There's one little statistic that seems to have gained a lot of attention recently: the birth rate. With pro-natalist ideas showing up in our culture and politics, Brittany wanted to know: why are people freaking out? Who's trying to solve the population equation, and how? Brittany is joined by Kelsey Piper, senior writer at Vox, and Gideon Lewis-Kraus, staff writer at The New Yorker, to get into how the birth rate touches every part of our culture - and why we might need to rethink our approach to this stat.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Adriana Smith's pregnancy became an ethical and legal quandary. After being declared brain dead, a Georgia hospital kept her on life support without her family's consent because of the state's abortion laws. Now that the baby has been delivered and Smith taken off life support, Brittany wonders: how has the conservative effort to see fetuses as people overshadowed the lives of the mothers who birth them?This is... Your Body, Whose Choice?And for the next few weeks, we're looking at the cultural, legal, and ideological frameworks shaping reproductive health in America...and what this means for the near and far future of our families, our personal agency, and our planet. Today, UC Berkley law professor Khiara Bridges joins the show to break down everything you need to know about this case and what its implications for the rights of mothers across the country.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Many Millennials are either already in their 40's, or they're staring them down. Are they having a midlife crisis?As this generation enters midlife, their lives look really different from their parents' lives: Millennials are more educated and have a higher median net worth, but the generation is also more unequal than previous generations, has higher debt, and lower rates of homeownership and marriage. How does that all shape what Millennial midlife crises are starting to look like? Brittany finds out with Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos, who recently wrote an article about the Millennial midlife crisis, and Sara Srygley, research associate at the Population Reference Bureau.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's summer! Which means Brittany is going to be... 1) outside, 2) chilling, and 3) reading. So it's once again time for It's Been a Minute's annual summer books episode!Celebrated romance authors Bolu Babalola and Emily Henry return to the show to discuss their summer reading recommendations, ranging from spiteful and salacious to sweet and spicy.Books discussed in the episode:Sweet Heat by Bolu BabalolaGreat Big Beautiful Life by Emily HenryAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre DumasLush by Rochelle Dowden-LordCasanova LLC by Julia WhalenThe Wickedest by Caleb FemiThe Four Winds by Kristin HannahMatriarch by Tina KnowlesLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In a country where birth control access is in jeopardy and women's medical needs have been historically overlooked, how do social media trends like #lutealphase and "cycle syncing" complicate the narrative? This is... Your Body, Whose Choice?And for the next few weeks, we're looking at the cultural, legal, and ideological frameworks shaping reproductive health in America...and what this means for the near and far future of our families, our personal agency, and our planet. Today, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor Kate Clancy and reporter Lindsay Gellman join the show to clear up the misinformation around menstruation and how the search for guidance can lead to murky waters.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Protests have spread across the country after dozens of workers were swept up in an ICE raid in Los Angeles last week, but the support for the protesters is far from universal. In this bonus episode, Brittany is joined by NPR Immigration Correspondent Sergio Martínez-Beltrán and author of A Protest History of the United States, Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, to discuss what's happening on the ground, and how Americans understand and misunderstand the concept of protest.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You may have heard that super viral song on TikTok called "Looking for a man in finance," and yeah, it's fun. But does it speak to people's broader desires to find someone who's more than comfortable financially?Host Brittany Luse is joined by Wailin Wong, co-host of NPR's The Indicator, and Reema Khrais, host of Marketplace's This Is Uncomfortable. They discuss what people are really looking for from a man in finance... and whether dating up in class is even possible.This episode originally published November 29th, 2024.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

So you got 'The Ick?' That feeling of disgust when your date does something that you just can't look past. You think it's about them, but is 'The Ick' actually about you?Brittany is joined by B.A. Parker, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, Corey Antonio Rose, a producer for It's Been A Minute, and Josh Rottman, associate professor of psychology and a disgust expert. They discuss what 'The Ick' is and what it's really about.This episode originally published December 10th, 2024.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A lot of us have seen how explosive breakup stories have been on social media. From Reesa Teesa's "Who TF did I marry..." to Spritely's breakup song, these posts have been drawing gasps and gaining traction. But is it harmless fun, or an invasion of privacy? When do your personal stories belong on social media and when do they not?To find out, Brittany is joined by Molly McPherson, crisis PR expert, and Rebecca Jennings, senior correspondent at Vox. They get into what people actually get out of breakup posting - and discuss their theories of poster's etiquette. This episode originally published December 3rd, 2024.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Is it just us, or are the Pride month vibes a little off this year? Between targeted censorship, legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ health care, and a financial pullout from many corporations, queer people and their allies are celebrating with heavier hearts this year. But perhaps it's a moment to reconsider what "pride" is really for?This week, Brittany is joined by culture journalist Tre'vell Anderson, and author and organizer Raquel Willis to parse through the contradictions of Pride 2025.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy