In our award-winning podcast, our Chair Julia Gillard sits down for insightful, moving and thought-provoking conversations with some of the most interesting people from around the world working to advance gender equality – whether that's by actively dismantling gender-based barriers, or by being inspirational trailblazers in their field.
We bring you stories from the worlds of politics, entertainment, media, sport and many more. Guests so far have included former US presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, award-winning actor Cate Blanchett, feminist activist Gloria Steinem and musical icon Annie Lennox.
Listen to the most recent episode of the podcast below...
How to listen
Subscribe to A Podcast of One's Own on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to get the latest episode each fortnight.
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Julia's book club
This season, we've also launched Julia's Book Club, bringing together a global community of readers to dive into brilliant books showcasing women's stories.
Each episode, Julia is joined by one of her fabulous co-hosts – award-winning poet, editor and critic, Sarah Holland-Batt and hilarious best-selling author Kathy Lette – to discuss our book of the month.
You can join the conversation and suggest our next read by following us on Instagram below.
Explore some of our favourite episodes
Gloria Steinem on what feminism means today
In this episode, Julia is joined by feminist icon Gloria Steinem. Gloria has been at the vanguard of the women’s rights movement and has been questioning the status quo and pushing against the patriarchy for almost 60 years. They discuss Gloria’s career as a political activist, journalist, writer, and editor, the erosion of reproductive rights in the US, and what feminism means today.
Cate Blanchett on women in film
Julia talks to two-time Academy Award winning actor Cate Blanchett about telling women’s stories through film, the importance of diversity in creating compelling and surprising art, and her decision to play staunch anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly in new TV series, Mrs. America, which tells the real-life story of the fight to pass the US Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. They also discuss Hollywood post-Me Too and the staggering gender pay gap that continues to exist in the film industry.
Tara June Winch on the power of Indigenous stories
Julia is joined by Wiradjuri woman and acclaimed Australian author, Tara June Winch, whose incredible 2019 novel, The Yield, earned widespread critical recognition. Julia and Tara discuss the power of storytelling to give voice to underrepresented communities, and why we need to rethink the literary canon to make space for more diverse voices.
Hillary Clinton on global gender equality
In this special episode recorded live from King's College London, Julia talks to Hillary Rodham Clinton about the barriers to women’s equality world-wide, how she came back from that election defeat in 2016 and The Book of Gutsy Women, her new book written with her daughter, Chelsea.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Julia Gillard on women and leadership
In this special International Women’s Day episode, it’s Julia turn to be interviewed. She and our latest guest chat with Professor Rosie Campbell, Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London. Joining Julia is Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the newly appointed Director General of the World Trade Organisation – and the first woman to ever hold the position. They answer Rosie’s questions on the book they co-authored together, Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons, and explore how their research and observations in the book interplayed with their own lived experiences of being female leaders.
Hannah Gadsby on redefining comedy
Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian, writer and actress. In 2018 she stopped comedy in its tracks with her multi award winning show, Nanette, which reshapes standard stand-up by pairing punchlines with personal revelations on gender, sexuality and childhood turmoil. Nanette played to sold out houses in Australia, the UK and New York, and its launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy and Peabody award wins, introduced Nanette to an even bigger global audience.
Elif Shafak on the power of storytelling, freedom of expression and the global water crisis
Elif Shafak is a best selling author, a political scientist and an advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression. In this episode Julia and Elif journey on a candid and deep conversation about Elif’s childhood in Turkey, what drew her to writing, and the lengths she’s had to go to keep telling the stories of those who are often silenced.
Theresa May and Julia Gillard: an International Women's Day conversation
In this special episode, recorded live from King's College London, Julia speaks to Theresa May, who in 2016 became only the second woman to serve as UK prime minister. The two former leaders sat down to discuss their experiences at the highest level of politics, the obstacles they faced, and what we can do to improve gender equality and women's political representation.
Jelena Dokic on tennis, abuse, mental health and her road to recovery
For many Australians, and tennis fans around the world, Jelena Dokic is a household name. In this episode, she opens up to Julia about her childhood surviving poverty and fleeing war-torn Yugoslavia, to her meteoric rise to fame on the tennis court, all the while silently suffering at the hands of an abusive father. Now, the self-described 'victim, survivor, thriver' speaks openly about how she’s overcoming her mental health struggles and vicious online trolls to lead a happy and fulfilling life as a best-selling author, tennis commentator, motivational speaker and advocate against family violence.
Katrina Gorry on motherhood, the road to the Olympics and the legacy of the World Cup
Katrina Gorry is a trailblazer on and off the pitch. Last year she stole our hearts in her record-breaking performance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, making the highest number of tackles and covering the most ground of any player in the tournament. Katrina tells the remarkable story of her journey to motherhood and how she has balanced her lifelong dream of having a family alongside an elite sporting career. She reflects on the legacy of the 2023 World Cup, how much progress has been achieved for women’s sports and what still needs to change to truly level the playing field.
Turia Pitt on determination, defying expectations and taking up space
Turia Pitt is the epitome of determination and grit. She’s been defying expectations ever since she was caught in a grassfire at 24, suffering burns to 65% of her body. Surviving against overwhelming odds, she’s rebuilt her life and is now a business owner, writer, motivational speaker and Mum. Julia and Turia discuss the day that changed her life forever, how she forged a new path for herself and the gender inequality that persists in Australia.
Manal al-Sharif on “driving while female”
Manal al-Sharif is a human rights campaigner who received global attention for her arrest for “driving while female” in 2011, an event that shocked the world and highlighted the lack of rights and autonomy experienced by women in Saudi Arabia. In addition to her activism, Manal is also incredibly accomplished in the world of technology and was listed as one of Forbes’s top 50 women in tech and by Newsweek as one of the top tech revolutionaries in the world.
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