Ladies, We Need To Talk
Ladies, We Need to Talk is a podcast that explores women's health and relationship topics. Host Yumi Stynes leads candid, non-judgmental conversations about personal issues often difficult to discuss. The show features expert insights and real women's stories to help listeners improve wellness, manage mental load, and navigate breakups. It aims to support women balancing work, private life, and health.
Episodes
No more nice: Amy Remeikis wants you to stop people-pleasing
Ever stayed quiet to keep the peace? As girls we're told to "play nice" and not rock the boat.But author Amy Remeikis reckons being nice comes at a cost. When she was assaulted on a Brisbane street in her 20s, she was shocked by how many people passed by without helping. It made her question how a culture of civility makes us reluctant to intervene.Amy has been "contrary" through
Ultra-thinness is back: how to talk about our bodies
Celebrities and everyday women are shrinking before our eyes. So how do we have conversations about our bodies when they're the source of renewed scrutiny?Yumi Stynes sits down with Olympic gold medallist Libby Trickett, journalist Demi Lynch and psychologist Janet Lowndes to discuss why thinness is becoming the cultural norm again and how we can push back against this narrative.
"No one really talked about it:" Myf Warhurst on menopause and her ADHD diagnosis
Getting an ADHD diagnosis while going through perimenopause helped explain the quiet bubbling rage and feelings of inadequacy that Myf Warhust had been dealing with her whole life.Discovering she had ADHD mid-life has been life changing for Myf but like so many women, she questions why it took so long to be diagnosed in the first place.She's channelled those feelings into her new
The secrets to a happy relationship (they're not what you think)
What's the key to a long-lasting, happy relationship?Grand gestures and date nights might cause a momentary flare, but successful couples know there's more to it than that.How do they fight, divide the load, and keep their intimacy hot when life gets busy and deeply unsexy?Yumi Stynes speaks to women about how they found love that's stable, healthy and fun. And clinical psycholog
How the law silences women— Jennifer Robinson
What does free speech mean if women can't afford to defend it? And what happens when the law meant to protect reputations is used to silence women speaking out about alleged sexual violence?Jennifer Robinson is one of the world's most recognisable human rights lawyers. She's represented actress Amber Heard, whose trial became the stuff of fierce public debate and trial by media.N
Why this Sydney mum swapped monogamy for sex parties
Sex parties without creepy dudes? Forget keys in a bowl and seedy nightclubs: women are flipping the stereotype and creating sexy playgrounds on their own terms.Fifteen years into her marriage, Fliss, a Sydney mum of two, stepped into the sex party scene, and now she hosts her own women-focused events with vetting calls and references.Therapist and volunteer 'consent angel' Lotus
Why tradwife content is so seductive
From making bubble gum by hand to tranquil depictions of motherhood, why is the tradwife fantasy so appealing and why can't we look away?During the pandemic, tradwives like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman from Ballerina Farm dominated our algorithms. They baked perfectly scored sourdough loaves in spotless kitchens and made cereal for their toddlers from scratch.These women depict
"I'm actually gay": My husband's best kept secret
An "I do" between husband and wife comes with many promises, not least of which is to be truthful. So what do you do when your husband comes out as gay? For some women, it's a revelation that up-ends decades of marriage, family and identity.Can these relationships survive? And if they don't, how do you move beyond the hurt and build a new life?Yumi Stynes speaks to women who lear
Our bodies, our choice. But are abortion rights under threat?
Abortion is legal across Australia, but safe, affordable access is still not guaranteed for everyone.While three quarters of Australians support abortion access, finding a GP who will help is a postcode lottery.And the fallout from the 2022 reversal of Roe v Wade is being felt in Australia, with US-inspired protests and political tactics entering the fray.Yumi sits down with GP D
Quiet Quitting Marriage: Why Women Are Emotionally Checking Out
Instead of dealing with the upheaval of divorce, some women are quietly quitting their role as wife.Physically, they're there, going through the motions, but emotionally they've checked out. There's no huge conflict, but there's also no urge to try to make things work.Yumi Stynes talks to women who have taken a step back from their marriages but aren't ready to officially split.
What you don't know about the mental load with Leah Ruppanner
We've been talking about the mental load for decades, so why are so many women still carrying it?It's the unseen mental and emotional work we do to keep our lives running — the planning, problem-solving, and remembering that often goes unnoticed.The term isn't new, but our understanding of it is changing. Yumi is joined by sociologist Leah Ruppanner, who interviewed thousands of
"I wish I'd never had them": the pain of regretting kids
Having children is one of the most rewarding and meaningful things we can do. But what if you wish you'd never become a parent?For mothers especially, the taboo of admitting they regret their children can be incredibly lonely. Many carry their grief, loss of identity and exhaustion in silence.Yumi Stynes gets a rare window into the lives of people who love their children but admi
‘I'm always going to be the mistress’: Dating a married man
There’s a special kind of fury reserved for the 'other woman.' She’s often depicted as a home wrecker and immoral, but is she misunderstood? Unlucky to fall for someone who’s already taken? Yumi Stynes speaks with women whose hearts belong to married men and discovers that beneath the stereotypes are complicated love stories built on hope and promises in the face of deception.
"Traded a husband for a bestie." Why these mums moved in together
Have you ever fantasised about raising kids with your bestie? Well, some women are doing it for real. And these mum communes or ‘mummunes’ don’t look like your average share house. These women are sharing a roof, chores, bills and the mental load of raising their kids. For some, it’s the antidote to a nuclear family structure that left them drained and resentful. For others, it’
Worst ever dates, with Alita Brydon
It’s truth universally acknowledged that a single woman in the modern world has endured at least one truly disastrous date. It is, regrettably, a rite of passage. Author Alita Bryson has been on hundreds of them! One guy asked her if it was okay to marry your cousin, another trolled people online for fun while yet another literally drove off mid-date. While her dating life was ca
The grief no parent expects
At some point in life, we all lose someone we love. But losing a baby is an unimaginable heartbreak. Our children are not meant to die before us.In the wake of that loss, families are left reeling. Navigating shock, confusion, and overwhelming grief as they face a future without a much-loved child.Yumi Stynes meets two women who have experienced infant loss. They share how they m
The cost of birth trauma
One in three Australian women describe their births as traumatic.Long labours, health scares, emergency interventions, feeling ignored, and lasting physical and psychological injuries can turn what's meant to be one of life's biggest moments into something deeply distressing.Yumi Stynes hears from women still coming to terms with their birth experiences, sometimes years later, an
How to deal with an empty nest
For most mums, the day their kids leave feels like a victory.You might even be planning what you'll do with all that free time. No more mountains of laundry, arguments over dinner or acting as a free taxi service.But for many women, an empty nest isn't just freedom, it's loss. When motherhood has shaped so much of your daily life and identity, the silence can be unsettling as you
Jess Mauboy steps into her boss lady era
Jessica Mauboy was just 16 when she burst onto our screens, barefoot in the red dirt of Alice Springs, belting out Whitney Houston at her Australian Idol audition.She may have finished runner-up, but it launched one of Australia's most enduring music careers including starring in The Sapphires and representing Australia at Eurovision in 2018. Despite two decades in the spotlight
Am I stuck in a sex rut?
When we're dating someone new, the rush is electric. The pull towards sex can feel immediate, an almost magnetic urge to rip each other's clothes off.But as the years stretch on and the demands of life ramp up, sex becomes just one more activity on a chaotic checklist; competing with the demands of chores, kids and sleep.And when the urge does strike, it's intimacy vs. doom scrol
The ugly side of the beauty industry with Jess DeFino
Botox, vampire facials, bone smashing and now cadaver fat fillers: the beauty industry is expert in selling extreme (and painful) treatments in our endless pursuit of perfection and eternal youth.For years, Jess DeFino worked at the heart of this machine as an assistant editor for the Kardashian family. She saw firsthand how the goalposts of beauty are constantly shifting, making
The women who've never had sex
We live in a sexed-up world. From chiselled fictional teenagers in steamy high school dramas to Sabrina Carpenter’s innuendos, it feels like everyone’s doing it. But what happens when adulthood arrives and you're still a virgin? Plenty of women haven’t had sex. Some are waiting for the right person, some are waiting for marriage, and some haven't had the opportunity. Virginity h
I’m in love with a narcissist
Love bombing. Gaslighting. Coercive control. Narcissists can crash into your life on the charm offensive. They begin with intense affection, compliments and grand gestures. But behind that charm can be manipulation and intense criticism. In the worst cases, they control every aspect of their partner's life. It’s disorienting to be with a narcissist, and often people with narcissi
Grace Tame: Chloe Hayden on better health for autistic women
For all her life, Chloe Hayden, star of Heartbreak High, has struggled to get doctors to take her health complaints seriously. And she’s not alone. Autistic women have poorer physical and mental health than neurotypical people. From shorter life expectancy to higher rates of suicide, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse. In this episode Grace speaks to autistic women a
Grace Tame: Autistic women on friendship, love and burnout
"It can be difficult…when your approach to socialising and relationships doesn't look like what other people might expect."There's a long-held stereotype that autistic people are not empathetic and aren't interested in relationships. The reality is that, like everyone, autistic women and girls want connection, they may just come to it in different ways. In this episode, Grace loo
Grace Tame: why girls are missing out on an autism diagnosis
For decades autism was thought of as a "boy thing" and girls were overlooked by science. According to research, three boys are diagnosed with autism for every girl. While experts point to genetic differences, there are other reasons why girls often go undiagnosed, including their ability to mask their autistic traits, leading to what's referred to as the "female autism invisibili
Grace Tame: Either I'm autistic, or I'm a cat
"It's only been in recent years that I've had a public platform and people have asked me specifically about being autistic."In the first episode of this special four-part series, Grace Tame speaks candidly with Yumi Stynes about her experiences as an autistic woman, from feeling on the outer and being labelled "weird" to experiencing the world in "high definition".In this exclusi
Introducing — Autistic AF with Grace Tame
"I was bullied for being quirky… I would have these very intense special interests."Join Australian of the Year Grace Tame for a special four-part take over of Ladies, We Need to Talk as she meets leading experts in autism research and connects with other neurodivergent women to get a better understanding of what life is like as an autistic person, beyond the stereotypes.Autism c
Orgasm coach Dr Lori Brotto
The female orgasm deserves better PR. Straight women are climaxing way less than the men they are banging (by about 35%). We know this but what can we do about it?Medical research has focused on male bodies and male pleasure for too long and it's time we got a smart woman on the case. Enter renowned professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Lori Brotto, who is changing the game
I love you but I hate your politics
You've found your person, but you can't stand their politics. Awks! It's a phenomenon that's been on the rise in the last 30 years. Around the world, women are increasingly leaning left and men right. In 2022, 50% of Australians voted for a different political party than their partner. Having different preferences to your partner is a given. But political views can get under our
Antoinette Lattouf opens up on fight with the ABC
In December 2023, Antoinette Lattouf was asked to leave ABC Sydney. Since that day, her life has never been the same.A seasoned broadcaster, she was part way through a week-long stint hosting local radio. Behind the scenes however, a coordinated lobbying effort was underway to have Antoinette taken off air.The flashpoint was a Human Rights Watch post she shared on her personal so
The older mum trend. Meet the women having babies after 45
Mid-life is hard enough, but what happens when you add a baby to the mix?The average maternal age has been creeping up over the past twenty years, with more women than ever becoming first time mums in their 40s, delaying motherhood to build careers, travel, find the right partner, secure housing, or navigate infertility.Having a baby later in life can be exhausting. Sleep is elus
One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationships
Is monogamy a tired social contract — or a deeply meaningful way to build a life with someone you love? Is opening up your relationship an act of honesty and freedom, or just another complicated commitment in an already overbooked life?Roll up, Ladies, as monogamy and Ethical non-monogamy go head-to-head. Arguing in favour of fidelity is comedian and Deadloch actor, Nikki Britton
Goodbye uterus: Life after a hysterectomy
The uterus is central to womanhood: it's the baby house, and allows for menstruation. So, what's it like to have it removed?Each year around 30,000 Australian women have a hysterectomy — to relieve pain, to treat cancer, or as part of gender affirming care.The path to surgery isn't always straightforward or quick. It can involve years of heartache, confusion and BS from specialis
Is your attachment style messing with your love life?
Ever been called too clingy? Or felt overwhelmed by your partner's needs? Blame your attachment style!Attachment theory is a cornerstone of modern psychology; chances are you've read about it in Attached or spent hours spiralling on TikTok as you tried to identify your attachment style and what it means for your relationship.The theory breaks our attachment styles into three main
Family Feuds: Is estrangement the new normal?
The Beckhams know about it. Hilary Duff's been through it. Harry and Meghan could write a handbook. Family estrangement is brutal, but when there's a rift, can it be repaired?Beyond the celebrity headlines, the "no contact" movement has been gaining traction online as children cut themselves off from their parents, parents find themselves out in the cold and rigid boundaries stra
Felicity Ward on motherhood, depression and a sexual rebirth
Comedian Felicity Ward started having the best sex of her life after the worst time in her life.After years of fertility struggles, Felicity finally fell pregnant at 38. But being a mum to a newborn wasn't the Instagram highlight reel she'd imagined. Felicity wrestled with perinatal depression, zero sleep and a loss of identity…and then she became a single mum.At 40, Felicity was
"Where the hell is my husband?" Women who’ve never had a partner
Life as a perennially single woman can be lonely. Coupled-up friends often too busy to catch up, family constantly asking "So, have you met anyone yet?" What's a gal to do?The truth is, we live in a world that celebrates coupledom. And while there are women who love the single life, for others being called to the front to catch the bouquet at every friend's wedding is painful.Yum
Queers are meant to have kids
Narelda Jacobs and Karina Natt announced their pregnancy online. Then came the trolls.The pair were over the moon about starting their rainbow family but were pulled back down to earth by the haters who said that they had "no right" to have children as a gay couple.Their response was to write and release a satirical book for adults called 'If Queers weren't meant to have kids.' T
Sex Disasters with Lizzy Hoo
We all want to sex to be hot, intimate and above all else, enjoyable. But sometimes when we're getting it on, things can go south and disaster ensues.These naked encounters are excruciating in the moment but hilarious when shared with friends.Comedian Lizzy Hoo and Yumi Stynes join forces to walk through the sexual hall of shame and come out the other side laughing.Expect rogue f
Are men stealing our exercise time?
In the exercise race, women are falling behind. Two out of five women aren’t moving enough and it’s bad for our health. Between being time squeezed, feeling crappy about our bodies and guilt about taking a break from caring duties, women have less room for exercise than blokes. But ladies, it’s time to put on our sports bras and get sweaty! In this episode, you’ll hear how to get
I didn’t love my baby: The shame of perinatal depression
What if, instead of being the best time of your life, new motherhood was miserable? Perinatal depression and anxiety affects one in five women in Australia. But the shame of it is carried in silence.Yumi Stynes speaks to women about their darkest days as new mums; sleep deprived, fearful and feeling alone. She hears how these women came through their suffering and got the help th
‘I’m leaving you,’ Belle Burden’s husband became a stranger overnight
What happens when your husband suddenly becomes someone you don’t recognise? One cold day in 2020, Belle Burden’s partner of 20 years told her he was leaving her. There were was no warning, no chance to talk. Before her relationship collapsed, Belle’s life looked enviable. Heiress to a wealthy New York family empire, she had the kids, the job, the holiday house and a committed ma
Parenting blind, with Nas Campanella
What’s it like to parent when you can’t see your kid? Nas Campanella, the ABC’s National Disability Affairs reporter, knows there’s many ways to be a great mum. As a blind woman, she’s navigated internalised ableism, and copped BS from strangers. Through it all, she’s given the middle finger to expectations and come out the other side stronger.She talks to Yumi Stynes about the q
I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals
Marriage sabbaticals aren't a divorce, or an excuse for guilt-free frotting but a chance to reset priorities. But do they work?It can be hard to figure out how to fix a relationship in need of repair when you're in the grind of the day-to-day. Living separately for a while or even taking a solo holiday can be a chance for a jump-start, but it comes with risks.Yumi Stynes meets wo
Who the f*ck is Madeline? Getting cheated on
How does it feel to be betrayed by the person you love most? Women open up to Yumi Stynes about being cheated on and picking up the pieces of their shattered hearts.There's the fishy feeling you try to shake off, finding texts, unearthing emails, wondering if you're paranoid. And then, the moment of truth and painful aftermath. From Beyonce to Lily Allen, queens everywhere have w
How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie Gilbert
Millennial pop culture has a lot to answer for. From Britney Spears' sexy schoolgirl outfit to an underage Kate Moss on the cover of Vogue and Paris Hilton in pube-skimming velvet tracksuits, the message was clear — being hot, sexy and desirable meant #girlpower.So how did we all buy into the lie that self-objectification is empowerment?Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist Sophie
Going gay in middle age
What’s it like to switch teams mid-season? Nicola was married to a man for 25 years before she fell in love with a woman. Jennifer and Marija were in their 40s when everything they knew about their sexuality changed. Yumi Stynes chats to later-in-life lesbians to hear what they’ve learned from swapping sides. She also gets the low-down on sexuality research across the life span,
Julie Goodwin finally has the recipe for happiness
MasterChef’s Julie Goodwin has a bubbly exterior but underneath are demons she’s fought for decades. The celebrity cook opens up to Yumi Stynes about the anxiety and depression she’s kept hidden for so long, and how it almost undid her. Julie’s path to recovery wasn’t straight, but she learnt how to manage what she calls the ‘monster under the bed’ and change her life for the be
Great sex: What we wish men knew
If you've ever been with a guy who thinks jackhammering is a virtue or who can't tell your clitoris from your clavicle, this episode is for you! (Pssst share it with a bloke you know).Yumi Stynes chats to comedian and expert dater Nikki Britton about what makes for good sex.Plus, sex therapist Aleks Trkulja, from The Pleasure Centre, gives tips on how to take on feedback in the b
How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off
Dr Corrine Low says heterosexual relationships are costing women financially. And she’s got the life experience and the data to back it up. When Corrine was married to a man and a new mum, she was the main breadwinner, shouldering the domestic load...and she was FED UP. Corrine’s research has found that even though we’re doing more paid work than ever, women still do most of th
Where's my village? Esther Perel on how to build community
Esther Perel is on a mission to make us feel less alone. The world renowned psychotherapist says we've lost touch with the village but she's here to help us reconnect. Esther chats to Yumi Stynes about how to foster a community and stop putting pressure on romantic partners to fulfil our needs. She shares her own story of seeing her parents build a village as refugees, and how sh
Life without boobs: Meet the women staying flat after breast cancer
We’re told boobs are sexy! Bouncy! Nutritious food banks even! But what happens when they betray you? Every year in Australia, around 20,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Forty per cent of those will need a mastectomy, surgery to have the breast tissue removed. Some of those women will choose not reconstruct, to stay "flat."Yumi Stynes speaks to "flatties" about their r
Embracing imperfection was the key to Astrid’s success
When she was 16, Pub Choir's Astrid Jorgensen wanted to be a nun. So how did she end up in pubs, night after night, teaching people to sing?For years, Astrid felt like she didn't belong to the world of music. But she found her way in, on her terms. Astrid was never going to be an elite Opera singer, but in rediscovering the joy of singing for the sake of it, she invited the world
Getting to the bottom of IBS
Up to one in five people have irritable bowel syndrome and women are three times as likely to be affected. From bloating, cramping, constipation and diarrhea, the symptoms can be debilitating, let alone make it hard to do up a pair of jeans! Even though IBS is so common, there’s no cure. But there’s increasing research about the best ways to manage symptoms - from the low FODMAP
Love ya guts! What to eat to feel your best
With "wellness" advice from influencers flooding our feeds, it's hard to sort fact from absolute nonsense and know what to eat to feel good.Enter Laureate Professor in nutrition and dietetics, Clare Collins. Yumi sits down with Clare to get the low down on the good stuff we should be eating on and the nasty stuff we should avoid. How much protein is enough? Is fibre a big deal? A
Turia Pitt is a selfish woman
Turia Pitt was doing it all — working, mothering, wifeing — and she was exhausted. Being everything to everyone came at a huge cost to her mental health — she was close to burnout, and so she decided to flip the script on being a 'good woman'.Over a decade after sustaining life threatening burns to most of her body in a grassfire, Turia's become a famous author, speaker and athle
Stepmums: Why do they get such a hard time?
She's one of the great cultural villains; the evil stepmother. Stepmums are up against it. Besides fighting bad press generated by endless pop-culture references, they're chucked in the deep end of parenting without a life boat.Yumi Stynes meets stepmothers who've experienced the joy of loving their partner's child as well as the difficulty of slotting into a 'mum' role when the
Mental health: Loving someone with an addiction
Standing by watching a loved one's addiction can be heartbreaking and confusing. One in ten Australian's struggle with a substance disorder and one in five experience gambling harm.For every person struggling with an addiction, there are people close to them. The wives, mothers, sisters and children watching their addictions play havoc with their lives.Yumi Stynes sits down with
Mental health: Anxiety and how to beat it
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition facing women. One in three will be diagnosed in her lifetime. From overwhelming worry to spiralling thoughts, panic attacks to avoidance, anxiety can have a huge impact. But the good news is that we know how to treat it.In part two of this three-part mental health series, Yumi Stynes chats to Julie Goodwin, of MasterChef fame, to
Mental health: Overcoming depression
One in six women will get depression in their lifetime, compared with one in ten men. So, is it hormones or circumstances or a combination of both that's makes us more susceptible? And importantly, how can we confront the black dog if it's at our door?In part one of this three-part series, Yumi Stynes sits down with women who've been in the grips of depression to understand how t
INTRODUCING – The mental health mini-series
One in three women in Australia will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in their lifetime and one in six will experience depression. This Mental Health Month, it's time to find solutions.In this three-part series, Yumi Stynes chats to leading experts about hacking your brain, hormones, nutrition (and yes, mental load) to feel better.Yumi speaks to women with depression and anx
Clare and Jessie Stephens on twinning, pregnancy and envy
Twins Clare and Jessie Stephens have been by each other's side for all of life's firsts. The first day of school, first job, first love, first pregnancy and birth plus that time Clare dyed her hair brown (spoiler alert: disaster).The sisters, both writers and podcasters, live in tandem. They're also competitive high achievers.So what's it like when your best friend is also your h
Deepa Paul on opening her marriage
Married mum Deepa Paul didn’t have ‘sleeping with strangers’ on her bingo card. She grew up in the Catholic and conservative Philippines and married her college sweetheart. But underneath, Deepa yearned for more. Deepa wanted to open up her marriage, but convincing her husband took time and tears. Eventually, they settled on boundaries and set up their dating profiles. Having s
A meditation for chronic pain
This is a guided meditation to help with chronic pain. Endometriosis hurts. It can be a gnarling, twisting, stabbing, relentless source of pain. Finding a way through that pain can be overwhelming at times. Meditation can help. Gynaecological surgeon and endometriosis specialist Dr Pav Nanayakkara guides you through a series of breathing exercises to shift your relationship wit
Will we ever have a cure for endometriosis?
Around one million Australian women live with endometriosis. That's around one in seven, so chances are you know someone dealing with debilitating pain, medical misogyny and fertility issues because of the disease.Awareness about endometriosis has expanded in the last few years, but there's still a long way to go. Yumi Stynes meets women who've spent a lot of time and money seeki
AI Misogyny: The new age of sexism, with Laura Bates
Artificial Intelligence is supercharging a new era of misogyny. There are more weapons than ever for men to use against women to silence and shame us, chief among them deepfakes (AI generated images and videos). And tech companies and regulators are not doing enough to fight this abuse, which is affecting everyone from schoolgirls to prime ministers.After her book Men Who Hate Wo
Hacking online dating with Prof. Jennie Young
Trying to find a life partner on a dating app who's not a gun toting, fish wielding weirdo can be like trying to find a needle in the haystack. But according to Professor Jennie Young, there's a much more empowering way of sorting through all that hay. She's come up with a technique to hack the apps called 'The Burnt Haystack Method' to help women wade through the online swamp.Je
The new way to date
Dating apps are a drag. And women are ditching them in droves. Beyond the swiping, more of us are daring to date in real life. Yumi Stynes chats to women moving away from the apps and towards in-person singles events.From post-divorce blind dates to queer speed dating, dinners with strangers and exercise classes, all in the name of finding love. Or at least a little lust.Plus, fr
PMOS: Infertility, beards and BS
After years of campaigning, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) finally has a name change: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).According to experts, the previously confusing and inaccurate name lead to misunderstanding around the disease. It's hoped the update will bring more accurate diagnoses and treatment for women with the condition. And with 1 in 8 women affected, t
How Sashi Perera's cancelled wedding pushed her into comedy
Stand-up star Sashi Perera called off her wedding at the last minute. There were tears and tantrums but that wasn't the final time the lawyer-turned-comedian blew up her life.Moving to a country in the middle of civil unrest? Tick. Dating a series of duds? Tick. Quitting a well-paid job for stand-up comedy? Tick.Sashi's redefined what success means to her through career changes,
Shedding the shame of herpes
A herpes diagnosis can come with a whole lot of stigma, but it shouldn't. Around 15% of us carry the antibodies to genital herpes, making it one of the most common STIs in Australia.Yumi Stynes finds out what it's like hearing you have herpes for the first time and how to best manage. From itching to tell partners to soothing your symptoms and how to keep sex humming. Plus, STI e
Paying for sex at 70
Approaching her 70th birthday, Gail Rice booked herself an appointment with a sex worker. She'd never done anything like it in her life. As a younger woman, Gail had enjoyed a string of sexual and romantic partners. As the years passed, her sexual currency dwindled and she was hungry for intimacy. But exchanging money for sex taught Gail much more about herself than she was expec
Has Ozempic killed body inclusivity?
Ozempic has entered the group chat. Since GLP-1 agonist drugs burst onto the scene, they've been hailed as a weight-loss game changer, but they've also raised uncomfortable questions about what bodies are acceptable, or not.For years, the body inclusivity movement pushed back against the idea that only thin bodies can be 'healthy' but Ozempic & co are drowning out this messag
How to have better sex, with Emily Nagoski
Having blah sex? You've CUM to the right place.Dr Emily Nagoski has the tools for you.The renowned sex educator and author of Come as You Are, Burnout and Come Together brings the wisdom of psychology and sex research to the fore. She chats with Yumi Stynes about the science behind our sex drives and how we can bring back the chutzpah in the bedroom. (R)You might also like:Is eve
The price of perfectionism
Unrelenting standards, high expectations and a fierce, reprimanding inner critic. Perfectionism is often celebrated, but striving for flawlessness comes at a cost. There’s lots of ways we, as women feel pressure to be perfect: be the perfect partner, the perfect mother, have the perfect body. But, of course, perfectionism is always out of reach. So, how can we learn to be kinder
Sex on screen with Hannah Diviney
Hannah Diviney never saw herself reflected in pop culture. And she definitely didn't see herself as the object of desire. Growing up with cerebral palsy, Hannah watched on as rom-coms and teen dramas depicted able-bodied bombshells fall in love, snog their guts out and have sex. All these experiences, it seemed, were out of reach for her. It meant that Hannah had the demanding jo
The psychology of the ick, from All in the Mind
Have you ever experienced 'the ick'? It's that sudden, visceral feeling of being put off by someone you're dating. Maybe it's their flat cap, the way they chew, or how they laugh.Stories of the ick are prolific online, but it leaves us with a question — what causes it?To separate red flags from disgust, we get into the psychology of the ick — why you might feel icky, if it should
Body image and babies with Turia Pitt and Sophie Walker
'Bounce back' culture can find someone else to pick on, we're celebrating bodies who've given birth.And this episode isn't just for the mums. It's for everyone who's ever felt the bod they were given this earth to roam in isn't good enough.Yumi Stynes meets women who've fought the insidious pressures on mums' bodies and found a new appreciation for themselves.Featuring: burns sur
Emotional labour with Rose Hackman
Emotional labour is the overlooked cousin of the mental load. It's managing the feelings of people around us, from being a shoulder to cry on to cheering on your colleagues. Taking the time to check in on relatives and making sure the fridge is stocked with everyone's favourite foods. Emotional labour is invisible yet vital work that falls more heavily on women.Journalist Rose Ha
