Best Real Reckless Conversation Podcasts (2025)

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What Next | Who Is Trump Promoting For Life? 31:10

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2h ago31:10

31:10

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to vote on Emil Bove, who has been promoted from Trump’s personal lawyer to his current nominee for a lifelong appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In any other administration, Bove would be a real outlier. But here? He’s par for a very strange course. Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chi…

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Care & Feeding | When Your Kids Can’t Eat the Same Thing 38:03

2h ago38:03

38:03

On this episode: Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Lucy Lopez dive into a letter from a parent who’s stuck in the food fight crossfire between their college-aged child—who has both celiac and ARFID—and a preschooler who’s suddenly mimicking the restrictive eating. Is this a passing phase? A red flag? Or just one of those strange sibling mirrors? Th…

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What Next: TBD | When A.I. is Sycophantic 25:30

23h ago25:30

25:30

He started using ChatGPT to help with spreadsheets. But their relationship took a turn, and before long it was telling him he could leap off a 19-story building and fly. Guest: Kashmir Hill, features writer at the New York Times. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your …

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Slate Money | One Big BS Bill 59:14

9h ago59:14

59:14

This week: Trump's supersized “One Big Beautiful Bill” is now one big BS act. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers the economic ramifications of congress passing the controversial megabill. Then, Trump’s trade war continues to shock and confuse. The hosts discuss the logic, or lack thereof, of his latest tariff proposals. And finally, buri…

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ICYMI | Love Island’s Toxic Relationship With Social Media 45:08

9h ago45:08

45:08

After a contestant was kicked off Love Island USA for resurfaced racist social media posts, the internet backlash was swift. But some think the show mishandled her exit, especially in light of the UK franchise’s past failure to protect the mental health of those in the villa. Hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dive into the show’s rocky relationshi…

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Amicus | The Call Is Coming From Inside The Court 51:34

11h ago51:34

51:34

In this episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick sits down with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to dissect the most recent Supreme Court term and its implications. They explore Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's emerging role and influence, the patterns of bias within the court that she’s calling out, and the broader systemic issues facing the judiciary. Their c…

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What Next: TBD | Hot Measles Summer 29:30

1d ago29:30

29:30

It’s a record-breaking year for America: we’ve now had the most reported cases of measles since the disease was declared “eradicated” in 2000. How did public health backslide so hard that it undid decades of progress—and is there any hope we can get back on track? Guest: Dylan Scott, senior health correspondent at Vox. Want more What Next TBD? Subs…

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Political Gabfest | Who Wants a Third Party, Anyway? 1:12:05

2d ago1:12:05

1:12:05

This week, David Plotz and guest hosts Mike Pesca and Susan Glasser discuss what to make of Elon Musk’s quixotic attempt to start a third political party in America, how Trump’s conflation of national interest with self-interest creates an incoherent foreign policy, and the tedious but impactful “summer rerun season” of Trump’s tariff folly. Here a…

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Care & Feeding | When Your Teen Thinks They're the Parent 45:15

2d ago45:15

45:15

On this episode: Zak Rosen, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Lucy Lopez dive into a letter from a parent with three kids spanning college to preschool — and two of them are acting like they run the nursery. What do you do when your teens become self-appointed disciplinarians for your four-year-old? And how do you re-establish the line between “big sibling” a…

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What Next | Stage Managing Sex in Hollywood 33:51

3d ago33:51

33:51

In the wake of #MeToo, Hollywood productions began hiring “intimacy coordinators,” people who work to ensure sex scenes are safe and comfortable for performers. How are they working out so far? Guest: Jennifer Wilson, staff writer at the New Yorker. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next fami…

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What Next | Was the Flash Flooding in Texas Preventable? 27:47

4d ago27:47

27:47

After one of the deadliest floods in American history in central Texas, people are looking at cuts to the National Weather Service and FEMA’s absence contributing to the devastation. But one looming problem is much, much bigger. Guest: Jeff Goodell, writer covering climate change, author of The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched…

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ICYMI | Encore: Is ChatGPT Your Therapist? 43:21

4d ago43:21

43:21

Candice Lim is joined by Dazed senior writer Laura Pitcher to discuss her piece, “Meet the people using ChatGPT as their therapist.” Since ChatGPT’s public release in late 2022, there has been a growing reliance on the artificially intelligent chatbot in people’s everyday lives. TikTok users are talking about the way they use ChatGPT as their thera…

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Culture Gabfest: Sorry, Straight White Male Novelist Edition 1:02:41

