For a long time, the word 'influencer' conjured stereotypes of activewear and dubious hot takes. But it's 2024 and social media has well-and-truly revolutionised the public square. Today, the word influencer can refer to an activist or academic who shares short videos on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to explain complex concepts on niche subjects fo…

Pop culture has embraced a surge of complex female anti-heroes, from con-women to avengers, challenging traditional narratives of female perfection with their flaws and moral ambiguity. However, this trend predominantly features white women, leaving Women of Colour marginalized as exceptions rather than the rule. Featuring an all-star First Nations…

When Anna Funder turned to her literary hero, George Orwell, for inspiration, she discovered not just that Eileen O’Shaughnessy, his first wife's, contribution had been ignored by his biographers but that Orwell himself had blatantly downplayed both her work and her contribution. In her book Wifedom, Funder forensically proves Orwell’s deliberate e…

In an era where porn is omnipresent and often celebrated as a symbol of empowerment and personal freedom, Chanel Contos argues that it also perpetuates harmful norms of objectification and violence. Contos is the creator of the Teach Us Consent movement and author of Consent Laid Bare. In this discussion with Jess Hill she interrogates how the porn…

For the first time, Sydney audiences heard directly from Cambridge Professor Emerita Dame Mary Beard in an event that delved into the broad range of her career - from the ruins of ancient Rome to the trenches of Twitter. Dame Mary joins Bri Lee in a broad reaching discussion about how power is skewed along gender lines, her latest book, Emperor of …

Hot on the heels of her satirical literary sensation Yellowface crushing the bestseller lists, American author Rebecca F. Kuang was joined by Nakkiah Lui for a conversation exploring the complexities of diversity, racism and cultural appropriation today – both through her own eyes and those of her book’s protagonist Juniper Hayward. This event was …

It was the ultimate roast session at All About Women, but this time, the target wasn't a person—it was feminism itself! From suffrage struggles to the #MeToo movement, no aspect of feminist history or ideology was safe from the scathing wit of our roasters. A sizzling interrogation of gender and power, this special event was filled with laughs, irr…

For All About Women in 2024, audiences embarked on a journey through the complex landscape of the human body, where strength meets vulnerability, pleasure intertwines with pain, and empowerment dances with trauma. This captivating conversation explored the political battleground that our bodies often become and tackled the societal challenges deepl…

Motherhood is known as one of life’s greatest joys but the complexities that come with raising a child solo while battling systemic barriers such as ableism and racism can turn it into an uphill battle. Malyangapa, Barkindji artist Barkaa and feminist writer Karen Pickering were joined by moderator Edwina Throsby for a moving and thought-provoking …

It’s not hard to get caught in the contradictions of the beauty industry. We're told to embrace natural looks, yet we are bombarded with countless products promising to conceal or enhance our features. Additionally, no sooner than we express a desire to champion entrepreneurial women, we turn on them with criticism that outstrips anything said abou…

The ‘Sad Girl Novel’ has officially reached market saturation. Privileged young female protagonists are portrayed as unfulfilled by sex and their careers; they are deeply entrenched in their complicated thoughts and feelings, filled with self-loathing and self-absorbed. It’s as if they have stumbled upon some great insight that the rest of us fail …

In days gone by, raising kids was considered a woman’s job, while men were the breadwinners. Fast forward to 2024, and women are now expected to work, but men are still only taking 12% of primary carer’s leave. A panel of dads, including Sean Szeps, Osher Günsberg and Amar Singh, joined Jamila Rizvi at All About Women in 2024, to discuss their comm…

Our justice system is not functioning as it should. Over 90% of women in prison have faced domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse. One-third of women incarcerated have yet to be found guilty of a crime. First Nations women are disproportionately represented in incarcerated populations. Additionally, there's the issue of mothers and pregnant ind…

Booker Prize-winning author Anne Enright’s latest novel is The Wren, The Wren, a multigenerational story delving into the inheritance of trauma, the resilience of women and the power of love in its manifold forms. It contemplates the question: how do we live with betrayal and loneliness, yet still love those close to us? Anne Enright joined us at A…

Consumerist culture grows stronger every year, particularly with the expansion of marketing and influencers on social media, contributing to the rise in carbon emissions and inequality. At All About Women this year, fashion activist and writer Aja Barber demystified the structural inequality embedded in the global fashion industry and spoke with mo…

Content disclaimer: this podcast contains content that is explicit in nature. For All About Women 2023, the Sydney Opera House partnered with Western Sydney-based literacy movement Sweatshop on an emerging writers mentorship program for women and non-binary First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse writers. The recipients worked on short…

Capturing global attention through recipes so popular they became viral hashtags (#TheCookies, #ThePasta, #TheDip), Alison Roman wowed Sydney audiences in May 2023 in her quest for us all to ditch “domestic goddess” perfection and embrace a no-fuss, no-nonsense approach to cooking at home. Roman spoke to fellow cook and Australian television presen…

In a year when everyone is talking about artificial intelligence, we need to talk about the human kind. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be conscious of your existence, your thoughts, your dreams? As machines develop, what might be left that is uniquely human? Our pursuit of pleasure and its rewards? Our ability to love? AI exper…

We kick off a new five-part season with a debate from our 50th Birthday Festival, discussing whether or not the Sydney Opera House would be built today. It's an iconic building that inspires imagination and sparks conversations, but do we still have what it takes to bring such a bold vision to fruition? Arguing for the motion are: Osman Faruqi, Reb…

Unsure about parenthood? You're not alone. There's a lot to consider when it comes to reproductive choice, evolving social norms mean that women don't have to follow a one-way path to motherhood. Either flying solo or coupled, hetero or queer, when it comes to taking control of fertility there's IVF, egg freezing, and more. And the decision to have…

Independent single women are a threat to the status quo. So, it comes as no surprise that the demonisation of single women is not new. From the European witch trials to the formation of the western legal system and its impact on survivors today, the patriarchy has gone to diabolical lengths in order to keep women under its watch. In this invigorati…

Reality tv has always been a contentious category of television especially when it comes to authenticity and finding true love. Many of us love the drama, the tropes and stereotyping, even if we’re just poking fun at it. This session at All About Women 2023 explored Brooke Blurton’s time on The Bachelorette and Rosie Waterland’s satirical take on d…

From repressed women in Iran to the rollback of abortion rights in the US, alongside the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the continuing fight for rights for First Nations people and justice for victims of sexual assault, there appears to be a global war against women. Women around the world are speaking up and there has been a ferocious backl…

Being a girlboss meant that you could have it all, a renlentlessly demanding job, the side hustle that swallowed your downtime, and a phone that never stops pinging. This session explored questions such as: Is burnout the only path to modern career success? Will all the girl bossing in the world win a pay rise for those women stuck in the underpaid…

Since time immemorial, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have looked after human, spiritual and ecological wellbeing. Many First Nations women's activism is empowered through continuation of a long history of matriarchs who embody kinship and moral responsibility to community and country. This session will examine how this activism inters…

We live in a society that is only just beginning to recognise neurodivergence in women and non-binary people. So how does it feel to be misdiagnosed for years? Does greater public awareness make socialising a little bit simpler? What are some strategies to cope with ableist systems? And what stereotypes do we really need to put in the bin? In this …

Legendary punk band Bikini Kill headlined Sydney Opera House’s 2023 All About Women Festival with a reminder of what it was like to perform in a male-dominated music industry in the 90s. They represented anarchist feminist music and encouraged disobedience in young women, emboldening them to publish zines and start bands as acts of cultural resista…

The conduct of many journalists during the 2022 federal election appeared to expose media bias on the campaign trail. Many Australians were dissatisfied with journalists who seemed more concerned with catching politicians out than helping us understand their vision and priorities for the country. At Antidote 2022, journalists Maddison Connaughton, …

With growing momentum to enact the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and The Voice to Parliament on the agenda, is a meaningful change for First Nations people finally happening in Australia? In a First Nations led discussion at Antidote 2022, host Jason Glanville was joined by Nareen Young and Nardi Simpson, to discuss what needs to change in our po…

Can someone else's story change your life? Dai Le, Nardi Simpson, Dinesh Palipana, Antoinette Lattouf and host, Steph Tisdell, took the stage at Antidote 2022 to draw back the curtain on their worlds and reveal what happened to them. We hear stories that are tragic, hilarious, engaging, and life changing, and learn how they shaped who they have bec…

In the wake of multiple political crises in the United States, a rich and powerful China increasingly asserts itself. How does Australia navigate this new world order? China will soon overtake the US as the world’s largest economy and has swiftly become a strategic powerhouse with relationships across the globe. With America’s deep political divisi…

The Last White Man is the latest novel from internationally bestselling author Mohsin Hamid. The book reimagines Kafka's Metamorphosis and taps into white anxiety about replacement in unique and enlightening ways. The British Pakistani novelist of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Booker-Prize-nominated Exit West, talked to Osman Faruqi at Antidote …

The 2022 federal election saw Australian voters moving away from the traditional two-party system, with a record number of Independents and Greens candidates elected. How will this change the way our government is formed in the future? Will we stitch coalitions together after elections to assemble government like in many other countries? At Antidot…

Would you quit your job to serve others? These two high-achievers sacrificed successful careers in journalism to take up the rigorous study necessary to become medical doctors. What drives such a sacrifice, and how does it feel to be called to serve? Lisa Pryor, previously a lawyer and a columnist is now a psychiatry registrar, listening and respon…

Is Covid just the beginning? The climate crisis has created a unique situation that has the potential to breed many more viruses, forcing animals to migrate to new habitats, creating new inter-species infections. This means more and more of the world's viruses could leap from animals to humans. Science journalist Ed Yong - who won a Pulitzer Prize …

There are over 150 Indigenous languages actively maintained by community groups in Australia, and a growing movement to protect, revitalise and promote Indigenous language. There are 7000 languages in use worldwide - but many Indigenous languages are falling out of use. What does Australia need to do to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous l…

Bodies carry and represent so much, these fragile vessels that we are "stuck in" can dictate privilege or oppression not only within ourselves but in wider society. In a talk recorded at our Antidote festival in September 2022, trans and non-binary author, Olivia Laing is joined by host Jessie Tu in a profound discussion about the ideas in Laing's …

Should government step in to protect us from Big Social Media? Conspiracy theories and false news are spread by social media, with real and dangerous consequences for society. Is it time for governments to consider dealing with algorithm bubbles? At Antidote 2022, journalist Karen Middleton was joined by former PM Malcolm Turnbull AC and Ed Coper, …

What if the things we keep hidden say more about us than those we put on display? Jarvis Cocker, founder and front man of legendary English band Pulp finally found the time to rummage around his attic crawl space and wrote a book on the rediscovered hoarded objects and mementos that tell a lifetime of incredible stories. In this show and tell with …

This episode of Ideas At The House features an Antidote festival event like no other. As a response to the brutal invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine, the event features sombre and beautiful works by Ukrainian poets, musicians, and storytellers Maria Tumarkin, Serhiy Zhadan, Billie Tumarkin, Anatoli Torjinski & Olga Boichak. Hosted by Chip Rolley, …

This episode, we begin a season of talks from our Antidote 2022 festival, starting with an in-depth discussion with renowned actor, Brian Cox. Famed for his portrayal of the media patriarch, Logan Roy, in the television series Succession, Brian Cox has built a brilliant career exploring power, control, and fallibility. Fellow actor David Wenham sit…

This episode is the second talk from the Build conversation series, which explores new perspectives from design, architecture, engineering, science and The Arts to reflect on how these disciplines can address the urgent issues of our times. Each of the talks in this series respond to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Build program curato…

The BUILD conversation series is a new series of talks that explore new perspectives from design, architecture, engineering, science and The Arts, to reflect on how these disciplines can address the urgent issues of our times. Each of the talks in this series respond to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the first episode of the series…

As it nears its 50th birthday, the Sydney Opera House is looking to the future with a 'Up Next' - a new podcast which talks to the artists who'll define the next 50 years of arts and culture in Australia. Join host Courtney Ammenhauser as she chats to a spectacular lineup of artists from a variety of creative disciplines as they make their way to o…

As it nears its 50th birthday, the Sydney Opera House is looking to the future with a 'Up Next' - a new podcast which talks to the artists who'll define the next 50 years of arts and culture in Australia. Join host Courtney Ammenhauser as she chats to a spectacular lineup of artists from a variety of creative disciplines as they make their way to o…

The Pasi Sahlberg conversation series is a 3-part series of urgent discussions about the Australian Education System. In this final episode of our three-part series, Pasi Sahlberg is joined by Professor Sharon Goldfeld, a paediatrician and director of the Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health and theme director for Population …

The Pasi Sahlberg conversation series is a 3-part series of urgent discussions about the Australian Education System. In this second episode, Pasi Sahlberg is joined by Ricky Kradolfer, music educator, guitarist and front man of The City Riots, and Sarah Donnelley, 2020 ARIA Music Teacher of the Year and deputy principal of Wilcannia Central School…

The Pasi Sahlberg conversation series is a 3-part series of urgent discussions about the Australian Education System. In this, the first of three episodes, Pasi Sahlberg talks with the acclaimed businessman David Gonski about the impacts of the 2011 Gonski report. Joining them is president of the NSW Teacher’s federation, Angelo Gavrielatos and Pri…

New legislation is making its way through Australian state parliaments, enshrining the concept of "affirmative consent": an explicit, articulated, ongoing agreement to sexual activity. Bri Lee, Saxon Mullins, and Amy Thunig navigate these recent changes and the implications for sexual freedom. Are changes to the law enough? What should justice look…

Wendy McCarthy is one of Australia's feminist heroes. She shares her remarkable life and achievements, and the lessons she has learned - and taught us all. In addition to the work she does that is very much in the public eye – advocating for women’s health, reproductive rights, child care, and women’s self-determination – she is often the woman who…