
Ladies, We Need To Talk
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-judgmental 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
Latest episodes

May 19, 2025 • 31min
Sandwich generation — the women looking after everyone
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 AustraliaThe Violet InitiativeWe want to know what you want to hear more of, take our audience survey:https://shorturl.at/JglOX

May 12, 2025 • 30min
Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen Gunter
Dr. Jen Gunter, a gynaecologist and women's health expert, takes a bold stand against wellness myths, calling out harmful treatments peddled by influencers. She tackles outrageous trends like coffee enemas and jade yoni eggs, exposing their risks and the profit motives behind them. Gunter dives into the stigma surrounding female hygiene, critiques media sensationalism, and discusses the dangerous overlap between wellness culture and anti-abortion narratives. With humor and insight, she empowers listeners to navigate health misinformation.

May 5, 2025 • 32min
Loneliness — you're not alone
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 build more meaningful connections?Yumi Stynes speaks to women who are lonely, one within a marriage and one hoping to find a partner, to understand the toll it can take. Plus, psychologist Dr Bella Ingram shares tips on how we can insulate ourselves from the chill of being lonely.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=shorturlThis episode contains references to marriage, friendship, relationships, loneliness, anxiety, depression, mental health, alcohol, substance use, community.

Apr 30, 2025 • 20min
Can you train yourself to pee less? From 'What's That Rash?'
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

Apr 28, 2025 • 27min
How to give zero f*cks with Gina Chick, Jessie Tu and Anna Broinowski
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

Apr 23, 2025 • 19min
Why we should stop apologising for the culture we love with Caroline O'Donoghue
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/R5uACN6GWUThis 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.

Apr 21, 2025 • 27min
What's that pong? How to fix a smelly vagina
In a lively discussion, Professor Deborah Bateson, an expert in sexual health at the University of Sydney, tackles the often-taboo topic of vaginal odor. The conversation dives into the causes of bacterial vaginosis, its emotional impact, and surprising findings on its transmission. Lacey shares her personal experiences with awkward moments and hygiene struggles, sparking laughter and empathy. The episode also features humor and a song dedicated to the vagina, promoting body positivity and open dialogue about women's health.

Apr 14, 2025 • 27min
Are our boys ok? Fighting online misogyny with Kate Scott
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.

Apr 7, 2025 • 33min
Sugar babies — dating men for money
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.

Mar 31, 2025 • 32min
'All Women Want' — how to have great sex, with Alyx Gorman
Alyx Gorman, lifestyle editor at The Guardian Australia and author of 'All Women Want,' dives deep into the complex world of female sexuality and pleasure. She addresses the significant orgasm gap between heterosexual women and men, emphasizing the need for better communication in sexual relationships. Alyx also explores generational differences in sexual practices, including the controversial topic of choking. With anecdotes from her experiences, including a revealing visit to a sex party, she encourages women to embrace their desires and enhance their sexual fulfillment.