Dr Louise Newson is back on the podcast, and this time we're talking about progesterone, the hormone most of us were told only matters for the womb.

It's made in the brain. Louise explains how it calms inflammation, helps brain cells repair and is one of the first hormones the body produces after a head injury or stroke. Yet if you've had a hysterectomy, you've probably been told you don't need it.

I asked Louise the questions you keep sending me, including a few I've lived myself (nearly 25 years on Depo-Provera, then a long battle to get my progesterone dose right).

In this episode

Why progesterone is far more than a womb hormone
How your cycle works, and why low progesterone can start in your teens
PMS and PMDD, and why Louise doesn't accept symptoms on any day of the month as normal
Progesterone versus synthetic progestogens: the mini pill, Depo-Provera and the Mirena coil
Bleeding on HRT, the cancer pathway, and why stopping your HRT isn't the only answer
Mood, bloating and anger on progesterone, and the 3 ways it can be taken
Why women in their 70s can still have cyclical symptoms
Medical misogyny, Katharina Dalton, and Louise's outstanding CQC rating
The 4 things Louise would ask the government to do for women's health right now

Chapters

00:00 Welcome back, Dr Louise Newson
00:10 The biggest lie about progesterone
00:43 What progesterone does in the brain
01:45 Progesterone, estradiol and testosterone
03:00 Your cycle, explained
04:13 Low progesterone in young women
04:54 PMS and PMDD
05:52 Progesterone versus synthetic progestogens
06:36 Graphite, diamonds and the strawberry sweet
08:30 Nearly 25 years on Depo-Provera
10:27 Bleeding on HRT and the cancer pathway
14:05 Mood, bloating and anger on progesterone
15:45 3 ways to take progesterone
17:01 Hormones in your 60s and 70s
17:55 Louise's live show
19:48 Medical misogyny
21:15 Katharina Dalton
24:00 The Mirena coil
27:13 An outstanding CQC rating
29:07 What the government should do now
33:50 Estradiol and testosterone
35:55 Hormones as chemical messengers
37:01 Thank you, Louise

More with Dr Louise Newson

Why Testosterone is a Game Changer in Menopause: listen here
Dr Louise Newson talks all things Menopause: listen here
Louise's live show, Breaking the Cycle, free in full on her YouTube: watch here
Watch this episode on YouTube: watch here

Links

Dr Louise Newson: drlouisenewson.co.uk
The Power of Hormones by Dr Louise Newson: get the book

KWEENS: Happiness Decoded by Penny Dee: buy the book

This podcast is proudly sponsored by SkinGoal Skincare, a luxury, clinical grade, vegan skincare brand created by Penny Dee: skingoal.co.uk

This episode is for information only and isn't medical advice. Please speak to your own doctor before starting, stopping or changing any treatment.

In this episode, Penny is joined by writer, broadcaster and commentator Ada Akpala for a fearless conversation about British culture, multiculturalism, integration and identity.

Having moved to Britain from Nigeria as a child, Ada brings the perspective of both an immigrant and an astute observer of British life. She argues that Britain is increasingly becoming a country of parallel societies, with different communities living by different cultural expectations. The question is not whether people of different ethnicities can live together. It is whether a society can thrive without a shared culture, common standards and a sense of national belonging.

Penny and Ada also explore DEI, positive discrimination and the danger of treating people as identity groups rather than individuals. They ask whether class and socioeconomic disadvantage have been pushed aside in favour of skin-deep diversity, and whether equality of opportunity has been confused with equality of outcome.

The conversation moves into free speech, the backlash faced by women who challenge fashionable orthodoxies, and Ada's refreshingly simple explanation of why criticism does not frighten her.

They discuss:
What British culture actually means
The difference between a multi-ethnic society and multiculturalism
Integration, ghettoisation and parallel communities
Why a shared culture matters for social cohesion
DEI, quotas and the loss of individuality
Why class belongs at the centre of the equality debate
Merit, opportunity and cultural fit
The demonisation of straight white men and the bullying of women
How to challenge ideas without being consumed by the culture war
Finding a community that gives you the courage to speak

Ada Akpala creates conversations about Britain, politics and culture. Find her work on YouTube at @adaakpala, on Instagram and X at @ada_akpala.

NOTE this episode was recorded on 5 May 2026

Subscribe to The Penny Dee Podcast for more honest conversations about culture, women, free speech and the ideas shaping modern Britain.

Find Penny Dee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennydeeofficial/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pennydeespeaker

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@pennydee

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennydee/

One year after the Supreme Court ruling on sex and single sex spaces, Penny Dee is joined by Baroness Claire Fox for a timely and wide ranging conversation about what has happened since, and what has not.

