The Hook Up

We’re coming to the end of a massive year covering all things love, sex, dating and relationships here on The Hook Up. From the male loneliness epidemic and the rise of AI relationships, to the rise of ENM, performative males, fake doms and boyfriends being embarrassing - we recap all the trends in news and pop culture that got you talking, plus hear your fav eps from 2025!SHOW NOTES:Hack story on AI Relationship study on relationshipshttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/ai-chatbots-accelerating-loneliness-epidemic/105931188Is Being A Pick Me Or Performative Male Problematic?https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/is-being-a-pick-me-or-performative-male-problematic-/105889546How To Actually Have A Good Threesomehttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/how-to-have-a-threesome-tips-sexologist-find-unicorn-third-sex/105315188Do I Have A Sex/Porn Addiction?https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/sex-porn-addiction-sex-addict-heide-mcconkey-compulsive-sexual-/105895896How Often Should I Be Having Sex?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ35yOTAfyo&list=PLFqO_oqoHHMzFwCWPXOj6CDpOdG3eS8cE&index=9How To Deal With Mismatched Libidohttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/mismatched-libidos-different-low-sex-drives-laura-lee-sexologist/105812842Is Everyone ENM Now?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9L7gf5TR5QHow To Do Non-Monogamy Ethicallyhttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/open-up-relationship-ethical-non-monogamy-chris-cheers-polyamory/105506070Why Are There So Many Fake Doms?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngg8KHqrSgoPeriod Farts, Cum Headaches & The Science Of Kinks w/ Dr Evahttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/science-week-sex-questions-fertility-periods-orgasms-libido-kink/105616942Science Of Squirting And How To Do Ithttps://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/science-squirting-orgasm-ejaculation-how-to-squirt/105643192DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

If your friend is dating someone that sucks, or is downright toxic - what’s the best way to let them know? In this ep, you’ll hear from psychologist Liz Neal about how to tell someone you love that you don’t like their partner and what to do if your friend pushes you away.  SHOW NOTES:1800 Respect: 1800 737 732 Liz Neal Website: https://www.elizabethneal.com.au/DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

We’ve all had a friend who’s dated someone you don’t like - but is it ever your place to say something? We find out whether you should tell them (early? When you’re asked? Or not at all??), find the difference between not liking their partner vs they’re bad for your friend and why you reckon it’s important to stick around even if your friend's got rose coloured glasses on.SHOW NOTES:Lifeline: 13 11 141800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732 DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Sex toys are an amazing way to explore pleasure and discover your sexuality - but there’s still a lot of stigma, especially when bringing them into partnered sex or if you struggle to climax without one. We chat to sex educator Georgia Grace about how to work through any internalised toy shame, and how to introduce them if you (or your partner) feel awkward.Note: we experienced some technical issues during this recording which have impacted audio quality, but feel the chat too good not to share!DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Sex toys have become more accessible and normalised than ever before, but are they making your love life better? From vibrators, dildos and fleshlights to floggers, whips and gags, we hear how you’re using them with partners, we unpack vibrator shame, and discuss how the sexual wellness trend is packaging products and pleasure.SHOW NOTES:Men are buying more sex toys:https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/relationships/sex/men-are-now-buying-more-sex-toys-than-women/image-gallery/765abe10019cb43713c9f7cfcd75adf0Sexual wellness industry stats:https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/sexual-wellness-products-market-110030DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Some people say one of the most important decisions you’ll make is the person you choose to marry. So how can you make sure you’re ready to tie the knot, and that they’re the partner for you?We chat to couples therapist Isiah McKimmie to find out the ‘must ask’ questions - you should be asking yourself and each other. SHOW NOTES:Isiah McKimmie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isiahmckimmie.sexologist/?hl=enIsiah McKimmie Details: https://isiah-mckimmie.com/DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

It’s been a year of engagements and tying the knot for some of the biggest pop stars in the world, like Charli XCX, Lana Del Ray, Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift. And despite it being one of the oldest and most traditional ways to commit to a partner - research shows young people are more keen on getting wed than the generation before us. We hear how you feel about marriage, and whether it’s something you still wanna do.

Actor Zoe Terakes (Talk To Me, Nine Perfect Strangers, Marvel’s Ironheart) is reclaiming Ancient Greek mythology in their debut novel Eros: Queer Myths For Lovers.In this episode, Zoe chats with Dee about why so many of the iconic Greek myths - from Zeus and Aphrodite to Icarus and Hermaphroditus - are really stories of queer and trans life, lust, sex, and revenge. And why it’s so important to reclaim these tales that celebrate all types of love and bodies. SHOW NOTES:Zoe Terakes Insta: https://www.instagram.com/zoeterakes/?hl=en Eros: Queer Myths For Lovers: https://www.hachette.com.au/zoe-terakes/eros-queer-myths-for-loversDM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Have you ever been in a relationship where your partner starts to feel less romantic, more platonic, or even like your flatmate? You might have experienced roommate syndrome. In this episode with special cohost Jordan Barr, we work out the telltale the signs of a roomie phase, unpack the reasons why it happens and debate whether we should be reframing our expectations of long term relationships.SHOW NOTES:How to get the spark back in your relationship:  https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/how-to-get-intimacy-back-in-your-relationship-emotional-spark/104535358Has social media cooked our expectations of dating? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rilv_GuNQD4Should your partner be your best friend?https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/the-hook-up/should-your-partner-be-best-friend-soulmate-relationship/104132010DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

We chat to award winning radio journalist and author Stephanie Foo about her memoir What My Bones Know, exploring her diagnosis with C-PTSD – unpacking how and why it manifested for her, understanding intergenerational trauma, and how she’s learning to heal.SHOW NOTES:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 463613 Yarn: 13 92 76Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/Cherry Blossom Intergenerational Trauma Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3923835/ DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.auThe Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.