Why Are We So Weird About Cancer?

You might look at the question in the title of this episode and think: duh, it’s because we’re weird about death. But cancer is so common, with so many different variations, with so many ways it can touch your life, in ways immediate and lasting… that of course we’ve figured out ways to be weird about it. Of course there are bizarre metaphors, of course we don’t have space for the messy, extended work of recovery; of course there are bizarre tropes and plot lines intended to make cancer more understandable which just make so many people feel like they’re “failing” at cancer when their own experiences don’t fit the popular narrative trajectory.

Dr. Stacy Wentworth is an oncologist, the author of the newsletter Cancer Culture, and the host of Less Radical, a new podcast about the surgeon who revolutionized breast cancer treatment — and changed the way we understand cancer today. And I knew she’d be the perfect person to talk about the way we talk about cancer, all the weirdness that can accompany it, and how that discourse has changed over time.

Show Notes:

• Subscribe to Stacy’s newsletter, Cancer Culture

• And listen to Less Radical wherever you get your podcasts by clicking this magic button

• Find all of Kate Bowler’s work (which Stacy mentions) here

• A good interview re: pinkwashing with the author of Pink Ribbon Blues

• Stacy also mentions a guest post in her newsletter by Judy Pearson, the biographer of the New York socialite who was instrumental to passing the bill that would grant significant government funding to cancer research — it’s fascinating

• The trailer for LOVE STORY!!!!! I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING!

• My Life now I’m really crying

• Brian’s Song

We’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:

• The Present and Past of NICOLE KIDMAN (with Sam Sanders!)

• Midwest [Dad] Masculinity / Tim Walz Memedom

• The new Gladiator + Paul Mescal JUST GENERALLY

• Explaining trends on BookTok

• Why does it feel like thrifting sucks now

• Anything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment

• You can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here (this is the subscriber-only form!)

For today’s discussion: What weird cancer conversations have popped up in your life? How has living through cancer (or being close with someone who has) changed the way you talk about it with others?

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