumped for the first time in 6th grade, and she's still not over it. She talks to folks about the distinct pain of a platonic breakup and gets some tools for building strong friendships, setting boundaries and figuring out when it's time to let go. Meet the guests: - Michelle Elman, an author and life coach best known for her activism campaign Scarred Not Scared, tells Anita about "the mass exodus" — a period of time in which she went through multiple friend breakups - Tony Liu, a medical student and former radio and podcast producer for NPR and "On Being"shares how tenderness informs how he makes and breaks up with friends - KB Newton, the founder and creator of HEART Convos talks about being a recovering "trash friend" Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita has no qualms about being an armchair therapist for friends going through a breakup. But sometimes she wonders how her advice aligns with what relationship experts say. Advice columnists Meredith Goldstein and Stacia Brown give guidance on breaking up "well," going no-contact, navigating social media, and finding the right breakup anthem for the moment. Meet the Guests: - Meredith Goldstein, writer and podcast host behind The Boston Globe column and podcast "Love Letters," shares insights from her personal and professional experiences with love and heartbreak - Stacia Brown, writer and producer, talks about her own pandemic breakup and shares wisdom akin to what she delivers regularly in her role as a columnist for Slate's parenting advice column "Care and Feeding" Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita has a close nuclear family unit but knows that's not the case for everyone. Meeting folks who — by choice or circumstance — are estranged from members of their family, she hears reflections on finding belonging elsewhere and seeking support from non-traditional sources. She also learns from two siblings who were estranged for more than 40 years that while reconciliation is possible, it's not for everyone. Meet the Guests: - Raksha Vasudevan, a writer, talks about her estrangement from her father, mother and brother and how being an immigrant shapes how she thinks about her family story - Tiffany Scott's father left their family and stopped speaking with her in 2016. She talks about what it was like to be ghosted by her dad and how she's still making sense of her family's experience - Siblings Fern Schumer Chapman and Scott Schumer share their 40-year estrangement story and what led to their reconciliation eight years ago. Fern wrote the book “Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation" Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita figures out why everybody's talking about the pelvic floor. Turns out, getting-to-know the hammock-like structure of muscles we carry around has helped some people heal their relationships with sex and their bodies. She also uncovers the game-changing ways her own dad has contributed to pelvic floor medicine.Meet the Guests:- Ijeoma Nwankpa, a certified specialist in pelvic health, trained sexuality counselor and owner of the Center of Pelvic Excellence Physical Therapy & Wellness LLC, gives us an education in pelvic floor health- Allyson Byers, a freelance writer and editor, shares her personal experience seeking help for pelvic floor pain- Dr. Satish Rao (Anita's dad), a professor of medicine at Augusta University and a specialist in gastroenterology, hares his work pushing for more collaborative study of the pelvic floor as it relates to the bowelsRead the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita's voice is her bread and butter, but yours likely means a lot to you too. How we sound speaks volumes about our identities...but should it? A vocalist, a vocal coach and an artist sound out the links between voice and gender, and what our built-in instruments reveal about who we are. Meet the Guests: - Tona Brown, a violinist and vocalist who founded Aida Studios, talks about becoming the first trans vocalist to headline at Carnegie Hall and the space she's creating for other students as a music instructor - Kevin Dorman, a speech-language pathologist and vocal coach at their business Prismatic Speech Services, talks about helping folks change their voice to better reflect their identity - Andrea Oliver Roberts, a multi-disciplinary artist based in Winnipeg, shares their work explores the intersections of technology, capitalism, and identity Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita applies herself to learning the fascinating history of her favorite item of makeup: bold red lipstick. Experts and aficionados tell her about influencers who have shaped makeup throughout history, from Rosie the Riveter to Rihanna, and how the cosmetics industry has evolved over time. Meet the Guests: - Rae Nudson, the author of "All Made Up: The Power and Pitfalls of Beauty Culture from Cleopatra to Kim Kardashian," takes us through the history of products like bold red lipstick and blue eyeshadow - Dawn Mitchell, a licensed cosmetologist, talks about the history of inclusivity in the makeup industry and why she founded her own beauty and skincare line Pretty Till Dawn - Natasha Noir Nightly, an activist and the winner of the Miss Blue Ridge Pride 2018, shares her makeup philosophy and the technique behind her signature look as a bearded drag queen Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita brings the RESOLVED series to a close by revisiting a conversation about body neutrality. Fat activists teach her about radical reframes, including body positivity and a newer term to her: body neutrality. Meet the Guests: - Virgie Tovar, a fat activist, host of the Rebel Eaters Club podcast and author of “The Self-Love Revolution: Radical Body Positivity for Girls of Color" talks about why body neutrality is a helpful step for some in their body liberation journey - Tigress Osborn, thee chair of the board of directors for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, shares the history of fat liberation and what's been lost as the movement has shifted away from its black, radical roots - Zoë Bisbing, a