Rethinking Roads and the “Bikini Body” Myth

We talk with Karen M. Dixon, Transportation and Community Planner at the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, about her research along Interstate 81 in Cumberland and Franklin Counties. Karen explores how transportation infrastructure intersects with environmental conservation, with a focus on wildlife crossings and their role in improving road safety and ecosystem connectivity. We also discuss Pennsylvania’s growing momentum around wildlife corridor planning, including a new statewide working group developing a comprehensive blueprint to protect habitats while supporting resilient transportation systems.we’re also joined by Elena Cuffari, a cognitive science researcher and feminist philosopher at Franklin & Marshall College, to unpack the complex relationship between exercise, body image, and gender. Drawing on her work in embodiment and lived experience, Elena explores how agency, personal style, and pleasure shape the way we move and care for our bodies. Together, we examine the cultural pressures surrounding “bikini body” narratives, the impact of evolving beauty standards, and how fitness can be reframed as a source of empowerment rather than expectation.