Together they look at the gap between legal clarity and real world implementation, asking why so many institutions still appear reluctant to act. From the Girl Guides and the Darlington nurses to free speech, public sector culture, rushed legislation, and the politics of fear, this episode examines what happens when common sense collides with institutional self protection.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why Claire Fox says the Supreme Court ruling was a clarification of the law, not a new law.
✔️ How delayed guidance has allowed some organisations to avoid implementing obvious changes.
✔️ Why public sector bodies have found it harder to reverse course after years of ideological training and policy capture.
✔️ How free speech has been chilled by fear, reputational risk, and the threat of punishment.
✔️ Why rushed lawmaking and weak scrutiny are becoming a much bigger democratic problem.

PLUS, We Discuss:
💡 The Girl Guides and the safeguarding implications of admitting boys into girls' spaces.
💡 The Darlington nurses case and the simplicity at the heart of the conflict.
💡 The IOC decision and why it matters for women's sport.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
🔗 Battle of Ideas
🔗 Academy of Ideas
🔗 X Baroness Claire Fox

Quote of the Episode:
"We've got to be prepared to have some brutally honest conversations with each other."

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
📖 Penny's book Kweens
💜 SkinGoal Skincare
📧 hello@pennydee.co.uk

Enjoyed This Episode?:
✅ Subscribe, turn on notifications, and leave a review if this episode spoke to you.
🎙️ This is a conversation for anyone who cares about women, truth, and the future of free speech.

In this powerful episode of Penny Dee Podcast, Penny is joined by Bethany Hutchison and Lisa Lockey, two of the Darlington nurses at the centre of a major NHS changing room case. They share how the situation began, why women raised concerns, and what happened when those concerns were not properly heard. The conversation goes beyond the headlines into dignity, boundaries, confidence, and the emotional cost of speaking up as women.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ How the Darlington nurses case began and why safeguarding concerns were raised.
✔️ Why the issue became about dignity, privacy, and respect for women at work.
✔️ What it felt like when the women say their concerns were dismissed rather than addressed.
✔️ How Christian Legal Centre became involved and supported the nurses.
✔️ Why Lisa says Unison failed to support her when she needed help.

✔️ And why did the NHS spend £604,000 defending their unlawful position?

PLUS, We Discuss:
💡 The impact this had on confidence, peace of mind, and speaking up under pressure.
💡 Why separate spaces would have been the obvious and respectful solution.
💡 The launch of the Darlington Nursing Union and the message Bethany and Lisa want to give other women now.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
🔗 Christian Legal Centre
🔗 Christian Concern
🔗 Darlington Nursing Union
🔗 Sex Matters

Quote of the Episode:
"Please don't be afraid. There are more women who think like you than don't."

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
📖 Penny's book KWEENS
💜 SkinGoal Skincare with your exclusive listener discount code
📧 hello@pennydee.co.uk

Enjoyed This Episode?:
✅ Subscribe to Penny Dee Podcast
✅ Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode
✅ Leave a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it

🎙️ A brave, honest conversation about women, workplace dignity, and what happens when ordinary people decide they will not stay silent.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of work, leadership and economic power. The question is whether women are shaping it too.

In this episode of the Penny Dee Podcast, I sit down with Dr Giselle Goodwin for a serious, respectful and thought provoking conversation about women and AI.

We come from different political perspectives.
We are genuinely curious about why we see the world differently.

Because the bigger issue is not left versus right.

It is whether women are prepared for the next economic shift.

We explore:

• Why women are adopting AI at lower rates
• Whether bias is embedded in algorithms and recruitment systems
• The redesign of work in the knowledge economy
• Emotional labour in an automated world
• Leadership, empathy and the corruption of power
• Confidence gaps, internalised misogyny and tall poppy syndrome
• Whether women should reform the table or build their own

This is not a debate for points.
It is a serious conversation about women's influence in the AI era.

If you care about women's independence, economic strength, leadership, modern feminism, and the future of work, this episode matters.

The future is being built in real time.

Are women shaping it?

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

"Are we shaping the future, or watching it happen?"

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION

Dr Giselle Goodwin's Book
https://amzn.to/3MxDKz1

Subscribe to Dr Giselle Goodwin's Substack
https://gisellegoodwin.substack.com/

Penny Dee's Book, Kweens: Happiness Decoded
https://amzn.to/3pKpure

Follow Dr Giselle Goodwin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gisellegoodwinwrites

Follow Penny Dee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennydeeofficial

Meet Penny AI (that Penny makes reference to)

Meet Penny AI

Buying through the links above supports our work and this podcast.

