The Highlight

I went in search of outsiders who were thriving in communities where acceptance is hard to come by. It turns out, we might all learn from their approach to life.

Staying home will stem the coronavirus outbreak, but what if you’re healthy — and bored? Is it ethical to go for a run in a crowded park, go to the store, or order delivery?

Parents, let’s embrace — especially during this stressful pandemic — teaching our children to be perfectly average.

Many service employees are still at work. If you need help, maintaining their safety and yours will be tricky.

Amid changing tastes and a growing population from Ethiopia and Eritrea, chef Desta Bairu’s DC restaurant won national attention. The woman in the kitchen, not so much.

In his new book, investigative journalist Frank Smyth explores the group’s rise to favor, particularly under the Trump administration.

Why our aging population might be ignoring our pleas to isolate themselves.

In the age of burnout, some are angling to leave the instability of the workplace behind. Plus: the race to preserve quiet, the myth of the American heartland, and a comic about being multilingual.

“Financial Independence Retire Early” grew in popularity after the last financial crisis. But can the movement prepare its followers for the next one?

Preservationists have created the first Wilderness Quiet Park with hardly a peep from humankind. Now, they’re hoping the tourists will come — and spread the message of quiet.

How the Midwest became a symbol of what’s ordinary, wholesome and practical — and why this idea endures.

Answering a call from mom in public suddenly takes on new — and nerve-racking — meaning.

The pandemic has shown Americans that the millions of service industry employees are an economic force. But until this moment, did patrons and lawmakers ever really see us?

Popular apps are awarding points for beating “bad guys” and completing “power-ups” — and drawing from real, clinically approved treatments.

The 15-minute appointment is pervasive, and despised by patients and physicians alike. Rita Charon is teaching a generation of health care providers to listen better — with the help of literature.

The controversial term may be new, but the goal is the same: Drink less. And I do.

The politically turbulent 1960s, a singular painting, and Rockwell’s unlikely change of heart.

A century ago, we swaddled infants in gender-neutral outfits. So why is it so hard now?

For a generation of teens, the fragrance and its iconic ads upheld a bygone image of masculinity.

Artist Aliza Shvarts collected exam kits from across the country. Now, an exhibition is using them to explore evidence, consent, and the standard of care for assault victims.

Coming out as non-binary transformed the lives of these five Americans. Here are their stories.

The trouble with finding my true self in the beauty aisles.

Nonbinary adults discuss life in a changing landscape; passing while trans; remembering the “Axe effect”; parents’ tug-of-war over baby clothes; and more.

Two bioethicists explore the ecstatic (and thorny) future of chemical-infused relationship therapy.

Being a student is expensive beyond tuition — if you can even afford to be full-time.

The next wave in health care may be detecting health patterns from texts, tracked movements, and even our speech.

Here’s what new parents and financial planners have to say.

Academy Award nominations spotlight great films. So why do the awards themselves leave me cold?

Far from just being the ruthless bugs terrorizing your picnic, these insects are fascinatingly complex.

Journalist Peggy Orenstein crisscrossed the country talking to them about masculinity, women, and sex. This is what she learned.

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes has grand plans for wealth distribution. Plus: “Death positivity,” a pernicious comedy trend, and John Lewis’s forgotten words.

The multimillionaire Facebook co-founder is the latest moneyed titan to turn philanthropist, and has even called for Facebook’s dismantling. Can he really make a difference?

Unlike boomers, young people are embracing planning their own funerals. It’s fueling changes in the death industry.

Grappling with a culture that’s still okay with making fun of people like me.

The civil rights icon was told to cut a too-radical line from a famous speech. It says a lot about who he is.

How can some places use the federal holiday to honor “human rights” and Confederate generals — and not the civil rights leader?

As advocates reevaluate the value of offender registries, a support line offers a supportive ear to those who feel shunned by their communities.