51 Percent

Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee on "Rise, Girl, Rise"

WAMC — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with feminist icons Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee about their new children's book, "Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All." Describing their unique paths as feminists fighting for gender equality and peace, "Rise, Girl, Rise," reminds readers young and old of the power of collective action and global sisterhood. We also meet a fashion designer in New York's Capital Region who crafted the inauguration suit for the city of Albany's first Black mayor.

Guests: Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee, authors of "Rise, Girl, Rise"

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Kate King on when to 'Mend or Move On'

WAMC — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Love isn't always easy, but how do you know when it's time to walk away? On this week's 51%, we speak with counselor Kate King about the difference between good relationships, bad relationships, and toxic ones. King boasts nearly 20 years of experience as a licensed counselor and board-certified art therapist in Denver, Colorado. Her latest book, called Mend or Move On, helps readers identify the traps of abusive relationships (romantic, familial, and platonic) and decide when to say goodbye.

Guests: Kate King, counselor and art therapist and author of Mend or Move On: A Guide to Healing or Leaving Toxic Relationships; Al Olender, singer-songwriter

Meghan Rabbitt on 'The New Rules of Women's Health'

WAMC — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we chat about The New Rules of Women's Health with veteran health journalist Meghan Rabbitt. For too long, Rabbitt says the broader medical field has limited conversations around women's health to "bikini medicine" — reproductive concerns and breast health — while otherwise assuming women have the same bodies as men. But women have their own unique health needs, and often experience diseases in different ways. Rabbitt's new guide compiles the knowledge of more than 130 medical experts to help women address all aspects of their health at any age.

Guest: Meghan Rabbitt, health journalist and author of The New Rules of Women's Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age

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Kat Koppett on 'Training to Imagine'

WAMC — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Kat Koppett, co-director of The Mopco Improv Theatre in Schenectady, New York and founder of Koppett, a consultancy company that uses improv to help businesses improve their workplace culture and collaboration. Koppett says the tools used in improvisational theater can apply to many aspects of our lives, including business. Koppett recently released a new edition of her 2001 book, Training to Imagine, with updated guidance and exercises for the modern workplace. Our associate producer, Madeleine Reynolds, also speaks with actress and singer Lea Salonga about her tour, “Stage Screen & Everything in Between.”

Guests: Kat Koppett, co-director of The Mopco Improv Theatre and founder of Koppett, author of Training to Imagine: Improvisational Techniques for Leaders and Educators to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, and Learning; Lea Salonga, actress and singer

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Dr. Frank Putnam on how abuse impacts girls — and transcends generations

WAMC — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dr. Frank Putnam, professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, about the Female Growth and Development Study (FGDS), which he co-founded with the late Dr. Penelope Trickett in 1987. The FGDS, which is still running today, has followed the lives of more than 100 girls to assess the impacts of child sex abuse on female development, and how trauma crosses generations. Putnam says child abuse can affect a survivor's physical and mental health in a way that accelerates their biological aging, putting them at an increased risk for early puberty, obesity, premature births, mental illness, cognitive decline and more. Putnam compiles more than 35 years' worth of papers from the FGDS — and outlines ways to better prevent child abuse — in his new book Old Before Their Time.

Guest: Dr. Frank Putnam, professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and co-founder, with the late Dr. Penelope Trickett, of the Female Growth and Development Study. Author of Old Before Their Time: A Scientific Life Investigating How Maltreatment Harms Children and the Adults They Become

This episode discusses child abuse and sexual abuse. If you or someone you love has been impacted, Childhelp has counselors available 24/7 at its hotline: 1-800-422-4453. Childhelp also has a list of state-by-state contacts where you can report child abuse at its website, childhelphotline.org.

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Quiara Alegría Hudes on "The White Hot"

WAMC — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with author and playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes about her debut novel, The White Hot. Hudes is the Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright of Water by the Spoonful and the musical In the Heights, which she also adapted for the screen. The White Hot takes the form of a letter written by a mom to her 18-year-old daughter, explaining — but not apologizing for — why she suddenly abandoned her nearly a decade prior. WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke speaks with Hudes about why she decided to write the tale, an unflinching exploration of one mom’s rage and journey toward self-discovery.

Guest: Quiara Alegría Hudes, playwright and author of The White Hot

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Olivia Dreizen Howell on fresh starts

WAMC — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 01:30:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with the founder and CEO of Fresh Starts Registry, a registry and education network for those navigating divorce, difficult breakups, and other major life changes. Olivia Dreizen Howell founded Fresh Starts Registry with her sister, Jenny, after her own divorce left her feeling isolated and scrambling for basic items in 2019. What started as an online gift registry has expanded into a global education network with more than 100 divorce experts, support groups, and how-to guides.

Guest: Olivia Dreizen Howell, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Starts Registry

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode also contains the track "I'm With You" by HappyWorldWithMochi.

The best of 2025

WAMC — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we look back on some of our favorite conversations from 2025: Dr. Heather Hirsch discusses the FDA’s decision to remove “black box” warning labels from hormonal therapies used to treat symptoms of menopause; Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson explains how President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” blocks Medicaid funding for its clinics; and former CIA intelligence officer Christina Hillsberg makes the case for why women make better spies.

Guests: Dr. Heather Hirsch, author of The Perimenopause Survival Guide; Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood; Christina Hillsberg, author of Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA

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Miriam Udel on 'worldmaking' through Yiddish children's literature

WAMC — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Emory University Professor Miriam Udel about how a 20th Century movement of Yiddish literature strived to help Jewish children make sense of a tumultuous world and shape the future of Jewish culture. Udel’s latest book on the subject — including how some Yiddish stories helped to promote equality for young girls — is Modern Jewish Worldmaking Through Yiddish Children’s Literature. We also speak with therapist Laurel van der Toorn about how to address “holiday burnout.”

Guests: Miriam Udel, Emory University professor and author of Modern Jewish Worldmaking Through Yiddish Children’s Literature; Laurel van der Toorn, LMFT and founder of the Laurel Therapy Collective

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Brianne Brinker on 'Skating Out of the Vault'

WAMC — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:30:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we hear from author Brianne Brinker, assistant athletic director at Union College, about her experience coming out and transitioning as a transgender woman in 2019. Brinker says “skating out of the vault” has allowed her to be her most confident self, and she considers finding herself to be her greatest accomplishment. Brinker reflects on her experience in her new book Skating Out of the Vault: A Trans Woman’s Escape from the Game of Masculinity.

Guest: Brianne Brinker, author of Skating Out of the Vault: A Trans Woman’s Escape from the Game of Masculinity

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Jesse King is our producer and host. our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode also uses the track "LowLevA" by funny bunny.

Lisa DiGiovanni on the dangers of 'Militarized Masculinity' — and the leaders who thrive on it

WAMC — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Keene State College Professor Dr. Lisa DiGiovanni about "militarized masculinity," and the connection between authoritarianism, state violence, and misogyny. In her new book, Militarized Masculinity in Spain and Chile, DiGiovanni outlines how hyper-masculinity and the idolization of the military contributed to the rise of Spanish Dictator Francisco Franco in the 1930s and Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s. In both cases, DiGiovanni says backlash to social progress for women and minorities helped catapult these men to power. She also examines how the arts were used to resist or expose these regimes in their later years, and lays out the warning signs that other countries, including the U.S., should watch for.

Guest: Dr. Lisa DiGiovanni, professor of modern languages and cultures and Holocaust and genocide studies at Keene State College, author of Militarized Masculinity in Spain and Chile: Remembering Violence Through Film and Literature

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Dr. Heather Hirsch on perimenopause and hormone therapy

WAMC — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:00:00 +0000

The Food & Drug Administration recently decided to remove "black box" warnings from the packaging of hormonal therapies used to treat symptoms of menopause. On this week's 51%, we speak with internist Dr. Heather Hirsch, founder of the Menopause Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, about the change. We also dive into Dr. Hirsch's new book, The Perimenopause Survival Guide, and discuss how to recognize what she calls the “evil little sister” of menopause and start treatment early.

Guest: Dr. Heather Hirsch, board-certified internist and author of The Perimenopause Survival Guide: Make Sense of Your Symptoms and Build Your Personalized Treatment Plan

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Allison Daminger talks 'What's on Her Mind?'

WAMC — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Allison Daminger, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin, about her research into "cognitive" household labor, and how couples divvy up the planning, scheduling, and decision-making that goes into raising children and keeping a home. Daminger found that women were more likely to carry the brunt of cognitive labor in heterosexual relationships — even among egalitarian couples, and even if their partners worked as literal project managers at the office. Daminger explores why this is and compiles her research in her new book, What’s on Her Mind: The Mental Workload of Family Life.

