Making It Awkward

Re-release! Pronatalism, Eugenics, Fertility and Climate Justice with Dr. Eoin Flaherty

Dr. Oz has made up a new description of American women: under-babied [https://people.com/dr-oz-says-americans-under-babied-11972922]. So it was a good time to return to this conversation with Dr. Eoin Flaherty. The Trump administration has talked about using awards [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/trump-motherhood-medal-pronatalist-nazi/], scholarships [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/politics/trump-birthrate-proposals.html] and cash [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-5000-baby-bonus-incentivize-public-children/story?id=121094707] as incentives to have more children. People see Elon [https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/us/pronatalism-elon-musk-birth-rates-cec] as a leader in pronatalism conversations. Dr. Eoin Flaherty [https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/people/eoin-flaherty] is back on the show to connect the dots between population control, pronatalism, and the environment. Eoin talks with Jessica [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/] about the Better Baby fairs [https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/better-babies-contests-united-states-1908-1916] of the 1900s and the two talk about how race is the underpinning of pronatalism even if no one speaks about it directly. The two talk about fertility hysteria, and the difference between fertility rates and birth rates. Eoin shares what research is next for him, and Jessica thinks that he might get the attention of Make America Healthy Again evangelists. Eoin on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@eoinflaherty] Some mentions from the episode: Alison Pill's episode [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-it-awkward/id1698799122?i=1000677774049] Dr Paul Saladino AKA Captain Cotton Underpants [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJre-9zupf2/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D] Adriana Smith [https://www.npr.org/2025/05/21/nx-s1-5405542/a-brain-dead-womans-pregnancy-raises-questions-about-georgias-abortion-law] Timeline of Ireland abortion laws [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43962738] Maternal death rates in the US [https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-efforts-to-address-them/#:~:text=Key%20takeaways%20include%3A,18.1%20per%20100%2C000).] Dr. Harvey Kellogg RELATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO RACE DEGENERACY [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1286411/] Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com [makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com] You can buy awkward merch [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/merch]! You can become a Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingItAwkward] member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod] Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd [https://www.instagram.com/jessicawilson.msrd/] and TikTok @byjessicawilson

Anti-Hunger Policy and MAHA's Creep into Public Health with Meghan Cichy, MPH. RD.

People are hungry in America [https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics#foodsecure], in a country of billionaires, where food should be a human right, and the administration will no longer collect data [https://www.npr.org/2025/09/22/nx-s1-5549115/usda-food-insecurity-survey-hunger] on food insecurity in the US saying that it is "redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous" and that number is only going to grow as people attempt to renew their benefits and the work requirements for SNAP go into effect. In this episode Meghan Cichy, MPH RD [http://linkedin.com/in/meghancichyrdn] returns to discuss her and Jessica [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/]'s recent trip to DC for the National Anti-Hunger and Policy Conference [https://antihungerpolicyconference.org/], and their time walking the halls of Congress. They chat about the Farm Bill [https://www.wbng.com/2026/05/13/farm-bill-heads-senate-after-house-vote/] that will go before the Senate. Meghan and Jessica get into one conference presentation in particular, and its surprising similarities to MAHA talking points. They also reference the People vs Poison [https://thepeoplevspoison.org/] rally. Next episode's topic will be Yesteryear. [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/780686/yesteryear-a-gma-book-club-pick-by-caro-claire-burke/] Sec of USDA Brook Rollins said that "we now have moved 4.3 million Americans off of the food stamp program." [https://wlos.com/news/nation-world/fact-focus-why-nearly-43-million-people-are-no-longer-receiving-food-stamps-05-05-2026] Food insecurity vs nutrition insecurity [https://www.lafoodbank.org/stories/the-difference-between-food-insecurity-and-nutrition-insecurity/] SNAP work requirements [https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-social-security-ssi-disability-benefits-cuts-parents-children] Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com [makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com] You can buy awkward merch [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/merch]! You can become a Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingItAwkward] member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod] Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd [https://www.instagram.com/jessicawilson.msrd/] Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jessica-wilson-ms-rd/its-always-been-ours/9780306827693/]

