Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness Extra Curious

Did you know that in ancient Greece, the stereotype that women were “overly emotional” came from the false idea of a “wandering womb?” Neither did we! Dr. Karen Tang joins Jonathan to go deep on the long history of stigma and shame around gynecological care, and to answer all our questions about what it even is. Plus we talk about the state of gynecological care in this election year, draw out the connection between the attacks against abortion care and trans affirming health care, and how to advocate for better care for yourself and your loved ones.



Dr. Karen Tang is a board-certified gynecologist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon who is an internationally recognized leader in reproductive health. She reaches millions of viewers each month with her educational videos about period health, pelvic pain, and reproductive rights. Dr. Tang has been featured in The Washington Post, Self, Glamour, NBC.com, and NPR, among other media outlets. Her new book, It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told), is out on May 7th!



You can follow Dr. Tang on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads @karentangmd



Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.



Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.



Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.



Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.



Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.



Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on ASK JVN, the podcast for the coinsy queen who likes to talk about sex- and other things too - we're talking passenger princesses, vibrators vs the "D, and friends who talk too loud in public.

Have a question for Jonathan? Send it our way at askjvn.com, or slide into our Getting Curious DMs.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Our Senior Producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is by Nathanael McClure.

Need a transcript of this episode? Send us a DM on Instagram @curiouswithjvn.

Ever wonder who makes Laverne Cox’s hair look so good? It’s none other than this week’s guest, Dee TrannyBear! Dee tells Jonathan all about their incredible origin story: they started off working in German salons as a high school student and eventually came to America where they found queer community. Then Dee and Jonathan talk shop about all things wigs: which ones to buy, tips for installing, and how much you can expect to pay if you want an expert’s touch. Plus, Dee teases a MAJOR new project.



Dee TrannyBear is a master wigologist and haircolorist. Having grown up in Germany, Dee recently came to the U.S. and has taken the industry by storm. They frequently work with celebrities such as Laverne Cox, Alok Vaid-Menon, internationally acclaimed painter Kehinde Wiley, and many other influential leaders across industries.



Dee is on Instagram at @deetrannybear.



Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.



Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.



Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.



Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Earth Day, Curious People! To celebrate, we’re inviting research scientist Marcus Eriksen from 5 Gyres to the pod. Marcus tells us about his 88 day journey from California to Hawaii sailing on a raft made from 15,000 plastic bottles to research microplastics in the ocean and raise awareness about plastic pollution. Then Marcus answers all our questions like: how did plastic become so popular in the first place, why is so little of our plastic recycled, and what can we do on an individual and systemic level to create stronger policies and more robust solutions? Plus, Jonathan and Marcus go deep on the ongoing Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.



Marcus has led expeditions around the world to research plastic pollution and used that research to drive solutions. He co-published the first global estimate of marine plastic pollution and the discovery of plastic microbeads in the Great Lakes, which led to the federal Microbead-free Waters Act of 2015. He and his wife Anna founded 5 Gyres with an 88-day journey from California to Hawaii on a Junk Raft that they built from 15,000 plastic bottles. Now, Marcus and 5 Gyres continue to lead with scientific research to drive upstream solutions through education, advocacy, and community building.



You can follow 5 Gyres on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @5gyres, or on their website where you can find more ways to get involved.



Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.



Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.



Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.



Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.



Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on ASK JVN, the podcast for the coinsy queen who likes to talk about sex- and other things too - we're talking boyfriends who pay, scientists who want to eat ass, and trolls in the comments.

Have a question for Jonathan? Send it our way at askjvn.com, or slide into our Getting Curious DMs.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Our Senior Producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is by Nathanael McClure.

Need a transcript of this episode? Send us a DM on Instagram @curiouswithjvn.

This week, Keeks Reid tells us all about how she followed her passion for beauty all the way Cosmopolitan U.K.! We learn all about the impact of social media on beauty journalism, the difference between micro trends and trends with staying power, and how to find your personal style. Plus, Keeks shares about her exciting next chapter with Jonathan: she’s going to cosmetology school to take her love for hair to the next level!



Keeks Reid started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as an Editorial Assistant for Blackhair and Hair magazine. She worked her way up to Acting Editor of Blackhair at just 23 years old. Now she is the Contributing Beauty Director of Cosmopolitan UK, and works with a range of companies, from consumer and trade magazines and websites, to beauty brands and salons.



Keeks is on Instagram and TikTok @keeksreid.



Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.



Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.



Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editory & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. 



Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.



Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices