10 episodes

Are more women having affairs? Or are they finally just talking about it? Throughout history, women have been stigmatized, ostracized, and so much worse for committing adultery—while men have too often been given a pass. But the truth is that women have the same wants, needs and desires as men despite cultural assumptions.

Hosted by journalist Jo Piazza, this groundbreaking podcast seriesfeatures real women of different ages and backgrounds telling the stories of their affairs, many for the first time. After five years of reporting on marriage in the wildly popular Committed podcast, Jo is now uncovering the other side of monogamy and finding some surprising answers about the motivations behind female infidelity – from sex, to empowerment, to self-esteem, and even love.

In She Wants More, Jo explores the double standard of cheating, unpacking the guilt, shame, and the expectations placed on women. She has candid conversations with women about the affairs that have either strengthened or broken their marriages that will make you feel like you're eavesdropping on an intimate conversation between two friends. These stories will make you question everything you thought you knew about desire, monogamy, and marriage.

She Wants More was inspired by the book A Passion for More by Susan Shapiro Barash.

She Wants More iHeartPodcasts

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.1 • 211 Ratings

Are more women having affairs? Or are they finally just talking about it? Throughout history, women have been stigmatized, ostracized, and so much worse for committing adultery—while men have too often been given a pass. But the truth is that women have the same wants, needs and desires as men despite cultural assumptions.

Hosted by journalist Jo Piazza, this groundbreaking podcast seriesfeatures real women of different ages and backgrounds telling the stories of their affairs, many for the first time. After five years of reporting on marriage in the wildly popular Committed podcast, Jo is now uncovering the other side of monogamy and finding some surprising answers about the motivations behind female infidelity – from sex, to empowerment, to self-esteem, and even love.

In She Wants More, Jo explores the double standard of cheating, unpacking the guilt, shame, and the expectations placed on women. She has candid conversations with women about the affairs that have either strengthened or broken their marriages that will make you feel like you're eavesdropping on an intimate conversation between two friends. These stories will make you question everything you thought you knew about desire, monogamy, and marriage.

She Wants More was inspired by the book A Passion for More by Susan Shapiro Barash.

    Bonus: Inside a Mother's Open Marriage

    Bonus: Inside a Mother's Open Marriage

    When She Wants More host Jo Piazza landed an interview with the author Molly Winter about her new memoir discussing her open marriage she knew it had to go into our podcast feed. 

    Molly Winter recently hit the New York Times bestseller list with her account of the first ten years of opening up her marriage when her children were young. She is still happily married and she says her marriage and sex life is better than ever because she has been able to explore more facets of herself with her partners. 

    Molly's account of the first 10 years of her open marriage is raw and honest and eye-opening.  It has plenty of lessons for people who don't want to open up their marriages, but who do want to figure out how to be a better partner and how to follow their passions and desires as a wife and a mother. 

    Society loves putting women into boxes, but the truth is that we want more and sharing these stories is the only way we can change the way the world sees us and treats us.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 57 min
    Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater?

    Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater?

    In the final episode of “She Wants More” we look at the darker side of an affair. While many of the women we talked with found empowerment and fulfillment through infidelity, today’s guest, “Sarah” has a different kind of story. "Sarah" fell in love with her kid's pediatrician when she was married to another man. She had an affair, left her husband and got married. But then, her story took an unexpected twist, leaving her devastated and vindictive. Her story serves as a reminder of the real stakes of choosing infidelity and the lies we often tell ourselves in the moment in order to justify our actions. Susan Shapiro Barash shares her final thoughts.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 24 min
    Affairs in the Digital Age

    Affairs in the Digital Age

    Twenty years ago you'd need to meet someone in person to cheat. Now, technology has enabled women to carefully curate and select available men on any number of digital dating or social media websites, and hide their indiscretions through a number of different tools. Affairs can be conducted in real life or entirely virtually. 

    In this episode, technology and relationship expert, Dr. Jaclyn Cravens Pickens, explains all the different ways women use technology to step out on their husbands – and why technology makes the boundaries of what it means to have an affair blurrier than ever before. We also talk to "Olivia" who had an affair with a former work colleague that took place entirely over her phone, often with her husband sitting right beside her.


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 23 min
    Opening Up

    Opening Up

    More and more women are seeing multiple partners outside of their marriage without lying to their spouses. While an open marriage may not be an affair in the traditional sense, it is another way for women to explore what they want and need from a partner without the lying and subterfuge. 

    This week's guest "Alice" craved new bodies, new excitement, new experiences, and like many of the women we've talked to in previous episodes, she decided to step out on her husband to find what she wanted. But after Alice had her first sexual encounter outside of her marriage, she chose to tell her husband the truth – and ask him if she could do it again. Now, Alice and her husband are in an open marriage. So, can open marriages be the answer for some women who are considering having an affair? Jo is also joined by Dr. Ashley Thompson and Dr. Lori Gottlieb to weigh in on the positive impact that communication can have on a relationship.


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 31 min
    Are Affairs the New Self-Care?

    Are Affairs the New Self-Care?

    In the past couple of years the media has positioned women’s exploration of sex, passion, and desire, as a form of "self-care" -- a wellness practice that helps them feel better about themselves. Today's guest "Michelle" breaks down how her affairs, particularly one with a sexy personal trainer, have become a form of self-care for her. She says they make her feel better and take better care of herself. 

    So, can an affair be another form of self-care, like yoga, meditation, or dry brushing? Is an orgasm with someone who isn't your spouse an actual wellness practice, or do women just need to justify their desires as self-care in order to fully realize those desires without shame? Alexandra Fine, sexologist and creator of Dame, a pleasure products company, weighs in.


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 26 min
    Thank You for Being a Friend

    Thank You for Being a Friend

    Loneliness is an epidemic in America, even for people who are married. It is a major driver of depression and it can drive people to desperate measures to feel less lonely, including having an affair.

    This week's guest "Sabrina" didn't initiate her affair because she wasn't feeling fulfilled sexually -- she was feeling neglected by her husband and lonely and friendless. The man she is having an affair with has since become her best friend and she can't imagine her life without him. Now she worries about what will happen to her if he ever chooses to end their affair, or if her husband, who supports her financially, finds out about her infidelity. Jo is also joined by psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz and therapist Dr. Lori Gottlieb who both share their thoughts on loneliness and infidelity.


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 22 min

Customer Reviews

4.1 out of 5
211 Ratings

211 Ratings

MassachusettsMaggie ,

Taboo topic gets attention—great podcast

You won’t hear or read this content anywhere else! Very important topic explored here. Tell all your friends!

billchouca ,

Not worth your time

I was expecting some journalism, but this seems like from a trashy newspaper column.

Imagine the same podcast called “He Wants More” about male cheaters. I doubt anyone would be cheering for it and call that male empowerment.

T-htx ,

Just some racy stories…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m listening. But I think the “mission” of this podcast is disingenuous. This podcaster had some good tea to share but instead of just putting it out there, she decided to shroud it in a cloak of female empowerment and sexual entitlement. That isn’t what this is. This is about incredibly selfish people who made bad decisions and then doubled down over and over again. Not journalism. Not science. Not politics. Just tea. Hey, I like tea. I like gossip. But let’s be straight about it.

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