-
St. Martin's Press and 1 Page Media (headshot).On the latest 51%, we speak with sociologist Gretchen Sisson about her book Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. Sisson studies the relationship between abortion and adoption in the U.S., and is part of a team of researchers for "The Turnaway Study" at the University of California, San Francisco. In Relinquished, Sisson compiles a decade's worth of interviews with women who gave their newborns up for adoption through a private adoption agency. In unpacking how some agencies pressure (and rely on) struggling moms to relinquish their children, Sisson pushes back on the idea that adoption is an ethical alternative to abortion, and questions whether it's really a choice at all.Encore Episode. -
St. Martin's Press and 1 Page Media (headshot).On the latest 51%, we speak with sociologist Gretchen Sisson about her book Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. Sisson studies the relationship between abortion and adoption in the U.S., and is part of a team of researchers for "The Turnaway Study" at the University of California, San Francisco. In Relinquished, Sisson compiles a decade's worth of interviews with women who gave their newborns up for adoption through a private adoption agency. In unpacking how some agencies pressure (and rely on) struggling moms to relinquish their children, Sisson pushes back on the idea that adoption is an ethical alternative to abortion, and questions whether it's really a choice at all.Encore Episode.
-
On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke speaks with actress and comedian Cecily Strong about her role in the new off-Broadway production of What Happened Was… in New York City. We also chat with writer Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, wife of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, about how they supported and pushed each other creatively during their 15-year marriage. WAMC’s Sajina Shrestha also meets an up-and-coming Albany, New York band showcasing the softer center of the hardcore rock scene. -
On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke learns about everyone’s favorite comfort show, Parks and Recreation, with pop-culture writer and historian Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. “Parks and Rec” ran on NBC from 2009-2015, capitalizing on the success of The Office and a sense of political optimism following the election of then-President Barack Obama. It brought us Little Sebastian and Galentine’s Day — but it was also always on the verge of cancellation. Keishin Armstrong’s new book, Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show that Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America, dives into the program’s history and what it means to viewers today. -
On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke learns about everyone’s favorite comfort show, Parks and Recreation, with pop-culture writer and historian Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. “Parks and Rec” ran on NBC from 2009-2015, capitalizing on the success of The Office and a sense of political optimism following the election of then-President Barack Obama. It brought us Little Sebastian and Galentine’s Day — but it was also always on the verge of cancellation. Keishin Armstrong’s new book, Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show that Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America, dives into the program’s history and what it means to viewers today.
-
On this week’s 51%, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and speak with the head of the Texas Advocacy Project, an organization offering legal support and safety planning for survivors of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. CEO Heather Bellino says it is critical for survivors to know their rights and have access to support that still allows them to take the lead on how they want to move forward. WAMC’s Josh Landes also details a bill in Massachusetts aimed at closing loopholes around age of consent that currently shield teachers from facing legal consequences for sexual misconduct with students in their care. -
On this week’s 51%, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and speak with the head of the Texas Advocacy Project, an organization offering legal support and safety planning for survivors of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. CEO Heather Bellino says it is critical for survivors to know their rights and have access to support that still allows them to take the lead on how they want to move forward. WAMC’s Josh Landes also details a bill in Massachusetts aimed at closing loopholes around age of consent that currently shield teachers from facing legal consequences for sexual misconduct with students in their care.
-
The Supreme Court has struck down a ban on conversion therapy in Colorado, deciding the law violated the First Amendment protecting free speech. On this week’s 51%, we chat with Albany Law School’s Vin Bonventre about why the Supreme Court ruled the way it did, and what this means for similar bans in other states, including New York. WAMC’s Elias Guerra also speaks with a woman working to start the first Black trans-owned bookstore in New York’s Hudson Valley. -
The Supreme Court has struck down a ban on conversion therapy in Colorado, deciding the law violated the First Amendment protecting free speech. On this week’s 51%, we chat with Albany Law School’s Vin Bonventre about why the Supreme Court ruled the way it did, and what this means for similar bans in other states, including New York. WAMC’s Elias Guerra also speaks with a woman working to start the first Black trans-owned bookstore in New York’s Hudson Valley.
-
It wasn't until the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 that women gained the right to open bank accounts, credit cards, and loans in their own names, without a male co-signer. On this week's 51%, we speak with Kathleen Godfrey, CEO of Godfrey Financial Associates, about how women's financial independence has evolved over the past 50-plus years, and what women can do now to secure themselves for the future. We also meet the new head of the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in Rochester, New York. -
It wasn't until the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 that women gained the right to open bank accounts, credit cards, and loans in their own names, without a male co-signer. On this week's 51%, we speak with Kathleen Godfrey, CEO of Godfrey Financial Associates, about how women's financial independence has evolved over the past 50-plus years, and what women can do now to secure themselves for the future. We also meet the new head of the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in Rochester, New York.
-
On this week's 51%, we recognize Endometriosis Awareness Month and speak with Dr. Gabriela Aguilar, medical director of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Endometriosis is a painful and complex inflammatory disease impacting roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide. Despite how common it is, very little is still known about endometriosis, and too often patients report years of pain before getting an official diagnosis. Aguilar is a board-certified OB/GYN and complex family planning specialist in New York City.
