Am I Making You Uncomfortable?

When it comes to mother-daughter relationships, it’s complicated: some are best friends, others aren’t on speaking terms, while some daughters still revert to acting like a teenager around their mum even though they’re way too old to throw a strop (hiya!).Why is it so tricky to find the right balance? We speak to Rosjke Hasseldine, who has spent almost 25 years working with women and researching the mother-daughter relationship, to find out. We’re also joined by Carina White, co-founder of Black Mums Upfront, and her aunt Eleanor, who helped raise her after her mother tragically passed away. Their warmth, admiration and mutual respect is inspiring – but we learn it hasn’t always been easy.Transcript link (copy & paste): https://www.huffp.st/uXhRAfu See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From acne to eczema, psoriasis to rosacea, there’s no shortage of skin conditions that are broadly labelled “problem skin”. But would these conditions be such a problem, if the world stopped obsessing with filters and Photoshop? In this episode, former model Lou Northcote talks to us about losing her career due to acne, and why she now encourages others to #FreeThePimple. Dermatologist Dr Shaaira Nasir then busts some common skincare myths. Join in the conversation on social media using #AIMYU.Transcript link (copy & paste): https://www.huffp.st/gDNwY1S See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Women – not so great at pooing and even worse at talking about it. But fear not - in this episode, we chat to physiotherapist Elaine Miller and gut health specialist Dr. Megan Rossi who are here with all the scoop on how to poop. Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU.Transcript link (copy & paste): https://www.huffp.st/d73ChgJ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's tough when your mates earn more than you – and the pandemic has only exacerbated the friendship money gap. In this episode, My Frugal Year founder Clare Seal talks about the pressure to keep up that contributed to her £27,000 of debt. Plus, personal finance guru Kia Commodore shares some tips on how to navigate the money gap in a more positive way – whatever your financial position. Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The first rule about fight club is you don't talk about fight club. Often it feels like the same principle applies when it comes to giving birth – the majority of women have little or no clue what to expect until they are pregnant and, well, then it’s a bit late. For our first episode of 2021 we wanted to change that, having an open and, yes, at times, uncomfortable conversation about giving birth. We speak to Midwife Marley about the realities of birth and hear from Clotilde Rebecca Abe, co-founder of the Five x More project, about the fact that Black women are five times more likely to die during childbirth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

2020 has been the year of isolation and for many, it's also been a year of loneliness. In this episode, we explore how the pandemic has changed our relationship with alone time – for better or worse. Disability activist Shani Dhanda shares how she dealt with a year of shielding and her hopes for a more compassionate society in 2021. Plus Francesca Specter, founder of Alonement, shares tips on embracing alone time. Join in the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AIMYU. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're feminists but we still fear ageing. Is it any wonder, in a world that values the wrinkle-free and writes off older women in the workplace? It's time for a change. In this episode, we chat to writers Jane Evans and Carol Russell (who are in their 50s and 60s) about embracing milestones, instead of dreading them. We also get some tips on being an ally against ageism from millennial campaigner Jacynth Bassett. Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The word 'sexless' implies there's a lack or an absence in your relationship, but is a dry spell really such a bad thing? In this episode, sex educator Ruby Rare shares how to embrace the ebbs and flows in your libido, improving intimacy both with and without sex. Professor Jacqui Gabb also debunks some common misconceptions around sexual frequency. Spoiler: other people aren't doing it as much as you think. Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How do we express our anger? And how - or why - do we often avoid it? In this episode, we’re joined by funny, fast and often furious stand-up comedian Jen Brister, to talk about all the reasons we’re feeling angry right now – and Kelechi Okafor, actor, writer, podcaster and founder of south London pole dancing studio, Kelechnekoff, on how, especially as women, we might harness our anger as a positive tool for change. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Gabby Voutier got pregnant with twins following IVF and a five-year struggle for a baby, she felt "guilty". Her friend, Jessica Hepburn, had struggled to conceive for over a decade. In this episode, we talk to the Fertility Fest co-founders about navigating their friendship, with and without children. We also hear tips from femelanin.org founder Vanessa Haye, on how to support a friend who's on a different fertility journey to you. Join in the conversation on social media by using #AIMYU See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss return for the second season of Am I Making You Uncomfortable?This podcast is a frank, honest conversation about women's bodies, health and private lives. Fearless, inclusive and empowering, we cover under-reported issues and tackle the topics you're too squeamish to talk to your friends about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why