Ideas at the House

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon is an Australian arts trailblazer, but a career in music was not something her family had imagined for her. Growing up in Sydney, Deborah always loved music, but when she experienced Opera for the first time — everything changed. Deborah went on to have an expansive global career as a soprano across the globe, and as a writer and composer of countless new works premiered all around Australia. She is the founder of Short Black Opera Company, with a mission to develop First Nations opera singers and uses her artforms as vehicles for radical truth-telling about untold Indigenous stories.This intimate chat, moderated by Santilla Chingaipe, looks at the formidable career that took Debroah from Stolen Generation to opera star, to writer and composer of the first Australian Indigenous opera, Pecan Summer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Motherhood is a time of overwhelming joy and love — but alongside those experiences, many new mothers also face exhaustion, emotional extremes, anxiety and profound changes in their mental health.The much rarer cousin of postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis affects one to two in every 1,000 mothers. The early signs can look deceptively ordinary and be difficult to identify, but delayed diagnosis can lead to devastating consequences.Moderator Lauren Novak (Meltdown) joins Ariane Beeston, Anne Buist and Rachel Skillington to break down the stigma surrounding motherhood’s misunderstood crises, unpack the warning signs with compassion, and look to solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don’t Ask the Trees for Their Names, a recently published collection of stories, brings together nine Arab-Australian women who have had to start over in a new country, carrying the weight of home and the promise of possibility. In this talk Contributors Loubna Haikal, Oula Ghannoum, Mariam Maatooq and Sivine Tabbouch  join moderator Antoinette Lattouf to share their intimate, sometimes raw, often joyful stories of migration, identity and belonging.From the legacies of homelands to the surprises of new communities, these voices reveal the courage, creativity and resilience it takes to forge a life from scratch. Their stories confront political injustices, celebrate cultural heritage and illuminate what it means to build family, community and selfhood in a new land.Warm, urgent and unapologetically human, this conversation is a powerful celebration of women, storytelling and the transformative power of shared experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jane Birkin was synonymous with chic. An unlikely icon of French cinema, her effortless style and artistic legacy have been immortalised through her music and film career. And, of course, this British babe was the inspiration behind one of the world’s most coveted handbags — the Hermès Birkin. But who was the real woman behind the muse?Join writer, critic and film curator, Kate Jinx and New York Times bestselling author Marisa Meltzer for an in-depth discussion about Birkin’s extraordinary life, times and legacy, inspired by Meltzer’s newly published biography, It Girl. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Real talk on money, power, financial safety and securing your futureSaddle up for a no-nonsense conversation about women, money and the systems shaping our financial futures. Learn practical skills, gain confidence and rewrite your path to independence.This frank, practical conversation brings together leading voices shaping the future of women’s financial literacy and security: Tasnia Alam Hannan, Zee Heart and Catherine Fitzpatrick, with Angela Priestley moderating.From navigating personalised debt traps to the new realities of retirement, this panel offers clear guidance, real talk and empowering pathways forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laila Lalami’s eerily prophetic new book imagines a world where AI can punish us for “potential crimes”. Known for her razor-sharp explorations of the immigrant experience, Lalami once again proves the power of fiction to illuminate and anticipate the world around us.From her celebrated essay collection Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America to her acclaimed novels, she has long interrogated power and national belonging. Enjoy this rare chance to hear Lalami unpack identity, belonging, justice and the power of storytelling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might be familiar with the concept of the “second shift” — the domestic burden that awaits a woman when she returns home from work. Then there’s the third shift (emotional labour) and the fourth shift (nighttime caregiving). Now we ask: is sex just the so-called “fifth shift”?Join Yumi Stynes, Chanté Joseph and Aleks Trkulja for an engaging chat about whether keeping the spark alive in long-term relationships is totally hot… or just another unpaid shift women are expected to clock into.Is maintaining a sex life in log-term relationships a labour of love, or just… labour? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bringing up boys isn’t getting any less complicated. One minute they’re sweet, funny little humans. The next, they’re parroting some podcast bro who insists “patriarchy isn’t real” and “grindset” is a personality.Shows like Adolescence and books like The Anxious Generation tapped a nerve. As toxic masculinity is loudly (and often rightly) called out, a generation of boys is confused and ashamed — and the algorithm is happy to lead them down dark alt-right rabbit holes. It’s part of the reason the Australian government introduced age restrictions for social media accounts.So how do we cut through the bro-fluencer noise to raise resilient, emotionally literate boys?Investigative journalist Jess Hill (See What You Made Me Do) and men’s mental health researcher Zac Seidler unpack the cultural forces shaping boys today and how adults can guide them with compassion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miranda July’s “great perimenopause novel”, All Fours tells the story of a woman who abandons routine suburban life for a reckless road trip and an extramarital affair.All Fours has hit a real-world nerve and since its release in 2024 has been blamed for the break down of both book clubs and marriages. It has become a catalyst for women re-examining their desires, their compromises and their lives.In “The All Fours Effect”, distinguished panellists Neha Kale, Melanie Kembrey, Jacqueline Maley and Marisa Meltzer dissect this novel and unpack the art, the uproar and the questions we can’t un-ask. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For solo parents, queer couples and people experiencing fertility issues the path to parenthood often comes with extra steps. Today, finding donor sperm is harder than ever — It’s the drought Australia is not talking about!As Australian fertility clinics scramble to meet demand, the search for sperm becomes an unexpectedly intimate chapter in the story of forming a family. Some navigate year-long clinic waitlists. Others sift through overseas profiles or have delicate conversations with friends. And some, like our moderator Edwina Storie, find themselves trawling unexpected corners of Facebook.Bringing together lived experience, this panel unswaddles the messy truth of modern conception — from awkward donor conversations and legal grey zones to financial burdens, cultural complexities and what donor-conceived people wish their parents knew.Join Melanie Saward, Alisha Burns, Maeve Marsden and Edwina Storie for an eye-opening conversation about what it really takes to make a baby today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women’s pain isn’t “mysterious”. Medicine is failing us.For centuries, women’s symptoms have been misunderstood, minimised or dismissed, from wandering wombs and so-called “hysteria” to modern-day misdiagnosis, mistreatment and delayed care.Medical science made extraordinary advances in the 20th and 21st centuries, but gender bias remains stubbornly embedded in healthcare, from a body of scientific research based largely on male experience, to a medical culture that can still see women dismissed or even belittled.An increasing body of testimony shows how dangerous this is for women — particularly First Nations women, women of colour and gender-diverse people — with poorer health outcomes across cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive and autoimmune conditions.Against this backdrop, studies like Australia’s first-ever Inquiry into Women’s Pain — drawing on the lived experiences of more than 13,000 women, girls, carers, healthcare professionals, peak bodies and researchers — point to the urgent need for reform.Join this expert panel as they put medical misogyny under the microscope and, crucially, map out what meaningful change could finally look like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if ageing wasn’t something to avoid, but something to embrace?Right now, a revolution is gathering force. Middle-aged and older women are refusing to fade out, shrink back or apologise for taking up space.Jacinta Parsons’ new book, A Wisdom of Age, was sparked by conversations with women across the country who are rewriting the rules and living with unapologetic confidence.Jacinta is joined by some of the formidable women whose humour, tenderness and rebellious wisdom shaped the book. This uplifting talk is a celebration of ageing with agency, and we’re just getting started. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Emily Maitlis grilled then-Prince Andrew in that now-infamous BBC interview, she ignited “the worst PR crisis for the royal family since the death of Diana”. Ending the Duke’s royal career, the encounter also inspired several television adaptations including Amazon Prime’s A Very Royal Scandal (with Ruth Wilson as Maitlis).Since then, she’s only turned up the heat – challenging political spin, dismantling “both-sides” journalism, hosting one of the UK’s most-listened-to podcasts and putting pressure on the US Department of Justice to release the “Epstein Files”.Maitlis brings her signature fearlessness to All About Women to talk politics, power, journalism’s critical role in seeking justice and holding power to account – and what it takes to expose the truth when the stakes couldn’t be higher.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When justice is redacted, women pay the price.The Epstein Files are not just about one man’s crimes, but about the systems that protected him and failed women — and girls — for decades. American journalist and writer Amy Wallace collaborated with Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre on her memoir Nobody’s Girl, published months after her death, while British journalist Emily Maitlis famously put Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on the record about his involvement with Epstein’s dark world. Join them for a critically important discussion that looks beyond spectacle to examine the institutions that turned a blind eye, the lawsuits now seeking redress and what justice looks like when perpetrators evade consequences but survivors live with lasting harm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court sent shock waves around the world. And while abortion rights seemed to be settled in Australia, there have been attempts - on both sides of politics - to undermine them here. Abortion restrictions were proposed in at least two Australian states, while debate continues about whether publicly funded hospitals can refuse to perform the procedure. In this podcast, Jane Caro, Summer May Finlay and Charlotte Mortlock canvass the current state of debate in Australia and examine how seriously to take these recent threats. Could it really happen here?  