Ideas at the House

How many people have you had sex with? No, don’t tell us! But was your first instinct to tell the truth, to exaggerate or underestimate your ‘magic’ number? We live in a time of unprecedented sexual freedom but underneath we are still governed by conventions and expectations surrounding our sex lives.Journalist and accidental sexpert, Rachel Hillsgoes beneath the covers to discuss how sex myths are causing women just as much unhappiness as ever. Is fetishing sexual activity creating as much of a gap between fantasy and reality as there was in more prudish times? And how is it shaping women’s identities? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many questions women ask ourselves about how to achieve equality can only be answered if we understand men and masculinity. The Women’s Liberation Movement triggered a worldwide debate about men, and a generation of research about what proved to be masculinities - in the plural. Over the last thirty years, knowledge has accumulated about men’s diversity and collective power, and the making and re-making of masculinities. This helps us understand men’s predominance in the corporate and political world, and problems of private life from how to share housework to how to stop domestic violence. How can we understand the dilemmas of men and boys today - and their potential for a more peaceful and gender-equal world? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Music was a means of self-invention for Carrie Brownstein. Before becoming a music icon, the Emmy-nominated actor and writer had a turbulent family life. From the moment she bought her first guitar at 15, music became her salvation and a way to find a sense of community. But it was her experiences in the independent music industry that sowed the seeds for the award-winning TV show,Portlandia that she went on to co-create and co-star in. With her band mates from Sleater-Kinney, the industry icon has been redefining notions of gender in rock since the nineties. Join this pioneering feminist punk-rock funny lady for a discussion about finding yourself and your life in music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our understanding of the human body, how it works and what it needs, has been transformed in recent years by a wave of new scientific discoveries. Yet there is a huge gap between the latest findings and the advice we are given, leaving people more confused than ever before. Dr Michael Mosley, through his work for the BBC and researching his latest books, has had access to scientists round the world working at the cutting edge of research into diet, exercise and nutrition. Can you really get most of the benefits of exercise in just a few minutes a week? Why do diets work for some people and not for others? What is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer? Learn some surprising truths about what really contributes to long-term health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australian writer Rosie Waterland has lived. Before she built a global fanbase by writing hilarious online recaps of the reality television show, The Bachelor, she had to get through a tough childhood. She had to come to terms with not being 'cool'. Navigating her way through a housing commission childhood, eating disorders and mental health issues, she embraced all that she is to become an 'Anti-Cool Girl' (also the title of her debut memoir).In this talk the ‘full frontal memoirist’ shares her rocky road to self-acceptance and what it means to be true to yourself in the social media age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could change the world overnight, what would you do first? Featuring: Masha Gessen, Crystal Lameman, Mallory Ortberg, Ann Sherry, Anne- Marie Slaughter, Jenny Brockie (Chair) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With her feet firmly on the ground, and her finger in the mixing bowl, Nigella Lawson has charmed us with her approach to food and cooking. Based on the principle that food should be a simple pleasure to cook and to eat, her recipe books emphasise the importance of friends, family and celebration. At a time when many of the messages we get about food alternate between anxious exhortations to eat ‘clean’ and the technical wizardry of competitive cooking, her relaxed and realistic approach shows a different path, where food can be creative, a source of comfort and a joyful part of life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicola Scott is an Australian comic book artist working in the American industry. After working for Dark Horse, Image and IDW, she quickly became a fan-favourite working exclusively for DC Entertainment on monthly titles Birds Of Prey, Secret Six, Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, Superman and New York Times Bestseller Earth 2.She has recently made the gigantic leap of leaving DC comics to start a creator owned book with Greg Rucka (Gotham Central, Batwoman, Queen & Country, Lazarus and more). The new series is called Black Magick and will be released by Image Comics, debuting in late October 2015.Join Nicola as she details her work and how she began working for the world's biggest comics publishing companies while being based in Sydney, Australia and most interestingly how she has come to leave these behind to focus on creator owned work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brendan McCarthy, a renowned UK comic artist and designer known for his work on Mad Max: Fury Road and 2000 AD's Judge Dredd, shares insights from his impressive 35-year career. He discusses the revolutionary 80s British invasion of U.S. comics and the evolution of storytelling in graphic novels. McCarthy explores cultural identity through his Indian sci-fi comic 'Rogan Gosh' and reflects on the transition from comics to cinema. He candidly addresses the fear of being forgotten and the balance between artistic integrity and mass appeal.

The internet is the 21st century's nervous system and it has made universal surveillance a reality. In the past, even the most repressive authoritarian states would reach a point where it was cheaper to guarantee social stability with schools and hospitals rather than with guns and surveillance devices. But the automation of surveillance has moved this point dramatically. Where the Stasi needed an entire army to surveil one country, East Germany, the NSA and its Five Eyes partners can surveil the whole planet with a single battalion.According to internet freedom advocate Cory Doctorow, it will get worse before it gets better. The Internet of Things creates the potential for everyday devices to be used by spy agencies, criminals and authoritarian states to commit wholesale mischief. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.