Big Mood, Little Mood with Daniel M. Lavery (Slate Podcasts)

This week Bryan, Jules, and Christina are joined by reporter Jasmine Mithani to talk about the Kids Online Safety Act. While protecting children from harmful material online seems like a win for everyone, some LGBTQ organizations fear that KOSA would be used to shut down LGBTQ+ content online and take away important resources for queer youth.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Trace Lysette (Transparent, Hustlers) talks about her critically acclaimed film Monica, with Jules. The film tells the story of a trans woman returning home after decades of estrangement from her dying mother, and was the first-ever film led by an out trans actor to debut at the Venice Film Festival. Jules talks to Trace about the layers of her performance and the rollercoaster experience of making and campaigning the film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dear Prudence and Slate’s Christina Cauterucci take on behavior that goes from bad to worse: a “toxic friend” who uses her mental health issues to get away with abusing her friends; a man trying to shame his wife into having a “regret baby” seven years after they both agreed to an abortion; and a father who wants to tell his preteen sons how much he doesn’t love their mother. Plus, Prudie advises a woman wondering if she can move into her own place even though she’s happily married, encourages a listener to go for it with an eager ex, and meditates on weak endings and the deadening managerial mantra, “If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.” Full episodes of the Dear Prudence podcast are available exclusively to Slate Plus members. Listen to old episodes at Slate.com/Prudiepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan Lowder sits down with Evan Urquhart of Assigned Media, a news site dedicated to daily coverage of anti-trans propaganda and its effects to discuss his latest article ‘The Outing of Bubba Copeland’ for Slate. Bubba Copeland was the Mayor of Smiths Station who was outed for having an online trans-identity by a conservative news website and later that week committed suicide. Bryan and Evan discuss how this outing reflects the wave of anti-trans legislation. Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Email us at outwardpodcast@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery and Madeline Ducharme join Bryan in taking on your uniquely queer queries, like- what to do when your facial piercing helps everyone remember your name- but you can’t remember theirs. White lies about homophobia, queer kids coming out, philosophical questions, and more in this latest round of Outward advice.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jules and Bryan join Slate Editor Jeffrey Bloomer to take on the spooky and surreal of All Of Us Strangers, a new film from director Andrew Haigh. Plus, prides, provocations, and delicious new additions to the gay agenda. Podcast production by Palace Shaw.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outward’s own Jules Gill-Peterson has a new book, A Short History of Transmisogyny, that gives insight into a fascinating queer history that stretches across time and around the world. In this episode, Bryan and Jules dig deep into the origins of transmisogyny and the liberatory beauty of trans femininity Podcast production by Palace Shaw.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Valentine’s Day Poet Cyrée Jarelle Johnson is joined by Outward producer Palace Shaw to share poems and chat about the inherent queerness of poetry and romance. They get into disabled approaches to sex, the trope of the queer doppelganger date, and give some advice to all the queer lovers out there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Bryan is joined by Slate’s Madeline Ducharme to solve the mystery of True Detective: Night Country’s queer undertones. Together, they whip out the detective corkboard and read between the lines of Jodie Foster’s ‘mommie’-like character and Kali Reis’ cheek piercings and come up with some interesting theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From 52 first dates to 8 boyfriends at once, Ashley Ray is a poly expert here to answer your relationship questions and demystify some poly terms. Today, Bryan and Ashley dive into the perils of unicorn hunters, metamour drama, and what to do with jealous feelings.  Email us at outwardpod@slate.com Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Bryan speaks with Reporter Jessica Bateman about her recent Washington Post article ‘They found spiritual joy. They won’t have it taken away. That details the importance of LGBTQ-affirming churches in Tennessee and the challenges they face.  Email us at outwardpod@slate.com Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2023 was a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation and with over 500 bills introduced in 2024 it’s shaping up to be another critical year for statutory rights for trans people. This week, Bryan and Jules review the damage done in 2023 and look at the implications for anti-trans legislation this year with Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project. Email us at outwardpod@slate.com Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode, guest hosts Daisy Rosario and Madeline Duchamp break down the new lesbian caper films Drive Away Dolls and Love Lies Bleeding. They dig into the joy of queer bars, Kristen Stewart's soft butch coming out, and the newly iconic Katie O’Brien. Podcast production by Palace Shaw.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan talks to writer Neil J. Young about his new book Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right. They dig into some of the inherent contradictions of the Gay Right and the pillars of their political strategy and reveal how central whiteness and maleness is to their politic.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jules and Bryan talk to Michael Goodyear about how trademark law is helping queer brands reclaim derogatory language. They dig into Dykes on Bikes and other early queer trademarks including the history of the rainbow flag we all know and love. You can read Michael’s article ‘The Surprising Result of the Supreme Court Case That Allowed Slurs in Brands’ on the Slate website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Outward producer June Thomas joins Bryan and Jules to chat about the very gay new series from Starz, Mary and George. They talk 16th-century sex and sexuality and share their prides, provocations, and the gay agenda for May.  