4d ago1:02:41

1:02:41

On this week’s show, Julia and Dana are joined by June Thomas for a decidedly feminist discussion. They start with Sorry, Baby, the debut feature from writer, director, and actor Eva Victor, about a young academic’s life after a terrible trauma. The panel debates whether the film— which was a Sundance hit for A24 — is a tart, surprising traumedy or…

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Outward | Archiving the Spirit of Ballroom with Michael Roberson 44:32

4d ago44:32

44:32

This week, Bryan is joined by theologian, activist, and ballroom historian Michael Roberson to discuss his new book, Ballroom: A History, A Movement, A Celebration. Roberson traces the rich legacy of the ballroom scene—from its origins in resistance and survival, to its role in shaping public health responses during the height of the AIDS crisis an…

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What Next | Is Trump Running the Fugitive Slave Act Playbook? 26:45

5d ago26:45

26:45

A federal force—often defying local governance—coming to take people away without due process has happened before. What lessons can be drawn from parallels between a law that led to the Civil War and what’s happening today with Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement? Guest: Jamelle Bouie, columnist at the New York Times Want more What Next? Subsc…

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Slate Money | Money Talks: The Working Homeless in America 48:39

5d ago48:39

48:39

In this Money Talks: Elizabeth Spiers is joined by journalist Brian Goldstone to discuss his book There is No Place for Us on the rising homelessness crisis and how a huge swath of the US population can be working and still lack stable housing. They’ll dive into the misconceptions around who makes up the homeless population, the many ways people li…

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How To! | Stop Giving 110% 44:58

5d ago44:58

44:58

Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a ‘90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time.…

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Death, Sex & Money | What Military Service During “Peacetime” is Really Like 57:22

5d ago57:22

57:22

Ray Christian joined the U.S. Army in 1978, as a way to get his life started. He became a paratrooper, an infantryman, and a drill sergeant. He also endured trauma and found that getting out of the service was more challenging than he expected. This week, Ray discusses why he signed up in the first place, what it was like serving in-between major c…

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Hang Up | The LeBron and Giannis Loyalty Test 1:16:41

5d ago1:16:41

1:16:41

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs break down an unexpectedly quiet start to NBA free agency while big trade rumors keep swirling. They dig into fresh betting scandals rattling baseball and basketball, including Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz. And they debate whether the WNBA’s ambitious expansion plans are moving too fast for the …

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What Next | The Spectacle of “Alligator Alcatraz” Is the Point 30:17

6d ago30:17

30:17

Built in just eight days, Donald Trump and Kristi Noem toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention facility built on a disused airstrip in the Florida Everglades. Even before Trump touched down in South Florida, branded merchandise was being sold. Soon after he headed back to Washington, the first detainees were brought in. Guest: Sommer Bruga…

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Care & Feeding | Becoming a Parent Is a Process 45:21

6d ago45:21

45:21

On this episode: Slate’s own Aymann Ismail is with us to talk about his new book, Becoming Baba – which is out TOMORROW! We’ll talk about the book. But first, Aymann, Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth take a question from a listener who’s hoping to reclaim the time that she feels like she lost during the newborn phase. And on Slate Plus: Elizabeth has a d…

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What Next: TBD | How A.I. Lost (and Won) the Big Beautiful Debate 30:55

7d ago30:55

30:55

As the One Big Beautiful Bill bounced around Congress, one provision—the 10-year moratorium on states making laws to regulate artificial intelligence—fell out. But AI-fans don’t need to worry, there’s still plenty of industry support in the bill. Guest: Will Oremus, technology news analysis writer for the Washington Post. Want more What Next TBD? S…

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Slate Money | Markets Will Be Markets 55:11

9d ago55:11

55:11

This week: The US stock market has reached a new all time high. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers are joined once again by investments expert Barry Ritholtz who talked us through the market turmoil of Trump’s tariff spree back in April. Barry helps the hosts break down the behavior of the markets right now, examine the historical contex…

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ICYMI | Not Even Lawsuits Can Stop AI 46:46

9d ago46:46

46:46

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate senior tech editor Tony Ho Tran to parse through what Meta’s victory in a recent AI lawsuit means for its users. Tools like ChatGPT are becoming more common at home and at work, but without protections, they could threaten not just the creativity of artists, but anyone who posts online. As regulation…

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What Next: TBD | Rerun: Death of the Weather Forecast? 30:24

10d ago30:24

30:24

This episode was originally published on April 27, 2025. The Trump administration has already begun cutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the U.S. National Weather Service. What’s the advantage to understanding the weather less? Guest: Daniel Swain, weather and climate scientist with the University of Californi…

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Political Gabfest | Is Trump’s Reckless Bill Unpopular? 1:13:15

