Modern maternity care has been shaped by male perspectives ... and this ”mansplaining” of childbirth has sidelined women’s psychological safety. One result? Higher rates of birth trauma. In this special bonus episode, Grace hears from two midwives, Prof Cath Chamberlain and ”Melanie the Midwife” (The Great Birth Rebellion), about how childbirth was taken from women’s hands and reshaped through male-dominated medicine, including through colonisation. We learn how maternity care could better respect women’s choices and reclaim birth as a woman-led experience, including through Birthing on Country Initiatives. Plus: Dr Melanie Jackson shares some practical tips on self-advocacy for women facing childbirth, and we examine some of the key takeaways from the recent NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Birth Trauma.

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked psychological toll of medical misogyny. From the stress of medical gaslighting and misdiagnosis to the compounding effects of invisible illnesses like endometriosis, and the isolating experience of grieving for the life you’d planned—we unpack how being disbelieved can be traumatic. We also dive deep into how trauma-informed therapy, self-care, and finding supportive communities can help manage both the emotional and physical burdens of chronic conditions. Plus, we discuss the social dynamics that shift when you’re chronically ill—how relationships change, how to deal with unsolicited advice, and how to find a tribe that truly understands.

Living with chronic illness is expensive — especially if you’re a woman, trans or gender-diverse. And it’s even harder in the cost-of-living crisis. In this episode, we unpack the hidden costs of being an unwell woman — from income loss when you’re living with undiagnosed symptoms or chronic illness, to skyrocketing specialist fees. We also ask: why does Medicare still leave so many behind? Plus, we hear from Jacinta Dietrich (co-host of the Differently Brained podcast) and MJ O’Neill about how they juggle high out-of-pocket medical costs with work, life, and the mental load of navigating healthcare admin.

Self-advocacy can only get you so far if the system is broken. So in this episode, we zoom out from the doctor’s office to examine the deeper problems baked into our healthcare system — from doctor burnout, to cultural insensitivity and the exodus of women doctors. Because medical misogyny isn’t about individuals: it’s the entire healthcare system that needs reform.

Experts share nine practical, expert-backed tips to help women and gender-diverse people advocate for themselves in a medical system that often doesn’t listen. From “fire your doctor” to “understand your patient rights” — these tried-and-tested practical strategies could make all the difference. Plus: Grace hears how Erin, who lives with Hashimoto’s disease, kept advocating for herself in a medical system that didn’t seem to be listening – even after her pregnancy ended in tragedy.

Two in three women say they’ve experienced gender bias and discrimination in healthcare. In our debut episode, host Grace Jennings-Edquist explores where medical misogyny began, how the idea of hysteria persists today — and whether we’re finally seeing a shift from ideas to real action. Plus: Grace talks to cancer survivor Alex Dunn about how Alex’s grapefruit-sized kidney tumour almost went undiagnosed for so long, and the shocking responses many women still hear from doctors (“you’re female, get used to it.” Yelp.) Guests: - Gabrielle Jackson, author of Pain & Prejudice and Deputy Editor, Guardian Australia - Dr Ramya Raman, specialist GP with a passion for women’s health; member of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council; Vice President of the Royal Australian College of GPs - Dr Alex Dunn, who saw multiple doctors because her cancerous kidney tumour was finally diagnosed - Dr Sue Haupt, senior research fellow at the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine at the George Institute for Global Health at UNSW

Tackling medical misogyny, one episode at a time. Beyond Hysterical is a six-part podcast series that explores solutions to gender bias in healthcare. Hosted by journalist Grace Jennings-Edquist, Beyond Hysterical brings you powerful stories, expert interviews, and practical advice to help women navigate a system that wasn't built for us. The idea? To move beyond outrage — and into action.