Episode 4: BODIES (Pt. 1&2)
“In summer I walk the dogs at dawn
before the rattlesnakes awake. In cold weather
I walk the dogs at dawn out of habit.
In the pastures we find many oval deer beds
of crushed grass. Their bodies are their homes.”
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PART 1
In part one of this episode, you’ll hear a conversation between me and Dr. Shakina Nayfack, an actress, dancer, director, producer, educator, and social activist. Shakina takes us through moments from her childhood and adolescence and reflects on ways that she has come to understand and love her body in the face of a relentless onslaught of cultural messaging (implicit and explicit) that tells us that our bodies are not worthy of love, respect, or honor, and that tells us in many ways that our bodies are not our own.
We also talk about broadening the platform for transgender representation in entertainment, body neutrality, body exploration, and about the ways that we can give our children the freedom and the language to tell us about their own body experiences. And about listening to and believing them when they do.
PART 2
In part two of this episode, sex educator Julia Feldman joins me for a round of rapid-fire questions about bodily autonomy, exploration, boundaries, language, and about pushing back against cultural expectations.
I also talk with Lori Mannette about her adopted child Charlie, and how she encourages him (and everyone) to critically investigate their own beliefs and opinions.
Then I’m joined by Ellen & Tom Macy, about the things they bring to their parenting from their own upbringings, and about Ellen’s relationship with her body through a cancer diagnosis at age 24.
And to round out the episode, I chat with playwright, screenwriter, and educator Topher Payne, about how he learned the importance of personal boundaries, and about how he uses his writing to show children the value of creating boundaries in their own lives.
