Shows
Mag HagsElle, July 1987The Mag Hags are back! It’s July 1987 - aka Lucy’s birth month - and to kick off the new season she’s leading a voyage of “style with content” to Elle magazine!The contradictions of the late 80s are writ large: we’ve got innovation and progress (portable CD players!! Iced coffee!!!) alongside depressing accounts of workplace harassment and laborious tips for banishing cellulite. But the Hags are pleased to discover two reliable constants: the timeless women’s mag tradition of the “should you have a baby?” essay, and author Jeanette Winterson being ico...2025-06-1153 minMag HagsSeason Two coming soon!Mag Hags is back! We've got smashing financial advice, explosive relationship drama, and the latest shoulder pad discourse. If you love magazines, 20th century pop culture, and questionable life advice, then join us every week to find out what’s still hot, and what’s definitely not.First episode drops WEDNESDAY JUNE 11 2025. Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to all the features and adverts we discuss, PLUS extra vintage fashion, beauty and lifestyle tips that we couldn’t quite fit into the show!Mag Hags is writte...2025-06-0401 minMag HagsCosmopolitan, October 1992It’s the end of season one! And what better note to end on than right back where we started: with the OG of having it all, Cosmopolitan.It’s October 1992 and Lucy is at the helm as the Mag Hags navigate post-Thatcher pre-Loaded gender politics to explore the timeless editorial territory of: has feminism been bad for men?There’s a recession on, but that doesn’t seem to have dented Cosmo’s advertising coffers because this magazine is HUGE. We have, inexplicably, four entire pages about the concept of Being B...2025-01-2258 minMag Hags19, June 1986Kicking off the new year with a bang, the Mag Hags are manifesting the season they want… with a June magazine issue. Franki is taking us back to the 80s to 19 magazine – a sister title to Honey that’s ticking all the women’s mag tropes. Directive diet features! Reductive psychology quizzes! The Mag Hags reckon with some food demons from their childhoods: notably the 80s/early 90s obsession with low-fat alternatives (Franki) and being the victim of egg-shaming (Lucy). There’s a glimpse into Banarama’s Siobhan Fahey’s unhinged eating habits, a charming little account of becom...2025-01-0856 minMag HagsCompany, December 1979Burn your bras, lads: we’re back in the 70s this week – only this time the magazine under the spotlight *has* caught up with the decade’s radical social progress.Lucy is leading the way through a tour of Cosmo’s little sister mag: the recently launched Company. There’s a report into how technology is about to transform work as we know it, some timeless fashion tips, and an ad for a 1970s-era Hinge.But it’s not all women’s lib. The Mag Hags get the ick over a Freudian feature about girls’ r...2024-12-251h 00Mag HagsMarie Claire, May 1998Gather round, high-flying spinsters! The Good Friday Agreement has been signed, the US president is definitely *not* having sexual relations with that woman, and we are hitting New Labour's economic zenith : it’s 1998 and the Mag Hags are reading Marie Claire. Franki is in the driving seat as the Mag Hags dive into plastic surgery tourism and ponder why Woman Of The Moment Gwyneth Paltrow is on the cover and yet mysteriously absent from the rest of the magazine. Elsewhere, Lucy gatekeeps singledom and there’s an exploration of the ultimate late 90s conundrum: how come you c...2024-12-1158 minMag HagsTatler, December 1980Grab your Barbour and don your wellies – it’s time for Tatler! Lucy is taking the Mag Hags back to Tina Brown’s formative career years and a festive issue of the high society bible. Here, Franki and Lucy learn some valuable lessons in how to *really* show off one’s status and discuss the British aristocracy’s take on Quiet Luxury. There is some questionable history on 20th century tax policy, the origin story of a ubiquitous old lady shoe, and a reflection on 1980 through the lens(es) of different magazines of the day: fro...2024-11-2757 minMag HagsWoman's Own, November 1972Welcome to Guess The Meat with Lucy and Franki! ... Only joking! That would be insane. This episode, Franki is taking the Mag Hags deeper into the archives than they have gone before… to Woman’s Own, November 1972. A relic of the mid-century suburban housewife, this mag is serving up hobby how-tos, a guide to hats, and a free sheet of ‘foil-edged cooking film’. No, we have no idea either. There’s speculation about Prince Charles’s love life, a quick lesson in menstrual history, plus a reader’s story of Loving Against The Odds (spoiler: it...2024-11-1349 minMag HagsNew Woman, September 1997Dig out your Union Jack tea-towel dresses, girls! This time, Lucy is leading the way through a magazine that’s channeling all the Girl-Powered benign anarchy of Spice World: The Movie. It’s New Woman, September 1997. There’s a ‘how-to’ for spying on your boyfriend, bafflingly horny ads and – in depressingly 90s style – a feature about how you can weigh 10st and still be technically obese (check the time stamps if you’d rather sit this one out). Then, stick around for the guide to disaster-free dinner parties that is less Ottolenghi and Instagram tablesca...2024-10-3053 min
Journalism.co.uk podcastHow did women's magazines from the 1970s remain relevant?Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas of the Mag Hags podcast take a flick through 50 years of glossy magazines and examine what has - and has not - stood the test of time2024-10-1700 minMag HagsGood Housekeeping, March 1988The Mag Hags are back and cooking with gas! This episode Franki and Lucy ponder on some cutting edge household appliances – cordless iron, anyone? Because, yes, Franki is guiding us on a tour through Good Housekeeping, March 1988. There’s Ovaltine innuendo, shoulder-revealing fashion, and a self-help book extract suggesting that Lucy could be a threat to Franki’s marriage. Plus, a questionable beauty feature calls for back-up, so Franki speaks to award-winning beauty editor and author Anita Bhagwandas. Want more of these mags?Sign up for the Mag Hags news...2024-10-1659 min
Woman's HourWomen's magazines, Dawn Sturgess, Female funeral directorsFor generations of women and girls, glossy magazines have been a guide to clothes, lifestyles, relationships and, of course, sex. Titles like Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Own and Sugar were pored over by thousands of us and now there is a podcast that celebrates those beloved back issues. Every week the hosts of Mag Hags, Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney, read a different issue of a magazine from the 70s, 80s or 90s. As well as revelling in the 20th Century fashions, features and lifestyle advice, Lucy and Franki join Nuala McGovern to uncover a fascinating insight into the way we...2024-10-1457 minMag HagsHoney, March 1976Lucy and Franki are back with more dispatches from vintage women’s glossies. This week, Lucy is heading to Honey magazine March 1976 – but it’s less Patti Smith and Sex! on the Kings Road, more women named Sue and unequal division of household labour. We also meet the last of debutantes, contemplate a bath-time workout, and witness a disastrous PR campaign for British Rail. Meanwhile Franki is underwhelmed by “Strip Monopoly”. And the Mag Hags ponder: did the editorial staff of mid-70s Honey realise they were selling the bucolic lesbian dream...2024-10-0253 minMag HagsCosmopolitan, October 1982Welcome to the very first episode of Mag Hags, the podcast that every modern woman should know.Join Franki and Lucy as they dive into the glossy archives of women’s magazines to find out what's still hot, and what's definitely not. And where else to begin than the OG of having it all: Cosmopolitan.Franki has travelled back in time to October 1982, when The Pill turned 21 and publishers were just cottoning on to the idea that women buy books.Elsewhere, a hapless man gets some Thatcherite therapy and...2024-10-0249 minMag HagsComing soon... Mag HagsMag Hags is a brand new podcast that celebrates and interrogates the glossy women’s magazines of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.If you love magazines, 20th century pop culture, and questionable life advice on glossy paper stock, then join us each fortnight when we’ll be diving into a vintage issue to find out what’s still hot, and what’s definitely not.First episode drops WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 02 2024.Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to all the features and adverts we discuss, PLUS extra vintage fashion, beauty and lifestyl...2024-09-1101 min
Doing It! with Hannah WittonMoneyNo more simply mentioning it in passing: in this week’s episode, we properly dive into capitalism and money, and how they both shape our experiences of sex, relationships, our bodies, and our identities. How does capitalism affect our experience of gender? If we all need money to survive, why is there a stigma around selling sex for money? Do you feel pressure to treat your sexuality as a self-improvement project? Join me, Hannah Witton, and guests author Sophia K Rosa, writer and editor Franki Cookney, sex worker Lydia Caradonna, and actress and creator of Philosophy Tube Abi Th...2023-11-0850 min
The Second CircleBonus: Can audio porn boost my sex drive?She’s spent the last six months talking to people about the low points in their sex lives. Now, heavily pregnant, Franki’s struggling to find the spark herself. Could listening to audio porn be the solution? She grabs her headphones to find out.The Second Circle is produced, written, and hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka TateTheme music: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Incidental music: _91Nova - Moiety, Maybe - The Universe is a Bitch, _91Nova - Shell GamesAll music courtesy of epidemicsound.comAudio porn...2023-07-3144 minThe Second CircleHow to get better at talking about sexWhether it’s with our friends or, more crucially, with our partners, sex IS something we need to be able to communicate about if we want it to be good. But it’s so hard! Why? Because for all the other messages we get around sex, all the things we’re taught or that we glean from our culture or the media… no one tells us how to talk about it.The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka Tate Title track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Backgroun...2022-03-2152 minThe Second CircleWhy don’t I want sex?Somewhere along the way we’ve been taught that desire should just exist without any conscious effort, like hunger or thirst. And if it doesn’t – uh oh – that means something is wrong. But this idea of sex as a “drive” is actually a myth. And like so many myths, it’s standing in the way of us having good, fulfilling sex lives. The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka Tate Title track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Background music: From Now On - Small Circuits / Beautiful Minds...2022-03-141h 02The Second CircleWhen your body doesn't feel sexyFaulty penises, unruly pubes, and unexplained pain: When our bodies don’t look or work the way they’re “supposed” to, it can feel like a real barrier to good sex. So what can we do about it? Do we push on through anyway? Seek treatment? Or adjust our expectations? The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka Tate Title track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Background music: _91Nova - Moiety / Tilden Parc - Wanna KnowAll music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.comTranscript...2022-03-0752 minThe Second CircleWhy is it so hard to feel good?One in eight women and one in twenty men say they lack enjoyment during sex.For all the conflicting messages we get around sex, most of us know that on some level we’re supposed to enjoy it. But there are a lot of things that can stand in our way. The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka Tate Title track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Background music: Tilden Parc - Wanna Know / Moon Craters - A Spinning Earth / Maybe - The Universe is a Bitch2022-02-2859 minThe Second CircleMixed messages and faulty scriptsWhere do we learn about sex? Who do we learn it from? What do those people and establishments actually tell us… about what sex IS and what it’s supposed to mean? And is it possible… is it possible… that some of what we’re being told might be directly contributing to our experiences of bad sex?The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production: Anouszka TateTitle track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)Background music: Lasae Lyx - Suffering In Paradise / From Now On - Small Circuits...2022-02-2143 minThe Second CircleAren't we all sex positive now?While plenty of us still grow up in families and communities where sex is taboo or there are strict rules around it, on a broader societal level here in Western Europe it’s fair to say sex is no longer seen as sinful. Sex is good, it’s healthy, it’s normal, it’s empowering!We’re living in this lovely, glossy, horny world where we’re told that good sex is not just our aim, goddammit, it’s our right… so what gives?The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki CookneyAudio production...2022-02-1445 minThe Second CircleComing Soon: The Second Circle Series Four "BAD SEX"Awkward. Dissatisfying. Painful. Shameful. Disappointing. Miserable. Or just a bit… meh.The Second Circle is back with a NEW series looking at the type of sex we’ve definitely all experienced: bad sex.Combining in-depth reporting with real life stories, BAD SEX takes listeners on a journey through the less desirable side of sex: from dissatisfying hookups, to sexual dysfunction, body image issues, and shame. Forget hot tips and kinky tricks. In this six-part series, journalist Franki Cookney turns sex advice on its head and asks: what makes sex bad in the first plac...2022-02-0202 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWe need to talk about cisgenderListen or read now | The problem lies in imagining that cis womanhood (or cis manhood for that matter) is a fixed category in the first place. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-06-2511 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWhy I'm angry with this vibratorListen or read now | My relationship with sex toys has changed a lot over the years. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-06-0410 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexFeelings don't exist in a vacuumRead or listen now | Secure relationships don’t grow out of detachment from or disregard for each other’s feelings. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-05-1415 min
Jacob Hawley: On Love‘Come for the threesomes, stay for the admin’ - PolyamoryComedian Jacob Hawley explores the world of love, sex and intimacy - and the people that make money from it.
This week he hears about polyamory - the act of having intimate relationships with more than one partner at a time. He sits down with his friends Stuart and Phoebe who have been experimenting with ethical non-monogamy, journalist Franki Cookney about her writing and life experience, polyamory expert Dr Elisabeth ‘Eli’ Sheff, and Ana Kirova, the CEO of dating app Feeld.
Producer - Nick Coupe
Executive Producer - Pete Strauss
Researcher - Miranda Slade
Sound Design - Chris Maclean
Musi...2021-04-1430 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexYour last chance to get on board with BAD SEXRead or listen now | There’s still time to be part of the BAD SEX gang but now is your *last chance* Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-03-2504 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexFive times I was legit terrible at sexRead or listen now | When I talk about bad sex being a universal experience, I really do mean that we are just as likely to have been a crap shag as we are to have been the recipient of one. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-03-1912 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexI survived purity culture and now I’m queer AFRead or listen now | GUEST POST: It won’t surprise you to hear that I got married at the age of 23, after knowing my husband for just eight months. It might surprise you to hear that last year I came out as bi. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-03-1216 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexI miss kissingRead or listen now | Kissing is, arguably, one of the most basic and accessible ways of being sexual with someone. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-03-0508 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexHalf the UK is having bad sex - I have a plan to find out whyRead or listen now | If everyone who reads this newsletter pledged, we'd have the podcast funded in no time! So come on, pals, it’s payday, why not send me the equivalent of a large glass of malbec?! Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-02-2611 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexDo you need a sex menu?Read or listen now | A few years ago, the question "What are you into?" completely flummoxed me. I wondered if a sex menu could help. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-02-1912 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexThe best bad sex I ever hadRead or listen now | I wanted sex to feel collaborative and I wanted to be able to acknowledge that, openly, instead of pretending it was some sort of logistical accident that we went along with, dispassionately, because there was nothing better to do. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-02-1216 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexHow NOT to start a conversation about sexRead or listen now | A lesser talked-about aspect of consent is how we need to "read the room" before opening a conversation about sex. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-02-0512 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWhy go out for hamburgers when you have steak at home?Listen or read now | There's a bit of a taboo around the desire for novelty, isn’t there? But it's actually a really vital part of being human. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-01-2911 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexThe gayer I get, the more I like penisesRead or listen now | Figuring out what I like about women has also helped me figure out what I like about men. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-01-2211 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWhen a relationship is "just sex"Listen now | When we say something it "just sex" we imply that sex is somehow the easier part of a relationship, the bit that doesn’t require any real investment of time or energy. Needless to say I disagree. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2021-01-1514 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexA sorry year for sexRead or listen now | Well, this is it, friends. The final newsletter of the year. And what a year! I could hardly have picked a worse one to start a sex and relationships newsletter, could I? Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-12-2216 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexDoing it for the storyListen now | The first time I had a threesome I wasn't into the person we were doing it with, so much as the fact that it was a threesome. Is it bad to have a sexual experience just for the experience? Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-11-2712 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexDo I want sex or do I want a chocolate biscuit?Listen now | Sure, sex is great but have you ever just stayed in bed eating hobnobs and watching Buffy re-runs? Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-11-1314 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexYour definitive guide to fucking in every tier of lockdownListen or read now | So you're not allowed to meet people from other households indoors, what now? Bottom line: You're not supposed to be fucking under lockdown. But what if you're planning to anyway? Well firstly I'd tell you it was illegal and I do not condone it. But, failing that, for god's sake read this. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-10-2716 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexThe glory of my own bedRead or listen now | Is it better to sleep over or head home after a hookup? If that sounds anachronistic in these current times it's because it is - I wrote this piece in 2016. I moved house this week so I'm sharing an old essay this week. I'll be back soon with more original writing. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-10-1311 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWhat do bisexual people look like?Listen or read now | Why finding and recognising a bisexual "look" matters. Plus: how do we define established relationships? Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-09-2916 min
The Sexual Wellness SessionsConsidering Non-Monogamy And Other Relationship Models with Franki CookneyIn this episode of The Sexual Wellness Sessions hosted by Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist Kate Moyle, I'm talking to Franki Cookney about ways of being in relationships, relationship models and non-monogamy. Franki is in a consensually non-monogamous relationship, and also regularly writes about the topic as a freelance journalist who specialises in sex, relationships and social development.This conversation is not about advocating or criticising a particular model of relationships, but is more about questioning what we have been taught about relationships and exploring ideas about what those different ways of being in relationships might look like for pe...2020-09-2500 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexBrad Pitt can't take my girlfriend to WetherspoonsListen now | This week I share an (unpublished!) interview I did with sex educator Justin Hancock about men and jealousy. And because it's Sexual Health Week, I've got my sexual health chat cheat sheet to show you. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-09-1524 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexI don't want to be your everythingRead or listen now | Why there's no such thing as The One, what polyamory can teach us about monogamy, two great sex and relationships documentaries plus the usual bunch of links, recommendations and ideas! Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-09-0311 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexIs capitalism fucking with your sex life?Listen now | A great sex life is often defined by quantity, not quality, and even quality itself is judged in accumulative terms. We’re pushed to keep trying more things, acquire more experiences, be more up for it. Is that actually what we want? Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-08-1817 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexOur relationship isn't what it used to beListen now | The pandemic has subtly altered the fabric of our relationships, just as it dramatically altered our ability to conduct them. I and many other people I know have been grappling with what our relationships have become. Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-08-0418 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexTalking about sex is actually really hardAt the latter end of last year I saw a social media post that made me really angry. It was one of those sassy, “empowered” female sexuality accounts and the motivational message they’d posted read as follows: “It takes 237 muscles to fake an orgasm, but only 15 to say, ‘It’s called a clitoris and it’s right here.’”Are you cringing? Me too. Quite apart from anything else, it just seems a weirdly combative way to go into a sexual encounter. I think I’m pretty open to instruction but if someone spoke to me like this...2020-07-2114 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexWhy are you so obsessed with sex?Last week I tweeted about my latest newsletter and someone replied asking “Why are you so obsessed with sex?” At first it made me laugh. The idea that talking and thinking about sex might be seen as weird is so far outside of my worldview these days that it almost didn’t register as anything other than funny. But then I remembered what it’s like to exist in a culture that frames sex as something shameful, something we shouldn’t discuss, something that, if we peer too closely at it, could harm us irrevocably. It’s like...2020-07-0717 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexI’d like us to see more of each other...Progress (and U-turns) for LGBTQ rights, sex tech in the age of coronavirus, and whether sex lives can simply be shelved... plus a few questions for YOU! | Issue 6 of The Overthinker's Guide To Sex | Available as text and audio Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-06-2310 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexI faked orgasms for a decadeHi Overthinkers! Apologies for the late newsletter this month. As many of you will be aware, the UK government inadvertently outlawed sex outside of cohabitation last week (on which more below). As a result I got an unexpected assignment which threw my schedule out. But I’m here now! That’s not the only thing that’s left me feeling conflicted about my subject matter this month. I planned to write about faking orgasms a while back but things have changed. I’m sure many of you will have been following, and maybe even attending, the...2020-06-1115 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexDesperately seeking sex driveSexual desire does not exist in a vacuum, it is constantly being influenced by everything else that’s going on in our lives. So how TF do I get my juice on in lockdown? | Available as text or audio. Read or listen now! Get on the email list at overthinkersguidetosex.substack.com2020-05-0508 min
The Overthinker's Guide To SexAudio version: Orgasm is not the best part of sexNEW!This is the audio version of April’s edition of The Overthinker’s Guide To Sex.It occurred to me that not everyone consumes content in the same way. Whether because of our lifestyle, preferences, or access needs, some of us would rather listen than read. I want to try to cater to that where possible so I have recorded an audio version of this month’s essay. I haven’t included the “What’s on my mind” and “More things to (over)think about” sections but I can do so in future if people...2020-04-0809 minThe Second CircleSex… with multiple partnersWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.This week Franki talks to bisexual polyamorous woman L about opening up her marriage and managing multiple relationships. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex, Frankie Wells and Anouszka Tate of sex podcast Project Pleasure tell us how some of their best and worst sexual experiences shaped them.In the intro Rob and Franki also talked about the BBC drama Wanderlust as well as Louis Theroux’s documentary about polyamory, Love Without Limits. L and Franki referenced research which shoes that polyamorous people tend to practice sa...2019-05-311h 06The Second CircleSex… on screenWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.This week Franki talks to filmmaker and porn performer Rooster about the difference between fucking on and off screen. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex Cosmpolitan journalist Paisley Gilmour realises that even when you write about sex and consent for a living, it doesn’t mean you always recognise when someone oversteps your own boundaries.In our intro to this episode we also discuss this recent story of how fewer films are being given an 18 certificate beacause of their sexual content.The Second Ci...2019-05-241h 02The Second CircleSex… with yourselfWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.In episode seven, Franki talks to sex educator Ruby Stevenson about why wanking gets a bad rap and whether masturbation it could ever be considered as important as partnered sex. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear how a disappointing sexual encounter turned out to have unexpected benefits for Rory.To enter the competition to win a Womanizer Premium please tweet us @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com and tell us what wanking advice you’d give your younger self.In...2019-05-1757 minThe Second CircleSex… and transitionWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.On this episode Franki talks to trans activist and all-round kinkster Alyssa Henley about her experiences with sex and gender identity. And in The Overthinkers Guide To Sex, we hear how alcohol shaped Africa Brooke‘s relationship with sex and how she went about relearning how to connect with her body now that she’s sober. Download on your favourite podcast app now.Alyssa is the CEO of LGBTQ charity Support U in Reading.In discussing Africa’s story, we mention a study by Uni...2019-05-101h 04The Second CircleSex… without sex driveWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.On this episode Franki talks to sex and libido blogger Laura about her experiences with low sex drive. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear from disabled sex writer Finn about how a period of singleness taught them more about what they want from sex and relationships than being coupled up.We also reference Franki’s article on whether the pressure to be “sex positive” can sometimes have negative effects. We shout out Esther Perel’s podcast episode on “sexlessness” as well as her writing on s...2019-05-0355 minThe Second CircleSex… for moneyWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.Franki talks to sex worker and co-curator of Objects of Desire Rory about having sex for money and what kinds of stories get left out of conversations about sex work. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex, we hear how a university hookup made Heather re-evaluate her approach to kink.We also discuss the ways sex work gets talked about in the mainstream media. We talk about Amnesty International’s policy on protecting sex worker rights and the backlash it faced as a result. We touch on...2019-04-261h 01The Second CircleSex… and stigmaWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.On this episode Franki talks to writer Sangeeta Pillai about the stigma and stereotypes around sex when you’re a South Asian woman. Sangeeta is the founder of Soul Sutras and creator of The Masala Monologues as well as the forthcoming Masala Podcast. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear from sex blogger Exhibit A about how an sexy encounter with a Canadian couple allowed him to tap into previously unrealised desires.We also discuss the ways in which South Asian sexuality gets represented in...2019-04-191h 06The Second CircleSex… with HIVWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.On episode two of series three Franki talks to filmmaker and visual artist Simon Eves about his experience living – and fucking – with HIV. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear from Genie, the host of kinky swingers club Future Parties, about how a long-term affair changed her whole outlook on sex and relationships.We also discuss the ways mainstream media HIV coverage has changed over the years, including the positives such as this story and the negatives such as the framing of PrEP as a “p...2019-04-121h 00The Second CircleSex… with disabilityWelcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.On the first episode of series three Franki talks to queer disabled writer and sex worker Ms Eve Adler about her experience of sex with disability. We also hear from sex blogger Girl On The Net in our brand new section The Overthinkers Guide To Sex.We also discuss the ways sex and disability get talked about in the mainstream media, drawing on personal essays such as this one by journalist Hollie Anne Brooks and YouTuber and sex educator Hannah Witton’s story of sex wi...2019-04-051h 02The Second CirclePrawn positiveOctober was a depressing month for sex news but we managed to dig out a few rays of hope in the form of a new type of condom. We discuss the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, dodgy biscuits and the appointment of Brett Kavanagh to the US Supreme Court. Then Franki sits down with porn performer Lina Bembe to talk about the ethics of porn (both producers and viewers!) and also how the heck you have an orgasm “by accident”.LINKSThis RightsInfo feature has a good breakdown of the legal rights being discussed and...2018-10-2655 minThe Second CircleSolo Session: Heteronormative dream lifeWith London Pride just around the corner, Franki wonders whether she will ever feel “queer enough” to join the parade. As a straight-passing bisexual person, it’s easy to feel as though you don’t really belong… after all, you may not have experienced the same marginalisation as the rest of the LGBTQ community. So where does your identity fit in? Welcome to The Second Circle’s Solo Sessions, shorter, more intimate, episodes in which Franki ponders a question or shares a dilemma that’s been on her mind.My friends made a film with Pink News about bisexual...2018-06-1515 minThe Second CircleCoconut ice cream and a Panama hatThere’s a lot of vagina news this week including a discussion about summer vaginas… so we ask what a summer penis might look like. Franki interviewed sex and relationships therapist Dr Lori Beth Bisbey about how sexuality develops and changes throughout our lives and Rob has a lot of thoughts about that. Plus, we have a look at a question about polyamory and have a go at unpicking it ourselves.LINKSThis Teen Vogue piece about “summer vaginas” has come in for a lot of flak, not least from a canadi...2018-04-2836 minThe Second CircleBad sex movesThe world’s first penis transplant has been a success, yay! We also hear that Facebook are planning to launch their own dating app (less yay). We all learnt what incels were this month which was a scary journey to say the least but it did spark this week’s debate on whether sex is a human right. Finally, we discuss what on earth people are talking about when they say someone is “good in bed”.LINKSThe world’s first penis and scrotum transplant has been a success, which is obviosu...2018-04-0633 minThe Second CircleSolo Session: Am I sexy enough?I don’t write smut, I don’t share sexy pictures, I don’t wear slutty outfits. So am I sexy enough? Things get up close and personal in the first of The Second Circle’s Solo Sessions as Franki goes it alone in order to ponder a question that’s been on her mind. This episode looks at how it feels when everyone around you seems to be having more adventurous sex than you and why we need to shake the idea that there’s such a thing as the “right” way to be sexy.LINKS2018-03-3116 minThe Second CircleFinest Madagascan vanillaA new study shows that transgender people’s brains are structurally closer to the gender with which they identify. But what does this mean for equality? Meanwhile researchers elsewhere are claiming we are all a little bit bisexual. Then Rob gets some much-needed feedback on the Fleshlight and we discuss whether sex-positivity can actually make us feel under pressure.LINKSTrans people’s brains might be different to cis people’s, according to this study.Are we all bisexual now? This study reckons so. Not convinced? Find out where...2018-03-1633 minThe Second CircleCunnilingus pantsAre there any parts of sex that you find a bit disgusting? And is it OK to skip the bits you don’t like? We discuss straight men’s attitudes to female orgasms and why a pair of pants that shields you from bodily fluids while giving head is NOT empowering. Plus to do when you get a pube stuck in your mouth and Rob gets the lowdown on male masturbators.LINKSThis person wants to know why his girlfriend masturbates after sex. Sex blogger Girl On The Net has some...2018-03-0232 minThe Second CircleOrgasm quotaIceland is considering banning male circumcision. We discuss what the deal is with foreskins and whether it matters if you have one or not. Rob learns some new ways to boost a female partner’s chances of orgasm… but is orgasm even the best part of sex? And if it’s not, what is? Meanwhile, Franki is getting excited about upcoming sex writers’ conference Eroticon and answering some questions about that.LINKSEroticon is running March 17-18 and you can get tickets HERE.MPs in Iceland have proposed a bill t...2018-02-2333 minThe Second CircleCaptain BirdseyeTime Magazine have honoured the people who spoke out about sexual harassment this year, but what does this mean for the future? We look at the pros and cons of data-gathering sex tech and Rob ruins one of Franki’s sexual fantasies by recasting its key protagonist. We also talk about the role of fantasy in sex and discuss the best ways to ask someone to wee on you.LINKSTIME magazine named “The Silence Breakers” as person of the year in this moving feature.We have a look a...2018-02-0229 minThe Second CircleI talk sexThe Second Circle is taking part in Scarlet Ladies’ #ITalkSex campaign this week as I’m joined by three of the campaign’s ambassadors, Elly, Rudo, and Kit, to delve into why silence around sex can lead to abuse and what we can do to help each other be more open. We also chat about why women are more content than men to be single and whether there’s such a thing as “boring” sex.LINKSWomen prefer being single according to this piece in the Telegraph and one of of the reaso...2017-11-2428 minThe Second CircleMe timeThe Second Circle has been transformed into a women-only space this week as I’ve banished Rob in favour of two fabulous guests: Jannette Davies and Sarah Beilfuss of London-based sex-positive members club Scarlet Ladies. We’ll be tackling Jannette’s favourite subject, masturbation, and sharing our porn and sex toy habits. We also touch on what it means to identify as a woman, discussing changing sex drives and whether it’s ever OK to leave immediately after a hook up. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKS2016-10-2932 minThe Second CircleDo you rut like a goat god?Should we get paid breaks from work to have sex? And is it ever OK to “out” somebody as a former porn star? We discuss the so-called “golden trio of moves” that are said to result in female orgasm (*sceptical face*) and Rob learns what all the different sex and gender identity labels mean… and why they matter to people. We also talk about sex and consent and reveal whether we’ve ever been caught masturbating. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSThe Sun outs a n...2016-10-2130 minThe Second CircleSexting with James JoyceMore women than men say they regret casual sex… but why? We learn all the secret sexting codes that teenagers are using today and how virtual reality is going to take our sexual fantasies to new and surreal heights! We also discuss the language of sex and why context is everything when choosing how to talk dirty. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSOne night stands: according to this study, women are more likely to regret them. We discuss why.A po...2016-10-1432 minThe Second CircleToe-sucking a la carteIs it OK to be turned on by things that we find unacceptable in real life? Plus what happens when you apply a BDSM reading to Shakespeare? A listener asks whether toe-sucking is now ‘a thing’, Rob gives some truly terrible advice on how to manage your partner’s libido and we order off Dr de Wit’s Sex Menu. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSCould a ‘sex menu’ improve your relationship? We find out.Or, for a sex menu you can acce...2016-10-0731 minThe Second CircleSexy frog and a rogue twixThe first sex robots are due to go on the market in 2050 and apparently they will improve your skills in bed. We take a look at the positive side of porn and discuss whether or not it’s okay to slut-shame Melania Trump for her career as a model (spoiler: it’s not). We also tackle a question about sexting and Rob goes off on a metaphorical tangent involving chocolate bars. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKS“Sex with robots could be mindblowing” says expert who has a ve...2016-09-3033 minThe Second CircleThe Elizabethan ruffLabour MP Keith Vaz met male escorts for sex but at what point does your sex life become public interest? We also bring you a Sexy Paralympics update (it involves Maltesers), a controversial question about virginity and some hot pillow talk about our earliest sexual memories. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSThe Mirror’s expose of MP Keith VazThe Telegraph’s first person piece on “What it’s like to discover your husband is gay”This groundbreaking Maltesers advert features a disabled...2016-09-2332 minThe Second CircleMy 1930s zeppelin fantasiesDating tips from a 1930s, how to delay ejaculation, and a writer who reckons the female condom is making a comeback. We have the last sex update from the Olympics, a question about sexual fantasies and some hot pillow talk about erogenous zones. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSIf you ever wanted to know how to make love in the 1930s look no further!If you hooked up with Usain Bolt, wouldn’t you take a selfie?Get Tracy Cox’s tips...2016-09-1629 minThe Second CircleHi-tech boomerangDid you know the clitoris is shaped like a hi-tech boomerang? You do now! Also this week: why it’s important to talk about pleasure in sex education, a Sexy Olympics update, questions about going on top, and we chat about sex toys and how important it is for a guy to be able to ‘go again.’ If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSA French researcher has created a 3D model clitoris to use in sex education lessonsThis Brazilian Olympian was shut out of her...2016-09-0927 minThe Second CircleHow to be coiffed and mysticalEverybody knows the Olympic village is a hotbed of sex but can mere mortals get involved? We look at the ethics of The Daily Beast’s Grindr exposé, find out whether porn leads to impotence and discuss what kind of food to serve at an orgy. Plus questions about pubic hair, “first time” experiences and an all-important douching update. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?LINKSThe Daily Beast’s Editor’s Note on the Grindr storyThere are more responses to this story at the Interna...2016-09-0227 minThe Second CircleAre the millennials douching?Why doesn't the NHS want to pay for HIV prevention drugs? We find out. Plus, we discuss the recent sexism row at Saatchi & Saatchi and the report that millennials are having less sex, before throwing around some questions about douching, rough sex and threesomes.LINKS HIV campaigners win NHS drug battle …and the Daily Mail’s reaction to it.Franki also blogged about this on our sister site Francesca Da Rimini. Read my post HERE.Women in advertising reveal rampant sexism and macho culture after a chairman resigns …and a respo...2016-08-1228 min