This event was hosted by Gina Rushton and recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An inspirational force for positive action, Nyamal woman and renowned psychologist Dr Tracy Westerman is making waves in the treatment of Indigenous women’s trauma. As the first Aboriginal person in Australia to complete a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Dr Westerman has opened the floodgates, inspiring others to follow her into a professional field truly in need of community-based Indigenous psychologists.Drawing from her decades working with clients, Dr Westerman explores the deep racial trauma affecting Aboriginal women across generations. In this powerful talk, she reveals how hope and optimism fuel the resilience of the world’s oldest living culture.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Kushner’s latest novel Creation Lake, a French noir eco-espionage thriller, was an instant New York Times bestseller, shortlisted for the Booker, and hailed as a blend of John le Carré’s intrigue with the wit of Kill Bill and the style of Killing Eve.It’s the latest in a career that has dazzled her fans - whether she is taking on the art and radicalism in 1970s New York (The Flamethrowers), the horrors of the US carceral system (The Mars Room) or American expatriates caught up in the Cuban revolution (Telex from Cuba).Find out how this author creates stories and characters that always feel so brilliantly and bracingly alive.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Matilda’s Effect to the AFL commitment to close the gender pay gap, cross-code support for female athletes is at an all-time high. With record attendance, huge broadcast viewership and glass ceilings shattering, elite players are finally being taken seriously. None of this happened overnight. How far off is something that looks like parity?Join Kirby Bentley, Bec Goddard, Ann Odong, Lydia Williams and Tracey Holmes from on and off the pitch to hear first-hand experiences of the peaks and pitfalls that have come with the growing emphasis on women’s sport, and learn about the role intersectionality needs to play.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine Brooks and her husband Tony Horwitz settled down for a quiet life. This came to an abrupt end on Memorial Day 2019 with the sudden death of Brooks' beloved husband. Without space to grieve, her loss became a yawning gulf. Her profoundly moving memoir, Memorial Days, is a portrait of a larger-than-life man and a timeless love between intertwined souls that captures the joy, agony and mystery of life. In this touching talk, Brooks is joined by Jennifer Byrne to discuss how to honour a person, endure their absence in ways both new and old, and rebuild a life after loss.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite decades of legislative reform and workplace protections in other industries, some claim there is a persistent shadowy underbelly in Australian music, with female artists alleging bullying, harassment as well as sexist and racist abuse. Speaking from lived experience, Australian artists BARKAA and Jaguar Jonze argue for their rights at work and challenge the lack of accountability from those at the top.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Embracing her misfit nature early on, Gina Chick found grounding in the rhythms of the natural world. With an innate ability to bring barefoot wisdom into her daily life, Gina has dedicated her time to help others be guided by their internal authority.Her extraordinary journey includes surviving cancer, losing her only child to the same illness, and spending 67 days alone in the Tasmanian wilderness and ultimately becoming the first winner of Alone Australia. Gina shares her story in her memoir, We Are The Stars. With humour and unshakable spirit, she invites you into an intimate journey of possibility through story and song.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acclaimed science journalist and author Lucy Jones (UK), explores the emerging concept of matrescence and how motherhood causes more physiological and psychological changes than we have been led to believe. Part memoir and part journalism, her latest book – named ‘Book of the Year’ by The New Yorker, the New Statesman and the Daily Mail – is an urgent examination of motherhood and mental health. Join Jones in conversation with reproductive rights journalist and author of The Most Important Job in the World, Gina Rushton as they radically reveal the science of motherhood.