After 10 months and over 30 episodes, In Good Society's run has come to an end. But a new show is coming in its place. -- Hey! It's me, Sydney, the host. While I'm sad to call it quits on my brainchild, your first idea isn't always your best--especially when you're trying something new. Managing a biweekly show has become too much for my college schedule, so I'm switching to a new format that will help me create better, more impactful episodes. The new show, LACED, will release all at once...

Insulin is one of the most disproportionately expensive drugs in America, and for many diabetics, the consequences of that cost can be life-threatening. On this episode, activist and mutual aid organizer Zoe Witt explains how our current healthcare system prevents many diabetics from being able to afford their insulin and how that lack of access affects health outcomes. They also share their personal experiences rationing insulin and explain how their organization, Mutual Aid Diabetes, is...

Not only do health outcomes in the US fall short of other developed countries, but some groups disproportionately carry the burden of poor health. In this episode, we look at how race, class, and gender affect the quality of care that people receive and their odds of living a long, healthy life. Licensed social worker and University of Texas at Austin doctoral candidate Liana Petruzzi walks us through the reasons why medical care varies so widely between these groups and how factors like...

Around the world, the US is an outlier when it comes to healthcare policy. In this episode, University of Notre Dame PhD candidate Mette Evelyn Bjerre walks us through the ways that healthcare in the US sticks out from other countries. From how much we pay to how long we wait for the doctor, Eve shares the surprising facts and experiences that make American healthcare so different—and so much less efficient—than the other places she's lived. You'll also hear stories from Giulia Zattoni, an...

What is universal healthcare, and why is the United States the only major country without it? Throughout November and December, we're exploring the push for universal healthcare and investigating how it could benefit Americans. To kick off our discussion, Dr. Lindy Hern from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo answered my burning questions about the topic. We talked through our nation's current healthcare system and the problems it causes, what different types of universal systems look like...

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program that allows undocumented immigrants who came here as children to work and attend school legally for a limited period of time. To close out our discussion of the No Human Is Illegal movement, I talk with Dr. Alessandra Bazo Vienrich about how this legislation has helped young immigrants and where it still falls short. We discuss what it takes to get DACA status, how being undocumented inhibits students' educational success, and what...

Each year, thousands of children show up alone at the US-Mexico border, and each new president tries to find an answer to the obvious yet unresolved question—how do we take care of them? In this episode, we'll explore how immigration policies have tried to protect unaccompanied minors and where the current programs fall short. Joining us is immigration reporter Laura Morel of Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. She has been on the front lines of exposing the harsh realities of...

Dive deeper than the headlines and explore who undocumented immigrants really are. I sat down with Dr. Victor Espinosa, an assistant professor of sociology at The Ohio State University Newark campus, to answer all of the burning questions you never knew you had about the undocumented population. We discussed where these immigrants come from, how they find jobs in the US, the price tag of crossing the border, how Trump impacted the demographics of undocumented immigration, and more. And by the...

The cruelty of how we treat undocumented immigrants is one of the biggest political issues being discussed in American media today, whether it's the border wall, family separation, or kids being kept in cages. This month, we're exploring the slogan "No Human Is Illegal" to understand the flaws in our current system and learn what a more humane, welcoming immigration process might look like. Immigrant rights activist and Ohio State biomedical engineering student Lia Gomez Perez kicks things...

To wrap up this month's discussion about the movement to "Decriminalize All Drugs," we look back at everything that we've learned over the past five weeks. This episode features a conversation with my dad, Jason Sauer, about the link between drug policy and white privilege, how War on Drugs PSAs shaped his beliefs (and parenting) about drugs, our shared experiences interacting with a family impacted by drug addiction, and much more. If you're new to the show, this episode is a summary of the...

As marijuana legalization has accelerated, psychedelics seem to be the next item on the decriminalization docket. But for people who have never experienced a psychedelic "trip," it can be difficult to understand the benefits of these powerful drugs and the contexts where they can be used safely. This episode features three different perspectives on psychedelics to answer all of your questions about the experience, covering everything from ego death to microdosing. You'll hear from Shane...

When you look closely, United States drug policy revolves around two things—money and race. Even during times when public fear of drugs has been at an all-time high, like the infamous "War on Drugs" that started in the 1970s, the dangers have been way more politically manufactured than scientifically based. I got to learn all about this from Dr. David Herzberg, a professor at the University of Buffalo who's an expert in the history of drug policy. We discussed how the War on Drugs came to be,...

A new group of drug activists are working against the age-old idea of abstinence and instead focusing on how to make drugs safer. These "harm reductionists" provide support and resources to people who use drugs to help keep them safe from infections, overdoses, communicable diseases, and other drug-related harms. This episode, featuring Ohio-based peer support specialist Suzanne Plymale, gives the 411 on harm reduction, including strategies that these activists use to save lives, how we all...

Throughout August, we'll be exploring the movement to Decriminalize All Drugs. But what does that even mean? In this episode, we dig into the basics of decriminalization—what it is, how it works, and what it will take to get there—with the help of Douglas Berman, a law professor who leads The Ohio State University's Drug Enforcement and Policy Center. Learn the limits of decriminalizing versus legalizing a drug, how decriminalization has affected drug use in the past, and what happens if a...

"Asian American" is an intentionally broad term meant to build solidarity between marginalized groups. But what are the limits of grouping such a wide range of cultures under one umbrella? In this episode, learn how the typical definitions and expectations of Asian Americans can leave South Asians, such as Indians and Pakistanis, out of the narrative. You'll first hear from sociologist Dr. Bhoomi Thakore how the limited and negative depictions of South Asians in the media reinforce real-world...

Educating the next generation about AAPI culture and history is crucial to building a more tolerant, equitable future for the Asian American community. But where do we even start? In this episode, you'll hear from two powerful voices how anyone, Asian or not, can help pass down the dynamic Asian cultures and experiences that make America beautiful. Jane Park is a Korean American mom from Seattle who posts the ups and downs of parenting on her viral Tik Tok account, and Karalee Wong Nakatsuka...

For permanent residents, green card holders, and other non-citizens, committing certain types of crimes carries a penalty beyond jail time—deportation. On today's episode, we take a critical look at how immigration, schools, and the judicial system all connect to prevent thousands of AAPI immigrants from establishing their lives in America. You'll hear from Eddy Zheng, a formerly incarcerated Chinese-American activist who served a life sentence and faced deportation for a crime he committed...

Although the Stop Asian Hate movement is only a few months old, the United States has a long, often hidden, history of anti-Asian discrimination, hate, and violence. This month, we're diving into the Asian-American experience, both past and present, to learn how we got to where we are today and what we can do about it. Joining us today to give an overview of the Stop Asian Hate movement is Telly Wong. He's the founder of #WashTheHate, a campaign started in 2020 to share the stories of how...

What's the big deal about gay bars and drag? Today's episode takes a deep-dive into the inner workings of drag culture to understand why it's so important to the LGBTQ community. I talked to Columbus, Ohio drag queen Blonde Vanity about her experience as a professional performer, including what it takes to make it as a pro, how to make the industry more inclusive in the future, what drag queens do from 9-to-5, and much more. Follow Blonde Vanity on Instagram:...

In a world where gender rules all, the idea that "male" and "female" are made-up concepts sounds ridiculous at first. But when you take a closer look, masculinity and femininity aren't the straightforward, clear-cut categories that many people perceive them to be. In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Brandon Andrew Robinson, a professor of Queer Studies at the University of California Riverside, about how gender has varied over time and space, what it means for gender to be non-binary, and...

Being gay is only one part of who you are, and sometimes, the rest of your identity can make things complicated. Today's episode is a conversation with Bernard Flythe, a professional tubist from Atlanta, Georgia, about his experience being both gay and Black. We talked about the burden of being a spokesperson for not only his sexual orientation but also his race, how being Black can make being gay a lot harder, and why he feels it's so important for people like him to speak up. Rising Stars...

The Christian church and the LGBTQ community have historically been in conflict, but according to today's guest, it doesn't have to be that way. Reverend Stacey Midge is the pastor of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, an LGBTQ-centric faith community in Cincinnati, Ohio. She shares why her congregation believes Christian faith is meant for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and how her experience as a bisexual pastor has shaped her views about ally-ship, acceptance,...

Welcome to Pride Month! For the next five weeks, we'll be investigating the history, stories, and sociology of Pride. This week's episode lays the foundation for our series with a crash course on Pride Month, covering everything from the influence of Stonewall to being a better ally. You'll hear from Jason Villemez, an editor at the iconic Philadelphia Gay News, which has been chronicling the gay liberation movement since 1976. If you've always wondered what rainbows have to do with being...

To conclude our month-long examination of the Eat the Rich movement, we investigate one of America's most time-tested solutions to inequality: unions. From child labor to standardized work hours, unions have made some of the biggest gains for workers' rights in our nation's history, and they are just as relevant today. Joining us to discuss the power of unions is Dr. John Logan, a professor at San Francisco State University and one of the leading experts on anti-union policy in the US and...