Them Before Us With Katy Faust

Katy and her team address the latest controversy comparing embryo adoption to surrogacy and talk about a new campaign to "End Obergefell." Learn more from Them Before Us at www.thembeforeus.substack.com and at www.endobergefell.com.

Because Katy is out of town, TBU staff members Josh and Jenn took over the program this week. They discuss the big news out of Iran, the uptick in American political violence, and the controversy surrounding a pregnant mother who was kept on life support for her unborn child. They celebrate the SCOTUS ruling to defend children's well-being and bodily safety from trans ideology and the allegations against Newsboys' Michael Tait. Finally, they address some big questions about surrogacy and how to share about children's rights without making everyone mad at you.

In this thought-provoking episode, Katy and Jenn explore the growing bipartisan recognition that fatherhood matters and how the absence of dads affects generations of boys. They discuss the cultural shift highlighted by sociologists and unpack what makes fathers unique and irreplaceable in a child’s development.

Next, they reflect on the ten-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges with Andrew Walker's latest article for The Gospel Coalition and consider how the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage has impacted children’s rights.

Next they take a closer look at a new development in biotechnology. A new tech company has released an online dashboard that ranks embryos based on the likelihood of nearly 900 genetic traits and conditions, including mental health risks, BMI, and IQ. This gives parents the option to discard embryos that do not meet their preferred profile. Katy and Jenn raise urgent ethical questions about the growing trend of treating children as customizable products.

This week on the show, Katy is digging into the roots of the “birth dearth” in America. Is it economics, worldview, or both? We look at new data showing how stable, well-paying jobs may be the best natalist policy out there — better than bonuses or benefits alone.

In our news commentary, we turn to Sesame Street’s decision to spotlight Pride Month. As major brands step back, why is children's content leaning in? How should parents respond when messages about identity and sexuality land in their kids’ media?

Plus, we tackle the troubling rise of elderly couples commissioning babies through surrogacy. A UK couple in their 70s just won parental rights — but what does that mean for the child’s future?

And finally, Katy and Jenn wonder how should Christians respond in truth and love when media voices we usually support stumble?

This episode covers Louisiana’s IVF law changes, the harmful impact of pornography on marriage, and a free speech case involving a student’s T-shirt. We also tackle listener questions about parenting, surrogacy, and same-sex parenting. Please note, due to mature content, listener discretion is advised if children are present.

Today's episode covers a tragic fertility clinic bombing driven by anti-life ideology, a pro-family spending bill in Congress, and a major study on the long-term harm of divorce. We also answer listener questions on adoption, blended family values, and healing after heartbreak.

In this episode, we dive deep into the generational shift that's turning the hustle culture on its head. Gen Z is trading skyscrapers for small towns and status for simplicity. But is slowing down the key to a better life, or just a retreat from responsibility? We unpack the values behind this movement and what it could mean for faith, family, and the future.

Then, we tackle the cultural confusion around cohabitation. Is shacking up a safe test run for marriage or a dead-end detour? We separate the science from the slogans and challenge the narratives shaping young hearts.

And in our listener Q&A: Can regular check-ins save your marriage? Should you stay in a sparkless relationship? And can a marriage survive a child from an affair?

Check out more from Katy at thembeforeus.com and support our ANDnotOR campaign the next two months!

This week on Them Before Us Radio, we dive deep into stories that every Christian should be paying attention to. Why is the Trump administration defending Biden’s abortion pill policy? Why did a Maine judge call a conservative church a “cult” and bar a mother from taking her daughter to church? And what’s really behind Colorado’s latest transgender bill? We tackle these headlines from a biblical worldview, with honest commentary rooted in Scripture and a heart for truth. In our final segment, we answer your powerful listener questions—from navigating divorce with moral clarity to raising kids with wisdom in a digital world.

In this episode, Katy and Patience unpack a major new study on the abortion pill that reveals alarming truths the industry and FDA have long downplayed. Nearly 1 in 9 women who take the abortion pill experience serious complications, destroying the narrative that it's "safer than Tylenol." We examine how policy changes and mail-order access have enabled widespread abuse, sidestepped state laws, and put countless women at risk.

Then, listen to a clip from our IVF | FYI series where Ari Schulman, editor of The New Atlantis, shares about the rapidly evolving frontier of reproductive technology, from IVF to in vitro gametogenesis. What happens when we can create embryos from skin cells? What moral boundaries are we crossing, and how should Christians respond?

Finally, Jenn and Katy tackle your thought-provoking listener questions—from robot housekeepers to the ethical wreckage of broken families and surrogacy gone wrong.

This week on the show, Katy and Josh connect the dots between law, culture, and lived experience—always with children’s rights at the center. From President Trump’s executive order on IVF to state-level shifts on gender identity and family law, they unpack how policy decisions are shaping the lives of the next generation. Then Katy and Jenn turn to your questions. What do we say to someone navigating the grief of being donor-conceived? How should the church respond when life doesn’t follow the “perfect plan”? And is using embryo selection ever morally defensible?