The People vs Poison Rally RoundUp with Trampus Harmon

Jessica attended the People vs Poison rally [https://thepeoplevspoison.org/] that was held in Washington DC on April 27th and Trampus Harmon comes back to the show to hear all about it. She shares her conversation with a Bernie Sander door knocker turned Trump supporter and the two talk about Alex Clark's [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXo4cdVDjeS/] speech, Cory Booker's [https://www.instagram.com/p/DXpyDbbDm7y/?hl=en] appearance, and whether things were truly bipartisan at the rally. Trampus also shares his thoughts and experience with SNAP, from his farmer perspective. Watch the rally [https://thepeoplevspoison.org/live] Del Bigtree [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rfk-jr-hires-del-bigtree-anti-vaccine-activist-communications-director-rcna131859] Liana Werner-Gray [https://theearthdiet.com/] Trampus's previous episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zed_fiZOr6w] Steak and Shake MAHA officer [https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2026/04/21/steak-n-shake-chief-maha-officer-position/89718725007/] Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com [makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com] You can buy awkward merch [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/merch]! You can become a Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingItAwkward] member and my dad will welcome you to the community! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod] Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd [https://www.instagram.com/jessicawilson.msrd/] and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jessica-wilson-ms-rd/its-always-been-ours/9780306827693/]

Re-release: The Ultra-Processed Food Hysteria to Trad Wife Pipeline with Lindsay Lee Wallace

Jessica's UPF experiment has been in the news again! She invited journalist Lindsay Lee Wallace [https://linktr.ee/lindsayleewallace] back to the show to see if the two could answer some questions: How has the ultra-processed food hysteria impacted politics today? And what the heck is happening with the news media? The two talk about gender, the recent UPF coverage, who has been interviewing Jessica recently, the feedback she's gotten, and a surprise email Jessica received. Articles discussed in this episode: Slate [https://slate.com/life/2025/01/ultraprocessed-foods-healthy-energy-fear-trader-joes.html#] and Daily Mail [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14308879/dietician-ate-ultra-processed-foods-body-impact.html] NYT UPF week [https://www.nytimes.com/explain/2025/well/ultraprocessed-food-challenge] Washington post had this [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/01/07/healthier-ultra-processed-foods/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F404a873%2F677d5cdf64c0860cbc220da3%2F629581879f177f157d25be0e%2F13%2F56%2F677d5cdf64c0860cbc220da3] The New Yorker had its own contribution [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/13/why-is-the-american-diet-so-deadly] Cuomo [https://www.instagram.com/reel/C59KpINOUuN/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==] You can buy awkward merch! You can contact the show at makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com Follow Dietitian, Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod How to support this podcast? Follow/subscribe, rate and review! Jessica's dad will read reviews and comments on the air! Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Glyphosate & the People vs Poison Rally: Fear vs Facts

How much should we fear glyphosate [https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/glyphosate]? We get drastically different answers depending on who you ask. Trampus Harmon, Making it Awkward's farmer in residence, returns to the show to provide us the facts, context and nuance that was missing from podcaster and Wellfluencer Courtney Swan's [https://www.realfoodology.com/] Realfoodology podcast episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvFAWnn3tnY] about glyphosate. Trampus loves facts over fearmongering, and prefers nuance and complexity with statements about the state of farming. Trampus points out the dichotomies of Swan discussing the distrust in corporations while doing ads for them throughout the podcast and on social media. The two discuss the claim from the MAHA Moms "this is not what we voted for" and Swan's false assertion that "the dose makes the poison" no longer applies. Trampus gives Jessica some things to listen for when she attends the People vs Poison rally [https://thepeoplevspoison.org/] on April 27th at the Supreme Court. Additionally Trampus shares a bit about the grant proposal he wrote in college titled "A study of long-term effects of herbicides on the American Farm Family" and he couldn't leave without Jessica asking him about potential cuts to SNAP [https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill]. Supposedly glyphosate free foods [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DWbx1fRhrW8/] RFK's glyphosate statements [https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/2025760500793909389] Executive order on pesticides [https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/promoting-the-national-defense-by-ensuring-an-adequate-supply-of-elemental-phosphorus-and-glyphosate-based-herbicides/] Glyphosate article retraction [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230025002387?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=9efeeb9cab926dd5] Glyphosate in kids [https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2022/07/cdc-finds-toxic-weedkiller-87-percent-children-tested] Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment! Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com [makingitawkwardpod@gmail.com] You can buy awkward merch [https://www.jessicawilsonmsrd.com/merch]! You can become a Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingItAwkward] member! You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod] Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd [https://www.instagram.com/jessicawilson.msrd/] and TikTok @byjessicawilson Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jessica-wilson-ms-rd/its-always-been-ours/9780306827693/]