Welcome to the world of swingers, where the libidos are high but so are the stakes. Join Yumi Stynes as she heads to a swinger's club and learns what it takes to open up a relationship without breaking trust. Meet the women in the swinging scene and find out what they get out of it (besides the orgasms). This episode will change the way you think about swinging, and maybe even re-frame your approach to intimacy. (R) You might also like: What we need men to know about sex How to have great sex This episode contains references to: sex, swinging, intimacy, couples, marriage, open relationships, LGBT, threesome, unicorns communication.

When Jamila Rizvi was dealing with the emotional sucker punch of a brain tumour diagnosis, she needed a friend who understood what she was going through. Enter, writer and comedian Rosie Waterland. Rosie knows what it's like to live with a broken brain. A childhood marked by abuse and trauma has left her struggling with complex PTSD throughout her adulthood. Rosie and Jamila have very different illnesses but lots in common. They chat with Yumi Stynes about how the world views physical and mental illness differently, the lasagne sympathy scale and keeping on keeping on when there's no cure in sight. Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide. Listen back: Jamila Rizvi—when life doesn’t go to plan Rosie Waterland's mum died. She’s kind of relieved Helpful links: Lifeline 13 11 14 Brain Tumour Alliance Australia SANE Australia This episode contains references to: chronic illness, brain tumour, depression, PTSD, trauma, relationships, grief, loss, carer, caring, mental health and suicide.

Does your partner feel more like a housemate than a lover? Have you lost your spark in the overflowing laundry basket? Resentment got you snarking at each other? Get yourself to the relationship ER! If things are flatlining and you want your partnership to survive, there are treatment options. Yumi Stynes meets women who have brought their relationships back from the dead. Plus, sex and relationships therapist, Toya Ricci shares advice on how to build healthier, long-lasting connections. This episode contains references to: sex therapy, relationship therapy, marriage difficulty, marriage sabbatical, relationship sabbatical, intermission, infidelity, couples counselling, parenting, mental load, mental health.

A morning phone call from her doctor confirmed Jessie Tu's worst fears. She'd lost the baby she was carrying. Jessie and her partner had tried for months to get pregnant, and the news sparked a specific kind of grief she hadn't encountered before. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Jessie was raised with the idea that discipline and hard work gets you results. But this was a test she couldn't ace. Jessie's path to pregnancy and loss made her confront questions about what it means to be a family and the sacrifices that mothers are expected to bear. She shares her complicated relationship with fertility in this tender conversation with Yumi Stynes. Jessie Tu is the author of The Honeyeater and A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing. Helpful links: Miscarriage Australia  The Pink Elephants Support network Gidget Foundation  Red Nose Grief and Loss  Lifeline We want to know what you think of Ladies, take our survey: https://forms.office.com/r/R5uACN6GWU This episode contains references to: pregnancy loss, miscarriage, fertility, parenting, relationships, babies, grief, family, motherhood, womanhood, feminism, mental health.

Fillers, Botox, and injectables — they're everywhere! There was a time when getting needles in your face was a big deal. But these days, getting a 'tweakment' is as easy-peasy as getting a mani pedi. It's not just 69-year-old Kris Jenner who looks like a teenager now. Your hairdresser, barista, and the mums at the school gate are doing a Benjamin Button. In this episode, Yumi Stynes chats to women who have regular cosmetic jabs to find out their motivations. Plus, Dr Jasmine Fardouly from the University of Sydney explains how Instagram is pushing us towards the clinics. We want to know what you think of Ladies, take our survey: https://forms.office.com/r/R5uACN6GWU This episode contains references to: Botox, filler, tweakments, cosmetic procedures, facials, beauty industry, ageing, old, beauty standards, filter, Instagram, Tiktok, social media, body image.

In a sex saturated world, it's easy to think that everyone's having hotter, kinkier, more interesting sex than you are. But are they really? Yumi Stynes gathers together sex therapist, Georgia Grace, author Alyx Gorman and comedian Alex Lee for an urgent group chat unpacking what it means to have a satisfying sex life and why comparisons to others are a boner killer. We want to know what you want to hear more of on Ladies, take our survey: https://forms.office.com/r/R5uACN6GWU This episode contains references to sex, marriage, orgasm gap, orgasm, lesbian, masturbation, queerness, relationships, sex positivity, sex toys, therapy, children, libido, divorce.

Your parents are elderly. Your kids need you. And it's up to you to tend to the needs of everyone. Welcome to the sandwich generation. The bad news is you'll be wading through a ton of logistical, financial and medical obstacles while watching your folks decline. The good news is you're not alone. Join Yumi Stynes in meeting two women doing their best in the middle of a sandwich, with some tips on getting your sh*t together before everything falls apart. Plus, clinical psychologist Nasalifya Namwinga has the goods on how to deal emotionally. Helpful links: Carers Australia The Violet Initiative We want to know what you want to hear more of, take our audience survey: https://shorturl.at/JglOX

Coffee enemas? Healing jade yoni eggs? Raw milk? No, nope, nup. Dr Jen Gunter is calling bullsh*t on the internet's wellness industry. Dr Gunter is on a crusade against disinformation. As a gynaecologist and internationally renowned women's health expert, she calls out influencers promoting harmful treatments and nonsense supplements for profit. And she's not afraid to take on Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop and vaginal steaming products in the process.  Join Yumi Stynes as she gets a lesson in how to spot a fake, the danger of wellness charlatans, the link between wellness influencers and conspiracy theories, and what's really good for our bodies.     Take our audience survey, we want to know what you want to hear more of: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mkDBl3hw50e7lNHlNQPgEl8yCS-Q1OtCsMy5oywA3LpUNFhWTTBNQ0dUNlZLSjVISlJVUE5TUDZKOC4u&route=shorturl This episode contains references to Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow, misinformation, Alex Jones, women’s health, abortion, Donald Trump, wellness industry, social media, natural health, organic therapies, alternative therapies, peer reviewed research, disinformation, conspiracy theories. 

Loneliness hurts. And we know it's bad for us, worse than smoking or obesity. Even though a third of us are lonely, we're embarrassed to say so. So, what would happen if we talked about our loneliness openly? And how can we soothe that ache in our chests? Yumi Stynes speaks to women who might look like they've got it made from the outside but feel like it's a party for one on the inside. Plus, clinical psychologist Dr Bella Ingram lends a hand in getting through a lonely time. Take our audience survey, we want to know what you want to hear more of: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mkDBl3hw50e7lNHlNQPgEl8yCS-Q1OtCsMy5oywA3LpUNFhWTTBNQ0dUNlZLSjVISlJVUE5TUDZKOC4u&route=shorturl This episode contains references to marriage, friendship, relationships, loneliness, anxiety, depression, mental health, alcohol, substance use, community. 

Do you need to pee at all hours of the day? Pelvic floor got you down? Are things a getting saggy down there like like a rogue bit of pizza dough or like Gary Oldman's face? There are some medical reasons why you might need to constantly rush to the loo, but the good news is in most cases your bladder is deconditioned, and you need to get your urinary tract back into ship-shape form. Tegan Taylor and Noman Swan, hosts of What's That Rash podcast are here to help! Take our audience survey. We want to know what you want to hear more of! https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mkDBl3hw50e7lNHlNQPgEl8yCS-Q1OtCsMy5oywA3LpUNFhWTTBNQ0dUNlZLSjVISlJVUE5TUDZKOC4u&route=shorturl

When filmmaker Anna Broinowski turned 50, she stopped giving any f*cks about what other people thought of her. Stopped prettying herself, being concerned with niceness, and exhaled. Certified badass Gina Chick spent 67 days in the literal wilderness living off the land to win Alone Australia. Jessie Tu refuses to adhere to the male gaze. So, what happens to us women when we stop playing by the Good Girl guidebook and start living by our own rules? And what does it mean to live dangerously? Yumi Stynes sits down with Anna, Gina and Jessie at the Adelaide Festival to ask just that. Zero f*cks included. This episode contains references to Gina Chick, Alone Australia, Jessie Tu, sexism, misogyny, self-care, boundaries, strong women. Take our audience survey. We want to know what you want to hear more of! https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mkDBl3hw50e7lNHlNQPgEl8yCS-Q1OtCsMy5oywA3LpUNFhWTTBNQ0dUNlZLSjVISlJVUE5TUDZKOC4u&route=shorturl

Are chick flicks and rom-coms your secret indulgence but you feel too embarrassed to admit it? Caroline O'Donoghue, host of the hit podcast, Sentimental Garbage, says it's time to stop apologising for the culture we love. Under the tongue-in-cheek banner 'Justice for Dumb Women', O'Donoghue celebrates the pop-culture we've long been told we should feel ashamed for loving, from Sex and the City to Taylor Swift (and Twilight). So, get out the friendship bracelets and drop the cynicism as Yumi Stynes and Caroline take the guilt out of guilty pleasures. Take our audience survey. We want to know what you want to hear more of from us! https://forms.office.com/r/R5uACN6GWU This episode contains references to Sentimental Garbage, Caroline O’Donoghue, Dolly Alderton, women’s culture, women’s media, Netflix, streaming, pop culture, female friendships, para social relationships.

Our lady gardens aren't meant to smell like roses but if things are overly whiffy downstairs it might mean something more serious is going on. Bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is a common vaginal infection that can cause a stinky, fishy discharge. BV is not only uncomfortable, it can be hella embarrassing and hard to get rid of. But in good news for vaginas everywhere, researchers have discovered that BV can be sexually transmitted and treating male partners can knock it on the head. In this episode Yumi Stynes talks to Lacey about living with BV and sexual health expert Professor Deborah Bateson shares how to look after your cooch. Oh, and comedian Sarah O'Neill dedicates a song to the vagina. (R) This episode contains references to bacterial vaginosis, odour, vagina, vulva, sexually transmitted infection, BV, sex, relationships, shame, womens health.

What does the manosphere and the rise of online misogyny mean for our relationships with boys and men? The Netflix drama Adolescence shows the violent consequences of being steeped in hateful messages about women. It follows 13-year-old Jamie, an incel, angry at the world because he's been sexually rejected by a girl. The show has started conversations about the real-world consequences of online misogyny. Some boys are drawn to the manosphere by the promise of bigger muscles, getting laid and tips on getting rich, but the darker corners of these online spaces encourage violence against women and call for a return to traditional gender roles. When Andrew Tate, the hugely influential manfluencer's catch cry is "choke the bitch out", how worried should we be? In this episode, Yumi Stynes sits down with Kate Scott from the University of Sydney to talk about the allure of the manosphere and what draws boys and men away from these communities once they've been sucked in. This episode contains references to misogyny, extremism, incels, violence against women, red pill, Adolescence, Andrew Tate, manosphere, social media, gender, online activity, Hustlers University, red pill, algorithm.

Charlotte's sugar daddy took her to the fanciest restaurant in Melbourne. Soraya's gave her a trust fund. Meet the attractive young women dating rich older men as Yumi Stynes peeks into the lives of sugar babies. Find out how the online sugar dating world (the sugar bowl) facilitates the kind of romance you pay for, and what can go wrong when sex mixes with money, wealth and power. Yes, there's a holiday in Thailand that goes terribly awry (think White Lotus, with less guns). Plus, researcher Srushti Upadhyay from The University at Buffalo explains how the economy of intimacy works, and what it means for all of us when we put a price on relational labour. This episode contains references to sex, sugar baby, sugar daddy, sugar dating, beauty, wealth, White Lotus, Chloe and Greg, Chelsea and Rick, Seeking Arrangement, sex work, cost of living crisis, business, transactions.

Great sex isn't inevitable. If you're a straight woman, chances are you've enjoyed far fewer orgasms than your sexual partner(s). And yes, we know, it's not just about the big O, but isn't it time the ladies got on equal frotting footing and closed the pleasure gap? Enter: Alyx Gorman. In her book All Women Want, Alyx investigates what makes for the best sex, how to get there, and how to communicate what you want. She interviews women of different ages and life stages, dives in the science behind good sex and even takes herself to a "musky and primal" sex party. Alyx sits down with Yumi Stynes to reveal the secrets of what women want: the patterns and home truths about why we aren't satisfied in the bedroom, and how to reach the shiny pinnacle on the other side. Warning: your productivity may decline significantly after listening as you find yourself bedridden in a hedonistic pleasure dreamland, filled with 100 euphoric orgasms. This episode contains references to sex, orgasm, orgasm gap, All Women Want, sex parties, orgies, female pleasure, heterosexual, sex, partners, relationships, marriage, masturbation, pleasure.

If you think perimenopause is reserved for mid-life, think again. When other 20 and 30-somethings are out partying or decorating the nursery, how do you cope with night sweats, hot flashes, brain fog and a tired libido? What's it like to have the body of a young woman, filled with the hormones of someone decades older? Yumi Stynes meets women going through perimenopause far earlier than they expected to learn how they manage their symptoms and cope with the prospect of infertility. She also sits down with women's health expert and GP, Dr Natasha Vavrek who explains the science behind premature menopause and POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency). This episode contains references to perimenopause, primary ovarian insufficiency, poi, premature menopause, sex, libido, hot flashes, bleeding, relationships, cancer, chemotherapy, youth, ageing, fertility.

What happens to your sex life in perimenopause? When Salt-N-Pepa wrote Let's Talk About Sex, they didn't get to that bit. Well, Yumi Stynes is here to update the lyrics! In this no-holds-barred episode she meets women who have experienced changes to their libido and sexual function during this phase of life and finds out what help is at hand. Yumi chats to women about what got them back in the groove and sits down with sex and perimenopause specialist Dr Sheryl Kingsberg, Professor in Reproductive Biology, Urology and Psychiatry at Case Western University. This episode contains references to perimenopause, sex, painful sex, relationships, marriage, libido, vaginal dryness, irritation, genito-urinary syndrome of menopause and menopausal hormone therapy, or MHT.

Is perimenopause brain fog jamming up your workday? Are you constantly in a bad mood or irrationally angry at your kids who are only as annoying as usual? Is your memory failing you for the simplest words? Riding the hormonal rollercoaster of perimenopause has a huge impact on our brains — from mood to memory, sleep to stress. Come hang with Yumi Stynes as she meets women convinced that they're losing their minds or even going through dementia, but are, in fact, in the depths of perimenopause. Plus, Yumi chats to Dr Pauline Maki, a leading professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, to find out how can we shift our brains into gear during this phase of life. This episode contains references to perimenopause, depression, anxiety, rage, anger, irritation, mood swings, hot flashes, sleep disturbance, menopausal hormone therapy, women, parenting, mothering and relationships.

Hot flashes. Night sweats. Aching joints. Sore boobs. Welcome to your body in perimenopause! In episode one of this four-part series, Yumi Stynes speaks to women in the thick of perimenopause and battling physical symptoms. She also sits down with Dr Susan Davis, endocrinologist and world-leading expert on sex hormones and ageing to learn the best treatments for bothersome symptoms and how look after yourself in this stage of life. No sweat! Essential listening if you're going through perimenopause right now, or for those wanting to know what's over the hormonal horizon.