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist and survivor Lucia Osborne-Crowley goes beyond the headlines in this gripping podcast, sharing the untold stories of the women victimised by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Drawing from her acclaimed book The Lasting Harm, she reveals the emotional toll of the trial, the strength of survivor testimony, and the systemic failures that continue to persist, even after countless convictions. A powerful exploration of justice, trauma, and the courage it takes to speak out — and keep surviving.This event was moderated by Grace Tame and recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a natural phase of life becomes a trending topic—and a business opportunity? In this sharp, funny, and deeply insightful conversation, our panel dives into the realities of perimenopause and menopause. From mood swings to hot flushes, hormone therapy to healthcare ‘goopification’, they unpack the confusion, stigma, and skyrocketing market around women’s health. With personal stories and expert insights, this podcast cuts through the noise to bring clarity, solidarity, and a few laughs.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ladies, We Need to Talk podcast goes deep on the personal stuff that's hard to talk about, even with your closest mates. With sensitivity, hilarity, personal stories and serious smarts, it tries to work out what normal is by talking to real women about their real experiences.  Relive Yumi Stynes bringing her hit ABC podcast to the Opera House, with a panel of frank and funny women answering the question: is everyone having more interesting sex than me?This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human rights lawyer Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts brings her fight for justice for First Nations people and children to this powerful episode. Drawing from her own childhood trauma, forcibly removed at the tender age of ten and only began to heal when she fled the out-of-home care system to reconnect with kin and return to country.Her unflinching exposé uncovers the ongoing violence institutions are inflicting on children and their communities – from racist family policing and shameful rates of child removals to the steady pipeline of First Nations children into the criminal justice system. Listen to this conversation of bold truth-telling that poses an important challenge to us all.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deciding whether to have kids is more complex than ever. This thoughtful conversation unpacks the deeply personal choice of parenthood alongside its broader political, financial, and environmental implications. With birth rates falling and uncertainty rising, more women are choosing not to have children. Plug in and hear candid conversations about climate anxiety, economic pressures, and social expectations—and why opting out of parenthood is becoming an increasingly common decision.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wondering what’s behind ballerina farms, #mormonmoms and the simple life? As the Trad Wife phenomenon rises up the algorithm, clips of women collecting newly laid eggs and baking bread are finding their way into “For You” pages everywhere. Jump down the rabbit hole as this conversation examines how these influencers perform the roles of wife and mother for public consumption and how feminism fits into this story.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An urgent panel discussion on Australia’s escalating crisis of violence against women. Experts share personal accounts and professional insights into the rise in partner homicides, tech-enabled abuse, and the disproportionate impact on First Nations women. As governments acknowledge the issue but fail to act effectively, this conversation asks: why is the danger increasing, and what must be done to protect women and children across the country?This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Co-Medical Director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, Professor Richard Scolyer AO is a world-leading clinician and researcher who has spent years alongside his colleagues transforming melanoma treatment, Australia’s deadliest cancer. At the peak of his career, his world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with an incurable Grade 4 glioblastoma.Refusing to accept the status quo—where treatment options had remained unchanged for nearly two decades—he made the courageous decision to become “patient zero” in a world-first experimental immunotherapy. Moderated by Jamila Rizvi, this fascinating conversation follows Richard’s remarkable journey and celebrates the publication of his latest book Brainstorm.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 17 November 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From humble beginnings in the remote Pilbara, Dr Tracy Westerman was the first Aboriginal person in Australia to complete a PhD in Clinical Psychology and has risen to become one of the country’s leading psychologists.In an event that marked the publication of her powerful memoir Jilya, Westerman spoke to journalist and Wiradjuri man Stan Grant, and drew on decades of client stories of trauma and heartbreak, explaining how mental health professions’ one-size-fits-all approach is creating irreparable damage and how a different approach can help to heal the wounds of intergenerational trauma.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 10 September 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A future where artificial intelligence intersects with human cognition, consciousness, and even life itself couldn’t actually become a reality anytime soon…right?Esteemed experts including renowned quantum physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies AM, cognitive scientist Inês Hipólito and neuroscientist Brett Kagan sat down with University of Sydney's AI expert Sandra Peter to unveil life-altering developments that will reshape our future sooner than you think. This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 17 August 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He’s a global household name who needs no introduction - from the famous moment of discovery at London’s River Café to selling 50 million books 24 years later, Jamie Oliver popped into Sydney for an Australian exclusive conversation covering the breadth of his career.Moderated by former Masterchef Australia judge Melissa Leong, hear Jamie’s insights into his triumphs and challenges, the meaning of family and being a dad, and his pledge to create a happier, healthier world by inspiring the love of cooking in children.