In Human Terms

Toxic masculinity is a term that is thrown about frequently in the media. But, what is toxic and what is masculinity? Do we need to adapt masculinity to our modern times? Or are we evolving beyond it? Today, we will explore these topics with Brandon Wadley, an Indianapolis based musician who identifies as a married, heterosexual, gender non-conforming man. He explores many themes of gender in his daily life by freely shifting between wearing skirts, makeup, and traditional male clothing. Join us as he guides my mom and I through a contemplation on gender, identity, and what it means to be human.

When it comes to women’s rights one topic in America continues to be a point of tension: abortion. And people tend to fall into one of two categories: Pro-choice or Pro-life. Is abortion inherently bad? Is it inherently good? Or is it a necessary tool women need to navigate an unjust system? Today, we speak with Mary Verner. An old family friend who was raised catholic and is now agnostic. Mary hold degrees in accounting, law, and computer science, but has primarily been a stay at home mom for most of her career. Mary identifies as pro-life, but for decidedly non-religious reasons. Join Mary, my mom and I today as we explore the topic of abortion in modern day America.

The healthcare providers I've spoken with have one thing in common: They really love helping people. And yet, considering how much healthcare providers love to help, healthcare related debt remains the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. So, how does an occupation that attracts so many do-gooders become the industry that economically hurts individual Americans the most? And does it always have to be this way? Erick Skaff is a soon-to-be doctor who discusses with my mom and I some of the big issues facing the U.S. healthcare system. Erick would like our listeners to know that all perspectives he shares  are his own and do not reflect either his medical school or his future residency program. With that in mind, let's jump in, as we discuss the politics of medicine in the United States.  If you are interested in reading any of the studies mentioned in the episode, or hearing the entire interviews from the featured guests, please visit sallymindrebo.com.

*This is pt. 2 of our two part episode, "Environmentalism: Adventuring in Innovation." To get the full context of our conversation, I encourage you to listen to part one and then come back. One of the few things everyone can agree on is that we need the earth and we hope it stays around for awhile. Yet, while many people admit that we should probably drive less and not kill so many sea turtles with straws, Americans remain divided on when that should happen. There are those that think we should change our consumption habits now before we doom the earth to destruction And there are those that think we can give it a minute. But, despite when people think it should happen, most people see protecting the environment as a chore. But does it have to be that way? Today, we speak with international geological engineer, Javan Miner, about how he and his family engage with protecting the environment as an adventure in innovation.

One of the few things everyone can agree on is that we need the earth and we hope it stays around for awhile. Yet, while many people admit that we should probably drive less and not kill so many sea turtles with straws, Americans remain divided on when that should happen. There are those that think we should change our consumption habits now before we doom the earth to destruction And there are those that think we can give it a minute. But, despite when people think it should happen, most people see protecting the environment as a chore. But does it have to be that way? Today, we speak with international geological engineer, Javan Miner, about how he and his family engage with protecting the environment as an adventure in innovation.

This is part two of our two part series, Black in America. A conversation with Joy Gilmer, an old family friend, black woman, and educator sharing her thoughts about what it’s like to be a black woman in America today. To get the full context of our discussion, I encourage you to listen to part one first before listening to this episode.

It’s February and that means that the United States of America is officially celebrating black history month. Yet, for a country that has an entire month dedicated to celebrating its black people, America’s relationship with its melanin enriched citizens remains complicated. So, what’s it like to be a black person in a country that on the one hand celebrates you and on the other threatens you? Over the next two episodes of in Human terms, Joy Gilmer, an old family friend, black woman, and educator will share her thoughts with my mom and I as we explore what it’s like to be a black woman in America today.

We only have seven days left before the three week timer on the government shutdown runs out. What’s at stake? Funding to build a wall between Mexico and the United States. Though a wall may stem the flow of migrants for a time, it doesn’t address the larger problems that have made the US immigration system difficult to navigate nor the ones that have pushed migrants to flees their homelands in the first place. So, what should Americans do and how should we think about the people that want to become U.S. citizens? Em Bricker, a legal worker in Indianapolis, joins my mom and I to talk about her experiences working with refugees at the San Diego border Fence, her perspective on the Central American Caravan, and what hopes she has for Americans as we sort through this big topic.

It can seem like an impossible request these days to ask democrats and republicans to work together. The recent government shutdown shows just how entrenched party lines can be. Where the 35 days of an inoperable government was the longest in U.S. history, President Trump has only promised a three week reprieve before the fight could get started again. So, while our politicians are the one’s haggling over this, it was the government employees, their lack of pay, work, and services to our country that were being leveraged as ammo by both sides. Today, we speak with Joel Miner Natural Resource Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management in Southern California and hear from him what it was like to be furloughed for over a month and what conversations he hopes will be happening in Washington D.C. as the three week timer ticks down.

Few subjects have challenged almost every American’s sense of safety and freedom like that of gun control. As a country, we are divided on this. One side sees the gun and the second amendment as an American birthright to protect our liberty . And the other side counts the casualties of gun violence as too high a price so a few people can feel like cowboys. But, too often we get stuck in a binary of thinking that we only have to options: ban all guns, or arm everybody. But is there a space in between? This week, long time hunter and social advocate Luke Mertes talks hunting, madmen, and gun regulation with my mom and I as we explore gun control in America. I hope you enjoy.

For many Americans the words “Muslim” or “Islam” have negative connotations. Unfortunately, because a radical few excused their acts of terror on 9-11 and within ISIS by saying it was done for Islam, a surprising number of Americans assume that all muslims feel the same way-that they hate America. Yet, muslims have been in America for generations. They are our nurses, doctors, scientists, grocers, lawyers, soldiers, and friends and without them we wouldn’t be the nation we are today. So, can we separate the trauma we’ve experienced with the few radicals from the goodness we’ve experienced from the many wonderful Muslim-Americans? My mom and I hash it out with my friend Zuha Irfan in this episode of, "In Human Terms". I hope you enjoy!

In this episode of In Human Terms my mom and I talk baby boomers, their fears and disappointments in millennials (destroying the economy and cussing) and what resentments millennials have towards baby boomers. Join us as we explore dive right in and see if we can understand each other. Enjoy!

This is an emotionally intelligent political podcast where my mom, a republican, and I, a democrat, discuss the big topics of today.