11d ago1:13:15

1:13:15

This week, David Plotz and guest hosts Will Saletan and Catherine Rampell discuss what the Senate’s regressive budget bill will do to the health of America, whether there is space left for non-Trump conservatives in American politics, and how Paramount’s settlement of Trump’s meritless lawsuit signifies the fall of another guardrail against an auth…

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Care & Feeding | Comebacks For “I’m Bored” 42:06

11d ago42:06

42:06

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah talk about summer boredom. We get questions about this every year — so we’re coming in early this year with some ideas for how to handle that classic, but dreaded, complaint… that no, really, there’s nothing to do. And after that, of course, we’re sharing a round of triumphs and fails. Join us on Facebook…

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What Next | One Big Deeply Unpopular Bill 32:11

11d ago32:11

32:11

Trump wants his “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by July 4. But the bill is so large and expensive—with deep tax cuts only partially offset by huge cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—there’s something in there for almost every member of Congress to hate. Guest: David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Pl…

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What Next | Is This the End of NPR and PBS? 33:02

12d ago33:02

33:02

The Trump administration’s plans to strip funding from PBS and NPR is the latest in a long line of Republican fights against public broadcasting. The House has already voted to take back over a billion dollars it had previously agreed to pay. Will the Senate sign off on it next? Guest: Brian Stelter, chief media analyst at CNN. Want more What Next?…

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Decoder Ring | The White Noise Boom 54:58

12d ago54:58

54:58

White noise has a very precise technical definition, but people use the term loosely, to describe all sorts of washes of sound—synthetic hums, or natural sounds like a rainstorm or crashing waves—that can be used to mask other sounds. Twenty years ago, if you’d told someone white noise was a regular part of your life, they would have found that unu…

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ICYMI | The Most Famous Facelift on TikTok 36:29

12d ago36:29

36:29

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay discuss an American woman in her 50s who is going viral for her plastic surgery journey. Michelle Wood is a mom who traveled to Guadalajara to undergo several procedures, including a facelift and a chin implant. She documented her journey before and after the procedure, creating intrigue, curiosity, and surprisingly pos…

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Culture Gabfest: Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition 1:04:51

12d ago1:04:51

1:04:51

On this week’s show, Steve, Julia, and guest host Sam Adams are off to races with F1:The Movie, the new Brad Pitt racing vehicle featuring lots of racing vehicles. Is the thrill ride more than the sum of its sports movie cliches, high-octane action sequences, and perpetually handsome movie-star? Does the answer even matter? Next, they’re joined by …

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Amicus | Our All-Star SCOTUS End-of-Term Breakfast Table 1:02:19

12d ago1:02:19

1:02:19

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern host the panel that’s guaranteed to help you understand what happened during the Supreme Court’s latest term – examining the major decisions, the emergency docket, and the evolving dynamics on the court. Dahlia and Mark welcome the New York Times’ Jamelle Bouie, civil rights lawyer and 14th Amendment scholar Sh…

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What Next | We Need to Talk About the Supreme Court 34:33

13d ago34:33

34:33

Last week’s big Supreme Court decisions walked back rights for individuals and the powers of the lower courts—and in aggregate made it ever more difficult to believe the court is anything other than another vehicle for delivering the outcomes favorable to Republicans and the conservative project. Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer coveri…

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How To! | Start Reading Books Again (Encore) 41:21

13d ago41:21

41:21

Kate stopped reading in 2016. Since then, she’s tried to find her way back to it but something’s not clicking, and it’s left a book-shaped hole in her heart. Reading used to be something she really enjoyed, took pride in, and loved connecting with people over. On this episode of How To!, co-host Carvell Wallace brings in Maryanne Wolf, director of …

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Death, Sex & Money | Baywatch Made Me World Famous. My Stalker Stole My Privacy. 56:01

13d ago56:01

56:01

Alexandra Paul always loved connecting with fans. She had many, from her breakout role in the 1983 horror film Christine to her years playing a lifeguard on Baywatch. In 2011, Paul's career was slowing down, but it was also the year that she met her biggest fan: a woman who would come to stalk her for over a decade, costing Paul tens of thousands o…

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Hang Up | The Caitlin Clark Dilemma 1:08:21

14d ago1:08:21

1:08:21

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Caitlin Clark’s injuries, controversies, and dramas that continue to spotlight the Fever and WNBA. They also get into the effects of major league baseball teams' use of minor league ballparks, plus a talk with SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell to break down the NBA draft. On the bonus episode …

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What Next | Why Is ICE Masked Up? 33:34

14d ago33:34

33:34

ICE agents have begun concealing their identities in masks and plainclothes while making arrests. Experts—including a former ICE official—say that endangers those agents, and violates the trust between law enforcement and the citizenry. Guests: Philip Bump, columnist for the Washington Post Scott Shuchart, ICE’s Assistant Director for Regulatory Af…

