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Ill Conceived

Ill Conceived

By: Josh Boerman & June Sternbach
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About this listen

A podcast about natalism. Hosted by Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Traditional Scrench) and June Sternbach (Kill The Computer, The Onion).

Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Surrogacy: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

    Surrogacy: The B-Side (PREVIEW)
    Feb 14 2026

    THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A BONUS B-SIDE EPISODE. For access to the full length version of this and every other biweekly bonus B-side, go to Patreon.com/illconceived

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    We didn't get a lot of mail about surrogacy this week. But you wanted to hear more about weird Silicon Valley Christians and we wanted to talk about them, so we read from an interview with the founder of a Peter Thiel-connected organization called ACTS 17 that hosted the "Code and Cosmos" event we mentioned in last week's main feed episode.

    Plus, an update on Trump Accounts.
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    22 mins
  • Surrogacy

    Surrogacy
    Feb 7 2026
    An increasingly popular childbirth option for couples who cannot easily naturally conceive is to utilize a surrogate who gestates and births the pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. And as of late, surrogacy is also being used by some especially wealthy people, particularly in the tech industry, as a way for them to avoid pregnancy altogether. This week, June and Josh look at the history of surrogacy, the moral disagreements among the religious right about the practice, and some of the ethical and legal complications that can result. ***REMINDER: WE HAVE A PATREON! Every other week, we release B-side supplements to the main episodes where we read your e-mail responses and discuss things further. Come check us out at Patreon.com/illconceived!*** ***WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THE MAILBAG! Send an email with feedback about this week's episode to illconceivedpod@gmail.com*** EPISODE ART: Cindy Bi, a venture capitalist who attempted to give birth via surrogacy. When the pregnancy resulted in a stillbirth, Bi sued her surrogate and went to the press to disparage her further. AUDIO CLIPS: 1:15:47 – Epic Church promotional "About Us" video1:22:49 – Ben Pilgreen, pastor of Epic Church, delivering a sermon called "What Maturity Demands" SOURCES: Man into Woman: An Authentic Record of a Change of Sex (1933)The History of Surrogacy: A Legal TimelineBaby M and the Question of Surrogate MotherhoodSurrogacy Laws: The Best States For Compensated SurrogacySevere Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity Among Gestational Carriers: A Cohort StudyAmericans want biological children but prefer adoption to surrogacyThe Difference Between Love and SurrogacyGestational Surrogacy Success RatesCommon issues with surrogacy and IVFSurrogates 20 years on: long-term psychological health, contact with surrogacy families, and thoughts and feelings about post-birth contactThe Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It?The billionaire obsession with surrogacyChristianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New ReligionThe Chinese Billionaires Having Dozens of U.S.-Born Babies Via SurrogateArtificial womb robot promises cheap surrogacy but sparks deep ethical fearsSilicon Valley wants to help me make a superbaby. Should I let it?Suggestion to use brain stem dead women's bodies for surrogate pregnancies sparks huge backlashRegulation of Genetic TestsPerspectives on Surrogate Motherhood FOLLOW THE SHOW: Website: illconceivedpodcast.comBluesky: ‪@illconceivedpodcast.comTumblr: @illconceivedpod FOLLOW JOSH: Website: joshboerman.comBluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.worldOther podcast: The Worst of All Possible WorldsStream: Traditional Scrench FOLLOW JUNE: Bluesky: @junlper.beerOther podcast: Kill The ComputerWriting: June's Substack ILL CONCEIVED THEME SONG BY: Caleb (Linktree / Bluesky)
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    1 hr and 39 mins
  • Peter Thiel: The B-Side (PREVIEW)

    Peter Thiel: The B-Side (PREVIEW)
    Jan 30 2026

    THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A BONUS B-SIDE EPISODE. For access to the full length version of this and every other biweekly bonus B-side, go to Patreon.com/illconceived

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    Palantir employees are in their feels about their company's complicity with ICE and we're talking about it. We also issue a couple corrections about the Peter Thiel episode (28 is the number of days in a menstrual cycle and it turns out that Thiel does have children), then dig into the world-famous mailbag for your thoughts on:

    • The way that Ashley St. Clair and other right-wing media figures have influenced children to develop a conservative worldview from a young age, both recently and in the past

    • The privacy and data tracking implications of period tracking apps

    • The paradox of the non-identity problem and how it applies to IVF

    If you haven't listened to June and Matt's interview with Ashley St. Clair, go check it out!
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    20 mins
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