Antonia Murphy knows more about sex than pretty much anyone I’ve ever spoken to. Antonia was raising three kids, including one with a serious disability, in a small town in New Zealand when her marriage unravelled. A lot of women make big changes after divorce, and Antonia took that to a whole new level - she opened a legal, ethical brothel.In this shame-free conversation, Antonia shares the set of events that led her there, what she learned about what the women who worked at the brothel wanted and needed. And, of course, what the clients - almost all men - wanted and needed. And that can be surprising. You’re going to hear stories about the men who were dropped off by their mothers or their wives, a surprising fact about the preferred age of the women, about the worst thing any parent can imagine happened to Antonia, and generally you’re going to be in the presence of a woman who looked at how you’re supposed to carry on, when you’re a divorced, regional mother, and said, F THAT. You can follow Antonia on Instagram here You can find her book, Madam, here Listen to my conversation with Rachel Griffiths, who plays Antonia in the TV series, Madam, here. THE END BITS: Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at
[email protected] Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here. Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.