Guest: Allison Daminger, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin and author of What's on Her Mind: The Mental Workload of Family Life.

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Wu Man of Silkroad on storytelling through music

WAMC — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we hear from pipa virtuoso Wu Man about her work with the famous Silkroad ensemble, and the group’s latest tour of "American Railroad," recognizing the immigrant communities that built the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad. We also hear a performance from Catskill, New York singer-songwriter Kendra McKinley, and chat about why she loves to write “music for smoking weed with your bra off.”

Guests: Wu Man, founding member of the Silkroad ensemble; Kendra McKinley, singer-songwriter

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Vietnam nurse Edie Meeks on life after service

WAMC — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we recognize Veterans Day and speak with Edie Meeks, a veteran of the Army Nurse Corp who was one of roughly 10,000 nurses to serve in the Vietnam War. From 1968 to 1969, Meeks worked in the Intensive Care Units of the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon and the 71st Evac Hospital in Pleiku. Now 81, Meeks shares memories of her service — and her struggle to adjust after coming home — in an upcoming episode of the PBS series After Action.

Guest: Edie Meeks, veteran of the Army Nurses Corp featured on PBS' After Action

Dr. Elizabeth Boham on "Breast Wellness"

WAMC — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dr. Elizabeth Boham about her new book Breast Wellness, and the various lifestyle factors that can contribute to breast cancer risk. Dr. Boham is a board-certified physician and dietitian who also practices functional medicine. In Breast Wellness, she discusses her own experience battling breast cancer in her thirties, and how a healthy lifestyle can support you before and after a diagnosis.

Guests: Dr. Elizabeth Boham, Breast Wellness: Tools to Prevent and Heal from Breast Cancer

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Helen Winslow Black on 'Seven Blackbirds'

WAMC — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month and speak with author Helen Winslow Black about her new book Seven Blackbirds, following main character Kim as she escapes an abusive marriage and builds a new life for herself and her child. We also speak with a Binghamton University student calling for better access to birth control on campus, and stop by the University of Vermont, where Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently spoke about her life’s work and the various challenges at the country’s highest court.

Guest: Helen Winslow Black, author of Seven Blackbirds

This episode contains a discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you love has been impacted by domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788.

Amy Farrell on "Intrepid Girls" and the history of the Girl Scouts

WAMC — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dickinson College Professor Amy Farrell about her new book Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girls Scouts of the USA. A former Girl Scout herself, Farrell explores how the organization has both empowered girls and reinforced discrimination throughout its more than 100-year history. Intrepid Girls tells the nuanced story of how the Girl Scouts shaped the lives of more than 50 million girls while also segregating scouts of color, operating in Japanese incarceration centers, and avoiding the word "feminist."

Guest: Amy Farrell, professor of American studies and women's, gender and sexuality studies at Dickinson College, and author of Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girls Scouts of the USA

Barbara Benish on "ArtMill" and creativity under censorship

WAMC — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with artist Barbara Benish about how she started the ArtMill Center for Regenerative Arts in the Czech Republic, and how artists continued to work under the totalitarian regime of former Czechoslovakia. Benish came to the Czech Republic from Los Angeles in 1989, just as a revolution overturned the country’s long-running Communist regime. Initially hoping to explore her roots, Benish saw how the arts survived decades of censorship through community, how creativity continued to influence and change society, and how the arts flourished after the revolution. Benish tells the story of this time and the creation of her community in her new book ArtMill: A Story of Sustainable Creativity in Bohemia.

Guests: Barbara Benish, founder of the ArtMill Center for Regenerative Arts and author of ArtMill: A Story of Sustainable Creativity in Bohemia; Lulu Grey, Dreaming in Grey

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25 years of mifepristone

WAMC — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we recognize the 25th anniversary of the Food & Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, which, in conjunction with misoprostol, is now used for the majority of abortions in the U.S. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons speaks with abortion-rights advocate and vlogger Marissa Rudd about her experience using mifepristone, and why she personally chose to have an abortion. We also chat with Kimberly Mutcherson, a professor at Rutgers Law School, about the challenges mifepristone faces in court and in the Trump Administration.

Guests: Marissa Rudd, founder of For the Family; Kimberly Mutcherson, professor of law at Rutgers Law School

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Tylenol and Autism

WAMC — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Trump Administration is promoting an unproven link between Tylenol and autism, urging pregnant women not to take the painkiller. On this week's 51%, we speak with Dr. Stacy De-Lin, associate medical director of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, about what expectant mothers should know about the drug, and why she feels it's still safe to prescribe. We also learn about what the end of funding for SNAP-Ed in the federal budget means for hunger programs across the country, and those who benefit from them.

Guests: Dr. Stacy De-Lin, associatemedical director of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic; Shayna Russo and Bintou Hinds, project manager and regional team leader for SNAP-Ed at Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County

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Dr. Jennifer Bradtke on stress and burnout

WAMC — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with psychologist Dr. Jennifer Bradtke about the physical and emotional impacts of stress and burnout, and how you can better implement tools to de-stress. Burnout can affect not just working women, but caregivers, moms and activists as well. Contrary to what you might think, Bradtke says the key to addressing burnout is not getting away from it all, but creating daily habits that protect your time, energy and mental wellbeing in the wake of stress. We also hear from New York State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal about a package of bills she has introduced to establish workplace protections and better healthcare coverage for women experiencing menopause.

Guest: Dr. Jennifer Bradtke, licensed psychologist; New York State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal

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Dr. Ingrid Clayton on ‘Fawning’

WAMC — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with psychologist Dr. Ingrid Clayton about her new book, Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves — and How to Find Our Way Back. Many of us are familiar with the three main survival responses: fight, flight and freeze. When those options seem too dangerous or unavailable, Clayton says drawing closer and appeasing a painful person/situation can feel like the last resort. Often confused with “codependency” and “people pleasing,” Clayton says “fawning” is an unconscious trauma response that takes time and patience to unlearn.

Guest: Dr. Ingrid Clayton, clinical psychologist and author of Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves — and How to Find Our Way Back

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Julie Gedro on the end of remote work, and where this leaves women workers

WAMC — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we chat with Julie Gedro, dean of the College of Business at SUNY’s Empire State University, about what the decline in remote jobs means for women workers. We also learn about a new mentorship program for underserved women in New York’s Ulster County, and debate where the Equal Rights Amendment stands today.

Guests: Julie Gedro, dean of the College of Business at Empire State University; Amy Summers, executive director of Mentoring MUSE

Grief and Remembrance

WAMC — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, actor and comedian Alison Larkin explores how grief encouraged her to live (and love) more fully in her new memoir Grief…A Comedy. We also take a drive up to Staatsburg, New York, to speak with the artists behind the “Unearthing the Light” reflecting on loss, healing, and the former “New York Training School for Girls.” WAMC’s Josh Landes also speaks with some of the survivors of a sex abuse scandal at an all-girls boarding school in western Massachusetts, who have just had their stories corroborated by an independent investigation.

Guest: Alison Larkin, author of Grief…A Comedy

A segment of this episode discusses sexual abuse and assault. If you or someone you love has been impacted, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-HOPE.

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Alison Cornyn on remembrance and 'Unearthing the Light'

WAMC — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with artist Alison Cornyn about a new exhibit remembering the lives lived and lost at the site of the former New York Training School for Girls. Now a prison for men, the New York Training School for Girls in Hudson, New York served as a reform school and juvenile detention center for "incorrigible" girls, including a young Ella Fitzgerald. For years, Cornyn has been researching the site's history and speaking with its former residents, hoping to bring to light the ways in which we punish girls for independent or defiant behavior. Her new exhibit, called "Unearthing the Light," raises awareness of a little-known cemetery on the site, and the neglect and erasure of marginalized bodies.

Guest: Alison Cornyn, artist and curator at The Church in Staatsburg

Renée Elise Goldsberry on “Who I Really Am”

WAMC — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we hear from Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer Renée Elise Goldsberry about her solo debut record Who I Really Am. Goldsberry is perhaps best known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway hit Hamilton and her portrayal of “Wickie” in the Netflix series Girls5eva. Blending pop, soul, funk and gospel, Who I Really Am allows Goldsberry to get personal, rather than playing a character.

Guest: Renée Elise Goldsberry, actress and singer

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Teaching 'emotional literacy' and body safety for kids

WAMC — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we learn about a Girl Scouts program that aims to teach young girls how to identify their emotions and talk about their mental health. Brenda Episcopo, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, walks through how the “mental wellness patch program” helps girls Grades 4-12 build their emotional literacy and self-soothe in times of stress. We also speak with the woman behind “Erin’s Law” about how teaching kids body safety helps prevent child sex abuse.