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 11 November 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is on the cusp of extraordinary changes - from cures for intractable illnesses to dramatic reductions in greenhouse gasses - thanks to Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna. Listen to her thoughts in this fascinating discussion with Natasha Mitchell and learn about the benefits and threats in the revolution of gene editing.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 21 May 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Australian exclusive event, psychiatrist and trauma research pioneer Bessel van der Kolk, MD, sat down with Sarah Kanowski and discussed his New York Times best selling book The Body Keeps The Score.Hear his insights into how traumatic experiences can disconnect our body and mind leaving us with a physical imprint of our psychic wounds, and explore the treatments proving effective, including MDMA-assisted therapy, recently approved for use in Australia.This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a long time, the word 'influencer' conjured stereotypes of activewear and dubious hot takes. But it's 2024 and social media has well-and-truly revolutionised the public square. Today, the word influencer can refer to an activist or academic who shares short videos on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to explain complex concepts on niche subjects for a global audience.   From Substack to Twitter threads, podcasting to Patreon, there are many opportunities to monetise knowledge-sharing. What does it mean for women to be able to build audiences free from traditional gatekeepers? Or are the gatekeepers now just the shady algorithms of BigTech bros? This All About Women panel of influencers including: Hannah Ferguson, Mary Mcgillivray, Sisonke Msimang and moderator Bri Lee features a lively and entertaining debate unpacking the implications of the new gatekeepers.  This event was recorded at All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pop culture has embraced a surge of complex female anti-heroes, from con-women to avengers, challenging traditional narratives of female perfection with their flaws and moral ambiguity. However, this trend predominantly features white women, leaving Women of Colour marginalized as exceptions rather than the rule.   Featuring an all-star First Nations panel, Steph Tisdell, Barkaa and moderator Rudi Bremer, this panel sheds light on the burden of representation and the narrow pathways for Women of Colour to navigate between societal expectations of excellence and the right to embrace imperfection.   This event was recorded at All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Anna Funder turned to her literary hero, George Orwell, for inspiration, she discovered not just that Eileen O’Shaughnessy, his first wife's, contribution had been ignored by his biographers but that Orwell himself had blatantly downplayed both her work and her contribution.   In her book Wifedom, Funder forensically proves Orwell’s deliberate erasure of his wife and not only puts O’Shaughnessy back in the story, but in the process comes face to face with the doublethink of patriarchy and how it continues to shape women’s lives today. Funder is joined by Jemma Birrell for this conversation, as she unpacks Orwell's double-edged legacy and her latest masterpiece.   This event was recorded at All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an era where porn is omnipresent and often celebrated as a symbol of empowerment and personal freedom, Chanel Contos argues that it also perpetuates harmful norms of objectification and violence.  Contos is the creator of the Teach Us Consent movement and author of Consent Laid Bare. In this discussion with Jess Hill she interrogates how the porn industry infiltrates real-life sexual dynamics and expectations.  This podcast includes discussion about violence and other sensitive issues. If you or someone you know needs support, contact 1800 RESPECT, a free helpline which supports people impacted by domestic, family  This event was recorded at All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time, Sydney audiences heard directly from Cambridge Professor Emerita Dame Mary Beard in an event that delved into the broad range of her career - from the ruins of ancient Rome to the trenches of Twitter.   Dame Mary joins Bri Lee in a broad reaching discussion about how power is skewed along gender lines, her latest book, Emperor of Rome, which gives a nuanced understanding of sex, class, race, and politics in the ancient world, and whose astute observations of modern political power have shone a light on the remarkably persistent patterns of patriarchy today.  This event was recorded at All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hot on the heels of her satirical literary sensation Yellowface crushing the bestseller lists, American author Rebecca F. Kuang was joined by Nakkiah Lui for a conversation exploring the complexities of diversity, racism and cultural appropriation today – both through her own eyes and those of her book’s protagonist Juniper Hayward.  