The leftward shift of Gen Z women is one of the most dramatic political trends happening right now. Polling data from Gallup found that 40% of young women aged 18-29 self-describe as liberal compared to 28% of the same demographic at the beginning of the century. So what's causing a new generation of young women to move to the left?Brittany is joined by founder of the Up and Up Newsletter, Rachel Janfaza, and New York Times reporter, Claire Cain Miller. Together they discuss what we should make of the growing political gender gap between young men and young women.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration wants their recent tariffs to function as incentives for Americans to produce more of our own goods in our own factories. And one poll shows that 80% of us say the country would be better off if more Americans worked in manufacturing. But why do people on both sides of the aisle want these jobs back so much? What have we lost culturally with the loss of factory jobs that we want to bring back? And ultimately - how does the fantasy of bringing more factory jobs back stack up against the reality of how American manufacturing works today? Brittany is joined by Vox senior correspondent Dylan Matthews and Montclair State University associate professor Jeffrey Gonzalez to find out.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

They did THAT. The biggest designers and celebrities showed up at the 2025 Met Gala, everyone from Rihanna to Madonna. And in this special bonus episode, Brittany and her guests break down the best and worst looks of the night.Culture writer Shelton Boyd-Griffith, Editor-In-Chief Antoine Griffith, and Brittany award the highs and lows of the night to Teyana Taylor, Rosalia, Colman Domingo, Miley Cyrus, Diana Ross, and more. Who was on top, and who was on the bottom of the list?Editor's Note: After this episode published, a representative of Henry Taylor, who collaborated with Pharrell Williams on the outfit worn by Lisa Manobal to the 2025 Met Gala, said in a statement to Vulture that none of the images of the women on the outfit were of civil rights icon Rosa Parks.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's the first Monday in May. AKA it's time for the annual Met Gala. Or as some call it, "fashion's biggest night." Celebrities will walk the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art hoping their looks live up to the annual theme of the gala. This year's theme is a special one. It's called "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," and it's the very first Black fashion tradition to be selected for the theme of the Costume Institute's fundraiser. Brittany and her guests, culture writer Shelton Boyd-Griffith and editor-in-chief of Black Fashion Fair Antoine Gregory, discuss how celebrities can be sure to be on theme and how the theme is rooted in the very first fashion statements made by enslaved people.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Have you been feeling a little Conclave-pilled lately? Well, you're not alone. In the aftermath of of Pope Francis' passing, the world is buzzing at the eligible bachelors who could lead the Catholic Church. So what should we expect for the real-life Conclave? And why does it matter even if you're not Catholic?Brittany is joined by Jason DeRose, NPR's Religion Correspondent, Antonia Cereijido, host of the LAist's Imperfect Paradise podcast. Together they discuss how the Conclave works and what impact Pope Francis' legacy will have on the direction of a church with over 1.4 billion followers worldwide.Follow Brittany on socials @bmluseLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Pencil skirt. Kitten heels. Tiny glasses. And a little dark edge. These are just some of the elements of one of the most enduring fashion trends of the past couple of years: the office siren. But we're not just seeing this twist on office norms in fashion: we're also seeing it in TV shows like Severance and Industry, and with musicians like The Dare and FKA Twigs. So what are people expressing by reimagining office fashions? Brittany is joined by NPR's Life Kit producer Margaret Cirino to discuss the "freakification" of office wear — its long lineage in fashion, and what office tensions this trend is speaking to right now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Body modifiers like Ozempic and other weight loss drugs have gotten attention for how skinny they can make you. But what if you're a boy who wants to get BIGGER? For young men, there's another drug getting more and more popular: steroids.Fit and muscular bodies get celebrated on social media, and many men turn to steroids to match what they see. But with that comes the rise of "muscle dysmorphia," a kind of body dysmorphia where a person feels that their muscles aren't big enough.Brittany sits down with Roberto Olivardia, a alinical psychologist and lecturer at Harvard Medical School, to talk about how a drug, once primarily associated with professional athletes pursuing performance enhancement, is now the drug of choice for boys and men struggling with negative body image.For more, check out Roberto's book, The Adonis Complex.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Have you seen ADHD content pop up in your feeds? Are you getting a lot of it? In the past few years, there's been a surge in the number of adults diagnosed with ADHD, and at the same time more and more people online are going viral with "signs" that you might have it too. Whether with our doctors or friends, we're all talking a lot more about adult ADHD. Is this a perfect storm of online content leading to more diagnoses? Or is there more to the story?Brittany is joined by culture journalist Kelli Maria Korducki, who wrote about this for The Guardian, and Manvir Singh, assistant professor of anthropology at UC Davis, to get into it.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Have you heard of Bryan Johnson – tech centimillionaire turned longevity evangelist? He made headlines when he started getting infusions of his own son's blood as a part of his quest to live forever. And he turned that quest into "Don't Die," a movement he's calling a religion. Johnson is pretty intent on longevity – but he's not the only one. Other tech magnates are bought in, too. But in the words of Freddie Mercury, who wants to live forever, and why? What does all of this have to do with the prediction of an AI takeover, and what does this mean for how we think about what's "human?" Brittany is joined by journalists Michelle Santiago Cortes and Tara Isabella Burton to get into what might be a new religion of longevity.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Have you or someone you love been confused by the push to 'Make America Healthy Again'? Then you, my friend, are in dire need of our series: The Road to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA). For the next few weeks, we're delving into some of the origins, conspiracy theories, and power grabs that have led us to this moment, and what it could mean for our health.For the final episode in the series, Brittany puts the spotlight on the Queen of Talk: Oprah Winfrey. The Oprah Winfrey Show made Oprah one of the most influential voices in media. Her recommendations have become best sellers, sold out stores, and even launched the careers of two very well known Make America Healthy Again icons - Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.Historian and host of You Get a Podcast!, Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, and professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Marcia Chatelain, join the show to walk through how the Queen of Talk's influence took us from daytime television to the White House.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Have you turned on ESPN recently? You might be surprised to find that the sports bros are abandoning GOAT debates and getting political. No one is more an example of this than ESPN personality and perhaps Presidential candidate, Stephen A. Smith. So what's going on here? And what does the Fox Newsification of sports media tell us about our current political culture and future?Brittany is joined by co-host of NPR's Code Switch podcast, Gene Demby, and Senior Staff Writer at the Ringer, Joel Anderson. Together, they discuss how sports commentary is way more political than you might think and why its most viral star Stephen A. Smith would even entertain the idea of running for president in 2028.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Can the shape of your skull or the look of your face say something deeper about you? Like – if you're a good parent? Or if you're smart? Or if you're more likely to be a criminal? Well – the answer is no, absolutely not. But in the past, some scientists used the pseudosciences of phrenology, which studied the skull, and physiognomy, which studied the face, to try to prove that how you look says something about who you are on the inside. Again, it's junk science. But something peculiar is happening: it seems like there's been more interest lately in some of the ideas behind phrenology and physiognomy. From "witch skulls and angel skulls," to the skull geometry of transvestigations, to the question of whether AI can detect gay faces – it seems like more and more, people want to categorize each other with just a look at their heads. Brittany is joined by Yale professor of philosophy Lily Hu and Rolling Stone culture writer Miles Klee to understand the appeal and the consequences of fake skull and face science coming back around in the culture. Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy