Ladies, We Need To Talk

Latest Episodes:

AI Misogyny: The new age of sexism, with Laura Bates Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

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 Women dropped, academic Laura Bates was sent an AI-generated nightmare. It was her face, used in a sexually violent doctored image.

Her new book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny dives into this wild collision of technology and hate, from deepfake pornography to cyber brothels, chatbots and robot girlfriends.

Laura calls out a future where women are easy targets and the rules don't apply. The tech might be new, but the misogyny is old and crusty —and Laura says it's time to fight back and protect women now.

Come to our next live show:

How pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves

What to listen to next:

Are our boys ok? Fighting online misogyny with Kate Scott Falling for a narcissist Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen Gunter Sashi Perera on reinvention

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

What to read next:

Shame and disgust: Why we find this STI so hard to talk about What happens to your sex life during perimenopause?How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood The dark side of being a perfectionist

This episode will address questions like, what does AI mean for women and women's rights? How is technology being used in gender-based violence? What is a deepfake? What is the psychological impact of online abuse? What can I do if there's a deepfake using my image?

This episode contains references to pornography, metaverse, online, deepfake, discrimination, inequality, harassment, reddit, social media, sexual assault, abuse, AI, Artificial Intelligence.

Hacking online dating with Prof. Jennie Young Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

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.

Jennie never thought she would use her academic background to become a dating influencer. She was 50 when she first started online dating and was struck by the onslaught of stilted, mundane, and rude conversations. She kept getting the same advice — make yourself as appealing as possible and give men the benefit of the doubt. But Jennie, along with her army of followers, is turning that advice on its head. She's giving women permission to be as judgemental as possible and be totally yourself along the way.

Jennie chats with Yumi Stynes about how to hack the apps and win at dating. Think of this episode as a tool in your arsenal if you're dating, or a trusty guide if you're close to someone who is.

What to listen to next:

Ditching dating apps Paying for sex at 70 How to have better sex, with Emily Nagoski Rosie Waterland and Jamila Rizvi's broken brains

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

What to read next:

The women staying single by choice in a world of relentless dating pressure Sugar babies give rich, older men the 'full girlfriend experience' at a price

This episode will address questions like, why are conversations so weird on dating apps? How can I have a better time on dating apps? Who should I avoid on the dating apps?

This episode contains references to burned haystack dating method, BHDM, B2B, block to burn, block2burn, Jennie Young, dating apps, couples, partner, love, relationships, dating events, Match Group, Hinge, Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, divorce.

The new way to date Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

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, friend of the pod and Lifestyle Editor at Guardian Australia, Alyx Gorman helps us understand why more women are dating IRL.

What to listen to next:

Loneliness — you're not alone Relationship resuscitation — coming back from the brink

'All Women Want' — how to have great sex, with Alyx Gorman

Digital dating despair

What to read next:

The women staying single by choice in a world of relentless dating pressure

Sugar babies give rich, older men the 'full girlfriend experience' at a price

Global study shows online dating does not always lead to happy relationships

This episode will address questions like, why are people logging off the dating apps? Where did dating apps go wrong? Why are single in-person events on the rise?

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode contains references to dating apps, single events, couples, partner, love, relationships, dating events, in-person, running clubs, pickle ball, paddle, boxing, Match Group, Hinge, Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, divorce.

PMOS: Infertility, beards and BS Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

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, that's a huge deal.

Yumi Stynes chats with Professor Helena Teede, who led the name change initiative, as well as women living with PMOS.

This episode was recorded before the name change and refers to the disease as PCOS.

Featured in this episode:

Professor Helena Teede, female endocrine specialist from Monash University

This episode will answer questions such as:

What is PMOS?
Why does PMOS cause weight pain?
What is the link between PMOS and infertility?
How is PMOS diagnosed?

What to listen to next:

Has Ozempic killed body positivity? Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen Gunter Perimenopause: but aren't I too young?

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode contains references to PCOS, PMOS, weight gain, excess hair, medical misogyny and infertility.

Sashi Perera on reinvention Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

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, relationship breakdowns and IVF struggles. Yumi Stynes sits down with Sashi to find out how she's learned to run her own race.

What to listen to next:

How to give zero f*cks with Gina Chick, Jessie Tu and Anna Broinowski Jessie Tu, on miscarriage and doing motherhood her way Emotional labour with Rose Hackman The price of perfectionism

What to read next:

The price of perfectionism for women

How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood

Sandy seemingly has a perfect marriage, but she’d never been lonelier

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode contains references to marriage, wedding, runaway bride, comedy, stand-up, dating, Tinder, online dating, shame, depression, mental health, immigrant, immigration, family, IVF, pregnancy, miscarriage, relationships.

Shedding the shame of herpes Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

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 expert Dr Ellie Freedman explains the science behind the virus and how it changes over time.

What to listen to next:

The secret lives of vaginas Esther Perel — how to have a hard conversation Body image and babies with Turia Pitt and Sophie Walker

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

What to read next:

Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood What loving someone with an addiction or dependence can look like The dark side of being a perfectionist

This episode will answer questions like:

What is genital herpes?
What does it feel like to get genital herpes?
What's the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2?
How is herpes spread?
Why is there stigma around herpes?
How do people manage genital herpes?
How are relationships and sex impacted by herpes?

This episode contains references to genital herpes, herpes simplex virus type one, herpes simplex virus type two, antibodies, sexual health, womens health, shame, stigma, mental health, vagina, vulva.

Paying for sex at 70 Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

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 expecting. This is a story about erotic power, ageing and finding the courage to ask for what you want.

What to listen to next:

Loneliness – you're not alone Sugar babies – dating men for money

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

What to read next:

This episode contains references to sex work, ageing, women, sexuality, escort, paying for sex, erotic power, getting older, orgasm.

Correction: this episode describes Gail Rice approaching Mitch's escort agency for a refund. However, Gail contacted Mitch directly and got him to agree to a refund.

Has Ozempic killed body inclusivity? Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

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 message.

So, what do these drugs mean for fat liberation? And how can we shift our collective thinking around weight and morality?

Yumi Stynes chats to a panel of amazing women about the impact of this new generation of weight-loss drugs and how we can all find ways to be kinder to our bodies.

Featured in this conversation:

Dr Emma Beckett, nutritionist
Evie Gardiner, size inclusivity advocate
Nat Atkinson, mum taking Wegovy

What to listen to next:

The Ozempic era I'm fat, don't hate me—Aubrey Gordon Fat talk

You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

What to read next:

Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood The women staying single by choice in a world of relentless dating pressure Sugar babies give rich, older men the 'full girlfriend experience' at a price

This episode will address questions like, what does it feel like to be a fat woman today? Is there increasing pressure to go on weight loss drug Ozempic? How has the rise in Ozempic impacted fat women? What is it like to loose a lot of weight? How does society treat you differently after weight loss?

How to have better sex, with Emily Nagoski Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

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)

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