Women What Whistle Pipa Gordon

In this episode I talk with Michaela Hyde from Marriage Foundation. It's more of a personal chat and debrief of 2022 really in which we cover empty nest syndrome, long term relationships, living with chronic pain, Michaela's menopause journey and my return to education. We also talk about HRT and also other techniques for resilience that help us survive the ups and downs of life.
As promised, here are the menopause-specific episodes:
104 To HRT or Not with Sharon Hartmann (this is an edited-down version of 91, Menopause HRT and your GP) 103 - Diane Danzebrink talks about her surgical menopause and how it resulted in her reaching breaking point and then becoming an activist for menopause awareness. 92 - Food, mood and hormones - how we can use what we eat to help navigate hormone change 91 - the full episode with Sharon Hartmann on making an informed decision re HRT and how to approach your GP 79 - Beyond The Bleed is with the menopause Psychologist Dr Becky Quicke about navigating anxiety and mental health through peri-menopause 78 - Knowing and Navigating the Smptoms of Menopause with the wonderful Diane Danzebrink

Sex therapist Emma Waring joins me for part 2, following on from episode 107, ‘Is Your Sex Life Dutiful or Beautiful?’ to discuss the more intimate side of pleasure and our sexual relationships. We discuss orgasms, how the clitoris works, how vibrators can improve our sex lives and she reveals the all-important location of the not-so-elusive G-Spot. (Did you know that 96% of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm? Hollywood might have us think otherwise).
Emma shows various vibrators during this episode which we describe for audio-only purposes, however we did also film the conversation which you can see on www.womenwhatwhistle.com
We also cover sex in menopause and how vaginal atrophy can cause bacterial vaginosis and recurrent thrush - lubrication can be answered prayer for that.
Emma’s website is emmawaring.com and she mentioned various resources including Pillow Talk which is currently discounted on Amazon.
The other two episodes Emma has done with us are: 107 ‘Is Your Sex Life Dutiful or Beautiful?’, and also episode 94, ‘What Is Good Sex?’
Enjoy

In this episode we talk about equality in sex and relationships. We delve into the roots of cultural and religious writings that have informed a male superiority over the centuries, where women's shame around sex, nakedness and physical desire comes from, how we can recognise if our sexual script is skewed/damaged, and what to do about it. 
NB trigger warning at 15 minutes where Emma describes the action of rape, it is no more than one minute long.
Once again, Emma is fantastic and gives us lots to think about. If you've not heard the first episode she did, Episode 94 'What is Good Sex?' is well worth a listen as well, it is currently one of our most downloaded podcasts.
To get in touch with Emma Waring, here's her website
Emma's book is Seasons of Sex and Intimacy
She also mentioned Becoming Cliterate by Dr Laurie Mintz and Fairplay by Eve Rodsky

10 years ago, Helena Croft founded Streetlight UK. Prostitution and trafficking is a very real issue. It’s quite of the moment to suggest that sex work is empowering, but Helena has a very different and experienced take on this narrative which is currently being pushed about.
This episode is a conversation of two halves. First is about how Helena overcame terrible shyness and uncontrollable blushing that often held her back in life. And then how her faith helped her find her voice, which began her transition into politics. 10 years ago, she then founded Streetlight UK which gives support to women involved in prostitution.
You can read more about the charity on their website Spotlight UK  and the book Helena mentioned was Trafficked
Please get in touch if you have a story or know someone else who would love to share theirs. You can email me pipa.gordon@icloud.com or find me on social media.

In this podcast episode, author Cary J Hansson talks to me about her epic midlife adventure in which she went back to university, already as a mum of twins, and having also navigated divorce. She accidentally fell in love and decided to relocate to Sweden once she graduated… and then found out she was carrying more than suitcases!
I’m not so sure she set out for it to be an adventure but it really was, and then, of course, hormones began to change so she had some more navigating to do. During that time, she’s raising twins, a new baby, paddleboarding, cold water swimming and writing short stories and novels which you can find here and all of which deal wonderfully with all the true ups and downs of ‘midlife’.
Cary is a fabulous example of taking life by the horns and not being held back by fear of the just in case. It’s a wonderful conversation and reminder that life is for living, at every stage!

This is an edited-down version of podcast episode 91 in which Menopause specialist Sharon Hartmann discusses hormone change with me and how we can best navigate it.
She covers things like when hormone change begins, what can instigate it outside of the natural rhythm of life, and then she covers various symptoms, some more unknown than others.
We also discuss natural v HRT (spoiler: topically applied HRT IS a natural product), the difference between gel, patches and spray; the importance of how you apply, testosterone, the Mirena coil, and also the length of time to take HRT and if it's ever too late to get on board (spoiler: forever, and not usually) 
Sharon is an NHS nurse practitioner and runs a private practice to support women going through menopause. You can find her online here.
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