Read What's Fact and What's Fiction in Mary & George from Slate Podcast production by Palace Shaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan and Jules are joined by new contributor Mathew Rodriguez for a round of advice. They tackle who gets to use ‘they’, raising polite and inclusive kids, and help one listener navigate the aggressive gender politics of straight weddings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Christina Cauterucci returns to Outward to talk with Bryan about her experience making ‘Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs’ and diving into one of the most consequential civil rights battles in American history: the first-ever statewide vote on gay rights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jules and Bryan talk to former Outward Producer June Thomas about her new book A Place Of Our Own: Six Spaces that Shaped Queer Women’s Culture. They take us from the commune to the feminist bookstore and discuss the world-building drive of the queer community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan, Christina, and Jules reunite for a classic Outward episode! They share their prides and provocations, set the gay agenda for July, and take on the recent spate of queer animal documentaries that beg the question: Can animals really be queer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan sits down with reporter Nico Lang to break down their recent Slate article ‘Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bills” Are Making a Major Comeback. Where’s the Outrage?.They delve into the concerning return of ‘Bathroom Bills’ and unpack what’s different this time around, why it’s taking root, and the larger strategy of this legislation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jules sits down with Art Specialist Corey Serrant from Swann Auction Galleries to chat about pieces from their upcoming LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History auction and how they found the art in the first place. From an Ancient Roman bust who was an unlikely companion to famous writers to an invitation to the Weimar Republic’s hottest lesbian bar, this collection spans centuries of queer life.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jules and Bryan are joined by dating coach and host of the KCRW podcast How’s Your Sex Life, Myisha Battle. Myisha covers dating friends, understanding your own desire, and making connections in the real world.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode long-time friend of the show June Thomas sits down with the editor of The Queer Arab Glossary, Marwan Kaboour. The glossary is the first published collection of Arabic LGBTQ+ slang and covers a wide range of dialects across the arab world. Marwan details how he decided to organize the glossary and what the words reveal about queer culture.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode long-time friend of the show and longtime WNBA fan Daisy Rosario sits down with queer sports reporter Frankie de la Cretaz to chat about the historic 2024 WNBA season. In this episode, they dig into the celebration and tension as the WNBA’s queer roots meet mainstream success. Can the league stay true to its queer community while taking on big-time sponsors and new fans?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 14th 2024, thousands of people joined the Gender Liberation March in Washington D.C. to join the call to protect reproductive health, bodily autonomy, and comprehensive healthcare access. In this episode, Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with lead organizers Raquel Willis and Eliel Cruz to talk about the march and movement building during an election year. Raquel and Eliel share into their intersectional approach to organizing and how gender liberation frees us all.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the hosts come together to unpack Sarah McBride’s groundbreaking win as the first openly transgender member of Congress. While the win is historic, Bryan, Jules, and Christina dig in to unpack the limits of representational politics and what it means for this win to exist alongside the emergence of anti-trans politics, which hit their all time high during this election cycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every week, Mallory Ortberg (aka Dear Prudence) tackles problems about love, life, and everything in between.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Christina Cauterucci explores the intimate connections between queer identity and the natural world with Bryn Mawr professor Kate Thomas. In this episode, we journey through the lives of Florence Blood and Princess Ghika, two enigmatic lesbians who found self-expression, love, and freedom renovating their Italian Renaissance estate at the turn of the 20th century- creating an enchanting landscape to host lesbian artists and thinkers of the time. Thomas unpacks how their landscapes reflect their identities and what they can teach us about the enduring relationship between queerness and the environment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Bryan talks to Lucas LaRochelle, the creator of the online platform Queering the Map. Queering the Map is a community-generated digital archive and map of LGBTQ2IA+ experiences around the globe. They dig into the map’s beginnings, stories from the platform, and how this archive has been able to share queer joy, sorrow, and possibility across continents and in 23 languages.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Kat Chow, a reporter and author of the forthcoming memoir, Seeing Ghosts. Lavery and Chow tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to trust a partner with a history of cheating. Another letter writer is wondering if her emotional affair with her best friend should be taken more seriously. Also, Chow takes a deep dive into Seeing Ghosts. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Jules speaks with journalist Sohini Desai about their latest article for Slate ‘Trans Health Care Is Under Attack. But Are Concierge Providers Really the Solution?’ Together they break down what these services offer and whether they can make a meaningful difference for trans people accessing healthcare across the country.  Produced by Palace Shaw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Ginna Green, a strategist-consultant-movement-builder now helping Jewish (and other) organizations change through her new firm, Uprise. She is also the co-host, along with Lynn Harris, of the Jewish advice podcast, A Bintel Brief. Lavery and Green tackle two letters. First, someone who is trying to save a friendship with a friend who tends to drive most people away. Another letter writer is trying to hold boundaries with her brother, but is worried that he has no one else to help him. Plus, how A Bintel Brief podcast came to be. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Big Mood, Little Mood. Sign up now at Slate.com/MoodPlus to help support our work Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Bijan Stephen, a reporter at The Verge, a music critic at The Nation, and a video game columnist at The Believer. He plays T.K. on the actual play podcast Fun City, hosts a couple shows on Twitch, and his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire, and elsewhere. Prudie and Stephen dig into letters about How to come to terms with a long ago relationship you now realize was inappropriate, what to do when your always negative sister-in-law decides to move to your town, how to decide when or if you’ll tell your parents that you’re legally changing your name, what to consider when you feel like you’re competing for your boyfriend’s attention with his female bestie.  Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Colby Gordon, an English professor at Bryn Mawr College, where he teaches weird gay poems. Prudie and Gordon tackle letters about what to do when you fear that transitioning would hurt your career, what to consider when your partner leaves you feeling vulnerable about your finances, how to talk to a close friend about her transphobic comments, how to handle regret over not supporting your trans and non-binary friends prior to you coming out as trans, what to consider when you stumble upon your friend’s fanfic Tumblr page. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Noah Kulwin, the co-host of Blowback, a political history podcast. He's also an associate editor at The Drift and a contributing editor at Jewish Currents. Prudie and Kulwin dig into letters about what actions to take with a niece who has been stealing from family and neighbors for years, how to handle a stubborn dad who prioritizes his side hustles over seeing his grandkids, what to do when your husband refuses to stop wearing sacred underclothes despite having left the Mormon church years ago, should you continue to see a guy that your family disapproves of.  Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by culture critic, podcast host and author, Kristen Meinzer. Meinzer currently hosts the podcasts Movie Therapy with Rafer & Kristen, and the podcast By The Book. Her books include So You Want to Start a Podcast, How to Be Fine (co-written with Jolenta Greenberg), and Return to Intercourse: An Amish Romance. She was named a 2020 Woman of the Year by The Women's Center in Washington DC.   Prudie and Meinzer tackle letters about what to do when your best friend is engaged to an abusive partner, how to handle it when your dad is out in the open about cheating on your mom, what to do when even an apology isn’t helping you recover from a friend argument, what actions to take when a boss calls you on zoom at inappropriate hours, how to address your concern with a friend who has moved towards nightly drinking. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Annalee Newitz, a science journalist, science fiction writer, and contributor to the New York Times opinion section. They are the author of the book Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age, and the novels The Future of Another Timeline, and Autonomous, which won the Lambda Literary Award. Prudie and Newitz dig into letters about what to do when you suspect your daughter’s sudden interest in civil rights issues is only to show off for her new boyfriend, what actions to take when your partner doesn’t respect your safe-word during sex, how to handle feeling “not relevant” and “too old” at the age of 26, what to consider when you are only attracted to your partner on days they present masculine.  Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Chau Tu, a writer, podcast producer, and the editor of Slate Plus. Prudie and Tu tackle letters about what to do when when your husband wants the two of you to move abroad to care for his mother and you don’t want to go, what to consider when you suspect your sister doesn’t really need the wheelchair she uses, how to meet people after an extended period of social isolation, what to do when you’re estranged from your sister but want to maintain connections to her children. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Alexis Coe, a historian and the New York Times bestselling author of You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington. She was a producer on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Washington series on the History Channel, and is also a producer on the film adaptation of her first book, Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis.  Prudie and Coe dig into letters about what to consider when your developmentally delayed daughter now shows interest in sex, should you let your girlfriend’s child know that their mom is a survivor of sexual abuse, what to do when your 35 year old best friend is having an inappropriate friendship with a 17 year old, how to be a support to your partner when you feel you have no bandwidth to be supportive. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Uma Kondabolu, the mother of comedian and prior Prudie guest, Hari Kondabolu.  