Asking For It!

If Ru Paul's Drag Race can have a bonus Christmas episode to promote Ru's new album, then we can share this talk with you! Here's a little bonus episode, a live recording of a keynote given by podcast host, Amy Maiden, who realised that much of the content of then talk covers what she is... you guessed it... asking for.

Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM is the CEO and founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Kon is proudly Greek, growing up in a working class family in a small country town in Victoria. Kon’s personal experience of racism and witnessing the exploitation of his parents in factories planted the seeds for his passion for human rights. Kon went on to become a lawyer, social worker, and teacher. He has been recognised as an Australian of the Year (Victoria) finalist in 2007, was invited to...

I was feeling cold and miserable until I listened back to this conversation and now I'm delighted to share with you this conversation with Kelly Doley. Kelly is a queer Australian artist, curator and arts worker living on Gadigal land (Sydney). Kelly works across government, cultural venues and the independent arts sector. Her practice explores feminist and queer ways of being, looking and working through making art, research and exhibition making. Visit her website here!...

Sara Mansour is a lawyer, spoken word poet and co-founder of Bankstown Poetry Slam, Australia's largest regular spoken word event. An Australian born, Punchbowl-bred Muslim, Sara traverses the political in a personal way in her poetry. Sara has been a Mentor for the Youth Curators as part of the All Day YA Program. She is also a YA Ambassador for the Sydney Writers’ Festival. We sat down at the State Library of NSW and chatted all things poetry, feminism, community and how surprisingly messy...

Amy Campbell is one of Australia’s most accomplished dance talents with a career spanning all areas of the entertainment industry. Her extensive list of credits as one of the country’s top choreographers include the Australian Premiere of the critically acclaimed Violet, for which she won the Broadway World Australia award for her work, ATYP’s sell out season of Spring Awakening, Side Show and Hispanic Attack for the Hayes Theatre (for which she was also the co-creator), the original...

Samantha Hagan lives in Sydney and among the many roles in her life, is a doula. Also known as a birth companion, birth coach or post-birth supporter, a doula is a non-medical person who stays with and assists a woman before, during, or after childbirth, to provide emotional support and physical help if needed. They also may provide support to the mother's partner and family. This has given her a unique insight into the medical industries in Australia and she has some insights to share!

Alexandra Silber is an American actress, singer, writer and educator. She has performed roles on Broadway, in London's West End, on television and film, and concert stages. She also happens to be one of the best friends of the host of this podcast! In this episode we talk about legacy, love, parenting (or not), fake husbands named Brian and loving yourself and Angela Lansbury. You can connect with Alexandra on twitter and instagram: @alsilbs Her popular blog is here:...

Dr Mehreen Faruqi joined the NSW Legislative Council in June 2013 and is the first Muslim woman elected to any Parliament in Australia. Prior to this she was the Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at University of NSW and an Associate Professor in Business and Sustainability. She is a civil and environmental engineer with a PHD in Environmental Engineering. Since migrating from Pakistan to Australia in 1992, with her young family, Mehreen’s work has focused on developing real...

This week's guest is Rochelle Courtenay. Rochelle is Share the Dignity’s founder and Managing Director, but the title she is most proud of though is ‘Pad Lady’. This title came when she collected of over 750,000 packets of pads and tampons across Australia over two years. Why? Well, when she learned of homeless women going without basic sanitary items during their menstrual cycle. Most noteworthy, Rochelle decided the question was not “Why is no one doing anything” but rather “ What’s...

Sarah Doyle is an Australian writer and director working in LA. She is also one of then 395 women who put their hands up to say #metoo when the LA times reported the serial sexual harassment and assault of Hollywood director, James Toback. She also recently wrote an article for The Guardian that explains why she’s taken a vow of celibacy for a year. The article we talk about can be read here:...

S1 E01 - Jessie William. Welcome to Episode 1! We're starting with the light and fluffy topic of death! My guest this week is Jessie Williams, Executive Officer of The Groundswell Project, who's vision is for us all to know what to do when someone is dying, caring or grieving. This is a beautiful conversation that stuck with us for days afterwards. Enjoy! Check out the Groundswell Project here: http://www.thegroundswellproject.com/ and follow us on all social media @askingforitpod. Don't...

Asking For It is the new podcast that reclaims and reframes the phrase "she was asking for it" and asks people what they are *actually* asking for. Each week, host Amy Maiden, sits down with a different guest and attempts to trudge, wade, stumble and navigate their way through some difficult (and hilarious) conversations. Recommended for ages 16+. Explicit language used and adult topics discussed.