Stories by Sonia Sly
Audio and features
Brain stories - Parkinsons disease & perceiving masked emotions
Claire Concannon learns about experiments aimed at slowing Parkinson's Disease progression. Sonia Yee explores research into our perception of emotions in a mask-filled world. Audio
Male Menopause - 'Men don't talk about it'
In this episode of Only Human we meet Antonia, formerly Anthony John Pearce. As a young man, Anthony was a handsome singer-songwriter who had no shortage of female attention. Except one day everything… Audio
The Law Worked Against Us
"From the good and the great to the lowest of the low, she bridged a gap," says Georgina Beyer of transgender trailblazer, Carmen Rupe. Find out more in this episode of Eyewitness. Audio
Psychopathic traits - "everybody has them"
Sonia Sly is in search of psychopaths. Are they born or are they made? What are the traits that a psychopath exhibits? And is everyone a psychopath to some extent? Audio
Older men lose ability to recognise emotions
University of Otago psychology professor Ted Ruffman says ageing brains means older men become less able to recognise emotions in other people. Audio
When Doctors Were Gods
On Eyewitness - a look at the drug that affected the lives of 10,000 babies…the story of Thalidomide. Produced by Sonia Sly. Audio
No escape: separating from an abusive partner
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, but sociology research shows life post- separation can still leave women feeling trapped. Audio
Risky decisions & gambling addiction
Electronic gaming machines, or the pokies, are highly addictive. Sonia Sly investigates why problem gambling develops and how it is associated with other disorders. Audio
Challenging gender norms & the threat of female sexuality
Professor Ciara Cremin explores the politics of cross-dressing and gender identity in both her personal and her professional life. Audio
Children's art - more than just a picture
Prof Harlene Hayne investigates childrens' artworks: are they just a picture or do they offer insights and clues into the kid's emotional world? Audio
Rise of the Y-Front
Jockey launched the Y-Front in the U.S. in 1935 and five years later the product landed on our shores, and it's been a favourite for Kiwi men ever since. In this final episode of RNZ podcast My Heels… Audio
The Business of Underwear: Flesh is More
"On the red carpet Kim Kardashian wore a slip that I designed and it was designed to be worn in the bedroom," says Kiwi lingerie designer Chloe Julian who has worked for international labels Agent… Audio
Crafting a connection to identity
In this episode of Voices; we meet three young fashion designers to find out how digging into their cultural roots has allowed them to connect with their identity and find their own unique aesthetic… Audio
Championing change in a volatile marketplace
It might be hard to imagine life without the internet and the ease that technology has brought to our lives.
In this episode of My Heels are Killing Me, Sonia Sly talks to three fashion designers… Audio
Fush 'n' chups and the Kiwi accent
The distinctive New Zealand accent and why young women lead the way in the evolution of a uniquely Kiwi way of talking. Audio
The good side of pain
An accidental encounter with the tree nettle, ongaonga, and some self experimentation may lead to a new pain treatment. Audio
Fighting the Same Fight
Feminised or gendered roles in the workforce were carved out in our past and still impact on the lives of women in the workplace today. Find out more in Episode 8 of Beyond Kate. Audio
Sure to Rise
Mathematics, science and English might be what we consider the core elements of a good education today, but back when women won the right to vote, learning to bake the perfect scone was considered an… Audio
Women Should Be Seen and Heard
Is the arts a place where women have equal opportunity? And if not, why not? That's the big question at hand in Episode Six of RNZ podcast, Beyond Kate. Audio
Women Caught Between Two Worlds
Being a woman of colour in a predominantly white society brings with it a complex set of rules and expectations that are often not spoken about. Episode Four of Beyond Kate looks at some of the Maori… Audio
Rights and Ownership Over the Female Body
From crotch-less bloomers and women’s fashion in the late 19th century to contraception, menstruation and abortion. Episode Four of Beyond Kate explores the politics and double standards around the… Audio
Standing their ground
Episode Three of Beyond Kate explores property and divorce rights for women, the age of consent, and even the right for women to wear what they want... early social reforms still being debated today.
…The Useful Woman
Episode Two of Beyond Kate explores politics, the reality of women at the polling booths, and Victorian attitudes that kept women in the home. Audio
Beyond Kate Trailer
Beyond Kate is a podcast exploring women's suffrage in New Zealand 125 years after women gained the right to vote in New Zealand. The series launches 19 September commemorating women's suffrage. Audio
Karen Walker - 'The gatekeepers have gone.'
In this final episode of My Heels Are Killing Me for Season 4, Karen Walker talks to Sonia Sly in front of a live audience at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery about nurturing new talent, the… Audio