Red-state resident, religious, and proud of his trans son, a Missouri rabbi has testified more times than he can count in front of the state government over the years, and is both dispirited and confused by the changes he’s seeing in his state lawmakers—from attitudes towards anti-Semitism, to the disappearance of business-focused Republicans who care if anti-trans legislation is going to cost the state millions. This is the third installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testif...
Jun 15, 2023•29 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about menstruation. Period. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author and anthropologist Dr. Kate Clancy. Kate recently published her extensive study on menstruation, Period and they dig into why Western culture has constantly looked at menstruating bodies with shame, how this impacts scientific studies and healthcare for women and gender minorities, and how we can overcome the embarrassment. In Slate Plus: Why language matters in sc...
Jun 15, 2023•35 min
When Clarence Thomas got nominated to the Supreme Court, his behavior during the 1980s would get put under a microscope. To understand who Thomas was then and who he is today, you need to hear how he treated the women he worked with. You also need to hear from the woman who knew him best during those critical years: his ex-girlfriend Lillian McEwen. Season 8 of Slow Burn is produced by Joel Anderson, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Sofie Kodner. Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn....
Jun 14, 2023•56 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Homeschooling is more popular than ever — and for decades, it’s been seen as a haven by a movement of conservative Christians. But isolating children from the world doesn’t just mean tribalism and fear of “government schools” — the lack of regulation can also lead to abuse. We talk to one former home school student about the conservative Christian world that raised him, and how some of its tenets have now gone mainstream. Guests: Peter Jamison, enterprise reporter with the Washington Post. Aaron...
Jun 14, 2023•27 min
This episode is a part of Opinionpalooza. Slate’s coverage of Supreme Court decisions, and the other legal happenings in June. We consider this coverage so essential that we’re taking down the paywall for all of it. If you would like to help us continue to cover the courts aggressively, please consider joining Slate Plus. And sign up for the pop-up newsletter to see the latest every week in your inbox. An extra episode of Amicus as the former President of the United States, Donald J Trump, is ar...
Jun 14, 2023•6 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Racism Lite. Racial politics is responsible for a lot of ugliness, in the United States and around the world. Humans want, and even need, to sort themselves into categories — and sometimes, that tribalism yields as much good as it can bad. So do we always need to be a melting pot? Writer Damon Young joins us to make the case that we’re all racist, and there’s no reason to pretend otherwise. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we shoul...
Jun 13, 2023•29 min
Donald Trump heads back to court, facing federal charges over the handling of sensitive documents after his presidential term ended. While the indictment looks bad for Trump, and he lost two lawyers from his team on Friday, there are silver linings for the ex-president. Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcas...
Jun 13, 2023•27 min
Amy and Sarah are high school English teachers who both want to quit the classroom, but for very different reasons. Amy has over 200 students, and tensions between teachers and parents are on the rise so she’s “beyond burned out.” Whereas Sarah has been teaching for over a decade and is itching for a change. On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series, co-host Amanda Ripley is joined by Daphne Gomez, a former teacher who’s now CEO of Teacher Career Coach. (She also hosts the Teac...
Jun 13, 2023•40 min
If the Supreme Court rules against affirmative action for certain racial groups, as expected, how will colleges and other institutions create diverse student bodies and address racial disparities? Guest: Richard Kahlenberg, senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and professorial lecturer at George Washington University If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow...
Jun 12, 2023•29 min
As “deep fakes” have demonstrated, it’s getting easier and easier to swap an actor for a digital likeness—something that contributed to the Screen Actors Guild voting to authorize joining the writers on strike. Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, Slate writer covering tech, business, and A.I. Host: Lizzie O'Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—an...
Jun 11, 2023•32 min
Weeks into the Hollywood writers strike, and there’s no sign of a settlement. WGA members say that studio chiefs are using artificial intelligence, streaming, and other methods to undervalue their work. And a wealth of already produced content, along with the misconception that writers are well paid, could minimize sympathy from fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Eric Haywood. He’s a board member of the Writers Guild of America, and a creative whose work has been seen...
Jun 11, 2023•28 min
This episode is a part of Opinionpalooza. Slate’s coverage of Supreme Court decisions. We consider this coverage so essential that we’re taking down the paywall for all of it. If you would like to help us continue to cover the courts aggressively, please consider joining Slate Plus. And sign up for the pop-up newsletter to see the latest every week in your inbox. Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern join forces again for an urgent look at Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of former Presid...
Jun 10, 2023•58 min
Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the SEC lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase. Then they are joined by Slate’s own Henry Grabar for a chat about his new book, Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. In the plus segment: More conversation with Henry Grabar If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the...
Jun 10, 2023•56 min
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest three Republicans battling for the presidential nomination; Oklahoma’s approval of a Catholic public-charter school; and Saudi sportswashing in golf and soccer. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Andrew Prokop for Vox: “Trump’s next indictment is looming – and the evidence against him is trickling out” Sean Murphy for AP: “Oklahoma school board approves what would be the 1st taxpayer-funded religi...
Jun 10, 2023•59 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we talk about living a life alone, but without loneliness. Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion talks with author Amy Key about her new book, Arrangements in Blue, and how Key has found fulfillment without romantic love. In Slate Plus: The influence of Joni Mitchell’s album, Blue. If you like this episode, check out: Why Medical Mysteries Plague Women Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your com...
Jun 10, 2023•35 min
In a Gabfest Special Edition, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Donald Trump’s indictment on charges relating to classified documents and the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on Alabama racial gerrymandering. Here are some notes and references from today’s show: The Washington Post: “Live Updates: Trump criminal indictment is unsealed, shows he faces 37 charges” Robert Barnes for The Washington Post: “Supreme Court: Alabama’s voting maps unfair to Black residents” Join us for a ...