Guests: Brenda Episcopo, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, Erin Merryn, executive director of the Erin's Law Foundation

This episode contains a discussion about child sex abuse. If you or someone you love has been impacted, Childhelp has counselors available 24/7 by calling or texting "HELP" to 1-800-422-4453.

Heather Lothrop of the Domestic Violence Project

WAMC — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with attorney Heather Lothrop of the Urban Justice Center about what immigrant survivors of domestic violence should know as they're planning to leave an abusive partner or bring them to court. We'll also discuss how the Trump administration's deportation efforts are impacting such cases, and learn about a bill in Congress that would expand childcare options for police officers.

Guests: Heather Lothrop, director of legal services at the Urban Justice Center and its Domestic Violence Project; Willow Baer, commissioner of the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

This episode touches on domestic violence. If you or someone you love has been impacted, please know help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788.

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Shani Adess on domestic violence law

WAMC — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Shani Adess, vice president of the New York Legal Assistance Group, about the importance of providing sound legal advice to survivors of domestic violence, and what people should know if they bring their abuser to court. We also stop by an exhibit showcasing the art of incarcerated women in New Paltz, New York.

Guest: Shani Adess, vice president of the New York Legal Assistance Group

This episode touches on domestic violence and sexual assault. If you or someone you love has been impacted, please know help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788. RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached at 1-800-656-HOPE.

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Mary Ziegler on 'Personhood'

WAMC — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with UC Davis law professor Mary Ziegler about her new book, Personhood, and what she sees as the future of the abortion rights debate. Ziegler is a leading expert on the law, history, and politics of reproduction in the U.S. In Personhood, her seventh book on the subject, Ziegler argues that reversing Roe v. Wade was never the endgame of the antiabortion movement. Rather, she says the ultimate goal is “fetal personhood:” the recognition of fetuses and embryos as people under the 14th Amendment.

Guests: Mary Ziegler, law professor at UC David School of Law and author of Personhood: The New Civil War Over Reproduction; Dr. Jayme Trevino, OB/GYN

‘Spitfires’ and Spies

WAMC — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with journalism Becky Aikman about her new book, Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II. Desperate for pilots in 1942, Great Britain recruited 25 American women to ferry bombers, fighter planes, and damaged craft between air bases. Drawing from diaries, letters, and personal interviews, Aikman tells the story of the first American women to ever command military aircraft, and how they still struggled to find piloting work in the U.S. after the war. We also speak with former CIA intelligence officer Christina Hillsberg about her book, Agents of Change, and why she feels women make better spies.

Guests: Becky Aikman, Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II; Christina Hillsberg, Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA

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Planned Parenthood and the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

WAMC — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson about how President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful” budget bill in Congress would impact the organization’s clinics. Johnson warns Medicaid restrictions proposed in the bill could put nearly 200 Planned Parenthood clinics at risk of closing, even in states where abortion is legal. We also debunk some menopause myths and speak with the producers of a new NPR podcast highlighting how misoprostol – known as the sister pill to mifepristone in the U.S. – gained popularity as an abortion method among women in other countries.

Guests: Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood; Victoria Estrada and Marta Martinez, hosts of NPR’s Embedded: The Network; Dr. JoAnn Manson, professor at Harvard Medical School and physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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Dr. Samantha Sweeney on raising 'Culturally Competent Kids'

WAMC — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we chat with psychologist Dr. Samantha Sweeney about why teaching your kids to celebrate diversity is important to their success as adults – and how to do it. Sweeney lays out a guide for parents in her new book Culturally Competent Kids: Raising Children to Thrive in a Diverse World. We also learn about a bill in New York state that would require a warning label for kids on social media platforms, and hear from a state legislator in Massachusetts looking to strengthen the state’s laws against the secretive recording practice known as “upskirting.”

Guest: Dr. Samantha Sweeney, author of Culturally Competent Kids: Raising Children to Thrive in a Diverse World

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode also contains the tracks "Just a Taste" and "Nights Like This" by Beat Mekanik.

Breaking Trail

WAMC — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with the authors of Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks. Compiling both historical research and folk songs, Breaking Trail spotlights some of the women hikers, hunters, artists and legends who had a profound impact on New York's Adirondack Park.

Guests: Sandra Weber and Peggy Lynn, authors of Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks; Tracy Brown, president of Riverkeeper

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Meg Stone on “The Cost of Fear”

WAMC — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we take a feminist self-defense course with IMPACT Boston Executive Director Meg Stone. In her new book, The Cost of Fear, Stone says a majority of the safety advice given to women – like “Don’t walk at night,” “Don’t put your hair in a ponytail” – is well-meaning, but sexist, and doesn’t actually address gender-based violence on a large scale. Rather than teaching “safety through compliance,” Stone focuses on “safety through resistance”: the understanding that government systems meant to protect people often fail, that you are more likely to be assaulted by someone you know – and that you have the power to advocate for yourself, and get out, should you face a dangerous situation.

Guest: Meg Stone, executive director of IMPACT Boston and author of The Cost of Fear: Why Most Safety Advice is Sexist and How We Can Stop Gender-Based Violence

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Jasmine Amy Rogers on ‘Boop: The Musical’

WAMC — Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we chat with rising Broadway star Jasmine Amy Rogers about her Tony-nominated performance in BOOP! The Musical, and how she gets in character for the iconic role of Betty Boop. We also stop by a lecture with the author of Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her.

Guest: Jasmine Amy Rogers, actress and star of BOOP! The Musical on Broadway

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Emily Feng on “Let Only Red Flowers Bloom”

WAMC — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we hear from NPR’s Emily Feng about her experience reporting in China, and her new book Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China. Telling the stories of nearly two dozen people Feng encountered in China – before she ran afoul of the government herself – Let Only Red Flowers Bloom depicts how ordinary people continue to go against the grain under a government that restricts free expression.

Guest: Emily Feng, NPR international correspondent and author of Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China

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Amy Friedman on “Home and Away” and the pain in our prison system

WAMC — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we learn about an organization offering community to children and teens impacted by incarceration and deportation. The Pathfinder Network, which merged with the POPS Club in 2022, has support groups in schools across the country, where students can share their thoughts and fears stigma-free. POPS Founder Amy Friedman also edits a regular anthology of students’ creative work. The latest edition is titled Home and Away.

Guests: Amy Friedman, founder of the POPS Club, and Tyler Stonebreaker, a student with the Pathfinder Network in Portland, Oregon; Meaghan Smith, author of Widows Can Love Again

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Dr. Margo Lowy on 'Maternal Ambivalence'

WAMC — Fri, 09 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we recognize Mother's Day and sit down with Dr. Margo Lowy to discuss her book Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood. A psychotherapist specializing in mothering, Dr. Lowy offers advice on how to navigate the conflicting emotions that come with being a parent, and how to accept the highs and the lows. In Maternal Ambivalence, Dr. Lowy argues that the darker feelings of motherhood are completely normal, and powerfully fuel the love we have for our children.

Guest: Dr. Margo Lowy, Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode contains the track "Serene Guitar Melody" by Universfield.

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Dionne Koller on why youth sports are "More Than Play"

WAMC — Fri, 02 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dionne Koller, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, about the benefits and dangers of youth sports, and what parents should know before signing their kids up. In her new book, More Than Play, Koller explains how today's youth sports became more privatized, more expensive, and less regulated. We also stop by a roller derby bout in New York's Hudson Valley.

Guest: Dionne Koller, professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and author of More Than Play: How Law, Policy, and Politics Shape American Youth Sport

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Jill Hasday on "We the Men"

WAMC — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we chat with Minnesota Law Professor Jill Hasday about her book, We the Men: How Forgetting Women's Struggles for Equality Perpetuates Inequality. Hasday explains how downplaying women's history and exaggerating our progress on women's rights prevents us from tackling the inequalities we still face. In We the Men, Hasday details court cases throughout American history where judges have praised the progress of women and, in the same breath, held them back.

Guests: Jill Hasday, Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School, and the author of We the Men: How Forgetting Women’s Struggles for Equality Perpetuates Inequality; Stephanie Woodward, disability rights attorney and executive director of the Disability EmpowHer Network

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode contains the track "Phasing" by Lo-Fi Astronaut on Free Music Archive.

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The SAVE Act: What would it mean for women voters?

WAMC — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The House has passed the SAVE Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship from anyone registering to vote in federal elections. What might this mean for married women and other voters with changed names or hard-to-reach documents? We discuss the bill (and where it goes from here) with Dr. Elizabeth Matto, director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University - New Brunswick. We also learn a little more about civil rights icon Elizabeth Freeman, who is one of two women to be honored with a bust in the Massachusetts Senate Chamber.

Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Matto, director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University - New Brunswick; Greta Bedekovics, associate director of Democracy Policy at the Center for American Progress

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode contains a track called "Just a Taste" by Beat Mekanik.

How to prepare for a recession (just in case)

WAMC — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we learn how to prep for and survive a recession with Professor Suzanne Shu of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. We also chat with business journalist Alison Kosik about her new book What’s Up with Women and Money? Part memoir, part how-to guide, Kosik’s book explains how women can feel more confident navigating their finances, invest for the future, and avoid getting taken for a ride at the car dealership.

Guests: Suzanne Shu, John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business; Alison Kosik, author of What’s Up With Women and Money? How To Do All the Financial Stuff You’ve Been Avoiding

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Nanda Reddy on "A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl"

WAMC — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with author Nanda Reddy about her new novel A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl. An exploration of identity and the immigrant experience, A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl follows Maya, an Indo-Guyanese woman, as she confronts the many versions of herself, she had to create in order to escape her traumatic youth and survive as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. Our associate producer Madeleine Reynolds also speaks with the directors behind RESPECT: This One’s for the Girls, a new musical making its debut in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Guests: Nanda Reddy, author of A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl; Ann Citron, Ovi Vargas, and Dr. Dorothy Marcic, directors and playwright of RESPECT: This One's for the Girls

This episode touches on domestic violence and sexual abuse. If you or someone you love has been impacted, please know help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE, while the National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888.

Dr. Samra Zafar on "Unconditional"

WAMC — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We internalize a lot of ideas about womanhood, good and bad, as we grow up. On this week’s 51%, we speak with Dr. Samra Zafar about how to ditch the bad ones. In her new book Unconditional, Zafar shares her journey of escaping an abusive, forced marriage and unlearning her long-held beliefs around love and womanhood. Zafar also offers advice on how to "unlearn" harmful or traumatic beliefs while protecting your mental health, and learning to love yourself unconditionally.

Guest: Dr. Samra Zafar, author of Unconditional: Break Through Past Limits to Transform Your Future

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio based in Albany, New York. It's produced and hosted by me, Jesse King. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. This episode contains a track called "Just a Taste" by Beat Mekanik.

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The Women of NOW

WAMC — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down with longtime feminist activist Muriel Fox to chat about how the National Organization for Women got started in the 1960s, and how it fought for many of the rights and opportunities women cherish today. Fox is a public relations executive who co-founded NOW and helped shape it into what it is today. Fox shares how women (and men) fought for equal rights in the 1960s, and how they can continue to fight today. WAMC’s Josh Landes also speaks with North Adams, Massachusetts City Councilor Ashley Shade about what it’s like to be a transgender woman in politics right now.

Guests: Muriel Fox, co-founder of the National Organization for Women and author of The Women’s Revolution: How We Changed Your Life;Ashley Shade, vice president of the North Adams, Massachusetts city council

Jane McManus on ‘The Fast Track’

WAMC — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with sports journalist Jane McManus about the history and business of women’s sports, as detailed in her new book The Fast Track. From pay gaps to broadcasting hurdles, McManus says a number of forces have held women’s sports back since the passage of Title IX in the 1970s, but she maintains the idea that “people aren’t interested in women’s sports” has always been a myth. With the rise of stars like Caitlin Clark and Megan Rapinoe, McManus says interest in women’s sports is becoming harder for industry leaders to ignore, and there is a lot of money to be made in it.

Guest: Jane McManus, author of The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women’s Sports

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Kimberly Heckler on “A Woman of Firsts”

WAMC — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we chat with Kimberly Heckler about her book A Woman of Firsts: Margaret Heckler, Political Trailblazer. Kimberly is the daughter-in-law of the late politician Margaret Heckler, who served as a Republican Massachusetts Congresswoman from 1967 to 1983. During her time in Congress, Margaret Heckler fought for women’s rights on multiple fronts and worked on bills such as the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Title IX, and the Equal Rights Amendment. Kimberly looks back on her mother-in-law’s legacy, and how her experience compares to that of women running for office today.

Guests: Kimberly Heckler, author of A Woman of Firsts: Margaret Heckler, Political Trailblazer

This episode contains a segment that discusses domestic violence and sexual assault. If you or someone you love has been impacted by these issues, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/6 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788. RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673.

Heather Pringle on “The Northwomen”

WAMC — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 01:00:00 +0000

When most of us think of the Viking Age, we think of its men: powerful warriors sailing ships, building armies, and sacking cities across Europe. But new research shows Viking women were warriors, too – and that they were traders, artisans, explorers, landowners, and respected leaders in their own right. On this week’s 51%, we kick off Women’s History Month by speaking with science writer Heather Pringle about her book The Northwomen, on how women helped shape Viking society and culture.

Guest: Heather Pringle, author of The Northwomen: Untold Stories from the Other Half of the Viking World

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Betsy Leondar-Wright asks 'Is it Racist? Is it Sexist?'

WAMC — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with activist and sociologist Betsy Leondar-Wright about her new book, Is it Racist? Is it Sexist? examining why white Americans increasingly disagree on their definitions of the two. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons also sheds light on Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month with Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly.

Guests: Betsy Leondar-Wright, co-author of Is it Racist? Is it Sexist? Why Red and Blue White People Disagree, and How to Decide in the Gray Areas; Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly

This episode discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you love has been impacted by these issues, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/6 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788. Love is Respect also has a hotline for teens with questions about dating violence at 1-866-331-9474.

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Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin on "Private Violence"

WAMC — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin, author of Private Violence: Latin American Women and the Struggle for Asylum. As President Trump effectively shuts down processing at the southern border and ramps up deportations, asylum seekers in the U.S. are left in a precarious position, especially women fleeing domestic and gender-based violence. Through interviews and eyewitness accounts of closed court proceedings, Cleaveland and Waslin demonstrate how difficult it is for these women to seek shelter in the U.S., and why “gender-based violence” is still not considered grounds for asylum — even before the second Trump Administration.

Guests: Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin, authors of Private Violence: Latin American Women and the Struggle for Asylum

This episode discusses domestic violence and sexual assault. If you or someone you love has been impacted by these issues, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/6 at 1-800-799-SAFE or by texting "START" to 88788. RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673.

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Robert Waldinger on how relationships make "The Good Life"

WAMC — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 01:00:00 +0000

What makes a good life? According to the world’s longest scientific study of human happiness, our relationships play a key role. On this week’s 51%, we speak with Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. In his book with researcher Marc Schulz, called The Good Life, Waldinger details the study’s findings and gives advice on how to make connections and nurture your relationships. WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke also chats with her friend, singer-songwriter Al Olender, about finding strength in vulnerability, and writing about love.

Guests: Dr. Robert Waldinger, psychiatrist and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, co-author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness; singer-songwriter Al Olender

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Joelle Kaufman on "Crushing the Cancer Curveball"

WAMC — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with author Joelle Kaufman about her new book Crushing the Cancer Curveball. After helping both her mother and sister battle breast cancer, Kaufman voluntarily sought a mastectomy in 2023 — only to be diagnosed with cancer the day before her surgery. Part memoir, part guidebook, Crushing the Cancer Curveball compiles Kaufman’s best advice on how to advocate for yourself as a patient, how to break the news to family and friends, and how to feel like you’re still living your life, even when you're fighting for it.

Guest: Joelle Kaufman, author of Crushing the Cancer Curveball: A Playbook for the Newly Diagnosed and Their Family and Friends

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Is the ERA truly the “law of the land?”

WAMC — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 01:00:00 +0000

Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden declared that he considered the Equal Rights Amendment to be “the law of the land.” On this week’s 51%, we speak with Georgetown Law Professor Victoria Nourse about why the ERA has been in limbo for so long, what it would do, and whether it currently stands as the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We also stop by a local version of the People’s March in New York’s Hudson Valley, and remember the late activist and former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards.

Guests: Victoria Nourse, Ralph V. Whitworth Professor in Law at Georgetown Law; Chelly Hegan, president and CEO of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood

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Pagan Kennedy on "The Secret History of the Rape Kit"

WAMC — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with journalist and author Pagan Kennedy about her new book The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, tracking the life and work of Martha “Marty” Goddard, who invented the country’s first extensive rape kit system in the 1970s. The kit and process designed by Goddard and Louis Vitullo, a Chicago police sergeant, has allowed countless survivors of sexual assault to present evidence against their abusers in court, but it took a lot to get it going — and it has yet to reach its full potential. Kennedy gives us a glimpse at the woman behind the rape kit, and how we can make reporting easier for survivors today.

Guest: Pagan Kennedy, author of The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story

This episode discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you love has been impacted by sexual abuse, the RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is open 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673 and on its website.

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Safe Inc. of Schenectady on youth homelessness

WAMC — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down the director of Safe Inc. of Schenectady to discuss the many risks faced by homeless youth, and what they’re doing as an organization to help combat human trafficking. We also learn about a New York law granting paid prenatal leave to pregnant workers. And our Dr. Sharon Ufberg chats with singer-songwriter Morley about her new album, Follow the Sound, and how her humanitarian work inspires her music.

Guests: Kevin Doherty, executive director of Safe Inc. of Schenectady; New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon; Morley, Follow the Sound

This episode contains a conversation that touches on domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. If you or someone you love has been impacted by these issues, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888, and the New York Office of Children and Family Services has a number to report child abuse at 1-800-342-3720.

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Elysia Berman on her “no-buy” year

WAMC — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 01:30:00 +0000

A lot of Americans’ resolutions for the new year revolve around money, but could you hold off shopping for a full year? On this week’s 51%, we explore the concept of a “no-buy year” with Elysia Berman, a Brooklyn-based content creator tracking her journey away from excessive shopping toward financial savings. By challenging herself not to buy items she doesn’t need, like clothing and beauty supplies, Berman says she paid off more than $33,000 in debt in 2024 and confronted a shopping addiction that had been weighing her down for more than a decade. Berman shares her personal “no-buy” tips with us and reflects on how social media especially pushes women to shop.

Guests: Elysia Berman, digital creator; Dr. Shai Butler, Better. Not Perfect: From Hot Mess To Life Success

Telehealth abortion care, and the power of empathy

WAMC — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

The state of Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas patient via telemedicine. On this week’s 51%, we discuss the case with Mary Ziegler, a law professor at UC Davis and a leading historian on the U.S. abortion debate. We also get some tips on how to destress around the holidays and speak with psychiatrist Dr. Judith Orloff about why empathy is important not just for our own wellbeing, but for that of our communities.

Guests: Mary Ziegler, Martin Luther King Jr. professor of law at the University of California, Davis; Dr. Judith Orloff, psychiatrist with the University of California, Los Angeles and author of The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Your Sensitive Self, Your Relationships, & the World

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Gretchen Sisson on "Relinquished" and the politics of adoption

WAMC — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

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.

Guest: Gretchen Sisson, sociologist with Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California San Francisco, author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood

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Julie Fingersh on what it means to "Stay"

WAMC — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with journalist and author Julie Fingersh about her debut memoir Stay: A Story of Family, Love, and Other Traumas. Fingersh is the former executive director of the volunteer organization Boston Cares, and her journalistic work has appeared in The New York Times, O Magazine, and The Huffington Post. In Stay, she reflects on her decision to leave her career and become a stay-at-home mom, as well as the importance of mental healthcare and the cost of family secrets.

Guests: Julie Fingersh, author of Stay: A Story of Family, Love, and Other Traumas

Breast cancer with Life Kit's Marielle Segarra

WAMC — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, WAMC's Ian Pickus speaks with NPR Life Kit host Marielle Segarra about the importance of breast cancer screening, and her own battle with breast cancer as a woman in her mid-30s. We also speak with Dr. Niraj Sharma of Cardinal Spine & Pain Medicine about some non-surgical treatments for chronic pain, and the struggles faced by independent, small-town doctors.

Guests: Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit on NPR; Dr. Niraj Sharma, Cardinal Spine & Pain Medicine

You can listen to Life Kit's episode on breast cancer here.

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Alice Rothchild on "Inspired and Outraged"

WAMC — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with physician and author Dr. Alice Rothchild about her new memoir, "Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician." Rothchild worked almost 40 years as an OB/GYN, taught at Harvard Medical School, contributed to the first edition of "Our Bodies, Ourselves," and co-founded an all-women’s practice in Boston in the late 1970s. In "Inspired and Outraged," Rothchild uses poetry to explore her transformation from a 1950s “good girl” to a fierce physician and activist.

Guest: Dr. Alice Rothchild, author of "Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician"

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Erin Loos Cutraro on why "She Should Run"

WAMC — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Erin Loos Cutraro, founder and CEO of the nonprofit She Should Run, about why Kamala Harris’ loss should not discourage women from running for office. Also, the reelection of former President Donald Trump has piqued some Americans’ interest in the “4B movement,” a fringe freminist movement from South Korea where women swear off sex, dating, marriage and childbearing with men. We speak with Yale University’s Meera Choi about how the 4B movement got its start, and whether it could actually gain traction in the U.S.

Guests: Erin Loos Cutraro, CEO and founder of She Should Run; Meera Choi, sociology PhD. candidate at Yale University

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Kamala Harris concedes

WAMC — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:00:00 +0000

Donald Trump will once again be president of the United States. The former president defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in this month's general election, marking the second time Americans have chosen Trump over a woman candidate. On this week’s 51%, we check in with Ange-Marie Hancock, a political science professor and Kamala Harris Project scholar with The Ohio State University. Also, for 10 states, abortion rights were literally on the ballot this year in the form of various ballot proposals. We’ll take a look at the results with the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Guests: Ange-Marie Hancock, executive director of OSU's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, and the curator of the Kamala Harris Project, a consortium of scholars studying Harris' tenure as the first woman vice president; Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy for the Center for Reproductive Rights

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Can we heal the divide?

WAMC — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Election season is here and tensions are high. On this week’s 51%, we learn about a nonprofit working to heal America’s political divide and foster healthier dialogues between citizens. Gabriella Timmis of Braver Angels teaches us how to build trust and, in some cases, find common ground with people we disagree with. Our associate producer, Madeleine Reynolds, also speaks with etiquette expert Elaine Swann about how to confront rude people and “let crazy be crazy.” Guests: Gabriella Timmis, director of communications and marketing for Braver Angels and Blue leader of its New York City Alliance; Elaine Swann, etiquette expert and author of […]

Voting Without Fear

WAMC — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Election Day is November 5. Is anyone else nervous? We speak with Shevaun D. Neupert, a professor of psychology at North Carolina State University, about the impacts of election anxiety and how to cope before and after voting. We also hear from the sisters behind the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, reminding women — especially those in controlling relationships — that who they vote for is not public information.

Guests: Shevaun D. Neupert, professor of psychology at North Carolina State University; Olivia Howell Dreizen and Genevieve Dreizen, co-founders of Fresh Starts Registry and the "Vote Without Fear" campaign

This episode discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner abuse, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-799-SAFE, or by texting “START” to 88788.

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month

WAMC — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons speaks with Equinox Inc. counselor Melissa Kovelman about what domestic violence looks like in different types of relationships and how to seek help. We also check in with Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood about the various services it offers to patients struggling with menopause.

Guests: Melissa Kovelman, LMHC with Equinox; Bree Samson, director of clinical services at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood

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Dr. Arnold Baskies on breast density and cancer screening

WAMC — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month and learn why doctors are being instructed to tell patients about their breast density after mammograms. We also speak with Dr. Elizabeth Lucal of Nuvance Health about the impacts of iron deficiency and anemia on women. And Natasha Senjanovic of the New York Public News Network brings us a report on how the healthcare industry is responding to one of the top causes of maternal mortality: femicide.

Guests: Dr. Arnold Baskies, former chairman of the national board of the American Cancer Society; Dr. Elizabeth Lucal, OB/GYN with Nuvance Health

This episode discusses femicide and domestic violence. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner abuse, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-799-SAFE, or by texting “START” to 88788.

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"Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency"

WAMC — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we stop by a traveling exhibition using photography to explore the physical and emotional realities of fertility and childbirth. “Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency” — from Columbia College Chicago — is now on view at Vassar College’s Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center through February 2. We also stop by a ceremony celebrating a new statue of Sojourner Truth in Kingston, New York, and recognize the 50th anniversary of a women’s art collective in Rosendale.

Guest: Mary-Kay Lombino, curator and deputy director at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College

You can learn more about Vassar's "Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency" here. The original exhibition can be toured found here.

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Policy Talk with Kris Brown

WAMC — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Brady President Kris Brown about her work advocating for gun control measures in Washington, and why it’s harder today. We also hear from New York State Senator Liz Krueger about the state’s proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which voters will decide on in November.

Guests: Kris Brown, president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence; New York State Senator Liz Krueger

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Theo Boyd on complicated grief

WAMC — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down with author Theo Boyd to discuss her book My Grief is Not Like Yours, and the various forms that grief can take. Boyd, a former teacher and self-described "farm girl" from Texas, experienced a string of life-altering losses beginning in 2019, including the deaths of both of her parents. Combining personal anecdotes and advice from mental health counselors, Boyd offers comfort to those who also find themselves in the throes of "complicated grief."

Guest: Theo Boyd, author of My Grief is Not Like Yours: Learning to Live After Unimaginable Loss, A Daughter's Journey

This episode contains a discussion on suicide. If you or someone you love is in crisis, help is available. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is open 24/7 here and by texting or calling “988.” The Crisis Text Line is also available here and by texting "HOME" to "741741."

Jessica Hoppe on being the "First in the Family"

WAMC — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:29:35 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with writer and mental health advocate Jessica Hoppe about her new book First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery, and the American Dream. The debut memoir chronicles Hoppe’s experience recovering from drug and alcohol abuse as a first-generation Latinx woman. Tracing the history of substance abuse across her family, Hoppe explores the pressures that come with the immigrant experience, the impacts of intergenerational trauma, and what it takes to break the cycles of shame and silence.

Sabrina Strings on "The End of Love"

WAMC — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:16:30 +0000

Has dating gotten harder in recent years? On this week’s 51%, we speak with sociologist Sabrina Strings about the changing romantic landscape for women in the U.S., from dating app horrors to low-commitment “situationships.” In her new book, The End of Love, Strings argues that traditional romance has always been more elusive for women of color, and now it is practically on its deathbed. Why? Because after decades of feminist progress, a new form of toxic masculinity has evolved to maintain power over women by withholding love and commitment.

National Breastfeeding Month

WAMC — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 00:05:00 +0000

"Decolonizing science" with Drs. Fowler and Vandebroek

WAMC — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, our associate producer Jody Cowan speaks with ethnobotanist Dr. Ina Vandebroek and anthropologist Dr. Cynthia Fowler about efforts in the science community to address racism and decolonize the way we study and name native plants around the world. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons also stops by a community center in New York that’s using cooking classes to promote kids’ interest in the STEAM fields.

Guests: Dr. Cynthia Fowler, sociology and anthropology department chair at Wofford College; Dr. Ina Vandebroek, senior lecturer at The University of the West Indies

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio based in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producers are Jody Cowan and Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

Jessica Palden on “Teardrop on Fire”

WAMC — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we hear from the director of a new documentary telling the stories of domestic violence survivors in Sri Lanka. Teardrop on Fire, the debut film from director Jessica Palden, explores the community impacts of toxic, abusive relationships, and highlights the allies working to help survivors. We also speak with David Radley, senior scientist for The Commonwealth Fund, about the organization’s 2024 scorecard for women’s healthcare in the U.S.

Guests: Jessica Palden, director of Teardrop on Fire; David Radley, senior scientist for The Commonwealth Fund

You can find The Commonwealth Fund’s full “2024 Scorecard on Women’s Health and Reproductive Care” here.

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producers are Jody Cowan and Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

Muriel Fox on "The Women's Revolution"

WAMC — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down with Muriel Fox, feminist activist and cofounder of the National Organization for Women, about her new memoir celebrating the second wave feminist movement — and those who made it happen. WAMC’s Ian Pickus also speaks with reporter Rose Eveleth about their new podcast Tested, examining the history of sexual division in elite sports.

Guests: Muriel Fox, co-founder of the National Organization for Women and author of The Women's Revolution: How We Changed Your Life; Rose Eveleth, reporter and producer of Tested

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

Kamala Harris steps forward

WAMC — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Following President Biden's decision to step away from this year's presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris is on track to become the first woman of color and first person of South Asian descent to earn the Democratic nomination for president. On this week's 51%, we speak with Ange-Marie Hancock, a political science professor at The Ohio State University, to learn more about Harris' work as vice president, and the obstacles commonly faced by women candidates on the campaign trail.

Dr. Camille Clare on C-section recovery

WAMC — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dr. Camille Clare, an OB/GYN and professor at SUNY Downstate, to learn more about cesarean sections, and what women should expect during and after delivery. Dr. Clare is also the secretary of the Board of Directors for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a member of New York's Maternal Mortality Review Committee. We also hear from Jenni Shearston, one of the researchers behind a new study on the presence of metals in tampons.

Guests: Dr. Camille Clare, M.D. and FACOG at SUNY Downstate; Jenni Shearston, postdoctoral scholar and environmental epidemiologist at the University of California Berkeley

You can read Shearston's study on the presence of metals in tampons in full at Environment International.

Looking back on New Paltz's "Winter of Love"

WAMC — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we brush up on the history of marriage equality in the U.S., and look back on the first same-sex weddings in New Paltz, New York — which took place more than a decade before the Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide. We also hear from psychoanalysts Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini about their book Gender Without Identity, proposing a new way of looking at how life shapes everyone's experience with gender.

Guests: Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini, authors ofGender Without Identity

A big thanks to Laura Bortman for lending sound to this episode from her earlier documentary on the New Paltz weddings, called "Beware of Dog."

Kimberly Mutcherson on emergency abortion access

WAMC — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:30:00 +0000

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal of a strict abortion ban in Idaho, allowing some emergency abortions in the state to continue — for now. On this week’s 51%, we speak with Rutgers Law School Professor Kimberly Mutcherson about what this means for patients in Idaho, and for the Court.

The future of mifepristone

WAMC — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 01:10:45 +0000

The Supreme Court has rejected a challenge of the Food & Drug Administration’s approval and regulation of mifepristone, preserving access to one of two pills commonly used in medication abortions across the U.S. On this week’s 51%, we break down the Court’s ruling with Carmel Shachar, faculty director of the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School’s Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation.

Guests: Carmel Shachar, assistant clinical professor of law at Harvard Law School; Chelly Hegan, president and CEO of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood; Patricia McGeown, former president and CEO of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

Taking the stage, part two

WAMC — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 01:48:29 +0000

On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke catches up with singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco to talk about her new record and her debut on Broadway. DiFranco is starring as “Persephone” in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Hadestown through the end of June. We also hear from Amy Jordan, choreographer and founder of the Victory Dance Project, about the group’s upcoming 10-year anniversary.

Guests: Ani DiFranco; Amy Jordan, founder of the Victory Dance Project, Mary Birnbaum, general and artistic director of Opera Saratoga

Taking the stage

WAMC — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, our associate producer, Jody Cowan, meets with alternative soul artist Iniko to discuss their creative process and their world tour. We also stop by a celebration of public art in Troy, New York, and Dr. Sharon Ufberg speaks with the director of a 2022 documentary celebrating Deaf culture and highlighting the need for more interpreters at concert venues.

Guests: Iniko, songwriter and performer; Cat Brewer, producer and director of Sign the Show

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

Mothering "difficult adult children" with Dr. Judith Smith

WAMC — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with psychotherapist Dr. Judith Smith about how parenting doesn't stop once children reach adulthood – and how parenting a "difficult adult child" can be especially hard on moms in their later years. We also hear from the women behind Eyes That Weave the World's Wonders, a new children's book highlighting the experience of transracial adoptees.

Guests: Dr. Judith Smith, psychotherapist and author of Difficult: Mothering Challenging Adult Children Through Conflict and Change; Joanna Ho & Liz Kleinrock, authors of Eyes That Weave the World's Wonders

For the record

WAMC — Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we meet with the head of the National Archives amid her tour of presidential libraries across the U.S. Dr. Colleen Shogan discusses the role historical records can play in healing the country’s cultural and political divides. We also stop by an event with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and learn about an artificial intelligence project at RPI telling the story of Emily Warren Roebling, a 19th Century engineer who helped complete the Brooklyn Bridge.

Guests: Dr. Colleen Shogan, 11 th archivist of the United States; Antoinette Maniatty, professor and head of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Endometriosis, Part Three

WAMC — Fri, 17 May 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we wrap our series on endometriosis. “Endo Dietitian” Stefanie Valakas explains how some endometriosis patients shift to an anti-inflammatory diet to self-manage their symptoms. We also learn about a new endometriosis research hub at the University of Pittsburgh.

Guests: Stefanie Valakas, accredited dietitian and nutritionist and founder of The Dietologist

Dr. Karen Tang on "It's Not Hysteria"

WAMC — Fri, 10 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Dr. Karen Tang about everything from fibroids and PCOS to sexual pain and pelvic floor therapy. Tang is a board-certified gynecologist and surgeon who, in her spare time, debunks reproductive health myths for millions of viewers on Tik Tok, YouTube, and Instagram. In her new book, It’s Not Hysteria, Tang presents a comprehensive guide on common pelvic issues and various treatment options for them.

Guest: Dr. Karen Tang, MD and author of "It’s Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told)"

Endometriosis, Part Two

WAMC — Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we continue our series on endometriosis, speaking with doctors, patients, advocates, and researchers about a disease that impacts roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide. Patient advocate and “Endo Girls” blogger Kate Boyce discusses her journey with endometriosis treatment, and an often-overlooked aspect of gynecologic surgery: recovery.

Guest: Kate Boyce, BCPA and co-founder of the blog "Endo Girls"

Endometriosis, Part One

WAMC — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we kick off our series on endometriosis, an inflammatory disease impacting roughly 1 in 10 women. Dr. Lora Liu, a gynecologic surgeon and endometriosis excision specialist in New York City, discusses the basics of the disease – and why we still know so little about it. Dr. Liu also dives into treatment options for patients, and offers her advice for those considering excision surgery.

Guest: Dr. Lora Liu, gynecologic surgeon and excision specialist

Arizona's abortion ban

WAMC — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Arizona state Supreme Court has cleared the way for the revival of an abortion ban dating back to the 1860s. On this week’s 51%, Rutgers Law School professor Kimberly Mutcherson breaks down the court’s decision, and analyzes the current tumultuous legal landscape for abortion rights in the U.S. WAMC’s Ian Pickus also speaks with NPR political correspondent Sarah McCammon about her new book The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.

Guests: Kimberly Mutcherson, professor and former co-dean at Rutgers Law School; Sarah McCammon, NPR political correspondent and author of The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church

Dawn Landes on "The Liberated Woman's Songbook"

WAMC — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:45:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke sits down with singer-songwriter Dawn Landes to discuss her new record reimagining "The Liberated Woman’s Songbook" from 1971. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons also meets a couple with a decades-long story of love and friendship that finally tied the knot during the Great North American eclipse.

Guest: Dawn Landes, The Liberated Woman's Songbook

Cycle Syncing with Angie Marie

WAMC — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with mountain athlete and fertility doula Angie Marie to learn how some women are applying the concepts behind cycle syncing to their everyday lives. “Cycle syncing” is the practice of adjusting one’s diet or exercise to the different stages of their menstrual cycle. While the theory has become more popular among female athletes, Marie says she uses cycle syncing to increase her creativity, get in touch with her emotions, and promote self-care. Marie lays out some tips and tricks on how to listen to your body in her new guide, The Cycle Syncing Handbook.

Guest: Angie Marie, birth and fertility doula and author of The Cycle Syncing Handbook: Identify Hormonal Patterns, Build Holistic Habits, and Embrace the Power of Your Menstrual Cycle

*Disclaimer: This episode discusses subjects like menstruation, ovulation, and specifically, cervical mucus from 8:47-11:17. We've opted to air the more in-depth descriptions of these topics, because we feel it is medically important for women to know.

Elizabeth Comen on "All in Her Head"

WAMC — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, Dr. Elizabeth Comen gives us a lesson on gender bias in early medicine, and how it continues to prevent women from getting adequate care. Dr. Comen is a breast oncologist and medical historian with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. In her new book, All in Her Head, she examines how early medicine failed women in just about every major organ system of their bodies, and why women’s health is still so misunderstood.

Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Comen, breast oncologist at Memoiral Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and author of All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women’s Bodies, and Why it Matters Today

Chelsey Goodan on "Underestimated"

WAMC — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, public speaker and mentor Chelsey Goodan provides insight on the wisdom and power of teenage girls. For years, Goodan has been working with girls one-on-one and speaking with them about mental health, body image, social media, boys, friendships, and parents. In her new book Underestimated, Goodan explores why we, as a society, so often restrict and belittle girls at an age when they’re supposed to be gaining independence. We also speak with therapist Khara Croswaite Brindle about how to find peace amid parent-child estrangement.

Guests: Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls; Khara Croswaite Brindle, owner of Croswaite Counseling PLLC and author of Understanding Ruptured Mother-Daughter Relationships

Far out

WAMC — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, our associate producer Jody Cowan catches up with NASA astronaut, engineer, and chemist Tracy Caldwell Dyson ahead of her third mission to the International Space Station this month. During her six-month stay, Dyson will help maintain station equipment and contribute to a number of ongoing science experiments. WAMC’s Ian Pickus also speaks with NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about her new book, Transient and Strange.

Guests: Tracy Caldwell Dyson, NASA astronaut; Rebecca Van Tassell, program coordinator at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies; Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR science correspondent and author of Transient and Strange: Notes on the Science of Life

Krystale Littlejohn and Rickie Solinger on "Fighting Mad"

WAMC — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we speak with the editors of Fighting Mad, a new book of essays reimagining the abortion rights — or rather, reproductive justice — movement. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons also brings us to a public hearing on the proposed closure of Burdett Birth Center in Troy, New York, and we learn about the life and career of American photographer Rollie McKenna.

Guests: Krystale E. Littlejohn, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Oregon, author, and editor of the Reproductive Justice book series from University of California Press; Rickie Solinger, historian, curator, author and editor of the Reproductive Justice book series from University of California Press.

You can find Fighting Mad: Resisting the End of Roe v. Wade here.

Wild Women

WAMC — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we kick off Women's History Month. We speak with the directors and flight attendants behind PBS' new American Experience film Fly With Me, about how the first female flight attendants in the U.S. fought for equal labor protections — and contributed to the broader feminist movement in the process. Author Shelley Fraser Mickle also dives into the fascinating life of first daughter Alice Roosevelt in White House Wild Child.

Guests: Helen Dobrowski, director of American Experience's Fly With Me; Patricia Ireland, former flight attendant for Pan American Airways and director of the National Organization for Women; Shelley Fraser Mickle, author of White House Wild Child

You can find a link to watch Fly With Me here.

Carol Chumney on "The Arena"

WAMC — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with former Tennessee state legislator and judge Carol Chumney about the lessons she’s learned from her long-running political career, and the barriers that often keep women from the political arena. We also hear from the founder of a Florida nonprofit supporting homeless youth, and learn about a new financial literacy initiative in Vermont aimed at helping survivors of domestic violence.

Guests: Carol Chumney, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge and author of The Arena: One Woman's Story; Vicki Sokolik, founder of Starting Right, Now, and author of If You See Them: Young, Unhoused, and Alone in America

Ayesha Rascoe on "HBCU Made"

WAMC — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we hear from NPR Weekend Edition Host Ayesha Rascoe about how her experience at Howard University shaped her into the reporter she is today. Rascoe is the editor behind a new collection of essays called HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience, with contributions from alumni like Oprah Winfrey, Stacey Abrams, and more. Our Associate Producer, Jody Cowan, also catches up with Deshanna Wiggins – another HBCU grad, and CEO of the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce. And we remember disability rights advocate and professor Brooke Ellison, who died last week at the age of 45.

Guests: Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday and editor of HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience; Deshanna Wiggins, CEO of the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce; Brooke Ellison, Stony Brook University Professor, advocate, and author of Look Both Ways

Jenn Jackson on "What Black Women Taught Us"

WAMC — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we hear from Syracuse University professor and columnist Dr. Jenn M. Jackson about their new book, What Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism, underscoring the legacy of Black women writers and leaders, and their contribution to America’s modern social movements.

Guest: Dr. Jenn M. Jackson, assistant professor of political science at Syracuse University and author of What Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism

Michelle Horton on "Dear Sister" and criminalized survivors

WAMC — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with author Michelle Horton about the concept of “criminalized survivors,” and her new memoir recounting her family's side of the high-profile murder case in which her sister was sentenced to prison in 2020. We also tune into a recent forum on violence against women, and our Associate Producer, Jody Cowan, checks in with a Palestinian college student speaking out about the Israel-Hamas war from her campus in east Jerusalem.

Guests: Michelle Horton, author of Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival and Unbreakable Bonds; Nagham Ayyad, college student at Al-Quds Bard College

Emily Lynn Paulson on "Hey, Hun"

WAMC — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we sit down with author and speaker Emily Lynn Paulson to discuss her experience as a “girlboss” for a multilevel marketing company — and why she left. In her book Hey, Hun, Paulson depicts the darker side of MLMs, how to tell if signing up is worth it, and how to politely turn down sales offers from friends while helping them feel supported. We also learn about renewed efforts to pass the Fashion Workers Act in New York, and how artificial intelligence is impacting the modeling industry.

Guest: Emily Lynn Paulson, author of Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing

Felicia Kornbluh on "A Woman's Life is a Human Life"

WAMC — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 01:30:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we mark the would-be anniversary of Roe v. Wade by speaking with Dr. Felicia Kornbluh, historian and author of A Woman’s Life is a Human Life. Kornbluh tells the story of how her mother and neighbor contributed to the movements to decriminalize abortion and fight sterilization abuse in New York state – and how the Supreme Court went from granting constitutional protection for abortion in 1973, to overturning Roe in 2022. Kornbluh also shares a few lessons from her mother's story that today's abortion rights activists can lean on in a post-Dobbs landscape.

Guest: Dr. Felicia Kornbluh, University of Vermont professor and author of A Woman's Life is a Human Life: My Mother, Our Neighbor, and the Journey from Reproductive Rights to Reproductive Justice

#1799: Finding Your Strength

WAMC — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with trainer Tracy Norton-Fisher about how you can build (and maintain) a workout routine that fits your goals. Our associate producer Jody Cowan also sits down with writer and Strongman competitor Alyssa Ages to talk about her book, Secrets of Giants, and learn what motivates her to lift boulders and pull trucks.

Guests: Tracy Norton-Fisher, certified personal trainer with Toned by Tracy; Alyssa Ages, Strongman competitor and author of Secrets of Giants

The best of 2023

WAMC — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 01:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we look back on some of our favorite conversations and stories from 2023. Hollywood speech coach Samara Bay teaches us how to embrace the power in our voices, Dr. Heather Hirsch discusses how women can unlock their “menopause type,” and our associate producer Jody Cowan stops by the practice of a roller derby league rebuilding its ranks in New York’s Capital Region.

Guests: Samara Bay, speech coach and author of Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting with You; Dr. Heather Hirsch, board-certified internist and author of Unlock Your Menopause Type

"Moving On" with Gina Moffa

WAMC — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we continue our discussion on grief with therapist and author Gina Moffa. In her new book, Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go, Moffa helps readers navigate losses of all kinds, find their “grief rhythm,” and decide when to disclose their experiences on social media — and when to set boundaries.

Guest: Gina Moffa, LCSW and author of Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss

Good grief with Claudia Coenen | 51%

WAMC — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 01:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Claudia Coenen, a certified grief counselor and thanatologist, about how to cope with grief during the holiday season. We also hear from the executive director of No Kid Hungry New York about the state of food insecurity in the U.S.

Guests: Claudia Coenen, licensed counselor with The Karuna Project; Rachel Sabella, director of No Kid Hungry New York

Women on Stage | 51%

WAMC — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we hear from comedian, writer, and TV host Samantha Bee about her latest standup tour “Your Favorite Woman: The Joy of Sex Education.” Bee is best known for her previous roles as correspondent on “The Daily Show,” and host of the satirical late-night program “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” which ran for seven seasons on TBS. We also sit down with Erin Harkes, a rising comedian in New York’s Capital Region, about her new special and album “Uncle Ernie,” and how she workshops new material.

Guests: Samantha Bee; Erin Harkes

Kirsten Hines on "Wild Florida"

WAMC — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 01:00:00 +0000

On the latest 51%, we speak with biologist and wildlife photographer Kirsten Hines about her new book Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey, documenting the state’s diverse population of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. We also stop by a conference celebrating women in STEM at the headquarters of GlobalFoundries in New York’s Capital Region, and our associate producer Jody Cowan sits down with the battery experts at Qnovo for a look at the future of electric vehicles.

Guest: Kirsten Hines, author of Wild Florida; Dania Ghantous, Co-founder and VP of Technology at Qnovo; Tracy Mack-Askew, Chief Engineer, Chassis and Vocational Engineering at Daimler Truck North America; Denise Gray, former President of LG Energy Solution Michigan Inc. Tech Center

Home births and hospitals

WAMC — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 01:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Amy Brittain of The Washington Post about the paper’s recent analysis of infant mortality in home births across the U.S., and how the country’s varying regulations for midwives can make it difficult for expectant mothers to know what they’re getting. We also stop by a virtual town hall on the proposed closure of Burdett Birth Center in Troy, New York.

Guest: Amy Brittain, reporter at The Washington Post

Dr. Robert Okin on "Silent Voices"

WAMC — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 01:30:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with psychiatrist and human rights advocate Dr. Robert Okin about the state of homelessness in the U.S., and the many obstacles faced by unhoused women and families. Dr. Okin spent two years interviewing and photographing unhoused individuals struggling with mental illness in San Francisco. The second edition of his 2014 book Silent Voices: People with Mental Disorders on the Street came out earlier this year. We also look back at some of the biggest lawsuits brought on by the Adult Survivors Act, and stop by a vigil for the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Guest: Dr. Robert Okin, author of Silent Voices: People with Mental Disorders on the Street

Social media and the youth mental health crisis

WAMC — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 01:30:00 +0000

On this week's 51%, we speak with Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley about the impacts of social media on teens and young adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 44 percent of teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021, and one in five reported serious thoughts of suicide. Dr. Choukas-Bradley, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University at Pittsburgh, breaks down how social media can be particularly harmful for teenage girls, and how parents can protect their children without isolating them from their peers.

Guest: Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, founder of the Teen and Young Adult Lab

Estate planning with Megan Harris-Pero

WAMC — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:19:17 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with estate attorney Megan Harris-Pero about why having an estate plan is particularly important for women, and what they should keep in mind when putting a plan together.

Women in Global Press

WAMC — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with award-winning international reporter Amanda Sperber to learn how news outlets and foreign correspondents can better serve the communities they cover. We also sit down with the leader of one organization that’s putting that message into practice: Global Press, founded by Cristi Hegranes, has been training women in countries around the world how to report on their communities since 2006.

Guests: Amanda Sperber, multi-award winning foreign correspondent and investigative journalist with work in a range of publications, including Al Jazeera, the Atlantic, and NBC; Cristi Hegranes, journalist and founder of the Global Press Institute

Healing through creativity

WAMC — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with artists who have found healing through creativity. Author Brittany Means comes to terms with her childhood growing up on the road in her new memoir Hell if We Don’t Change Our Ways, and pianist and composer Robin Spielberg meditates on resilience for her new symphonic record, By Way of the Wind. WAMC’s Josh Landes also speaks with the organizer of a Pittsfield, Massachusetts art show highlighting the work of breast cancer survivors.

Guests: Brittany Means, author of Hell if We Don't Change Our Ways; Robin Spielberg, pianist and composer; Francesca Olsen, artist

Cervical and ovarian cancer

WAMC — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Dr. Elizabeth Lucal about how women can reduce their risk of cervical cancer, and why we still know so little about ovarian cancer. Dr. Lucal is an OB-GYN and the vice chair of women’s health services at Nuvance Health in the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut. Our associate producer, Jody Cowan, also speaks with the founders of JBA Concierge Medicine, about how patients can get the most out of their doctor’s appointments.

Guests: Dr. Elizabeth Lucal, OB-GYN with Nuvance Health; Alison Joseph and John Brown, founders of JBA Concerige Medicine

#1786: Joy Farrow and Laura Frombach on “Defensive Living” | 51%

WAMC — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down with “defensive living” experts Joy Farrow and Laura Frombach to discuss modern ways women are protecting themselves in the face of gender-based violence. Farrow is a retired deputy sheriff with 28 years of experience in policing and airport safety, while Frombach is a technologist and engineer who escaped a childhood plagued by domestic abuse. In their new book, Street Smart Safety for Women, Farrow and Frombach share tips on everything from how to spot a scammer to how to become “persuasion-proof.”

Guests: Joy Farrow and Laura Frombach, authors of Street Smart Safety for Women: Your Guide to Defensive Living

If you or someone you love has been impacted by domestic violence, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 support at 1-800-799-7233, and online here.

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is the show’s producer and host. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is “Lolita” from the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

#1785: Alexi Pappas on "Bravey" | 51%

WAMC — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On this week’s 51%, we sit down with playwright Juliany Taveras for a preview of the new Children’s Theatre Company production Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, based on the popular children’s book of the same name by Christine Baldacchino. WAMC’s Samantha Simmons also speaks with Olympic runner Alexi Pappas about how she went about adapting her book, Bravey, for a younger audience.

51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Our producer and host is Jesse King. Our associate producer is Jody Cowan, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.