51 Percent

WAMC

4.7 (13)
ARTS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Whether it's the environment, health, our children, politics or the arts, there's a women's perspective, and 51% is a show dedicated to that viewpoint. Host Jesse King talks to experts in their field for a wide-ranging, entertaining discussion of issues that not only fall into the traditional 'women's issues' category, but topics that concern us all as human beings and citizens of the global community.

DEC 20

Telehealth abortion care, and the power of empathy

The state of Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas patient via telemedicine. On this week’s 51%, we discuss the case with Mary Ziegler, a law professor at UC Davis and a leading historian on the U.S. abortion debate. We also get some tips on how to destress around the holidays and speak with psychiatrist Dr. Judith Orloff about why empathy is important not just for our own wellbeing, but for that of our communities. Guests: Mary Ziegler, Martin Luther King Jr. professor of law at the University of California, Davis; Dr. Judith Orloff, psychiatrist with the University of California, Los Angeles and author of The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Your Sensitive Self, Your Relationships, & the World 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

32 min
DEC 13

Gretchen Sisson on "Relinquished" and the politics of adoption

On the latest 51%, we speak with sociologist Gretchen Sisson about her book Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. Sisson studies the relationship between abortion and adoption in the U.S., and is part of a team of researchers for "The Turnaway Study" at the University of California, San Francisco. In Relinquished, Sisson compiles a decade's worth of interviews with women who gave their newborns up for adoption through a private adoption agency. In unpacking how some agencies pressure (and rely on) struggling moms to relinquish their children, Sisson pushes back on the idea that adoption is an ethical alternative to abortion, and questions whether it's really a choice at all. Guest: Gretchen Sisson, sociologist with Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California San Francisco, author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

31 min
DEC 6

Julie Fingersh on what it means to "Stay"

On this week's 51%, we speak with journalist and author Julie Fingersh about her debut memoir Stay: A Story of Family, Love, and Other Traumas. Fingersh is the former executive director of the volunteer organization Boston Cares, and her journalistic work has appeared in The New York Times, O Magazine, and The Huffington Post. In Stay, she reflects on her decision to leave her career and become a stay-at-home mom, as well as the importance of mental healthcare and the cost of family secrets. Guests: Julie Fingersh, author of Stay: A Story of Family, Love, and Other Traumas 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

29 min
NOV 29

Breast cancer with Life Kit's Marielle Segarra

On this week's 51%, WAMC's Ian Pickus speaks with NPR Life Kit host Marielle Segarra about the importance of breast cancer screening, and her own battle with breast cancer as a woman in her mid-30s. We also speak with Dr. Niraj Sharma of Cardinal Spine & Pain Medicine about some non-surgical treatments for chronic pain, and the struggles faced by independent, small-town doctors. Guests: Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit on NPR; Dr. Niraj Sharma, Cardinal Spine & Pain Medicine You can listen to Life Kit's episode on breast cancer here. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

31 min
NOV 22

Alice Rothchild on "Inspired and Outraged"

On this week’s 51%, we speak with physician and author Dr. Alice Rothchild about her new memoir, "Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician." Rothchild worked almost 40 years as an OB/GYN, taught at Harvard Medical School, contributed to the first edition of "Our Bodies, Ourselves," and co-founded an all-women’s practice in Boston in the late 1970s. In "Inspired and Outraged," Rothchild uses poetry to explore her transformation from a 1950s “good girl” to a fierce physician and activist. Guest: Dr. Alice Rothchild, author of "Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician" 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

29 min
NOV 15

Erin Loos Cutraro on why "She Should Run"

On this week’s 51%, we speak with Erin Loos Cutraro, founder and CEO of the nonprofit She Should Run, about why Kamala Harris’ loss should not discourage women from running for office. Also, the reelection of former President Donald Trump has piqued some Americans’ interest in the “4B movement,” a fringe freminist movement from South Korea where women swear off sex, dating, marriage and childbearing with men. We speak with Yale University’s Meera Choi about how the 4B movement got its start, and whether it could actually gain traction in the U.S. Guests: Erin Loos Cutraro, CEO and founder of She Should Run; Meera Choi, sociology PhD. candidate at Yale University 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

29 min
NOV 8

Kamala Harris concedes

Donald Trump will once again be president of the United States. The former president defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in this month's general election, marking the second time Americans have chosen Trump over a woman candidate. On this week’s 51%, we check in with Ange-Marie Hancock, a political science professor and Kamala Harris Project scholar with The Ohio State University. Also, for 10 states, abortion rights were literally on the ballot this year in the form of various ballot proposals. We’ll take a look at the results with the Center for Reproductive Rights. Guests: Ange-Marie Hancock, executive director of OSU's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, and the curator of the Kamala Harris Project, a consortium of scholars studying Harris' tenure as the first woman vice president; Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy for the Center for Reproductive Rights 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York. Jesse King is our producer and host. Our associate producer is Madeleine Reynolds, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. ------------

33 min
NOV 1

Can we heal the divide?

Election season is here and tensions are high. On this week’s 51%, we learn about a nonprofit working to heal America’s political divide and foster healthier dialogues between citizens. Gabriella Timmis of Braver Angels teaches us how to build trust and, in some cases, find common ground with people we disagree with. Our associate producer, Madeleine Reynolds, also speaks with etiquette expert Elaine Swann about how to confront rude people and “let crazy be crazy.” Guests: Gabriella Timmis, director of communications and marketing for Braver Angels and Blue leader of its New York City Alliance; Elaine Swann, etiquette expert and author of […]

36 min

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4.7

out of 5

13 Ratings

Informative and polished!

11/20/2022

Lisa22B

Jesse’s calm and polished. The information is timely, thought provoking, and useful for listeners. I feel like I’m getting news I can use.

Whether it's the environment, health, our children, politics or the arts, there's a women's perspective, and 51% is a show dedicated to that viewpoint. Host Jesse King talks to experts in their field for a wide-ranging, entertaining discussion of issues that not only fall into the traditional 'women's issues' category, but topics that concern us all as human beings and citizens of the global community.