Jun 09, 2023•30 min
This week, the SEC sued Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, and Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the US. Is it a sign that the glory days of crypto are gone? Guest: Stacy-Marie Ishmael, managing editor for crypto at Bloomberg News Host: Lizzie O'Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work...
Jun 09, 2023•34 min
This episode is a part of Opinionpalooza. Slate’s coverage of Supreme Court decisions. We consider this coverage so essential that we’re taking down the paywall for all of it. If you would like to help us continue to cover the courts aggressively, please consider joining Slate Plus. And sign up for the pop-up newsletter to see the latest every week in your inbox. Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern join forces for this Opinionpalooza extra episode of Amicus discussing a seismic Supreme Court d...
Jun 08, 2023•6 min
Deep in the heart of Texas, they performed in drag, for kids and enthusiastic crowds. But as state legislation moved to ban drag performances, they stopped lip syncing and spoke for themself—and the queer people who depend on them at their day job. This is the second installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testified” is about the Americans who’ve shown up in the last year to speak out against anti-queer legislation, how it felt to do so, and what came next. Guest: Jay Thomas, ...
Jun 08, 2023•27 min
Clarence Thomas went to Yale Law School because he thought it was a good fit for his left-wing politics. But when he got there, it seemed like all the white liberals thought he was only there because he was Black. The sting Thomas felt fueled a lifelong resentment of affirmative action. It also drew him to a group of conservatives who helped sharpen his political beliefs. Season 8 of Slow Burn is produced by Joel Anderson, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Sofie Kodner. Josh Levin is the editorial...
Jun 07, 2023•50 min•Season 8Ep. 2
How Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group became essential to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and one of Russia’s most vocal critics. Guest: Brian Taylor, political science professor at Syracuse University, with a focus on Russian politics. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up no...
Jun 07, 2023•27 min
Today there are about four million teachers in America, and nearly a third of them are thinking about leaving their jobs. It has become harder to be a teacher in the U.S. due to a lack of resources, political meddling, and teacher shortages, to name a few reasons. On this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, co-host Amanda Ripley talks with two teachers, Sarah and Amy, and Daphne Gomez, a former teacher and now the founder and CEO of Teacher Career Coach. They discuss challenges i...
Jun 06, 2023•34 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… these gays are trying to murder my neutral palate. Pride Month festivities come at a time this year when LGBT+ rights are under attack across the country. Brands like Target and Bud Light are facing backlash for lifting up queer voices — but is this all a symptom of pride having gone a little too mainstream? Comedian, writer and podcast host H. Alan Scott joins us to discuss his vision for a pride to be proud of… and, at length, the trouble with rainbows. If yo...
Jun 06, 2023•45 min
Housing prices have skyrocketed, from the usual hot spots in New York and San Francisco, out to the until-recently-affordable places like Boise, Idaho and Charlotte, North Carolina. Sen. Brian Schatz proposed an $85 million program to entice cities and suburbs to enact “fair housing policies,” but is that enough to address a nationwide problem? Guest: Henry Grabar, Slate writer and author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Sl...
Jun 06, 2023•29 min
Last week, Congress finally passed a debt ceiling deal. Part of that deal included expanding the work requirements for government assistance programs like SNAP, specifically for people ages 50 to 54. Where did the idea of work requirements come from? And do work requirements actually help keep people in the workforce? Guest: Pamela Herd, professor of public policy at Georgetown University and co-author of Administrative Burden: Policymaking by Other Means. If you enjoy this show, please consider...
Jun 05, 2023•25 min
Until recently, Nvidia was a company known for graphics cards—a brand name among gamers but not necessarily the general public. But as part of the A.I. boom, Nvidia’s stock has skyrocketed, putting the company in Silicon Valley’s trillion-dollar valuation class with Apple, Meta, and Alphabet—briefly, at least. Guest: Don Clark, freelance reporter specializing in chips and enterprise tech. Host: Emily Peck If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get b...
Jun 04, 2023•24 min
Every family has secrets. As a girl, Leta McCollough Seletzky learned that her father, Marrell McCollough– was on the scene of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. But it would be years before she learned that he was there as a spy for the Memphis police, who wanted information on King’s local allies. On today’s episode of A Word, she speaks with Jason Johnson about her father’s story, captured in her new book, The Kneeling Man: My Father's Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination ...
Jun 04, 2023•26 min
This episode is a part of Opinionpalooza. Slate’s coverage of Supreme Court decisions. We consider this coverage so essential that we’re taking down the paywall for all of it. If you would like to help us continue to cover the courts aggressively, please consider joining Slate Plus. And sign up for the pop-up newsletter to see the latest every week in your inbox. On this week’s Amicus, a sobering interview between Dahlia Lithwick and the ACLU's Chase Strangio. Chase is deputy director for Transg...
Jun 03, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the ongoing WGA strike, the latest news on the Fed’s fight against inflation, and how CEOs are courting Chinese business while staying in America’s good graces. In the Plus segment, movie theaters are trying everything to get you back into the cinema, including booze and gourmet food. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment...
Jun 03, 2023•55 min
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the debt-ceiling deal; the Russia-Ukraine war with the Atlantic’s Kori Schake @KoriSchake; and the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Wagner for The Washington Post: “Senate racing to pass debt ceiling bill ahead of Monday default deadline” The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future by Franklin Foer Kori Sch...
Jun 03, 2023•56 min
