Today, we catch up with the growing movement to get over the shame and secrecy and acknowledge that women menstruate...including a look into why tampons and pads are taxed as luxury goods in 40 states.
Plus, working out while pregnant. Even though the science says elite female athletes can train pretty hard, even in the third trimester, society doesn't always agree.
Listen to the full show.
Put an End to Period Shaming
When you think of luxury items you probably think of products like jewelry, cosmetics, cologne. These items are often subject to a luxury sales tax because they are not considered a necessity. In most states, tampons and pads are also taxed, because they're not necessities either.
Surprised? You're not alone. In January of this year, twenty-four year old YouTube star Ingrid Nilsen asked President Obama about the tax during an interview.
Abigail Jonesis senior writer at Newsweek, where we found her cover story"The Fight to End Period Shaming is Going Mainstream."
99% Curate
Objects are all around us, from the chair or car you’re sitting in, to whichever device you’re hearing my voice on right now. Most of us engage directly with objects that provoke feeling — whether smiling as you swipe through photos on your phone, or yelling at Siri more and more loudly to get your voice command right. What we're unused to are objects that teach us how to interact with each other.
Roman Mars and Benjamen Walker from the podcast 99% Invisible explores where the design of things fits in.
You can listen to this story again at PRX.org.
Outside/In: Pregnant Athletes
Expectant mothers are under a lot of pressure. They're supposed to exercise - but not too much. They need to eat for two, but some foods are discouraged and others off limits entirely. Then there are the birthing classes and the "right" baby stuff to get, and anxieties about health and delivery, never mind the actual delivery. It may be enormously fulfilling, but not easy.
One population of soon-to-be moms faces another set of challenges when it comes to a healthy pregnancy. This story comes to us from Sam Evans-Brown, from NHPR's new show, Outside/In.
You can listen to this story again and read more at OutsideInRadio.org.
10-Minute Writer's Workshop with James McBride
"Kill ‘em and leave" was James Brown's commandment to his band before every show...it's also the title of a biography of the soul legend by James McBride. The National Book Award winner is also a musician and composer. We sat down with James McBride just before his appearance at the Writers in the Loft series at the Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth.
You can listen to the full episode again: 10-Minute Writer's Workshop: James McBride
What I Love About My Mother
Mother's Day is coming up this weekend, and while many of us love and appreciate our mothers dearly, knowing how to show it or what to say can still be difficult - especially for high school students. So, we wanted to play a short piece by producers "A" and Vaughn, from City High School - who asked their peers to share what they loved about their moms.
You can listen to this story again at PRX.org.