Podcast
Ladies, We Need To Talk
Hosted by ABC Australia · EN
Ladies, We Need to Talk goes deep on the women's health and relationship issues that are setting your group chat on fire.
Come hang with the fabulous Yumi Stynes as she takes a candid, non-judgemental and often hilarious look at the deeply personal stuff that's hard to bring up, even with your closest mates.
You'll meet incredible experts to help you improve your wellness, manage the mental load; survive break-ups and prioritise your mental health.
With sensitivity, personal stories from real women, and serious smarts, this show is for women who feel the squeeze between work, their private life, and their pelvic floor.
Get in touch with episode ideas, feedback, or just say hi! Ladies@abc.net.au
46episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Am I stuck in a sex rut?
3d ago00:28:02Tap to summarizeWhen 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 scrolling in bed, and somehow, the phone wins every time.Yumi Stynes meets women who are trying to wriggle free from a sex rut and carve out time for more and better sex. Plus, sex therapist Georgia Grace shares advice on how to bring sexual intimacy back into the bedroom.This episode will answer questions like:Why do people have less sex in a long-term relationship?Why is my partner distant?Can romantic relationships survive without sex?How can I reignite my sex life?Should I see a sex therapist?What is phubbing?What to listen to next:Relationship resuscitation — coming back from the brink — ABC listenIs your attachment style messing with your love life?One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationships What to read next:Why these women have never had a partner The joys of having babies in your 40sThis episode contains references to sex, relationships, intimacy, pleasure, technoference, avoidance
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The ugly side of the beauty industry with Jess DeFino
1w ago00:26:00Tap to summarizeBotox, 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 it out of reach, no matter how much time, money and energy we pour in.Now Jess is calling bullsh*t on the beauty industrial complex and the ever more bonkers methods being employed.This episode will answer questions like: What is looksmaxxing? How do beauty standards change over time? Do children need skincare? Is the beauty industry growing? What’s it like to work with the Kardashian-Jenner’s Why is skin care so expensive? Is the beauty industry designed to make you buy more? Can you trust skincare reviews? Is the beauty industry built on insecurity? What to listen to next:Botox and fillers – facing up to the new normal How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie GilbertIs your attachment style messing with your love life?One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationships What to read next: Why these women have never had a partner The joys of having babies in your 40sThis episode contains references to beauty, looksmaxxing, beauty industry, Kardashian, Jenner, Clavicular.
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The women who've never had sex
2w ago00:29:00Tap to summarizeWe 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 has gone from being something women were expected to protect to something they feel they have to explain. So how do we ditch everyone else's expectations and figure out what we actually want? Yumi Stynes speaks with women navigating adulthood without sex. Featured in this episode: Amanda McCracken, writer on love and limerence This episode will answer questions like: How does it feel to be an adult virgin? What’s dating like as a virgin? Why do some people wait to have sex? What to listen to next:Building a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther PerelHow swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better offThe power of one: the single ladies owning it Why are we exercising less than men?What to read next:Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it wentBuilding a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther PerelThis episode contains references to sex, sexuality, dating, relationships, virgins, religion, shame, psychology. This episode was originally broadcast in April 2024. (R).
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I’m in love with a narcissist
3w ago00:27:00Tap to summarizeLove 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 narcissistic traits have very little insight into their behaviour. Yumi Stynes chats to women who’ve been in love with narcissists to understand what got them under their spell and why they're so difficult to leave. Plus, clinical Tamara Cavenett explores what you can do to protect your emotional state within a narcissistic relationship, and how to get out safely. If you need help:1800 Respect national helpline1800 737 732Women's Crisis Line1800 811 811Lifeline131 114Relationships Australia1300 364 277This episode will answer questions like: Am I in a relationship with a narcissist? How do narcissists behave in romantic relationships? How can you find out if your partner is a narcissist? What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder? How can you prepare to leave a coercive relationship? What to listen to next: Are you mum or grandma? Having a baby at 47I love you but I hate your politicsIs your attachment style messing with your love life?One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationships What to read next:Why these women have never had a partner The joys of having babies in your 40sWhy these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it wentThis episode contains references to dating, marriage, sex, narcissist, control, coercive relationships, empathy, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, mental illness.This episode was originally broadcast in October, 2023. (R).
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The health gap no one talks about
Jun 300:29:00Tap to summarizeFor 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 about being misunderstood and misdiagnosed and the toll this has taken on her health. She also investigates the root causes behind these co-occurring conditions and how medical and social systems can better support autistic women and girls to be healthier and live their best lives. Listen to more from the Autistic AF with Grace Tame series:Either I'm autistic, or I'm a catGirls don't get autismThe relationship spectrumWatch the first episode on ABC Australia YouTube.
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The relationship spectrum
Jun 300:31:00Tap to summarize"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 looks at how autism and relationships intersect, from friendships and partnerships to parenthood. She also explores what autistic women bring to relationships and what becomes possible when they stop pretending to be "normal"?Listen to more from the Autistic AF with Grace Tame series:Either I'm autistic, or I'm a catGirls don't get autismThe health gap no one talks aboutWatch the first episode on ABC Australia YouTube.
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Girls don't get autism
Jun 300:32:00Tap to summarizeFor 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 invisibility cloak". In this episode, Grace meets women and gender diverse people who have been diagnosed with autism later in life or are still waiting. She also speaks to neuroscientist Dr Gina Rippon about what the latest research has to say.Featuring The Assembly's Bethany Woodman.Listen to more from the Autistic AF with Grace Tame series:Either I'm autistic, or I'm a catThe relationship spectrumThe health gap no one talks aboutWatch the first episode on ABC Australia YouTube.
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Either I'm autistic, or I'm a cat
Jun 100:30:30Tap to summarize"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 exclusive interview, Grace opens up about the ways that she fought her own brain, using alcohol and masking to try and fit in. She also reveals how exploring relationships with women has been a "profound shift".After sharing her own story, Grace takes over hosting duties for the rest of the series, speaking with experts and other autistic women to find out why so many women are misunderstood and diagnosed late.Watch on ABC Australia YouTube
Transcribe →Introducing — Autistic AF with Grace Tame
May 3100:02:10Tap to summarize"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 comes wrapped in a lot of stigma and misunderstandings. Grace knows this firsthand. She struggled socially as a kid before finally getting a diagnosis in her late teens. Grace's experience isn't unique, with girls far more likely to get a late diagnosis than boys. So, what's going on? Why did science leave girls behind for so long, and at what cost?
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Orgasm coach Dr Lori Brotto
May 2500:24:00Tap to summarizeThe 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 for women's sexual health. Dr Lori shares her deep understanding of female anatomy and psychology and cutting-edge research on how to climax.This episode will answer questions like:Can women climax during penetrative sex? How do women orgasm? What happens physiologically during women’s orgasm? Why can’t I orgasm? Can women have a premature orgasm? Should sex be painful? Does menopause affect sex? Should I get a vibrator? How can I improve sexual pleasure? What to listen to next: Great sex: What we wish men knewIs your attachment style messing with your love life?Is everyone having better sex than me?One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationshipsWhat to read next: Why these women have never had a partner The joys of having babies in your 40sWhy these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it wentThis episode contains references to orgasms, sex, partners, relationships, dating, open relationships, menopause, sexual dysfunction, pornography, mindfulness, anorgasmia, vaginismus.
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