does body hair make us so uncomfortable? Because it’s about so much more than the decision to remove it or let it grow. (Although waxing is uncomfortable, I’ll give you that.)Body hair is political. It’s also social and cultural. For some women – particularly trans women – the absence or presence of body hair can even be a safety issue. Messaging around body hair is insidious and the policing can begin at a young age, perpetuating narrow beauty standards and an even narrower understanding of gender identity.It’s been a hotly debated topic for decades, but there are voices and experiences that still go unheard. We are joined this week by two great guests: trans writer and performer Rhyannon Styles, as well as self-described “mental health nerd” Aisha Mirza, who has been writing about body hair for over a decade from the perspective of a queer, non-binary person of colour. Full transcript available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Incontinence is not an “old lady problem”. It’s thought to impact one in three women in the UK, although the actual number could be even higher, as shame stops many from seeking help. In this episode, we hear from author Luce Brett, who’s been dealing with “the wet-kickered wilderness” for over a decade. We also chat to pelvic physio Tiffany Sequeira, aka Gynaegirl, about the need for accessible, inclusive incontinence support that helps all women. Join in the conversation by using the hashtag #AIMYU.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The cheating gap has closed, with women just as likely to cheat on a long-term partner as men. But why? In this episode, we explore what leads to women cheating – and dispel some myths that it’s all about emotional connection. We’re joined by relationship therapist Miranda Christophers, plus Tolani Shoneye and Audrey Indome, from The Receipts Podcast. We also hear from listeners about why they cheated.Read the entire transcript here See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Having hot flushes but still getting your period? Welcome to the perimenopause – the transition before menopause, which can begin in your thirties and last a full decade. The perimenopause impacts millions of people every year, but we rarely hear about it. To change that, we chat to Dr Nighat Arif, who specialises in women’s health, and author and researcher Tillie Harris, who experienced perimenopause as a new parent.Read the full transcript to our podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whether there was a huge bust up or some good old fashioned ghosting, breaking up with a friend can be devastating – and can still haunt us years later. And while some friendships really do need to be kicked to the curb, are we doing enough to salvage those that matter?We’re joined by Aminatou Sow, who co-hosts the hugely popular Call Your Girlfriend podcast, with her long-term, long-distance friend Ann Friedman. They’ve also written a new book called Big Friendship. Also joining us on the podcast is Dr Miriam Kirmayer, a clinical therapist specialising in friendship, who is a big believer in quality over quantity when it comes to platonic relationships.Transcript available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Work forms a key part of our identities, so what happens when it’s suddenly taken away? In this episode, we explore why our self-worth is often entangled with our jobs – and how to break free from those societal pressures. We speak to Ama Quashie, a celebrity manicurist who discovered her true passion after being made redundant, and career coach Emily Liou, who provides some great tips for rediscovering your mojo if your job has been affected by the pandemic. Read the full transcript here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“There are people that still believe that it's harder for people with vulvas to achieve orgasm, or that women have to have some sort of crazy emotional, psychological connection in order to achieve orgasm,” says New York-based sex educator, Portia Brown, who joins this week’s episode, alongside intimacy coach Charlene Douglas. No wonder there’s an orgasm gender gap. Studies show that heterosexual men are far more likely to orgasm during sex than heterosexual women; while lesbian and bisexual women are also known to orgasm more than straight women. We explore all this and more in this episode, alongside stories from our listeners sharing their most memorable orgasms to show there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to female pleasure. Full transcript of this podcast can be found here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re joined by mental health blogger and campaigner Claire Eastham, who shares her own experience of social anxiety, plus psychotherapist Lucy Beresford, who helps us to understand the causes of the condition, plus the support available.  Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Drinking is such a normalised part of British culture that binge drinking as young adults is a rite of passage, hangovers are laughed off, social lives are built around the pub. We celebrate the good times and commiserate the bad, often with a drink in hand. But how do you know when you’re drinking too much? Joining this week’s podcast to help us answer that are Laura Willoughby, founder of Club Soda and The Mindful Drinking Movement, a community aimed at helping people reassess their relationship with alcohol, and psychotherapist Anjula Mutanda, who often works with people reconsidering their drinking habits.Full transcript here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We all feel envy sometimes, even if we’d rather not admit it. But comparing yourself to others – often without knowing the full story of how hard so-and-so worked to get to where they are today – only leaves you feeling bad about yourself. But the green-eyed monster isn’t all bad. There’s a way to channel negative feelings into something more positive: envy can encourage you to push for that next career move or start planning that once-in-a-lifetime trip you’re always dreaming of. We explore all this and more with Lucy Sheridan, the world’s only comparison coach, on our latest #AIMYU podcast episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gaining access to IVF is a struggle, before you even begin treatment. In this podcast, we speak about the cultural, financial and geographical barriers that prevent people from accessing IVF in the UK – and how they’ve been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Heavy periods affect around 1 in 5 women of reproductive age in the UK. Combined with the stigma that already surrounds menstruation, the added pain, fatigue and fear of leaks can have a debilitating effect on women’s lives.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“We talk about sex more than we talk about money,” says Bola Sol, financial wellness coach and founder of the Rich Girl Chronicles. “You have to question these things. I don’t get it.”  Bola is one of our two guests on this week’s episode of our HuffPost UK life podcast, Am I Making You Uncomfortable? in which we are tackling the stigma we feel talking about money head on. Also joining us is Josie Warner, senior research and insight officer at the debt charity StepChange, to talk about breaking the cycle of debt and smashing those taboos around money.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s in Netflix shows such as Unorthodox and Sex Education, but why is it still taboo to talk about vaginismus? In this episode, we discuss the condition that impacts millions of people around the world. We hear from listeners about how vaginismus has affected their mental health, sex lives and access to healthcare, plus speak to Lisa Mackenzie, founder of the Vaginismus Network, about her personal experience. We also learn more about the condition from Dr Wafaa Eltantawy, who tells us about the causes and treatment available. Go behind the scenes. Subscribe (https://bit.ly/aimyu-pod) to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this podcast we wanted to tackle identity and motherhood – specifically, how your sense of self changes when you become a mum and as your children grow up, and how the intersection of other identities plays into parenthood as a whole.We are joined by two women on the podcast who are carving out spaces to represent motherhood in all its glorious variety: Candice Brathwaite, author of I Am Not Your Baby Mother and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse, and Kate Everall of LesBeMums, an award-winning blog documenting the life of her two-mum family and other LGBTQ+ issues. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, hosts Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss are joined by Sangeeta Pillai, a sex educator and founder of the Soul Sutras network, to talk about how porn impacts our sex lives, relationships, body image ideals and more. Go behind the scenes. Subscribe (https://bit.ly/aimyu-pod) to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Women’s bodies, particularly breasts, are hypersexualised – yet our nipples are often censored. And the nipples we do see are almost always the same: small, pert, pink, probably symmetrical and located on a slim, white, cis-gender body. Not only is this lack of representation damaging, but focuses too much on aesthetics.We’re joined by two amazing guests on this podcast: Emma Low, an artist who makes clay boob pots that are not only fun, but crucially super inclusive (check them out at Pot Yer Tits Away Luv) and Clare O’Neill, a breast cancer survivor and nurse working for CoppaFeel! Charity to talk about nipples in their many, many contexts. Go behind the scenes. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of Am I Making You Feel Uncomfortable? we speak to gynaecologist Dr Anitra Mitra - aka Gynae Geek - about everything you wanted to know about vaginas and discharge but felt too embarrassed to ask.Chatting to Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss, the Gynae Geek tells us all about discharge and its importance in a happy sex life. Go behind the scenes. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode of Am I Making You Uncomfortable? is all about enjoying time with yourself.Journalist and sex educator Alix Fox joins Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss to chat sex toys, stimulation and how you can have a relaxed, enjoyable time of self-love. Go behind the scenes. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The world and its marketing agency might be trying to tell us body positivity is in, but the reaction to singer Adele’s recent social pics show that everyone is still hung up on an ‘ideal’ body. And with that brings a whole heap of questions, problems and anxieties over our bodies.Joining Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss, body image and mental health campaigner Natasha Devon looks into our relationship with our bodies and how we can be more comfortable in our own skin on Am I Making You Uncomfortable? Go behind the scenes. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you're probably too squeamish to talk about.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A new, weekly women's health podcast brought to you by HuffPost. This podcast is a frank, honest conversation about women's bodies, health and private lives. Fearless, inclusive and empowering, we cover under-reported issues and tackle the topics you're too squeamish to talk to your friends about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.