MID

“MID” by Holly Wainwright is exactly the podcast I didn’t know I needed. With her signature wit, warmth, and razor-sharp insight, Holly opens up the often-overlooked world of midlife with refreshing honesty and humour. She tackles everything from identity shifts, relationships, parenting teens, body changes, career pivots, and all the messy, beautiful contradictions that come with being a woman in the middle. What sets this podcast apart is Holly’s ability to make you feel seen. Whether she’s flying solo or chatting with inspiring guests, there’s always a sense of authenticity and grounded wisdom that makes each episode feel like a conversation with a very smart, very funny friend who just gets it. Highly recommended for anyone navigating the middle stretch of life with curiosity, courage, or even just a bit of chaos. “MID” is a celebration of the in-between—and it’s a damn good listen.

I usually enjoy this podcast but this episode was terrible! So many inaccuracies and generalisations, a pedestrian conversion with neuroscience catch phrases thrown in. Arrogantly didn’t bother using Australian units or conversions. Please do yourself a favour and see your GP instead.

I tried to stay with MID. I really did. I wanted to believe it was a space for women who care — about life, about culture, about each other, about the world. Among all the fun girlie interviews and tender ponderings about how women are feeling about themselves and their lives — something just felt… off. Deeply off. I felt genuinely dissociative a number of times after each episode. Separated from reality like a 1950s housewife. At first, I couldn't name the discomfort. I just felt the ick — deep in my gut — every time. I've always loved Holly's bolshy energy and commentary, but then I realised… that energy doesn't seem to extend anymore beyond the walls of Mamamia or for the people of Palestine. And that absence — of authenticity, of courage, of humanity — hit me like a tonne of bricks. See there's a genocide happening, and we are not supposed to only talk about our small little thoughts and worlds every day. Pretending that we are ineffectual. Mothers are losing their children by the busload. Entire families are being wiped out in Gaza. Children are being amputated without anaesthetic. 2million people are being starved. Children screaming for food till they can’t anymore. Doctors are begging us to speak up, to pressure our leaders to stop backing this horror — and MID, the podcast that claims to have the grown up conversations women deserve. Says nothing and doesn’t not go near the topics that are weighing on so many of our hearts and minds. That silence? It's not just deafening — it's dangerous. And lets say it - could there be anything more MID? Because the truth is: if you care deeply for women and children — for anyone — and you are a peri-menopausal women in her second act, there is no way you can stay silent right now. And if our friends — the ones who own the media platforms, the podcast studios, the publishing power — don't agree? Then its probably time for discussions like how "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." (Thanks, Dumbledore.) We don't get to call ourselves feminists while ignoring the mass killing of women and children. We don't get to "stay light" and "softly on brand" or ‘focus on creating our next phase in power’ while real people are being incinerated and our governments steer policy away from the will of the people. That's not wellness, That's wilful ignorance — dressed in a matching wide-legged pastel linen set and pretending it's self-care. Or worse: pretending we're "creating a safe little sanctuary" for women, without acknowledging that the world outside that sanctuary is on fire. 'News flash’: We don’t have our ducks in a row, because we are in phase of late stage capitalism and living in a govt engineered cost of living crisis! For centuries, powerful female community has fought for the truth to not be suppressed under frivolous topics. Discussing the hard things amongst daily life and joy, is also care. Complete silence in the face of genocide is not neutral — it's complicity. History will mark this time and those who spoke will be remembered as those that cared beyond themselves and the true feminist voices of our time. This podcast isn't bold. It's not brave. It’s not a place of rich conversations for women. It's not healing. It's just…very very, mid.

Holly’s emotionally intelligent intros are worth listening to on their own! But her honest conversations and the questions we all actually want to ask are fun, clever, engaging & real.