The Hook Up

Roleplay is a pretty good way of shaking things up during sex. Being someone else in the bedroom can be super sexy. Find out how to do it, and do it well.

Sometimes, you might be having sex and wonder whether your lover is actually enjoying it, or just letting you do your thing. If it’s the latter, it doesn’t come across all that enthusiastic, and that can have you wondering whether it’s really consensual. So what’s the deal in this situation? Turns out there’s a way you can work all this out. It’s by using the wheel of consent

Have you been in a relationship where you think everything’s going fine, but then all of a sudden your partner thinks they’re not good enough for you? Find out how to deal with that, and if you're the one feeling you're not good enough, how to improve your self worth.

A report out recently revealed that gay conversion therapy has been happening in Australia since at least the 70s. And more surprisingly it's still happening. It comes under the banner of ‘ex-gay’ therapy, which is the idea in a few religious sects and communities that same-sex attraction is a disorder you can treat or heal. They might try and ‘pray the gay away’ with therapy or counselling; it ca...

Syphilis, a disease that we’d nearly eradicated, is back and has been on the rise in Australia every year since 2010, with rates having more than tripled in the last 8 years. So what is it, how can you protect yourself, and why is it returning with a vengeance?

Sometimes you need a bit of help getting in with someone new at a party or the club. Well that’s what friends are for. So how’s your wingman game? You’ll hear from sex and relationships therapist Amanda Lambros on what the best way to approach is.

If you were dating someone and it turned out they had to move cities, even countries, be it for work or study or family, you basically have three options: break up, do it long distance, or move for your partner. So how do you make it work?

Say you’re in a relationship, but you’ve been watching cam girls stripping, or wanking on chatroulette without their knowledge. Maybe you were looking at porn, or hiding a secret sex toy? Do you feel guilty not telling your partner? Does it count as cheating?

Have you ever been in a situation with your partner, where you’re about to head off somewhere but you have a few minutes to kill, so you think, hey, why not have a quickie? If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might leave a quickie feeling unsatisfied, sex therapist, Chantelle Otten is here to help so you can have a safe and sensual quick sesh.

Making out in the street or having sex in your hotel might be something we can do freely and safely here at home, but it can get you in trouble in many popular locations we go on holidays too. It could get you in jail or even deported. We get the lowdown with Chris Zeiger from Lonely Planet. Plus, being overseas can make you more vulnerable to sexual assault. How do you deal with it when you’re so...

When you’re holidaying overseas, it’s a pretty good opportunity to have some fun. But being in a foreign place can also leave you vulnerable. What do you do if something goes wrong? Featuring: Cynthia Pollard - clinical nurse consultant, Marie Stopes Australia

How much do you really know about orgasms? Learn about how your body reacts, what different orgasms there are, and the best ways to help your partner get there. Featuring sex educator Georgia Grace.

Gay, bi and trans dating app Gridr launched Kindr this month, a campaign against racial discrimination on its platform. We’re looking at the dating experiences of queer people of colour, why there’s so much in your face racism and what we can do about it.

Recently, Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles revealed a bit more than we bargained for in a GQ interview about sex acts he’d performed in front of his writing partner, John Lennon. Which lead us to ask, how many of us masturbate with our mates and is there anything wrong with that? Featuring lecturer from the School of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Dr Lauren Rosewarn...

Ever thought of putting a steel rod into your urethra for sexual pleasure? Sounding can be done no matter what genitals you have. You’ll hear from Mistress Tokyo on what’s involved with this act and why it might be best left to the pros, and producer James Findlay goes to a sounding workshop to see how to sound a penis first hand.

While it’s rough being cheated on, what’s it like to be the ‘other lover'? How can you reconcile the conflicting feelings around being that person, hoping that one day they might leave their partner and be with you? You can also find yourself in a spiral of thoughts finding reasons to justify your actions…

If you’re having sex with a partner and they don’t cum, do you feel inadequate? Not cumming during intercourse is usually something we associate with cis, hetro women, but it happens to a number of guys as well. It can leave the guy feeling unsatisfied and leave their partner feeling like they’re not good enough. Especially when guys are assumed to cum all the time. You’ll hear from a couple of gu...

Have you ever experienced clinginess in a relationship or have stayed with someone because you’d rather not be alone? It might be because of something that happened when you were just a kid. Learn about the fear of abandonment and attachment styles when a psychologist drops by and hear how a listener's fear of abandonment has been effecting his relationships.

Have you ever used a blindfold during sex? How about mummification? Ok that’s more extreme, but both these things are classed as sensory deprivation. You’ll hear about how playing with your senses can make sex a bit more interesting.

You may have heard of people having a leather fetish, but have you heard much of rubber and latex fetish? It’s where you wear special latex and rubber costumes. Can you imagine how hard they might be to put on…?! You'll meet Mistress Mynx, a kink personal trainer and latex enthusiast and a young Melbourne guy who became the country's first Rubberman and then went on to be the runner-up in the Inte...

Have you ever been out at a bar or a club with your partner, or maybe someone you just picked up, and thought, “I can’t wait, I just want to have sex right now … in front of all these people…” Well, there are special places where that can happen. They’re called sex on premises venues, bars, clubs and spaces where you can have sex, right there, without leaving. Some provide beds, cubicles, saunas a...

If you go on a lot of dates, you might be burning a hole in your wallet trying to find love. There’s the food, the movie tickets, that flash new outfit, and if you’re going on several dates a week it can add up. So how can you woo someone on a budget? New research from dating site eHarmony has found that young Aussies are spending around $2000 a year on dates. That’s not an insignificant amount of...

BDSM usually conjures images of whips, chains, ropes and restriction AKA implements of pain! But for some people, it’s a way of overcoming physical, psychological and sexual trauma. On this podcast, we’re exploring the world of bondage therapy. You’ll hear from sex therapist Jeremy Shub on why it works, and holistic councillor Bianca Wolff on whether it can work for you. You'll also meet Ollie fro...

Kissing is fun and it’s a great way to get to know someone intimately, but it’s pretty easy to get it wrong. How much tongue is too much? Eyes open or closed? And what do you do with your hands? Welcome to The Hook Up's Kissing Masterclass with sexuality and relationship educator Emma "The Tonguinator" Power.

If you or a mate are getting married any time soon, you might have to deal with the last hurrah: the bachelor or bachelorette party. On this podcast, we’re looking at where the idea of the debaucherous last night of freedom comes from and what to do when your hens or bucks goes too far and ruins your big day. You’ll hear from theatre maker, sex worker and former stripper, Nicole Henrisken, on her...