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Embodied
Sunday at 8 p.m. on BPR News
Hosted by Anita Rao

Sex and relationships are intimate — and sometimes intimidating to talk about. Host Anita Rao guides us on an exploration of our brains and our bodies that touches down in taboo territory. Tune in on BPR News, Sunday at 8 p.m. And join the conversation on Twitter: @embodiedWUNC.

  • In the foreground, Dr. Abraham Verghese, wearing a blue suit and holding a microphone, sits beside host Anita Rao, who is smiling and wearing a blue floral dress with lemons. They are seated on stage with a photo of a large, enthusiastic audience behind them, overlaid in pink and blue tones. The word “Embodied” appears in bold blue letters at the top of the image.
    Abraham Verghese On Writing, Medicine & The Body
    Anita Rao
    Acclaimed physician and author Abraham Verghese discusses his latest novel, his career and the importance of fiction with host Anita Rao in front of a live audience.
  • Illustrated family scene at a playground with 'Embodied' logo at top. Shows a family of four: a white woman with glasses and curly hair in a yellow sweater holding a baby, a young Black girl in a pink heart t-shirt hanging from monkey bars with arms raised joyfully, and a white man in a green shirt and cap standing nearby. The background features trees with purple and green foliage.
    Parenting Wisdom From An Interabled Couple
    Kaia Findlay
    There are 4.4 million parents in the U.S. who have a disability and are navigating parenthood in a culture that prizes able-bodiedness. An interabled couple share the creativity and adaptability involved in raising their two kids.
  • Illustration of a flight attendant standing in the aisle of an airplane, gently placing a hand on a smiling passenger’s shoulder. The flight attendant is wearing a navy blazer and skirt with a purple blouse, light brown skin and has dark hair pulled into a bun. The passenger has a beard, light brown skin and curly hair and is seated among other travelers in a row of colorful seats. Above the scene, the word “Embodied” appears in bold, dark red letters.
    The Hidden Labor Of Flight Attendants
    Kaia Findlay
    A flight attendant and a travel reporter highlight the unseen lives and labor of flight attendants, from jam-packed safety trainings to the emotional care of passengers in a high stakes atmosphere.
  • Illustrated promotional image for "Embodied" podcast showing a peaceful rural scene. A person in a yellow sweater sits on a wooden porch with a large white dog lying beside them, overlooking rolling green hills and trees. The "Embodied" logo appears in large brown letters at the top.
    Building A Queer Life In The Country
    Kaia Findlay
    Up to 20% of the LGBTQ+ population in the U.S. lives in rural America. That’s millions of people defying the narrative that the only place queer folks want to live is in a city or on the coast. One rural queer person set out to interrogate that false narrative by documenting the stories of other queer folks in the country.
  • An illustration of two young men standing close together against a dreamy background of soft purple sky and fluffy white clouds. The man on the left wears a captain’s hat, sunglasses, a black T-shirt with a blue mountain graphic and blue shorts; he has a mustache and his arm around the other man's shoulder. The man on the right has long hair, wears a backward black cap and a light blue tank top and has his arm around the first man's waist. Above them, in bold dark blue letters, is the word “Embodied.”
    Two Brothers, One Uncertain Future
    Audrey Smith
    Two brothers diagnosed with a genetic mutation that almost certainly causes dementia share how they’re building their lives while preparing for symptoms of the disease, which are likely to start in their late 30s or early 40s.
  • An illustration looking into a room from the perspective of the doorway. In the room, there’s an older interracial couple cuddling affectionately in bed, both smiling and content. The room is softly decorated with pastel tones and wall art. In the foreground, a “PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB” door hanger is prominently displayed on the door handle. The hanger includes the logo for “Golden Acres Assisted Living.” The word “Embodied” appears at the top.
    Why We Need To Talk About Sex In Nursing Homes
    Kaia Findlay
    Research shows that older adults want and need sexual intimacy well into their later years. But when they move out of their homes and into long-term care communities, they have a lot less privacy and autonomy to seek it out.
  • An illustration of a pregnant person with dark skin and shoulder-length hair, standing with hands on their lower back, looking at a swirling, surreal background. The background includes elements of land, sea, sky and space, representing various natural forces: ocean waves and rain on the left, fire and stars on the right. The person appears contemplative or burdened. At the top, the word "Embodied" is written in bold red-orange letters.
    Climate Anxiety And The Choice To Parent
    Kaia Findlay
    A scholar examining the intersection of climate anxiety, reproductive justice and race shares her research on how emotions about climate change are impacting folks’ plans to have kids.
  • A colorful illustration with a bright purple background and flowing ribbon-like shapes in pink, teal, and coral. At the center, a black silhouette of a woman with a ponytail is lifting a light blue silhouette of a baby into the air. Above them, bold green text with a white outline reads “Embodied.”
    A New Playbook For Raising Boys
    Kaia Findlay
    One writer's concerns about raising her three sons in the post-Me Too landscape led her on a journey to learn more about challenges boys and young men face in the U.S. — and how to parent better.
  • An illustration of three men walking together, viewed from behind. The man in the center wears a red shirt and navy pants, with his arms around the shoulders of the two men on either side. The men on the left and right are partially transparent, dissolving into abstract colorful dots. The word "Embodied" appears in bold blue letters at the top against a soft sky background.
    Beyond Bromance: Building Deeper Male Friendship
    Audrey Smith
    What’s the deal with male friendship? A podcaster describes the particular features and challenges of friendships among men, including how his research into masculinity has changed how he’s thinking about his own relationships.
  • An illustration featuring the word "Embodied" in bold teal letters at the top. Below it, two overlapping human silhouettes face the same direction — one in black and the other in white — both within a single outline. Black directional lines swirl around and through the heads.
    A Doctor’s Intuition Lost And Found
    Kaia Findlay
    Two doctors describe the role of intuition in medical decision-making as a case study into the mysterious power of this unquantifiable form of knowledge.