The Hook Up

A report out recently revealed that gay conversion therapy has been happening in Australia since at least the 70s. And more surprisingly it's still happening.

It comes under the banner of ‘ex-gay’ therapy, which is the idea in a few religious sects and communities that same-sex attraction is a disorder you can treat or heal.

They might try and ‘pray the gay away’ with therapy or counselling; it can be formal like a program, or informal like just having your pastor tell you that you’re possessed by a demon. In the US, 14 states have now banned it and there’s a push for it to also be banned here as well.

Meet two young Australians who have come out the other side and hear advice from a counsellor.

Support: Freedom2b https://freedom2b.org/

Syphilis, a disease that we’d nearly eradicated, is back and has been on the rise in Australia every year since 2010, with rates having more than tripled in the last 8 years. So what is it, how can you protect yourself, and why is it returning with a vengeance?

Sometimes you need a bit of help getting in with someone new at a party or the club. Well that’s what friends are for. So how’s your wingman game? You’ll hear from sex and relationships therapist Amanda Lambros on what the best way to approach is.

If you were dating someone and it turned out they had to move cities, even countries, be it for work or study or family, you basically have three options: break up, do it long distance, or move for your partner.

So how do you make it work?

Say you’re in a relationship, but you’ve been watching cam girls stripping, or wanking on chatroulette without their knowledge. Maybe you were looking at porn, or hiding a secret sex toy?

Do you feel guilty not telling your partner? Does it count as cheating?

Have you ever been in a situation with your partner, where you’re about to head off somewhere but you have a few minutes to kill, so you think, hey, why not have a quickie?

If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might leave a quickie feeling unsatisfied, sex therapist, Chantelle Otten is here to help so you can have a safe and sensual quick sesh.

Making out in the street or having sex in your hotel might be something we can do freely and safely here at home, but it can get you in trouble in many popular locations we go on holidays too. It could get you in jail or even deported. We get the lowdown with Chris Zeiger from Lonely Planet.

Plus, being overseas can make you more vulnerable to sexual assault. How do you deal with it when you’re so long from your friends and family? We speak to sex therapist Chantelle Otten.

When you’re holidaying overseas, it’s a pretty good opportunity to have some fun. But being in a foreign place can also leave you vulnerable. What do you do if something goes wrong?

Featuring: Cynthia Pollard - clinical nurse consultant, Marie Stopes Australia

How much do you really know about orgasms? Learn about how your body reacts, what different orgasms there are, and the best ways to help your partner get there. Featuring sex educator Georgia Grace.

Gay, bi and trans dating app Gridr launched Kindr this month, a campaign against racial discrimination on its platform. We’re looking at the dating experiences of queer people of colour, why there’s so much in your face racism and what we can do about it.