Welcome back to Gen Z Unplugged.

Today, we’re jumping on one of the internet’s biggest trends and taking it way deeper than TikTok ever could: our Ins and Outs for 2026. From fashion and food to dating, tech, culture, and mindset, we’re breaking down what we’re officially leaving behind—and what we think is shaping the year ahead.

Some of these takes are fun. Some are spicy. Some might be a little controversial. But all of them reflect a real cultural shift we’re watching unfold: less doomscrolling, more intentional living. Less victim mentality, more accountability. Less noise, more substance.

Whether it’s why doomscrolling is out, real food is in, hobbies are back, or why boyfriends might be out and husbands might be in—this episode is our honest, unfiltered forecast for 2026. Let’s get into it.

00:00 — Why “Ins & Outs” are everywhere—and why we’re doing ours

01:40 — Dressing classy again & the return of intentional fashion

02:20 — Skinny jeans, riding boots, and the 2016 revival

05:15 — Raunchy books and movies are officially out

06:30 — Doomscrolling is out, reading and real life are in

08:15 — Food as fuel: ingredients, whole foods, and protein

14:20 — Sunlight, circadian rhythms, and waking up with the sun

18:15 — Victim mentality and chronic negativity are out

20:55 — Boyfriends out, husbands in: dating and marriage shifts

25:05 — Analog life, hobbies, and reclaiming real-world skills

GenZ Unplugged is the official podcast for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women. Rotating hosts are Lauren Husmann, Catherine Hendershott, Rachel Hurley, and Hannah Faulkner. Producer is Sandra Scarlatoiu.

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Gen Z women aren’t buying the old narrative anymore. The pressure to choose between career-maxing “girlboss” culture or hyper-domestic “tradwife” ideals never fit who we actually are — and now, even the Wall Street Journal is noticing.

In this episode, we break down the WSJ feature on the Luce Center and explore how young conservative women are redefining ambition, family, calling, and success. This generation isn’t rejecting work or motherhood — we’re reframing both through the lens of seasons, purpose, and a new kind of freedom.

With insights from voices like Isabel Brown, KT McFarland, Emma Waters, and Reagan Conrad, we reveal why Gen Z is choosing earlier marriage, embracing faith, prioritizing family, and still building meaningful careers — just not on the culture’s terms.

If you’re tired of being told you only have two options, this episode is proof that a third path exists — and Gen Z women are already walking it.

00:27 — Why the Wall Street Journal is paying attention to Gen Z women

The hosts introduce the WSJ article and the emerging “seasons” mindset among young conservative women.

01:59 — “Have it all — just not all at once”

Discussion of the rising middle ground between girlboss and tradwife, and why Gen Z is carving out a new model.

05:27 — Isabel Brown on why Gen Z is different

Marriage rates, faith trends, and the surprising data showing a cultural shift among young women.

09:25 — KT McFarland’s story: the role model she never had

KT shares the Sandra Day O’Connor advice that shaped her life — and how young women today finally have role models.

13:08 — The power of role models & choosing your influences

How college culture shapes women’s beliefs — and why the Luce Center provides a new model of integrated life.

17:45 — Reagan Conrad on prioritization vs. balance

Reagan explains why the real issue isn’t work itself — it’s having the wrong order of priorities.

24:45 — The data is in: conservative & liberal women are diverging

A look at childbearing trends from the General Social Survey and what they reveal about happiness and fulfillment.

30:29 — The loneliness epidemic & why Gen Z craves family

A discussion of fractured families, declining community, and why young women want something different.

34:21 — The deeper cultural forces at work

How global and political movements have undermined the family — and why Gen Z is pushing back.

36:46 — Quiet acts of courage: how to change the culture

Why the most powerful response to cultural pressure is simply living a joyful, ordered life rooted in faith and family.

Link to the Wall Street Journal Article: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/conservative-women-career-kids-bc3094f9?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqefKzTyWQGw9yZCboaoX9MZOyq2rbzfTUWqIZ9HSe0oMHFOwyqL_PqsY5DwiOE%3D&gaa_ts=69389f99&gaa_sig=a5sVBJIEyTrXwrjFIFAbwaHI-Gveo7ZnDJu_PtNnLRqAuyfb6-5UbFBFIAOpOgynxMp9rarvn64yw6no8z6v3g%3D%3D

GenZ Unplugged is the official podcast for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women. Rotating hosts are Lauren Husmann, Catherine Hendershott, Rachel Hurley, and Hannah Faulkner. Producer is Sandra Scarlatoiu.

Listen, rate, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

ACAST - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Google Podcasts - YouTube - Rumble

Send us your thoughts on this episode @realgenzunplugged!

X - Instagram - Facebook - Truth Social

SFX Credits:

neon sign buzz hum stereo close lowcut to taste6.flac by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/453493/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

swipes and whooshes plastic umbrella fast and short swings stereo ORTF 8040.wav by Soundholder -- https://freesound.org/s/425853/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

Power Cord Unplug 1_2 by Joao_Janz -- https://freesound.org/s/477641/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

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Attorney and author Kimberly Begg, president of the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women and author of Unbreakable: Saints Who Inspired Saints to Moral Courage, joins our host—a Belmont Abbey College criminal justice professor and fellow attorney—to discuss how to form courageous young women in a hostile culture.

They explore why so many college women hide their convictions, how mentorship and authentic Catholic womanhood can counter that pressure, and how the stories of the saints shape families, imaginations, and moral courage. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or young woman yourself, this episode offers practical hope and a higher vision of what it means to be a woman today.

Kimberly breaks down the Michigan/Northwestern study revealing overwhelming social pressure on campuses. A pivotal moment that frames the entire conversation about courage and conformity.

A vivid look at how the Luce Center actively forms young women—media training, writing, firearms training, UN visits, and cultural formation. This paints the clearest picture of their mission in action.

Kimberly connects two iconic women across centuries, showing how deep prayer, courage, and clarity of mission create moral heroes. One of the most profound thematic sections.

Mother Teresa’s fearless witness before global leaders, including President Clinton—an unforgettable example of gentle, uncompromising courage.

Kimberly explains the parent’s role in forming spiritual and moral strength—one of the most actionable and widely relevant parts of the episode.

Check out Conversatio here: https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/podcast/

GenZ Unplugged is the official podcast for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women. Rotating hosts are Lauren Husmann, Catherine Hendershott, Rachel Hurley, and Hannah Faulkner. Producer is Sandra Scarlatoiu.

Listen, rate, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

ACAST - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Google Podcasts - YouTube - Rumble

Send us your thoughts on this episode @realgenzunplugged!

X - Instagram - Facebook - Truth Social

SFX Credits:

neon sign buzz hum stereo close lowcut to taste6.flac by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/453493/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

swipes and whooshes plastic umbrella fast and short swings stereo ORTF 8040.wav by Soundholder -- https://freesound.org/s/425853/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

Power Cord Unplug 1_2 by Joao_Janz -- https://freesound.org/s/477641/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Abstract Glitch Effects_015 by jalastram -- https://freesound.org/s/412303/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.