Ladies, We Need To Talk
by ABC Australia
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! [email protected]
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…
more -
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…
more -
"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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
"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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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…
more -
"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....
-
‘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...
-
"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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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,...
-
"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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
‘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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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...
About this show
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! [email protected]
Hosted by
ABC Australia