This event was recorded at All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was the ultimate roast session at All About Women, but this time, the target wasn't a person—it was feminism itself! From suffrage struggles to the #MeToo movement, no aspect of feminist history or ideology was safe from the scathing wit of our roasters. A sizzling interrogation of gender and power, this special event was filled with laughs, irreverence, and insights that might make you look at things differently.  Host Steph Tisdell marshalled six of the wittiest voices in comedy and writing -Michelle Law, Jane Caro, Jan Fran, Zoe Coombs Marr and Nakkiah Lui- to take aim at feminism, from its earliest roots to its modern-day iterations. This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For All About Women in 2024, audiences embarked on a journey through the complex landscape of the human body, where strength meets vulnerability, pleasure intertwines with pain, and empowerment dances with trauma. This captivating conversation explored the political battleground that our bodies often become and tackled the societal challenges deeply rooted in our physical forms.   The distinguished panel included Grace Tame, Tanya Hosch, Madison Griffiths and Tara Rae Moss, alongside moderator Jamila Rizvi.  This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Motherhood is known as one of life’s greatest joys but the complexities that come with raising a child solo while battling systemic barriers such as ableism and racism can turn it into an uphill battle.   Malyangapa, Barkindji artist Barkaa and feminist writer Karen Pickering were joined by moderator Edwina Throsby for a moving and thought-provoking discussion at All About Women, where they unravelled the challenges society throws at mothers. This podcast includes discussion about violence and other sensitive issues. If you or someone you know needs support, contact 1800 RESPECT, a free helpline which supports people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence. This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not hard to get caught in the contradictions of the beauty industry. We're told to embrace natural looks, yet we are bombarded with countless products promising to conceal or enhance our features. Additionally, no sooner than we express a desire to champion entrepreneurial women, we turn on them with criticism that outstrips anything said about a male exec.  Fashion, beauty, and wellness journalist Marisa Meltzer spoke to moderator Bridie Jabour at All About Women 2024, exploring the impact of social media-driven hyper consumerism on the beauty industry - and us. This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ‘Sad Girl Novel’ has officially reached market saturation. Privileged young female protagonists  are portrayed as unfulfilled by sex and their careers; they are deeply entrenched in their complicated thoughts and feelings, filled with self-loathing and self-absorbed.   It’s as if they have stumbled upon some great insight that the rest of us fail to see, except perhaps the millions of us who buy these books.  This All About Women panel, with authors and critics Jessie Tu, Madeleine Gray, Neha Kale and moderator Bridie Jabour, delved into the themes of ‘Sad Girl Novels’ and discussed why they resonated with audiences.  This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In days gone by, raising kids was considered a woman’s job, while men were the breadwinners. Fast forward to 2024, and women are now expected to work, but men are still only taking 12% of primary carer’s leave.  A panel of dads, including Sean Szeps, Osher Günsberg and Amar Singh, joined Jamila Rizvi at All About Women in 2024, to discuss their commitment to equality in the household and encourage men to take on more responsibilities. This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our justice system is not functioning as it should. Over 90% of women in prison have faced domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse. One-third of women incarcerated have yet to be found guilty of a crime. First Nations women are disproportionately represented in incarcerated populations. Additionally, there's the issue of mothers and pregnant individuals behind bars.  Eleni Psillakis, Ashlee Donohue, Frances Drake and Tabitha Lean joined moderator Kirsten Gray at All About Women to share their experiences and talk about the prospects for reform.  This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Booker Prize-winning author Anne Enright’s latest novel is The Wren, The Wren, a multigenerational story delving into the inheritance of trauma, the resilience of women and the power of love in its manifold forms. It contemplates the question: how do we live with betrayal and loneliness, yet still love those close to us?Anne Enright joined us at All About Women this year to explore with author Madeleine Gray the reasons behind the choices she makes in her writing.This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consumerist culture grows stronger every year, particularly with the expansion of marketing and influencers on social media, contributing to the rise in carbon emissions and inequality.  At All About Women this year, fashion activist and writer Aja Barber demystified the structural inequality embedded in the global fashion industry and spoke with moderator Jan Fran about ways we can be good global citizens while still enjoying what fashion has to offer.  This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.