The Quicky

Like many countries, Australia has a long history of beauty pageants, where young, single, child-free women have been celebrated for their physical attributes and charity work. But do these kinds of competitions where mostly tall, white women parade around in their swimwear still have a place in 2021? The Quicky speaks to the current Miss Universe Australia, and an expert in gender studies to cons...

For many of us, Hollywood is to blame for the inaccurate and often offensive stereotypes conjured in our minds when we think of a person living with Schizophrenia.  That's why on this World Schizophrenia Awareness Day,  The Quicky is speaking to a psychiatrist, a woman living with the condition, and another woman who cares for her husband, to break down the stigma and discuss what it's r...

Eurovision conjures images of eccentric pop music, wild costumes and epic reactions from participants, the crowd, and fans alike, but why do we as Aussies love this over-the-top competition - that didn't until recently even include us - so much? The Quicky speaks to some of Eurovision's biggest Australian names to find out why this unusual celebration sparks such joy for millions of people all aro...

Determining exactly when a woman has become pregnant has improved significantly in recent decades, but despite the increased accuracy, many of us believe we are supposed to keep it a secret until after 12 weeks. But where does this idea come from?  The Quicky investigates whether there is there a legitimate medical reason to keep it quiet during the first trimester, or based purely on ol...

Social media has lit up over the news that 'Bennifer' - aka Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck - have allegedly gotten back together after 17 years apart. But can rekindling an old romance ever really work out, or is it just a temporary comfort in a time of need? The Quicky speaks to Mamamia's own celebrity expert, a relationship psychologist, and two women who went back to former lovers with very dif...

Over the past week, horrendous images of violence, death and destruction have dominated news headlines, as tensions between Israel and Palestine have flared up once again. For many outsiders, the source of the historical and current tension remains confusing as the region has a complex history when it comes to the long-running territorial dispute. The Quicky speaks to an expert in Middle East affa...

It's been more than one year since the Federal Government took the unprecedented step of closing Australia's international borders, forbidding almost everyone from entering, or leaving the country. But just how long exactly can we remain a closed shop, especially as the emotional toll is beginning to hit Australians as hard as the economic implications, with so many of us missing loved ones overse...

The entire Australian school curriculum is currently under review, with the intention of scaling back humanities subjects, increasing focus on problem solving, and reflecting a more honest account of the invasion story of our First Nations People. But with teachers already under significant strain, what do they think about the proposed changes, and will it just create more work? The Quicky speaks...

It's no secret that if you're a woman aged in your 20's, 30's or 40's, you can expect to be asked on almost a daily basis whether or not you have, or want to have children. For some, this will open a happy conversation about the joys of parenthood, but for many others it's the start of a far more difficult and defensive discussion about why not, and sometimes even why wish we hadn't become a mothe...

Life coaches have been around for decades, but rather than the big stadium-filled hype sessions of the 90's, the new generation of self-help gurus are using their Instagram following to push messages of inner strength and positive decision making. But what exactly is a life coach, and what qualifications do you need to become one? The Quicky speaks to three life coaching and psychology professiona...

Kobi Shepherdson, Kelly Wilkinson, Hannah Clarke and her three kids - these are just some of the many women and children who should have been protected from violent ex-partners and fathers by an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) but weren't. Tragically they all died at the hands of men who were supposed to love and care for them, even after the women did everything they could to protect themselves...

Getting a divorce is for many people one of the worst experiences of their life, but when your soon-to-be-ex spouse is one of the wealthiest and most famous people in the world, things can be really complicated. This week Bill and Melinda Gates announced they will be going their separate ways after more than 27 years of matrimony, but how do you even begin that process when there are hundreds of b...

With thousands of Aussies still stranded overseas amid the pandemic, calls to open our offshore detention facilities to quarantine returned travellers are mounting. But the Federal Government says locations such as the Christmas Island Detention Centre are 'not fit for purpose', even though it has spent millions of taxpayer dollars to house a Tamil family from Biloela there for nearly two years. T...

We've come a long way when it comes to discussing topics in public that used to be considered taboo or referred to as 'women's business', but one issue that is still shunned by society is menopause. Given the obsession with looking and feeling young, it can be difficult for anyone to have an open and honest discussion about this stage of a woman's life, which in turn can have seriously negative ph...

When the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were deferred until 2021 due to COVID-19, both organisers and fans hoped we would be well past the peak of the pandemic by the time July 2021 came round. But with just two months to go, we know the global number of cases and deaths are higher than ever, and even those of us in Australia whose lives are almost back to normal are still thinking about the dangers and...

With hundreds of thousands of Indian people testing to positive to COVID-19 every day, thousands dying and many more searching desperately for help, it's no wonder many Indian Australians are suffering with a sense of guilt that they are here. We speak to Aussies who have people back in India to find out from them what's really happening to their loved ones, and how they're handling the Australian...

Many Drag Queens have been propelled into international stardom as RuPaul's Drag Race has elevated the art form into the homes of the masses, but not everyone has been invited to the party. Despite calls for greater diversity, Drag Kings and Trans artists have been largely left out of the spotlight, but that doesn't mean they don't exist or perform regularly to adoring fans. The Quicky speaks to f...

Lately, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's religion has come under increased scrutiny, with many seeking to deride him for the traditions of his Pentecostal faith, but you might be wondering why this matters all of a sudden? The Quicky speaks to two experts in religion and politics to consider how separate church and state really are in Australia, and why we seem to be so much more invested in Scott...

Late last week, leaders from around the world including our own Prime Minister jumped on an epic Zoom call to be a part of US President Joe Biden's virtual climate conference. Many of the nations present clearly stated their commitment to achieving net zero emissions by the year 2050, but when it came to Scott Morrison, he was reluctant to put any date on achieving that goal. To find out why and w...

It's 25 years to the day since a small Tasmanian town became known right around the world for all the wrong reasons, after a shocking act of violence. But today, residents of Port Arthur want to change the narrative about their community and all of the wonderful things they have to offer. The Quicky speaks to a long term resident and Port Arthur expert about how local people have thrived despite w...

One in three Aussies will need a blood transfusion at some point to save their lives, but at the moment, only about one in 30 of us are rolling up our sleeves to donate. Part of the problem is that millions of willing donors are automatically ruled out by an extensive list of restrictions relating to not only our current health, but also our lifestyle choices and sex lives. The Quicky investigates...

It's a well known cliche that men can be hesitant when it comes to looking after their own health, especially when they are worried about a particularly personal problem. But as April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, it seems only right that we all have a frank discussion about what exactly is happening below the belt. The Quicky speaks to a comedian who draws on his experience surviving test...

More Australian veterans have taken their own lives than have been killed in active duty since our troops were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, but it has taken until this week for the Federal Government to support a Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide. The Quicky speaks to two experts who are also veterans themselves, to find out why even those ADF members who never see combat are left fe...

Nearly one year ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd lost his life when a police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, despite his repeated pleas that he couldn't breathe. Now that man who prematurely ended his life, Derek Chauvin, has been convicted of his murder. The Quicky speaks to a leading civil rights activist to find out what the guilty verdict means to George Floyd'...

We constantly receive mixed messages about the housing market in Australia... one day everything is booming, and the next we're supposedly headed for bust. But no matter where you live in this country one thing is for sure, buying your first home can feel virtually impossible amid a minefield of dodgy agents, underquoting, and an astonishing amount of paperwork and expense. The Quicky speaks to a...