The Hook Up

Studies show that nearly 30% of Australians have experienced child sexual abuse - a horrific stat that award-winning activist and co-founder of the #YourReferenceAintRelevant campaign - Harrison James has been trying to change.  In this ep, Dee chats to Harri about his activism, his survival of child sexual abuse and what’s helped with healing. As well as what he’s learnt from being in a loving an...

Hooking up with your mate’s ex might be one of the biggest violations in a friendship. But is it totally black and white, or are there some grey areas?  We hear your hot takes and stories - from you giving your blessing to friends hiding the relationship, and when pursuing the ex has damaged friendships beyond repair and earnt you the nickname sloppy seconds. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics...

When you hear about HIV you might think of the AIDs epidemic during the 80s. But so much has changed since then, including the invention of a prevention drug called PrEP. So how does it work? And is it just for gay men?  In this chat with Professor Andrew Grulich who’s the head of a HIV Epidemiology and Prevention program, we find out everything you need to know about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.  SH...

They say it’s one of the oldest professions in the world, and with sites like OnlyFans booming in popularity, getting into the industry is easier than ever before - but what is it like to date someone who does sex work? We hear your experiences of dating and relationships from the POV of SWers and as partners - from escorts, full service and erotic dancers, to online adult content creators, phone...

Over 20% of Australians live with a disability yet there’s still so much stigma and misconceptions when it comes to their sex lives. That’s something comedian and host Madeleine Stewart is trying to change in a new doco. We chat about what she’s learnt about desire and pleasure - through her own experience as well as those she interviewed for the show.  SHOW NOTES: Compass episode - Intimate Acces...

Did you know psychology has only existed for 147 years? For such a young science, it’s had a huge impact on humanity and how we understand relationships, from Freudian theories to the pop psych infographics we see on social media every day. So we wanted to investigate it - where psychology came from, how it’s evolved throughout time, some of the biggest myths and misconceptions, and what the futur...

Research shows women are out performing men in education, and are buying more houses - but at what cost to their love lives? We speak to author Stefanie O’Connell about her book The Ambition Penalty and her viral Guardian article about how more single women are buying more houses and how men aren’t responding well. SHOW NOTES: Is Your Partner Intimidated By Your Success Podcast:  https://www.youtu...

Success looks different for everyone. Maybe you own property, or have built a great career. Maybe you’re highly educated, well travelled, creative, ambitious or wealthy. But sometimes thriving in life can impact dating and relationships. We hear your stories, particularly as women, about when your success has become a problem when dating. SHOW NOTES: Single women are buying more houses. The men th...

Saying I love you to someone can be such a huge thing - so how do you know when you actually feel it? And when is the right time to say it? Plus how do you deal when the person you love doesn’t say it back. We answer all your questions about declaring your love with couples therapist Megan Kozak. 

These are the most feared words for any budding relationship. I Love You. Everyone's advice is always “just say it when you genuinely feel it!” which is great in theory, but hard in practice for so many reasons. In this episode we chat about the ILY timeframe, why you may or may not say it and how it should be said.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on...

73% of you have dated someone where there’s been a mismatch of PDA in your relationship. So what can you do if one of you loves physical touch and the other doesn’t? We chat to couples therapist and sexologist Isiah McKimmie on how to navigate that mismatch, how to deal with feelings of rejection, and whether it’s something you can work on or change.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to...

How do you feel about holding hands, hugging, kissing and canoodling in public? Is it cringe or cute? We hear your stories about PDA - witnessing it in the wild, when there’s been a mismatch in physical touch, and whether PDA has been lost. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced...

People are emotionally, mentally and spiritually exhausted by dating apps, so much so that hundreds of thousands of swipers are deleting them. Now to try and “shake things up” Bumble is replacing the swipe function with AI matchmaking.  We chat to Dr Raffaele Ciriello from the Uni of Sydney about some of the major issues of using AI to help you date, as well as the benefits. SHOW NOTES: Dr Raffael...

We’ve all been through puberty. It was sometimes traumatic, mostly awkward, it even had its endearing moments - and going through it shaped the way we think about ourselves and how we show up in the world. In this ep, you share your puberty war stories, and we investigate the mysterious phenomenon called ‘second puberty’. Because, jump scare, it might not be over.  SHOW NOTES: What Happens When Yo...

If you’re LGBTQI+ and live rurally, it can be so hard to explore your sexuality or discover your identity, especially if you don’t have any queer community nearby. In this ep, Dee chats to psychologist Dr Chris Cheers about how to find yourself and your people - if you live in a place that makes it hard to do that.  SHOW NOTES: Lifeline: 13 11 14 QLife: 1800 184 527 Headspace: www.headspace.org.au...

Dating and relationships out bush is a pretty unique and sometimes challenging experience - everyone knows everyone’s business, you bump into casual hook ups and exes at the local pub, there’s pressure to fit the town culture and pressure to settle down with a partner even if you're incompatible. In this episode, we hear your stories of what it's like dating regional and rural. DM us your thoughts...

How you’re feeling emotionally has such an impact on your sex life. It can be hard to feel turned on or connect with people when you’re feeling down, stressed or just numbness from the cooked state of the world. In this ep, Dee chats to sexologist Claire Diaz about how to reconnect to pleasure during hard times.  SHOW NOTES: Claire Diaz: https://www.clairediazsexology.com/ Lifeline: 13 11 14  DM u...

Throughout most of history, marriage wasn’t seen as something you did ‘for love’. We paired up for resources, family alliances and survival - so when did it change? In this episode, we explore the history of romantic love and how it’s changed from ancient love poems and medieval knights, to Shakespeare and modern romcoms.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehook...

PMDD (aka premenstrual dysphoric disorder)  isn’t ‘just PMS’ - it can be completely debilitating and life changing. In this ep, Dee chats to debut author Emma Hardy about her new book Periodic Bitch and her experience living with it.  Just a heads up we talk about suicidal ideation and depression (if this chat brings up anything please refer to the helplines below. SHOW NOTES: Lifeline - 13 11 14...

Daniel Foxx thinks you should break up with them over text. And that’s not the only hot take from this week's guest. Fresh off his Australian stand up tour, the UK comedian and podcaster chats the state of dating apps, his furry-fantasies and gives some of his best advice for your dating dilemmas.  instagram: @dnlfoxx website: https://www.danielfoxx.co.uk/ DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, o...

What's the difference between lust, limerence and love? Can love be addictive? Is romantic love technically even real? And if love is so natural to humans then why do we struggle with it? These are just a few of the questions we get answered by world renowned evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin, an expert whose research focuses on why we love. SHOW NOTES: Your love stories pod ep:  Is Monog...

The world is kind of cooked right now, so in the words of our lord and saviour Rihanna, we wanted to find love in a hopeless place. In this ep, you tell us your meet cutes and epic love stories from platonic to romantic and everything in between. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, pro...

Over 60% of you said you’ve hooked up with or dated someone you work with! But a lot of the time it can get really messy and end badly. So in this ep, Dee chats to couples therapist Jill Dzadey about how to do it well so you can avoid all the workplace drama.  SHOW NOTES: Hooking Up With Co-Worker Vodcast Ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcu6rnGSmM Jill Dzadey Website: https://freedomcouplecou...

According to some surveys, over 60% of people have had a workplace romance - which has worked out really well for some, but for others it’s gotten super messy. We hear your stories to find out how you’ve hooked up or dated colleagues, and if it’s worth shitting where you eat. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au The...

For years women and people with eggs have been told they have a ‘biological clock’ when it comes to their fertility, but how true is that really? And does sperm have the same ‘clock’? In this ep, Dee chats to associate professor Dr Theresa Larkin on the latest research on infertility and why it’s been so gendered.  SHOW NOTES: Yes, men have a biological clock too. But it’s not just age that affect...