psychotherapist and co-founder of the Full Bloom Project, talks about building a research-informed resource for those who want to foster a body-positive next generation Go deeper with the Anti-Diet series discussion guide Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Intuitive eating is an approach to food and health that encourages tuning into your body’s signals about when, what and how much to eat. Anita talks to a neuroscientist about how our brains respond to dieting and two registered dieticians walk her through the 10 principles of intuitive eating and what can change for folks when they relearn their body's food cues. Meet the Guests: - Sandra Aamodt, a neuroscientist and author of Why Diets Make Us Fat: The Unintended Consequences of Our Obsession With Weight Loss, talks about the neuroscience of our how we response to food - Vincci Tsui, a registered dietician and certified intuitive eating counselor, shares her approach to coaching folks through the 10 intuitive eating principles - Christyna Johnson, a registered dietician and host of the podcast Intuitive Eating for the Culture, explores how moving away from diet culture can help you embrace your cultural heritage Go deeper with the Anti-Diet series discussion guide Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Diet culture is the water we're all swimming in. Anita unpacks the science that props it up with a registered dietician and certified internal medicine physician. She also hears how folks are pushing back against the ways it manifests in the doctor's office, on the trails, and in the gym. Meet the Guests: - Christy Harrison, an anti-diet registered dietician and a certified intuitive eating counselor takes us inside the history she explores in her book: "Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating." - Dr. Louise Metz, an internal medicine physician and the owner of Mosaic Comprehensive Care in Chapel Hill, NC talks about being a Health At Every Size healthcare provider - Mirna Valerio, also known as "The Mirnavator," is an ultrarunner, marathoner and the author of "A Beautiful Work in Progress," which tells the story of her experience as an athlete in a fat body - Ilya Parker, a physical therapist assistant, certified medical exercise specialist, and the owner of Decolonizing Fitness, talks about building an online education resource for breaking down toxic fitness and diet culture - Natalia Petrzela, a historian and a professor at The New School in New York City shares the history of fitness culture Go deeper with the Anti-Diet series discussion guide Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Athletes who push their bodies to muscular limits take Anita inside their physique sport. She explores their personal motivations and talks with a health professional about the toll this kind of training takes on competitors' physical and mental health. Meet the Guests: - Coryne Butler, a bodybuilding lifestyle and transformation coach with FitBody Fusion, shares her experience as a woman in the sport of bodybuilding - Tommy Murrell, a personal trainer and former bodybuilding competitor, explains how his time in the gym helped him to improve his mental health — and grappled with his gender identity - James Leone, a professor of health and kinesiology at Bridgewater State University, talks about the consequences both physically and mentally of bodybuilding-style training This episode also features the voices of bodybuilders Joshua Langbein, Alex Edwards, Luke Nathan, Elijah Busier and Alex Tilinca. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita stopped wearing real bras in the pandemic. But that doesn't mean she's stopped eyeing lingerie. Lingerie aficionados — including a historian, model and designer — take her inside the world of undergarments: from the history of crotchless panties to how folks are rethinking intimate apparel design to fit a wider range of bodies.Meet the Guests:- Cora Harrington, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lingerie Addict blog and author of "In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear and Love Lingerie" shares the history of certain pieces of lingerie, like crotchless underwear- Jake DuPree, burlesque artist, fitness instructor and lingerie lover with *killer* intimate apparel photo shoots on Instagram, talks about the power he feels when he wears and performs in lingerie- Catherine Clavering, founder of the UK based lingerie brand Kiss Me Deadly, takes Anita into the lingerie design industryRead the transcript | Review the podcastFollow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita doesn't slow down...until her body demands it. That's thanks in part to a culture that values productivity, making true rest a challenge for many, especially people from marginalized backgrounds. For Black folks in particular, sleep deprivation has roots in slavery and racial oppression — which makes rest a form of resistance. Hear from people who are reclaiming their right to rest and pushing back against hustle culture through art, therapy and activism. Meet the Guests: - Gabrielle Zhuang-Estrin, clinical social worker and psychotherapist, explains how her own relationship with rest has evolved and why rest is so important - Dom Chatterjee, meditation and yoga teacher of South Asian descent and the community organizer behind Rest for Resistance, discusses the relationship between community and rest - Fannie Sosa, artist and co-creator of Black Power Naps, a sculptural installation and curatorial initiative, shares the history and philosophy behind their art - Navild Acosta, artist and co-creator of Black Power Naps, gets into the cultural roots of his art Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita's parents have told her that they want their aging process to be easy on her and her siblings. But how does that intention become reality? Anita talks to folks who are looking at the aging process head-on and thinking about how to build webs of community and care for their older selves. Meet the guests: - Steven Petrow, journalist and author, talks about how watching his parents age has informed what he does and doesn't want for his older self and shares his tangible preparations and mindset shifts about aging - Vega Subramaniam and Mala Nagarajan, nonprofit social justice consultants, coaches and life partners, share their vision for creating a community in which they can age in place with other queer older folks Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita learns from folks who identify as the A on the LGBTQIA spectrum. It's a sexual identity that's long been ignored, minimized and misunderstood. They share their differing experiences of not being sexually attracted to anyone and a reminder we could all use: love and sex are not the same. Meet the guests: - Angela Chen, journalist and author of “Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex,” talks about the range of experiences in the ace community, including her own - Yasmin Benoit, model and asexuality activist, pushes back on assumptions about asexuality with her campaign #ThisisWhatAsexualLooksLike - Sebastian Yūe writer, editor and model discusses how to increase representation of asexual characters in literature and fiction Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita meets folks who've undergone facial feminization surgery as part of their gender confirmation process. FFS is a set of bone and soft tissue surgical procedures that reshape the forehead, brow, jaw and more. They share what the surgery meant for them, plus a medical anthropologist helps unpack who gets to decide what femininity looks like. Meet the guests: - Emma Ward, songwriter, producer and community manager, shares her experience of facial feminization surgery - Eric Plemons, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona, discusses some of the history of this set of procedures and how we define a "feminine" face Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita sometimes fantasizes about no longer having to deal with having a period. But folks along the perimenopausal parkway remind her that menopause is no quick and easy road. Anita's mom and others navigating the change share how it's shaped their relationships with their bodies, sex and where they turn for support. Meet the guests: - Sheila Rao, Anita’s mom, shares her experience of bodily changes once menopause set in - Dr. Anna Camille Moreno, certified menopause practitioner at Duke Health, explains what's happening in the body during menopause and some of the options for symptom management - Omisade Burney-Scott, Embodied guest host and creator of the Black Girl's Guide to Surviving Menopause, interviews Paris Hatcher, founder of Black Feminist Future, about her experience going through menopause in her 20s Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita learns about how the smart devices that keep many of us connected have also contributed to the rise of a new type of intimate partner violence. Survivors share stories of tech-enabled domestic abuse and a cybersecurity expert discusses what folks can do about it. Meet the guests:- Ashley, a survivor of digital domestic abuse who runs a TikTok account under the name MerelyAshley- Kathryn Kosmides, a multi-time gender-based violence survivor and founder and CEO of Garbo.io, a background check nonprofit set to launch later this year- Audace Garnett, technology safety specialist with Safety Net at the National Network to End Domestic Violence- Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a founding partner of the Coalition Against StalkerwareRead the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita now knows why sex scenes in some of her favorite recent TV shows look a whole lot more like real life: intimacy coordinators. Two of them join her to talk about their work choreographing intimacy and training everyone on set about how boundaries and structure makes things sexier and more fun. Meet the guests:- Mia Schachter is a consent educator and intimacy coordinator who takes Anita behind the scenes of their work on set.- Teniece Divya Johnson is a stunt performer and intimacy coordinator who shares how we can expand our definition of intimacy.Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita finally learned how to put on sunscreen properly and care for her body’s largest organ, thanks to medical and skincare industry experts who give advice she revisits in this episode. Their tips helped her figure out what to focus on in her skincare routine, and how to resist the temptation to fall down Tik-Tok beauty rabbit holes. Meet the guests: - Dr. Chesahna Kindred, a board-certified dermatologist at the Kindred Hair & Skin Center in Maryland, teaches Anita about the science of the skin and why focusing on a few small things consistently will go a long way - Anay Castro is a certified physician assistant at the North Carolina Center for Dermatology. She talks about how our skin changes as we age, and why she works to give culturally-sensitive skincare advice - Leo Louie takes Anita inside the beauty and skincare industry. He shares insights from years working jobs ranging from Sephora brand representative to writer for the website Beauty Tap Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram

Anita learns daycare for children can continue well into the night thanks to facilities open around the clock meeting the needs of parents working nontraditional hours. Two 24-hour care providers take her into their day-to-day operations and discuss the unique bonds they form with the families they work for. Plus a single mom shares her story of relying on a 24-hour facility to help meet her needs. Meet the guests: - Deloris Hogan, co-founder of Dee’s Tots Childcare in New Rochelle, New York, talks about building and running a 24-hour childcare center for more than 30 years. - Evy Hart, co-owner of Molly’s Daycare Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, tells Anita about the unique needs of children and families who use overnight care. - Ayana Moore, clinical research manager, tells Anita about how 24-hour childcare has supported her schedule as a working single parent of two. Read the transcript | Review the podcast Follow Embodied on Twitter and Instagram