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In this episode, I’m joined by Lourdes A. Rivera, President of Pregnancy Justice and a leading voice in the fight to ensure that no one loses their rights because of pregnancy. Lourdes has spent over three decades advancing reproductive freedom, gender justice, and human rights through her work in law, philanthropy, and advocacy.

Together, we unpack what it means to live in a country where pregnancy itself can lead to punishment, and what that reveals about our broader criminal and political systems.

We dive into:

• Why and how pregnancy is being criminalized across the U.S.
• What it really means to be “pro-choice” in today’s legal and cultural landscape
• The impact of criminalizing substance use during pregnancy
• The realities of being pregnant behind bars
• What we can all do to protect reproductive freedom and dignity

This conversation will challenge the way you think about rights, justice, and the politics of care, reminding you of what’s at stake when we criminalize bodies instead of supporting them.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lourdes A. Rivera and Pregnancy Justice
02:54 Personal Journey into Reproductive Justice
04:13 Defining Fetal Personhood
07:01 The Conflict of Rights in Pregnancy
10:53 Debunking the Crack Baby Myth
14:35 Public Health vs. Criminalization
18:31 Pregnancy in Jails and Prisons
21:55 The Criminalization of Pregnancy Loss
23:05 The Broader Implications of Reproductive Rights
23:48 Reproductive Justice vs. Pro-Choice
26:31 Impact of Ideology on Healthcare Access
28:33 Consequences of Criminalization on Families
30:18 Social Determinants of Health and Reproductive Justice
31:43 Criminalization of Pregnancy and Healthcare Needs
36:12 Legal Consequences of Pregnancy Criminalization
38:49 Community Action and Advocacy for Change
42:58 Challenging Pro-Life Narratives
44:56 Prioritizing Care Over Criminalization
48:59 Lourdes Outro.mp3

Credits:

Created and hosted by Abbie Henson
Edited by Isabelle Kerby-Mcgowan
Website by Sarah Lords

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I would love to hear your feedback, takeaways, and questions. Please text at the link above or email whatsjustpod@gmail.com
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In this episode, I’m joined by Alec Karakatsanis, a trailblazing civil rights lawyer, Founder and Executive Director of Civil Rights Corps, and author of Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News. Together, we pull back the curtain on how everyday headlines shape what we believe about crime, safety, and justice, and how those beliefs serve the powerful and not necessarily the public.

We dive into:

• How to spot propaganda hiding in plain sight
• Real, non-punitive approaches to addressing harm that actually work
• The ways police practices distort crime data to fit certain narratives
• Why mainstream media leans on fear to keep the criminal legal system intact

This conversation will change the way you read the news — and maybe even the way you see the world.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Copaganda and Its Impact

03:05 Defining Copaganda: Features and Implications

07:01 Challenging Perspectives on Propaganda

10:39 The Construction of Crime and Its Reporting

17:27 Understanding Harm: The Overlooked Crimes

22:17 Manufacturing Fear Through Media

28:22 The Punishment Bureaucracy: A Flawed Solution

35:02 Rethinking Safety and Community Solutions

40:10 Navigating Media Consumption Critically

Links:

What you need to start a court watch program

Democracy Now

Credits:

Created and hosted by Abbie Henson

Edited by Isabelle Kerby-Mcgowan

Website by Sarah Lords

Support Critical Conversations

I would love to hear your feedback, takeaways, comments, tips, and questions. Please feel free to text at the link above or email whatsjustpod@gmail.com.

Follow Whatsjust on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to receive details on where and when the next live Critical Conversation will take place.

And, as always, please review, subscribe, and share with everyone you know :)

Become a supporter of the show with a monthly subscription (amount of your choice) and get a shoutout in upcoming episodes!

Visit our website at https://www.abigailrhenson.com/podcast

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode features Dr. Jane Ward, professor and chair of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of the recent book, The Tragedy of Heterosexuality. In this conversation, we explore the complexities of heterosexuality, its historical context, and the implications of gender dynamics in relationships. We discuss

• The evolution of marriage
• Exploring sexuality
• The commodification of relationship advice
• How to be a feminist

I would love to hear your feedback, take-aways, or comments. So pease feel free to text at the link above or email whatsjustpod@gmail.com And please follow Whatsjust on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn and subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get details on where and when the next live Critical Conversation is happening!

And, as always, please review, subscribe, and share with everyone you know :)

Become a supporter of the show with a monthly subscription (amount of your choice) and get a shoutout in upcoming episodes!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Critical Conversations

01:42 Understanding the Tragedy of Heterosexuality

06:06 Historical Context of Heterosexuality

10:00 Sexuality as a Choice

14:54 Queering Relationships and Gender Dynamics

19:53 The Misogyny Contradiction

21:50 The Heterosexual Repair Industry

26:41 Exploring Feminist Frameworks in Relationships

29:02 The Role of Men in Feminism

32:31 Navigating Sexuality and Gender Identity

36:40 The Importance of Values in Relationships

41:50 Feminism and the Dating Scene

46:36 Redefining Relationships Beyond Heteronormativity

51:51 Hope and Transformation in Heterosexual Relationships

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