ABOUT PENNY DEE

Penny Dee is a broadcaster, author, speaker and founder of SkinGoal Skincare. She speaks on women, confidence, power, leadership and modern work.

For speaking enquiries and partnerships:
hello@pennydee.co.uk

Explore SkinGoal Skincare:
https://skingoal.co.uk

This episode brings the extraordinary story of an ordinary woman to a new audience. Newcastle United fan Linzi Smith was banned from her football club and questioned under caution under the Malicious Communications Act for holding a lawful gender critical belief. There was no victim. No harm. And the complaint was made on behalf of someone who might be offended. Today her ban has been lifted and she tells the full story.
We also explore Linzi's separate High Court victory against Northumbria Police after she challenged their decision to march in full uniform at Newcastle Pride. The court ruled the Chief Constable acted unlawfully and breached the duty of impartiality.
This episode examines free speech, reality, courage and the importance of policing without fear or favour.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:
How a simple reality based belief led to a club ban
Why the police interviewed her under caution despite no victim
The role of Fair Cop in helping her challenge the process
How the complaint was made on behalf of a hypothetical person
The key steps that led to Newcastle United lifting the ban

Plus, We Discuss:
Linzi's High Court case against Northumbria Police and why the ruling matters
The rise of non crime hate incidents and what this means for free speech
BBC bias concerns and the wider culture around gender identity
Why offence is not evidence and cannot be treated as a crime

Quote of the Episode:
"Offence is not harm. Offence is not a crime. And no woman should be questioned under caution for a belief rooted in reality."

Resources Mentioned:

Free Speech Union
Fair Cop
High Court judgement on police impartiality
Coverage from national media - The Telegraph

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:
📚 KWEENS Happiness Decoded by Penny Dee
Part memoir, part manual and a powerful call for women to reclaim their happiness and their voice.
Available now on Amazon.

Enjoyed This Episode:
Leave a review, subscribe and share this with someone who values truth, courage and free speech.
🎙️ Stay bold. Stay curious. Speak the truth without fear or favour.

🎙️ Triggernometry Fallout: What Real Difficult Conversations Sound Like – with Katy Jon Went

After the now-infamous Triggernometry episode with Deborah Frances-White (the Guilty Feminist) sparked widespread debate, this episode is the antidote. Penny Dee sits down with Katy Jon Went – speaker, writer, and veteran of difficult conversations – for a real, respectful, and unfiltered discussion about identity, belief, and backlash in today's divided world.

From confronting family dynamics to defending free speech, Katy brings a lifetime of experience to the table. No spin. No shutdowns. Just proper conversation.

👉 If you've ever felt stuck between staying silent and speaking your truth, this one's for you.

🎧 What You'll Learn:
✔️ How to approach controversial topics without confrontation
✔️ Why disagreement doesn't mean disrespect
✔️ How to deal with public backlash and online conflict
✔️ Why humour and curiosity still matter
✔️ The difference between "having a conversation" and delivering a lecture

Enjoyed this episode?
✅ Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review, and share with someone who needs to hear this. Every download helps us keep the mic on and the conversations honest.

🌐 Connect with Katy Jon Went:
Website: https://www.katyjon.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katyjonwent

📚 Penny's Book: KWEENS: Happiness Decoded

Not your average self-help book. It's part memoir, part manual, part middle finger to the status quo.
Written by Penny Dee, it's the book you give your best mate… or your younger self.
Available now in paperback, Kindle, and Audible → Buy KWEENS on Amazon

💜 Sponsor – SkinGoal Skincare
Clinical skincare with a conscience. Perfect for midlife and menopausal skin.
Shop now with code PODCAST15 at https://skingoal.co.uk

💌 Want to get in touch?
Email Penny: hello@pennydee.co.uk
Follow Penny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennydeeofficial

🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Early Life
00:46 Navigating Identity and Family Dynamics
01:53 The Complexity of Conversations
03:39 Confrontation vs. Conversation
07:43 The Importance of Free Speech
11:27 Changing Beliefs and Open-Mindedness
18:47 Navigating Political and Social Nuances
32:50 Exploring Human Rights in Gender Debates
33:46 Finding Common Ground in Disagreements
34:41 Personal Experiences with Differing Opinions
35:56 The Importance of Open-Minded Conversations
37:26 Navigating Public Discourse and Backlash
44:53 The Role of Humor in Sensitive Topics
55:28 The Impact of Algorithms on Social Discourse
59:07 Encouraging Meaningful Conversations
01:01:38 Final Thoughts and Contact Information