The Hook Up

The conversation around men feeling lonely has become a lightning rod for social, political and cultural weigh-ins by everyone - but how do guys actually feel about their loneliness? We asked you to cut through the noise to give your honest experiences of loneliness and male friendship, and we investigate the research to find out if this can even be called an ‘epidemic’.  Mensline Australia: 1300...

Have you got a different sex drive to your partner? When your libido is out of sync, you can feel guilt, shame and rejection, making you question if your relationship is compatible. We get advice from sexologist and psychologist Laura Lee on how to work through those feelings and how to find a balance.  SHOW NOTES: How Often Should You Have Sex? Vodcast DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or t...

Everyone’s got a number in mind but whether you’re hitting that goal is a different story. From hormones and medication to the mental load and mismatched libidos, we find out the factors that affect how much sex you’re having - and if there’s a magic number. SHOW NOTES: Don’t Blame Women For Low Libido, Sparks Fly When Partners Do Their Share Of Chores:  https://theconversation.com/dont-blame-wome...

If you have irregular periods, excess body hair, acne, weight gain and are struggling to get pregnant, you might have polycystic ovarian syndrome. PCOS is a chronic hormonal condition that impacts around one in ten people with ovaries, but many people go undiagnosed and it’s the leading cause of infertility. In this episode, we find out signs to look for, and how you can treat it. DM us your thoug...

If you're dating as a queer woman, have you ever felt like there’s an assumption that you’ll always “end up back with a man”? It seems like it’s a unique challenge faced by bisexual women and lesbians - where their identity, sexuality, and where they belong in both hetero and homosexual communities is constantly questioned or invalidated. We hear your experiences of internalised biphobia/lesphobia...

Going through a break up right now and don’t know if you’ve made the right decision? In this episode, Dee chats to couples therapist Liz Neal about when to know if you should get back with an ex or move on. Plus, if you do decide to get back together - here’s how to do it well. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au Th...

So you wanna get back with your ex. It’s a pretty universal experience and you told us heaps of reasons why you tried to rekindle the relationship - whether it’s emotional dependency, needing closure or the whole “it’ll be different this time!”. We hear your stories from when it’s worked, when it hasn’t, and if there’s a formula to getting it right.  SHOW NOTES: Full Stop Australia helpline: 1800...

Are you using dating apps, or in a relationship with someone you met online?  Well, new global research found that couples who met through a screen aren’t as happy, satisfied, in love, or committed as those who met irl. So what’s going on?  Dee chats to co-author of the study Adam Bode about their results and unpacks the research further with Associate Professor Gery Keranzas. SHOW NOTES: Read the...

All over the globe, birth rates are falling and hitting critically low levels like we’ve never seen before. From the state of the economy and political/gender divides to fertility issues and climate change, we investigate why you’re choosing not to have kids - and what might happen if our population keeps aging. SHOW NOTES Birth rates are falling in Australia https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/fr...

Ever struggled to get hard during sex? Or maybe you had an erection but then you lost it? In this ep, we find out why erectile dysfunction happens, how to navigate it, and how to talk about it with a partner.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au You can catch more episodes of The Hook Up with Dee Salmin and Pip Rasm...

Princess treatment or bare minimum, “may this love find me” and the rejection of nonchalance are just a few dating trends going viral atm. We investigate the way social media is changing our expectations of relationships - whether it’s raising the bar or making it even more unrealistic and out of touch. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email u...

Mycoplasma genitalium or Mgen is an STI most people don't know exists - and yet it's super common and can be very difficult to treat due to antibiotic resistance. We chat to Professor Catriona Bradshaw covering everything from stats and symptoms, to getting tested and treatments. DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au...

Ever gone out with someone who ended the relationship but still watches your every move online? You might have a ‘lurker’ - someone who’s told you they’re not interested in dating or even flat out ghosted you but is still the first person to watch all your stories and like your content. You tell us why you either hate or secretly love them, and we hear from self confessed lurkers as to why they st...

So many of you asked us how squirting happens, whether or not it’s actually pee and how to make it happen – so sex educator Georgia Grace answers all of your questions about squirting.  SHOW NOTES: Georgia Grace Instagram Small Squirting Study Squirting Prevelance Study  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au The Hook...

There’s a lot of pressure on people with penises to be packing heat - but is having a big dick all that it’s cracked up to be? We hear your hot takes about size, girth, big egos and how “boyfriend dick” is where it’s at. 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 by triple j. It is r...

Ever wondered why anti-depressants can impact your libido? Why your penis curves to the left (or right)? What causes thrush? Or how contraception affects your fertility?  It’s science week, so in this ep we answer all your sex, love, and body related science questions with Dr Eva Jackson.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@a...

From queefing, squirting and best positions for orgasm, to eating pussy for the first time, prepping for anal and getting out of your head during sex - world famous pornstar Angela White answers all your questions and we get her top tips on how to up your intimacy in the bedroom.  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at  @triplejthehookup  on IG or email us: thehookup@abc.net.au...

Everyone’s talking about the rise of AI, but what about AI and sexism? Author and journalist Laura Bates has spent years investigating how technologies like chatbots, deep fakes, sex robots, and the Metaverse are perpetuating a culture of misogyny and violence against women. In this ep, Dee chats to Laura about what the research shows, what toxic dynamics she found in her investigation, and how we...

Whether it’s for friendship, therapy or sexual and romantic relationships, AI companions are becoming way more normalised. So what does this mean for the way we relate and date people irl? We investigate the rise of AI relationships and hear how you’re using it in your own love lives. CW: discussion of mental health and suicide SHOW NOTES: Mental health and AI companions https://www.abc.net.au/new...

When it comes to professor student relationships, a lot of people argue ‘if everyone’s an adult’ and ‘if everyone’s consenting’ there’s nothing wrong with the dynamic. But Author Madison Griffiths disagrees.  In this chat with Dee Salmin, Madison unpacks her new book Sweet Nothing which explores four women’s experiences dating and sleeping with their professors - and how gender and power imbalance...

Dating your best friend’s ex, boss/employee relationships, celebrities and fans, dating with a huge age gap - there are so many relationships that are considered forbidden and taboo. We hear from you on what it’s like to date someone you feel like you have to hide. CW: discussion of domestic violence. If this episode brings anything up for you, help is available: 1800 RESPECT DM us your thoughts,...

If you struggle with finishing too quickly during sex (aka premature ejaculation) sexologist Cam Fraser is here to help. In this ep, we find out why it’s the most common sexual issue to affect men, what causes it, and how to deal.  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 by triple...

Does the order in which you’re born impact your compatibility with a partner? According to ‘research’, opposites attract eg. first borns work are best paired with last borns, and if you’re both the eldest/youngest - it’s chaos. But is Birth Order Theory legit? We investigate the latest Tiktok trend with your stories and some research of our own. SHOW NOTES: Birth Order Theory https://health.howstu...

If you’re keen to explore consensual non-monogamy or open up your relationship - this ep is for you! Psychologist and Author Dr Chris Cheers chats to Dee about his own poly identity, how he navigates having a husband and a partner, and shares his advice on how to do non-monogamy ‘ethically.’  SHOW NOTES: ABC iview Compass Episode - Beyond Monogamy Dr Chris Cheers Instagram  DM us your thoughts, qu...

Seeing the term ‘ENM’ in dating app bios? Noticing your friends are opening up their relationships? Ethical Non-Monogamy is on the rise in young people, so in this ep we find out from you how it’s going - the good, the bad and the horny.  SHOW NOTES: ENM explained:  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-27/inside-lives-polyamory-ethical-non-monogamy-enm-ethics/105216136 https://www.abc.net.au/triple...