Prudie and Kondabolu tackle letters about how to hold boundaries with a daughter who keeps begging for money, how to handle parents who won’t eat at your home because you allow cats in the kitchen, what to do when you’re put off by your family’s love of owning firearms, what to consider when your husband’s will leaves everything to his elderly parents and not your own children, what to consider when your boyfriend gets his ex-wife pregnant at the same time time you’re carrying his baby, what actions to take when you discover that your wife is a functioning alcoholic. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Julia Turshen, the author of the critically acclaimed cookbooks, Now & Again, Feed the Resistance, and Small Victories. Her new cookbook was released this month, and it’s titled, Simply Julia. She’s also the host of the podcast, Keep Calm and Cook On.   Prudie and Turshen dig into letters about what to consider with a daughter who you fear smokes and eats too much, how to handle an ailing mom who makes you feel bad about your weight, how to get colleagues to stop addressing you as “dear”, what to consider when you find it distasteful that your sister is giving non-professional advice on the internet. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 4th, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case that could decide the fate of gender-affirming care for trans people across the country. Outward’s own Jules Gill Peterson contributed to an amicus brief for the case, a document that provides expertise and historical context to assist the court in making it’s decision. In this episode, Bryan and Christina reunite with Jules to break down her contributions to the document and dive into the history of transition and the powerful voices of trans youth from across time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Karen K. Ho, a business and economics reporter for Quartz based in New York City. She has been published in Time, GQ, Glamour, Vox, Toronto Life, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Columbia Journalism Review and the new, critically-acclaimed true crime anthology Unspeakable Acts.  Prudie and Ho tackle letters about how to decide if you will pay for your son’s girlfriend’s abortion, should you wait to break up with your boyfriend until his leaves the job that you both share, what to consider when you wife doesn’t like your tendency to be calm when she is upset, how to reconcile your feelings with a mom who will never understand the pain she caused you growing up, should you let your now estranged husband see you after he so abruptly and painfully left your life, how to handle the heartbreak when your boyfriend of three years breaks up with you. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Rax King, the James Beard award-nominated writer of Tacky (forthcoming from Vintage Books in 2021) as well as the host of the podcast Low Culture Boil.  Prudie and King dig into letters about whether you should hire someone who shares a last name with the most prominent Nazi who ever lived, what to consider when your wife tells the same stories over and over again, what actions to take with a partner who asks you questions with irritation about every thing you do, how to express to your therapist that it may be time to take a break, how to be less judgmental of your friends on social media. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Jaya Saxena, a staff writer at Eater. Her latest book, Crystal Clear, an essay collection about how humans assign meaning and power to objects, was published in December with Quirk Books.  Prudie and Saxena tackle letters about how to handle a sister who’s adamant that you change to a vegan diet, how to tell your husband that you will file for divorce if he gets a pet, what actions to take when your sister-in-law is neglecting her baby, how to handle a family that is prematurely planning your wedding just because you’re dating someone nice. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Claire Cox, a writer and high school teacher and author of the forthcoming novel Silver Beach.  Prudie and Cox dig into letters about what to do when your wife wants you to review all her work emails before she hits send, how to steer clear of your abusive mom so you can see your siblings, what to do when your boyfriend gets defensive when you make suggestions that could help him at work, how to handle a cool reaction from colleagues at your decision to leave teaching in public school for private school. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Sarah Jaffe, the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted and Alone, and Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt, both from Bold Type Books. She’s also the co-host, with Michelle Chen, of Dissent magazine’s Belabored podcast. Prudie and Jaffe tackle letters about how to support your undocumented partner through their job search, what to consider when your partner stays in touch with her past abusive partners, what to do when your childhood fib about having hearing loss follows you into adulthood. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Leigh Bardugo, the New York Times-bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (coming soon to Netflix). Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Prudie and Bardugo dig into letters about how to support your non-binary child while avoiding their abusive father, how to handle your boss’s wife who’s always sharing hateful gossip with you, what to consider when you miss a relative that may not like you, what to consider when intellectual debates with your husband always turn into arguments. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Charlie Jane Anders, the author of Victories Greater Than Death, the first book in a new young-adult trilogy coming in April 2021, along with the forthcoming short story collection Even Greater Mistakes. She’s also the co-host of the podcast, Our Opinions Are Correct, along with Annalee Newitz. Prudie and Anders tackle letters about how to support your brother in his new relationship when you’re uncomfortable with their age gap, what actions to take when you’re living with family who neglect the needs of their toddler, what to consider when your teenager prefers the pronoun “it”. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Harry Eskin, a moving-image archivist based in Los Angeles. Prudie and Eskin dig into letters about if you should apologize for past conversations where you claim a heritage that you truly don’t identify as, how to talk to your mother about the way she neglected your sibling when you were children, should you preemptively write an apology on Linkedin for a racist costume you wore for your employer 10 years ago. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Anna Sale, the creator and host of Death, Sex & Money, the podcast from WNYC Studios. Her new book, Let’s Talk About Hard Things, will be published on May 4th. Prudie and Sale dig into letters about whether you should join a lawsuit against an academic advisor who was both harmful and helpful, what to consider when your wife donates money to strangers on Instagram, how to handle a sister that needs to share every little detail about her life with you. Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prudence is joined this week by Maddy Court, a writer and zinemaker. Her first book, The Ex-Girlfriend of My Ex-Girlfriend is My Girlfriend, an almanac of relationship advice for queer women with art and comics by Kelsey Wroten, is forthcoming from Chronicle Books. Prudie and Court tackle letters about how to protect your daughter from sexual harassment in her first restaurant job, should you tell your mom to stop talking about how much she regrets her past, what actions to take when you find out that your ex-husband cheated with your now deceased mother, what to do when you and your husband don’t agree on how to handle an your increasingly aggressive dog.  Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode of Dear Prudence every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Email: prudence@slate.com  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners: This will be the last week of the Dear Prudence podcast, as Danny Lavery is ending his run as Prudence. But keep listening to this feed—Danny’s new show, Big Mood, Little Mood with Danny Lavery, will premiere next week! Prudence is joined this week by Kate Duffy, a licensed clinical social worker in New York.  Prudie and Duffy dig into letters about what to do when your husband bites your finger hard during an argument, should you intervene when you hear a neighbor yelling at a child, how to handle finding out that your friend group is always hanging out without you, how to know if a friendship with your one-time bestie is still salvageable.  Slate Plus members get an additional mini-episode this podcast every Friday. Sign up now to listen.  Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this first episode of Big Mood, Little Mood, Danny Lavery starts to shed his almost 5 years of being “Dear Prudence”, and stretches out with his first guest, Aubrey Gordon. Gordon is a columnist for SELF Magazine and the author of What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat. She also co-hosts Maintenance Phase, a podcast that debunks and decodes weight loss and wellness trends. Lavery and Gordon give advice to a letter writer who is unsure where she stands with her husband after 18 years, and another letter writer whose partner’s picky eating may be a health risk. Also, Lavery and Gordon chop it up on diet culture, books tours, John Candy as Orson Wells, Warhammer, and so, so much more. Slate Plus members get an extra episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday, Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel, Alexander Chee. Lavery and Chee give advice to a letter writer whose partner revealed his abusive, jealous personality only after moving in together. Also, Lavery and Chee talk about finding a good therapist, couples therapy via 90s films, and all sorts of monogamies. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday, sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes actress Gates McFadden. McFadden is the host of the new podcast, Gates McFadden Investigates: Who Do You Think You Are?  Lavery and McFadden give advice to a letter writer who’s not thrilled about his wife’s botox injections. Also, McFadden talks about her transformative experience at the Jacques Lecoq school in Paris, and connecting with her former Star Trek co-stars on her new podcast. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday, sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Inkoo Kang, a TV critic for The Washington Post, and host of the podcast, All About Almodóvar.  Lavery and Kang give advice to a letter writer experiencing job burnout and wondering if she’ll feel hopeless forever. They also take a deep dive with their own experience with job burnout, which somehow leads to a discussion on who was actually wearing wigs on the TV show Mare of Easttown. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday, sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Email: mood@slate.com Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Sophie Lewis, the author of essays about octopus sex, theoretical screeds about capitalism, and numerous texts about family abolition, including the 2019 book Full Surrogacy Now: Feminism Against Family.  Lavery and Lewis give advice to a letter writer who is wondering how to set boundaries with a family that is siding with her abusive father. They also discuss a “soft version” of family abolition, and take a deep dive into the novel, Detransition, Baby. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday, sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes writer and actor Mara Wilson. Lavery and Wilson give advice to a letter writer who is wondering if she should disclose her depression to her boss and risk jeopardizing her job. Also, stories about mean grandmothers, and flailing hotel clerks.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Hallie Bateman, an illustwriter based in Los Angeles. She is the author of three books, including What To Do When I’m Gone, and Directions. Lavery and Bateman give advice to a letter writer questioning her own ethics about her decision to stop foster parenting. Also in this episode, the characteristics of mommy's girls, foursome etiquette, and a deep dive about Bateman’s new book, Directions. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes songwriter, novelist, and leader of the American band the Mountain Goats, John Darnielle.   Lavery and Darnielle give advice to a letter writer who is wondering if she should align with her partner's religion. Also in this episode, Darnielle discusses The Mountain Goats just-released collection of songs, Dark In Here. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Julian K. Jarboe, author of the LAMBDA Award-winning short story collection, Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel.  Lavery and Jarboe give advice to a letter writer who is wondering if her friend group will recover after discovering a secret relationship among two members. Also in this episode, Jarboe reads an excerpt from their piece, Trauma As Morality. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes author Rebecca Carroll, who recently published her critically acclaimed memoir, Surviving the White Gaze. Lavery and Carroll give advice to a letter writer who is wondering how to distance herself from her abusive mom. Also, Carroll goes in depth about the experiences that inspired her memoir, and a lighting round question about a conservative co-worker.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Dr. Paula Stone Williams, an internationally known speaker on gender equity, LGBTQ advocacy, and religious tolerance. Lavery and Williams dig into two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to crank up the family support for a non-binary niece. Another letter writer is wondering how to know if their decision to undergo top surgery is the right one. Plus, a deep dive into Williams new book, As A Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy after I Transitioned. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Jenée Desmond-Harris, Slate’s Dear Prudence. She was previously a senior staff editor at the New York Times, where she is now a contributing opinion writer. Lavery and Desmond-Harris dig into two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to handle her friend’s bestie who always makes her feel bad. Another letter writer is wondering how to live with a body that feels like an enemy. Plus, two Dear Prudences compare notes. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Anna Rubanova and Adam Bozarth, who are both founding members of the sketch comedy group, Left Handed Radio. They are also both producers at the Forever Dog podcast network. Lavery, Rubanova, and Bozarth tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to get her boyfriend to stop making insensitive comments. Another letter writer needs help procuring weed for the first time. Plus, a lightning round about when friends ask you to keep their infidelities a secret. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Kate Duffy, a licensed clinical social worker who has worked as a therapist in a variety of settings, including shelters, residential group homes, and outpatient clinics.  Lavery and Duffy read two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to get her dad to stop talking about family she has no interest in. Another letter writer is wondering how to combat loneliness while living on a sparsely populated island. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes journalist Zack Budryk, and photographer Charlie Stern. Together, Budryk and Stern co-host the relationship podcast Stim4Stim.  Lavery, Budryk and Stern tackle two letters. First, from a letter writer who is wondering why they feel scorn from strangers on a daily basis. Another letter writer who has fallen in love with her therapist. Plus, a deep dive into how the Stim4Stim podcast came to be. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Marissa Miller, author of Pretty Weird: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome and Other Oddly Empowering Lessons (Skyhorse)  Lavery and Miller tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering if she should put the energy into exposing her ex-husband’s lies. Another letter writer is wondering how to keep their really bad FOMO from upsetting their partner.   Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Divya Victor, a poet, author, and an Associate Professor of English at Michigan State University. She recently published CURB (Nightboat Books), which documents how immigrants and Americans navigate the liminal sites of everyday living. Lavery and Victor tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to tell her friend that she may have married a criminal. Another letter writer is wondering if she should just fail most of her students, since online classes have made it easier to plagiarize.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Angelica Jade Bastién, essayist for New York Magazine’s site, Vulture. Lavery and Bastién tackle two letters: First, from a writer who is wondering if it’s reasonable to revive a casual friendship. The second letter is from someone who is wondering if she should identify herself as disabled. Plus, Lavery and Bastién talk about how Billy Wilder films can often be just what the doctor ordered. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Catherine Baab-Muguira, author Poe for Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guru. Lavery and Baab-Muguira tackle three letters: First, from a letter writer who’s feeling overwhelmed in her polyamorous relationship. Another writer is wondering if she should tell the people who live in her childhood home about a secret room. The final letter is from someone wondering if they should rethink giving away part of their inheritance. Plus, a deep dive into Baab-Muguira’s new book. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Margaret Josephs, author of the memoir, Caviar Dreams, Tuna Fish Budget: How To Survive In Business and Life. Josephs also hosts a podcast with the same  Lavery and Josephs tackle three letters: First, from a letter writer who discovered some alarming issues after becoming her grandmother's bookkeeper. Another writer doesn’t know whether to share or destroy her box of letters written during a tough time. The final letter is from someone questioning the “rules” of ghosting. Plus, a deep dive into Joseph’s new book. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday. Sign up for Slate Plus now and get $25 off your first year. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Uli Beutter Cohen, a New York City–based documentarian, artist, and the creator of Subway Book Review. Her first book, Between the Lines: Stories from the Underground, will be published on October 26th. Lavery and Beutter Cohen tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to trust a once close friend who hurt her. Another writer wants to overcome her jealousy to experiment with an open marriage. Plus a deep dive in Beutter Cohen’s new book, Between the Lines. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday. Sign up for Slate Plus now and get $25 off your first year. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Lux Alptraum, the creator and co-host of Audible’s Say You’re Sorry, a podcast about public apologies — the ones that worked, the ones that failed, and, most of all, the ones that we can all learn from. Lavery and Alptraum read two letters: First, from a letter writer who is wondering how to get her friends to back off from flirting with her girlfriend. Another writer wants to overcome her guilt for mocking her date on social media. Plus, reframing apologies as good things. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday. Sign up for Slate Plus now and get $25 off your first year. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Melissa Hughs, an R&D Scientist who designs medical tests.  Lavery and Hughs take on three letters: First, from a letter writer who wants to cut off their parents, but not the rest of their family. Another letter writer is wondering how to establish online friendships. Finally, a lightning round question about how to introduce your trans teenager. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Daniel Cohen, a Ph.D. chemical biologist working at a small biotech startup that is developing a new generation of antibiotics and anticancer drugs.  Lavery and Cohen take on three letters: First, from a letter writer whose laid-up roommate is barking demands. Another letter writer is wondering how to get started in getting involved in community issues. Plus, a check-in into the world of chemical biology.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes adrienne maree brown, an author and the writer in residence at the Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute. brown recently published Grievers, the first in her novella series with Black Dawn Imprint. She’s also the co-host of the podcasts, How To Survive The End Of The World, and Octavia’s Parables. Lavery and brown tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer can’t help her spouse to help out while she’s pregnant. Another letter writer is afraid they might have ruined a friendship after saying too much while drunk. Plus, a deep dive into brown’s Grievers. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Folu Akinkuotu, the creator of Unsnackable, a newsletter about rare and inaccessible snacks around the world. Lavery and Akinkuoto tackle two letters: First, from a letter writer who thinks her boyfriend should save his life and quit his job. Another letter writer is wondering how to talk about weight loss without offending anyone at work. Plus, the story behind Unsnackable. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Grace Bonney, author of Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women over 50. Lavery and Bonney take on two letters. First, from a letter writer who’s scared to let his family know that his passion is poetry. Another letter writer is trying to figure out how to stop solving everyone’s crises, and have a life of their own. Plus, a deep dive into Bonney’s Collective Wisdom. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Tori Bedford, a writer and journalist based in Boston. Lavery and Bedford take on two letters. First, from a letter writer who isn’t sure how to let her new social circle know that they are not transgender. Then, another letter writer is wondering how to create better boundaries with her new, overbearing mother-in-law. Plus Bedford discusses her recent work on the “Mass and Cass” area of Boston. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Jo Livingstone, the culture staff writer for The New Republic, and the most recent recipient of the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the National Book Critics' Circle. Lavery and Livingstone take on two letters. First, from an office manager who wants to make sure everyone feels free to use their preferred pronouns. Another letter writer is overwhelmed by her friend’s requests to “pray for them”.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Edgar Gomez, the author of the forthcoming memoir High-Risk Homosexual, about coming-of-age as a queer, Latinx person in a culture of machismo.  Lavery and Gomez take on two letters. First, from someone wondering how to confront their subtly transphobic boss. Another letter writer is wondering what the rules are for dating when you are a pre-T trans guy. Gomez takes us “behind the scenes” into the making of his memoir. Plus, a listener update from “Sad in the Southwest”. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Olivia Charmaine Morris, Founder & CEO of Black Monarch Entertainment. Her new IG Live lifestyle series, "The Tea," invites celebrity guests to participate in intimate conversations.  Lavery and Charmaine Morris tackle three letters. First, from someone wondering if the grief they feel for a teacher from their distant past is out of proportion. Another letter writer is trying not to get discouraged in finding a musical mentor. Our final letter is from someone whose close friends always start dating each other. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Ali Vingiano is a filmmaker and actor, whose work includes writing and producing for the Emmy-winning series The Morning Show, and starring in her first feature film, The End Of Us. Lavery and Vingiano take on two letters. First, from someone who is exhausted by people trying to guess why she is ill. Another letter writer is mortified that a neighbor has started angrily knocking on their door while they’re having sex. Plus, a deep dive into Vingiano’s first feature film, The End Of Us. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Learn more here. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Wendy Lee, an associate professor in the English Department at New York University. She studies and writes about the history of the novel and philosophies of emotions and is currently working on a new book called Jane Austen & the End of Life. Lavery and Lee tackle two letters. First, from someone who wants to have a third child, despite her husband’s concern about passing along a rare genetic condition. Another letter writer is depressed about getting cut off by her close friend, and is wondering how much she can push for answers. Plus Lavery and Lee discuss Jane Austen and her devoted fans, or “Janeites”. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Colette Arrand, a transsexual poet from Athens, Georgia. She is the author of the poetry collection Hold Me Gorilla Monsoon, and is the editor of FanFyte, the wrestling section of Fanbyte Media. Lavery and Arrand take on two letters. First, from someone who can’t stop thinking about their partner’s dating history. Another letter writer identifies as a lesbian, but is getting push-back from her friends. Plus, Lavery asks Arrand about her lifelong passion for poetry and wrestling. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Kyle Lukoff, a pre-tipping point transsexual who used to be a school librarian but now writes children's books full-time. Lavery and Lukoff tackle two two letters. First, from someone who’s close friend is shaming them for having a long distance relationship. Another letter writer is overwhelmed with the choices at a sperm bank. Plus, Lukoff talks about publishing his first board book.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Michael Gerber, the editor and publisher of The American Bystander, an all-star print humor quarterly.  Lavery and Gerber take on two letters. First, from someone trying to stop her girlfriend’s mom from insulting her daughter as being “too butch”. Another letter writer is concerned about a one caring neighbor who has now turned creepy. Plus, Lavery asks Gerber about his favorite zines.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of the forthcoming book: On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends In An Unapologetic World. Lavery and Ruttenberg tackle two letters. First, from someone wondering if she should let her fiancée know that she doesn’t like her friends. Another letter is contemplating returning to a religious cult after experiencing the outside world. Plus, a behind the scenes preview of Rabbi Ruttenberg’s forthcoming book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends In An Unapologetic World. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Sarah Marshall, and a writer, media critic, and host of the modern history podcast, You’re Wrong About. She is also the co-host of the “feelings podcast about movies” You Are Good with Alex Steed.   Lavery and Marshall take on two letters. First, from someone wanting to approach their neighbor about their barking dogs. Another letter writer is concerned about scaring off a romantic relationship because of their non-traditional chosen family. Plus, Marshall takes us behind the scenes of her two podcasts.. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes comedian, author and host of the Emmy® Award-winning docu-series United Shades of America, W. Kamau Bell. Bell is also the director of the new Showtime docu-series called We Need To Talk About Cosby, which wrestles with the conversations of the #MeToo movement.  Lavery and Bell tackle two letters. First, from someone who was taken aback to find out that their team considers them a “toxic boss”. Another letter writer is wondering if they should make more of an effort to connect to a trans community. Plus, a deep dive into Bell’s w Showtime docu-series, We Need To Talk About Cosby. Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s questions are about life’s unfairness and the meaning of unconditional love; Dear Prudence and writer Carvell Wallace roll up their sleeves and get tough. A woman writes with a question about what she owes her troubled, and now-adult, adopted daughter; and an aunt wonders whether she must spend her savings on a treatment that might -- or might not -- save her terminally-ill nephew’s life. Remember, you can always hear more questions and advice by subscribing to Slate Plus: visit slate.com/prudiepod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Laura Leigh Abby, a writer and star and subject of a new documentary podcast series from Paradiso Media called Seventeen: Conversations with My Teenage Self.  Lavery and Abby take on two letters. First, from someone who's worried that her wife will discover her bullying past. Another letter writer is wondering how to get her husband to stop suggesting that she tries polyamory. Plus a look into what inspired Abby’s new documentary podcast.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jasmine Guillory is back in the studio with Prudie to talk about how to handle a partner who doesn’t believe in antidepressants, counsel a woman in an emotionally abusive relationship with a physically disabled man, and, for a bit of relief, adjudicate a parking-space dispute. Plus: do you, or do you not, have to go see the new Ghostbusters movie?  Hear the most Prudie you can by joining Slate Plus: visit slate.com/prudiepod to sign up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Kyle Turner, a queer freelance writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Turner is a contributor to Paste Magazine, and his writing on film and culture has been featured in The Village Voice, GQ, Slate, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times. Lavery and Turner tackle two letters. First, from someone who's not sure if they should identify as a lesbian give their history. Another letter writer is wondering how to support a close friend who is moving far, and also not get in her way. Plus, Turner shares about his Stephen Sondheim’s Follies themed birthday extravaganza.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does HR really work for employees — or is it just there for the company? Prudence shares a listener perspective. Then, Prudie and friend of the show Jos Lavery counsel a woman who’s essentially written in just to say how great her life is. A listener asks how to restrain their financially irresponsible fiancé before they both end up broke. Continuing the theme: a husband won’t stop smoking even though his doctors have ordered him to — and he blames his wife for conspiring with them.  And finally: is this what a midlife crisis is like?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices