Missing Perspectives

Missing Perspectives

Step into the stories you don’t hear enough. We go beyond the headlines to spotlight bold, brilliant women leading change in unexpected places - from grassroots organisers to founders, artists, authors, and advocates. These are real conversations with women shaking up the status quo, challenging power, and building the future. If you’re hungry for fresh ideas, untold stories, and big impact, this is the podcast for you.

  1. 12/15/2025

    FINAL CHAT FOR 2025! In conversation with the icon Anne Summers

    Today’s episode (and the last ep for 2025!!) is an incredibly special one. We are joined by a woman whose work has shaped not just Australian feminism, but the national story of who we are and who we still aspire to be. Anne Summers AO is one of Australia’s most influential feminist thinkers, writers, and activists. She’s a celebrated journalist, a Walkley Award–winner, a former political adviser to prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, and the trailblazing editor-in-chief and co-owner of Ms. magazine in New York during one of its most defining eras. Her landmark 1975 book, Damned Whores and God’s Police, fundamentally reframed Australian history through the experiences of women. It exposed the deep social structures that shaped — and constrained — women’s lives, and it remains one of the most important feminist texts ever published in this country. Nearly fifty years on, its influence hasn’t faded. If anything, it feels even more urgent. And today, she joins two brilliant Gen Z feminists on our team who you know well — Allie Daisy King and Sunny Adcock — for a deeply intergenerational conversation. They dive into everything from the early days of the Women’s Liberation Movement and Anne’s friendship with Gloria Steinem, to contemporary feminist debates, the rise of the manosphere, sex positivity, deepfake porn, the U.S. political crisis, and what a feminist utopia could look like. It’s rare to have a thinker who helped build the foundations of modern feminism sit down with two voices shaping what comes next. This interview is sharp, generous, challenging, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from a life spent pushing for change. So buckle up - it's one of our favourite chats EVER!! This episode was brought to you by NewSouth Publishing.

    1h 12m
  2. 12/09/2025

    In conversation with leading journalist Virginia Haussegger

    In this episode, Alicia Vrajlal from Missing Perspectives sits down with legendary journalist and gender equality advocate Virginia Haussegger AM to trace 50 years of feminist fight, backlash and unfinished business in Australia – and to ask where the “feminist epicentre” is now.  From her decades on ABC, Nine and Seven and 15 years behind the ABC Canberra news desk, to walking away to found the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation and create the award-winning Broad Talk podcast, Virginia reflects on what it means to challenge who holds the microphone in this country, and what it cost. Together, Alicia and Virginia unpack the story behind Virginia’s new book Unfinished Revolution: how it began as a manuscript about women’s rage post-#MeToo, and evolved into a sweeping account of Australia’s consciousness-raising moment in 2021 – from Grace Tame, Brittany Higgins, Chanel Contos and Saxon Mullins, to the March 4 Justice rallies that drew more than 100,000 people into the streets. Virginia also shares the hidden history of radical feminist Elizabeth Reid, Australia’s forgotten “feminist rock star” on the world stage, and why documenting her legacy felt urgent (trust us, it's a great story).  They also get candid about how the media’s treatment of women has shifted – and the women journalists who forced that change; how intersectional feminism and digital-native activism have transformed the movement; the backlash to “new media” at Budget lock-up, and why bringing creators into Parliament matters for democracy; and what still gives Virginia hope that equality is possible, even in a global moment of backlash. Unfinished Revolution is out now in major bookstores. This episode was sponsored by NewSouth Publishing.

    47 min
  3. 09/08/2025

    Nature’s Last Dance: Conservation, gender, and fish STDs with environmentalist Nat Kyriacou

    Today’s episode is a wild, deeply insightful ride into the world of conservation, climate, gender, and storytelling - with an amazing woman who’s redefining how we talk about nature and our place in it. So, buckle up. Nat Kyriacou is an environmentalist, author, and founder who’s made serious waves - from receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia to landing on Forbes 30 Under 30. She’s led organisations like My Green World, sits on major boards, and has even been a delegate to the G20’s women’s group. But titles aside, what sets Nat apart is her voice - sharp, funny (seriously funny), and unflinchingly honest. Her new book, Nature’s Last Dance, has been called “racy, raucous, and riveting” - and trust us, it lives up to the hype. It's a book that somehow manages to juggle heartbreak and humour, science and swear words, fish STDs (not joking) and extinction crises - all in service of one big question: What happens to us when nature disappears? In this conversation, we get into it all: from her early curiosity about frogs and orangutans (who also stole her underwear on a trip one time), to why she wrote this book under the assumption no one would ever read it. We talk gender, justice, and the political battle over conservation. We laugh about snake c***s (again, not joking).  We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did - and please go grab a copy of the book while you're at it!

    30 min
  4. 07/21/2025

    Unpacking people pleasing with Rashida Dungarwalla

    This episode contains discussions of mental health challenges, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care while listening, and reach out to a mental health professional if you need support. This episode is a little different to what we usually do - but it started with a single quote that we couldn’t stop talking about.  In an interview, White Lotus actress Meghan Fahy said her psychologist once asked her: “Are you a people pleaser… or are you just anxious about controlling how people perceive you?” And honestly, that question cracked something for us and sparked a big  conversation in our office. It made us think about how often we conflate being nice with likeable and safe. How hard it can be, especially as women, and as founders, to advocate for ourselves without feeling like we’re letting someone down. And what happens when we start shifting those patterns - and how being firm can result in shifts in relationships. So for this episode, Alicia and Phoebe sat down with everyone's favourite psychologist and founder of Flow State Space, Rashida Dungarwalla, to unpack all of it. Rashida has worked across the world - bringing a deeply thoughtful, holistic, and no-BS approach to mental health. She’s trained in everything from psychodynamic therapy to somatic strategies, and she brings a huge amount of empathy, clarity, and humour to the way she works. In this conversation, we talk about people pleasing, the weaponisation of so-called 'therapy-speak', how boundaries can shift our personal and professional relationships, founder mental health, and what it looks like to really advocate for yourself.

    38 min

About

Step into the stories you don’t hear enough. We go beyond the headlines to spotlight bold, brilliant women leading change in unexpected places - from grassroots organisers to founders, artists, authors, and advocates. These are real conversations with women shaking up the status quo, challenging power, and building the future. If you’re hungry for fresh ideas, untold stories, and big impact, this is the podcast for you.

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