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Care & Feeding | What Counts as Screentime? 41:29

14d ago41:29

41:29

On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth chat about screentime. We’ve got two great questions that are variations on the theme: are podcasts screentime? And you missing out on something if your little ones don’t get to watch a certain children’s YouTuber? We’ll discuss. After that, we’re circling up for a round of triumphs and fails, because why no…

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What Next: TBD | The FTC’s Merger Shakedown 27:31

15d ago27:31

27:31

Under a normal administration, a merger between two large advertising firms might attract the government’s interest for anti-monopoly reasons. Under this one, the Federal Trade Commission is creating conditions to…ensure that X still gets advertiser dollars? Guest: Kate Conger, technology reporter for the New York Times. Want more What Next TBD? Su…

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Slate Money | Megayacht Foam Parties Are In 49:42

16d ago49:42

49:42

This week: Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary in the race for New York City mayor. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the alarmist reactions from business leaders to the Mamdani’s win and why he’s hardly the threat to capitalism they make him out to be. Then, Trump has turned his sights on Jay Powell once again, threatenin…

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ICYMI | How Coming Out Videos Changed YouTube 51:19

16d ago51:19

51:19

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim are joined by Ingrid Nilsen, an OG beauty lifestyle YouTuber who you may know as “MissGlamorazzi,” to reflect on the 10-year anniversary of her most iconic video to date. Throughout the 2010s, YouTube was the platform of choice for “coming out” videos. During those years, the U.S. saw progress in LGBTQ+ acceptance and r…

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Amicus | “No Right Is Safe” 56:19

16d ago56:19

56:19

The cataclysmic opinions from SCOTUS on Friday certainly suggest that the courts can no longer save us. In fact, in Trump v. CASA., we learned that it’s somehow not actually the job of the courts to save us from blatant violations of our rights. With universal injunctions drop-kicked and district court judges sidelined, it’s going to be nearly impo…

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Hit Parade | Mighty Real Edition Part 2 1:05:36

17d ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no one owned her. Sylvester was a gender-fluid icon who helped define disco. Freddie Mercury made rock operatic, and George Michael demanded freedom. What all of these LGBTQ artists had in common was bold hitmaking—and fear of being fully out of the closet. For decades, …

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What Next: TBD | The Other Iran-Israel War 27:29

17d ago27:29

27:29

In addition to the three-dimensional war of bombs and missiles, Iran and Israel—and the US—are squaring off in a cyber battle. With everything from water infrastructure to banking connected to the internet in some way, how much damage can cyberattacks do? Guest: Maggie Miller, POLITICO cybersecurity reporter Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Sl…

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Political Gabfest | Let’s Plunge, New York 1:09:39

18d ago1:09:39

1:09:39

This week, Emily Bazelon and guest hosts Ruth Marcus and James Forman discuss Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities with guest Steven Cook from the Council on Foreign Relations, Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary, and an astonishing whistleblower report that sheds incriminating light on Trump’s judicial n…

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Care & Feeding | DOGE Cut My Job. How Do I Tell My Kid? 49:15

18d ago49:15

49:15

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah help a listener who’s just lost her job due to DOGE cuts – and now, she’s trying to figure out how to explain what’s happening to her elementary schooler. And, they’re getting ready to move back to the States after working and living overseas. There’s a lot to unpack, and we’ll do what we can to help. And…

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What Next | How Zohran Mamdani Did the Unprecedented 33:42

18d ago33:42

33:42

How Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani upset the better-connected, better-funded, better-known candidate in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary—and how he might actually govern if he makes it into office. Guest: Ross Barkan, contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine columnist, and Editor-in-Chief of The Metropolitan R…

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ICYMI | TikTok May Win Battles, But YouTube Will Win the War 48:18

19d ago48:18

48:18

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Yahoo senior entertainment reporter Kelsey Weekman, who is fresh off the plane from this year’s VidCon. Unlike past years, when TikTokkers took over the Anaheim Convention Center, VidCon 2025 put YouTubers front and center, inducting the first creators into the VidCon Hall of Fame. With platforms like MySp…

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Outward | The Latest on Trans Rights in the Court and in Congress 55:22

19d ago55:22

55:22

In this episode of Outward, Bryan talks with Slate legal reporter Mark Joseph Stern about a federal judge’s sweeping and controversial ruling in United States v. Skrmetti, which could have massive consequences for access to gender-affirming care. Then, Christina sits down with Congresswoman Becca Balint to talk about what it means to advocate for t…