There are a lot of big subjects that our culture has trouble talking about: wealth, death, addiction, religion. But one of the toughest has to be sexual assault and rape. For how common sexual violence is – it affects over half of women and almost one in three men – it can be extremely painful and even stigmatizing to discuss. But in Jamie Hood's new book Trauma Plot, which contextualizes rape in her own life and in our culture, Jamie looks for new ways to speak the "unspeakable." It tells her story in experimental fragments and finds a unique way to discuss one of the most common violences we face. Brittany sits down with Jamie to discuss Trauma Plot, the contours of rape narratives in our culture, and how we can move beyond them to tell stories about sexual violence in new ways.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In our new series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out. This week, we're getting into psychedelics. That's an umbrella that includes the drugs LSD, magic mushrooms, peyote, and often ketamine and MDMA too, among others. And some of these drugs have a history of spiritual practice spanning millennia. But there's a new group that's really taking on the psychedelic mantle: tech bros and CEOS. Brittany is joined by Maxim Tvorun-Dunn, PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo, and Emma Goldberg, business reporter at the New York Times, to discuss what it means that these drugs are getting championed – and sometimes financially backed – by the tech elite, and how might that affect our culture's relationship to psychedelics as spiritual tools.Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Poppers, a party substance long popular with gay men, were thrust into the national spotlight last week when one producer, Double Scorpio, claimed that they halted operations due to a search and seizure by the FDA. There's been no official statement from the FDA saying this raid took place, but the suggestion of a raid — against producers of a substance disproportionately popular with the queer community — certainly raised some eyebrows. Brittany is joined by Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR's health policy correspondent, and Alex Abad-Santos, Senior Correspondent at Vox. Together they talk about the FDA's concerns about poppers — even before our current administration — and the conspiracy theory that's giving some gay men flashbacks to the 1980s.Support public media. Join NPR Plus today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in higher education, there was legitimate worry that Black and Hispanic students would be overlooked or otherwise shut out of college admissions. But the enrollment numbers are showing something different. In some cases, even without the aid of race-based decision making, Black and Hispanic enrollment either stayed the same or increased. What does the data tell about the decisions admissions offices are making when thinking about demographics of their student body? And what does that process mean for future culture clashes about diversity and inclusion? NPR's Elissa Nadworny and labor economist Zach Bleemer join the show to get into the enigmatic world of college admissions and why higher education is still pushing for diversity in an anti-DEI minefield.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In our new series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out. This week, we're getting into wellness. It's a global industry worth 6 trillion dollars that's starting to encompass all kinds of things – including spirituality: from the spirituality of wellness practices like yoga and reiki, to treating wellness itself like a religion. Brittany is joined by Alyssa Bereznak, wellness editor for the LA Times, and Rina Raphael, author of the book The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care, to get into what people get out of a wellness-based spiritualism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Last weekend, former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by federal immigration authorities. The move was an escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on dissent, and it has people wondering: isn't this against the constitution?Brittany is joined by Chenjerai Kumanyika, a journalism professor at NYU, and Rick Perlstein, a historian of conservatism. Together, they talk about America's love/hate relationship with the First Amendment, and what ICE's arrest of a lawful permanent resident could mean for America's culture of protest.Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What does it even mean to be trans? That's the first question Torrey Peters asks readers in her new book, Stag Dance, and it's the question that everyone should be asking themselves right now.Stag Dance is a collection of four novellas that poke into the dark corners of gender, delving into taboo topics and investigating the line between trans and cis. Brittany sits down with Torrey to discuss Stag Dance, what makes a transition, and the raised stakes for trans people in the current political climate.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When twitch streamers can sway elections and viral videos can turn fifteen seconds of fame into hundreds of millions of dollars, it kind of makes you wonder: who's a real "celebrity" these days? And do they matter like they used to?With fans fed up over ticket prices and endless product pushing, capital-C "celebrity" seems to be in its flop era. But is it gone for good? And, do we even want it back?Brittany gets into all of it in front of a live audience at the annual On-Air Fest in Brooklyn with Vulture's Rachel Handler and Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos. Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Last weekend, the Academy Award for Best Documentary went to a film that still lacks a U.S. distribution deal. 'No Other Land' is a powerful look at Palestine's southern West Bank, and has received widespread acclaim. So what's holding it back from being seen in theaters across America?Brittany is joined by B.A. Parker, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, and professor and television producer Dr. Maytha Alhassen. Together they look at why one of the most critically-praised movies of the year seems to be experiencing a kind of soft censorship. Plus, in honor of Lady Gaga's new album Mayhem, Brittany shares her favorite Gaga moments.Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Over the past few years, Brittany has noticed the resurgence of the R-word - a word that otherwise left the cultural lexicon. And while that's troubling in and of itself, its return may also have larger implications that affect policy, culture, and how we treat each other. Disability advocate Imani Barbarin joins the show to break down how ableism can take root in casual conversation, and why words matter. Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy