She talks about thrush on prime time. She puts vibrators on the breakfast show. She says "vagina" like it's just another word—because it is. With exactly one month until she turns 31, we're celebrating the woman who made us all feel less alone in our own bodies.
Do you remember the first time you heard a woman say "vagina" on national television and didn't flinch? The first time you scrolled past a post about thrush and thought, "Thank God, it's not just me"? The first time you realised that the shame you'd been carrying about your own body was never yours to carry in the first place?
For millions of Australian women, that moment has Abbie Chatfield's name attached to it.
In exactly one month—on June 20—Abbie Chatfield turns 31. In the five years since she first appeared on our screens as a contestant on The Bachelor, she has become something far more significant than a reality TV star. She's become a voice. An advocate. A woman who refuses to whisper about the things that matter—including the things that happen below the belt.
In an era where women's health is still treated as niche, where thrush is discussed in hushed tones, and where the phrase "vaginal health" still makes some people uncomfortable, Abbie has done something revolutionary. She has spoken. Openly. Honestly. Repeatedly. And in doing so, she has given countless other women permission to do the same.
This post is a birthday countdown tribute to Abbie—one month out from her 31st—celebrating everything she has done for women's health advocacy. Because the truth is, without women like her willing to say the unsayable, we wouldn't be having this conversation. And products like Après might never have found the women who need them.
From Bachelor Contestant to Women's Health Advocate
Abbie Chatfield first entered the public eye in 2020 as a contestant on The Bachelor Australia. She was voted Australia's "most hated" contestant that season—largely because she refused to play by the rules, spoke her mind, and didn't apologise for wanting to be desired .
But rather than retreat from the spotlight, Abbie doubled down. She leaned into her voice. She started a podcast, It's A Lot, where she talked about everything from masturbation to mental health to the patriarchy. She became a radio host, a television panellist on The Masked Singer, and eventually a fill-in breakfast host on KIIS FM .
Along the way, she also became one of Australia's most visible advocates for women's intimate health.
In 2021, Abbie partnered with Canesten to launch the University of Down Under, an interactive digital course designed to educate young women about thrush, vaginal health, and the shame that so often surrounds both topics . The campaign was born from research showing that while nearly half of Gen-Z women felt comfortable saying the word "vagina," topics like thrush remained deeply taboo .
Abbie was the perfect host. Not because she was famous—but because she was willing.
"There aren't many people with the followers that I have in Australia, that are also in mainstream media that are going to want to talk about thrush over and over again," she explained at the time . "With me, I also have to do media interviews all the time. So, I need to be comfortable talking about thrush to TV Week or whatever in order to get that brand deal."
Her willingness to do exactly that—to talk, and keep talking—has made all the difference.
The Thrush Conversation No One Was Having
In a 2021 interview, Abbie reflected on her own sex education growing up. "It was more like 'don't get pregnant', 'don't get STIs', 'use condoms'," she said. "It was more warnings rather than being like, 'this is what thrush is and if you get it, it's okay'" .
That gap in education is exactly what she set out to fill. The University of Down Under was designed to be accessible, funny, and completely without shame. It covered physiology, biology, and psychology—all delivered in Abbie's signature unfiltered style .
The campaign worked because it was authentic. Abbie wasn't reading from a script. She was speaking from experience. She understood, on a personal level, what it felt like to "fumble your way through" intimate health issues because no one had given her the tools or the vocabulary .
"You have to kind of like fumble your way through these things," she said. "And then when you have to fumble your way through, there's all this shame around it. Like for example, the first time you get thrush and you think 'what the f**k is this?'"
That "fumbling" is exactly what Après aims to address—whether it's thrush, BV, progesterone residue, or the simple aftermath of intimacy. The shame comes from not knowing. The solution comes from talking about it.
Beyond Thrush: A Voice for All Women's Health
Abbie's advocacy doesn't stop at vaginal health. She has spoken openly about:
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Her abortion at 23, explaining that she "didn't want a kid by myself" and that women deserve the same freedom men have to walk away from an unwanted pregnancy
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Severe work burnout, which led to a retreat in Thailand and eventually quitting her radio show Hot Nights
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A serious kidney infection that landed her in hospital after she tried to "push through" the pain—a lesson in listening to your body
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Mental health struggles, including the anxiety and "spiralling" that comes from public scrutiny
In each case, Abbie has used her platform not to present a perfect image, but to show what real struggle looks like—and to encourage other women to take themselves seriously.
"I think that what I've learned over time on Instagram is that so many people don't feel seen," she once said . "And they don't feel like they have the education or the representation that they need."
That desire to make women feel seen is at the heart of everything she does.
Real Life Story:
I think about the thousands of women who, after seeing Abbie talk about thrush on Instagram, finally went to the doctor. Who, after hearing her describe the shame they'd felt, realised they weren't alone. Who, after watching her refuse to apologise for having a body, started to feel a little less apologetic about their own.
I think about the messages she must receive. The DMs that say, "I bought my first vibrator because of you." The comments that say, "I finally asked my doctor about that thing I've been ignoring." The emails that say, "I found a solution no one told me about—and it changed everything."
That's what advocacy looks like. Not just speaking—but creating space for others to speak too.
The Aprés Connection: Honoring the Mission
At Just Between Us, we share Abbie's belief that women deserve better. Better information. Better tools. Better conversations.
Aprés was designed to address a specific problem—post-intimacy cleanup—but like Abbie's advocacy, it has grown into something larger. Women now use it for fertility treatment aftermath. For endometriosis management. For heavy periods. For the simple desire to feel clean and dignified after sex, without the awkward bathroom shuffle.
Every time a woman discovers Aprés through a friend, a forum, or a social media post, it's because someone—like Abbie—was willing to talk about the thing no one talks about.
That's the legacy we're building. And it's the legacy Abbie has been building for years.
One Month Until 31: A Birthday Worth Celebrating!
With exactly one month to go until June 20, turning 31 is on Abbie's horizon. For any woman, a birthday invites reflection. But for a woman in the public eye—one who has built her career on being unfiltered, unapologetic, and unwilling to shrink—it's something more.
It's a testament to survival. To persistence. To refusing to be silenced by the backlash, the criticism, or the people who called her "revolting" for speaking her mind .
In the past year alone, Abbie has:
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Become a fill-in host for KIIS FM breakfast—one of the most coveted radio spots in the country
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Continued to release her podcast, It's A Lot, where no topic is off limits
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Reportedly been writing a book, sharing her story and insights with an even wider audience
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Remained a vocal advocate for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and women's health
At 31, she has achieved what many advocates never do: she has made the uncomfortable, comfortable. She has normalised the conversation. She has taken the shame out of the sentence "I have thrush" or "I had an abortion" or "I masturbate."
That is no small thing. And it's worth celebrating—today, one month out, and on her birthday.
Your Top Questions Answered!
1. "What is the University of Down Under?"
It was an interactive digital course launched by Canesten in 2021, hosted by Abbie Chatfield. It covered vaginal health topics—including thrush—in an accessible, shame-free format. The goal was to educate young women who had never received proper information .
2. "Why is Abbie so effective as an advocate?"
Because she speaks from lived experience, not a script. She doesn't pretend to be an expert—she's a woman who has fumbled through the same issues as everyone else. That authenticity resonates. As she put it, "When I do post about things, people are like, 'oh my god, I felt so ashamed to ever masturbate and then I decided to just be like, f**k it'" .
3. "Has Abbie faced backlash for her advocacy work?"
Yes, repeatedly. She's been called "revolting" and accused of using "inflammatory language" for speaking about abortion rights . She's faced public feuds with radio personalities . And she's been criticised for everything from her relationships to her holiday photos . But she continues to speak anyway—because she believes the conversation is more important than the comfort of those who are offended.
4. "How does this relate to Aprés?"
Aprés is a tool for women who want to feel clean and dignified—whether after sex, after fertility treatment, or after managing a condition like thrush or BV. Abbie's advocacy has made it easier for women to have these conversations, which means they're more likely to discover solutions like Aprés. The mission is the same: stop fumbling, start talking.
What We Can Learn from Abbie Chatfield
As we count down the month to Abbie's 31st birthday, here's what her advocacy has taught us:
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Shame thrives in silence. The only way to kill it is to talk.
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You don't need to be an expert to help. You just need to be willing to share your experience.
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Women's health is not niche. It is health. Full stop.
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One voice can change everything. Emma's email to us changed our business. Abbie's voice has changed a culture.
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Turning 30 isn't an ending. It's a beginning. The best work—the most honest, the most impactful—often comes after we stop trying to be perfect and start just being real.
A Birthday Countdown Message to Abbie
Dear Abbie,
With one month until you turn 31, we wanted to say thank you a little early. Thank you for saying "vagina" on national television. Thank you for talking about thrush like it's just a thing that happens—because it is. Thank you for refusing to apologise for having a body, a sex drive, and a voice.
Thank you for making other women feel less alone. For giving them permission to ask questions. For showing them that the shame they're carrying was never theirs to begin with.
On June 20, we'll celebrate your birthday properly. But today, one month out, we're celebrating the movement you've already built. A movement where women's health is discussed openly. Where products like Aprés can find the women who need them. Where "fumbling" is replaced by knowledge, dignity, and a little bit of laughter.
Here's to the next decade. We can't wait to see what you say next.
And if you're reading this—we'd love to chat. Just Between Us was built on the same belief: that women deserve better conversations, better tools, and a lot less shame. Happy almost-birthday, Abbie.
Key Takeaways:
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Abbie Chatfield turns 31 on June 20, 2026—exactly one month from today .
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This post is an early birthday tribute, celebrating her impact on women's health advocacy.
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She rose to fame on The Bachelor in 2020 and has since become a podcaster, radio host, television panellist, and women's health advocate.
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In 2021, she hosted Canesten's University of Down Under, an interactive course designed to destigmatise thrush and vaginal health .
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She spoke openly about why she was the right person for the job: "There aren't many people with the followers I have that are going to want to talk about thrush over and over again" .
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Abbie has also been open about her abortion at 23, her struggles with burnout and kidney infection, and her mental health .
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Her advocacy is rooted in the belief that women have been "left out of medical conversations for such a long time" .
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The goal of her work is simple: to help women stop "fumbling" through intimate health issues alone .
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Her 31st birthday, one month away, is an opportunity to celebrate not just her, but the culture shift she has helped create.
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Here's to the voices that refuse to whisper. Happy almost-birthday, Abbie.
Happy almost-31st Birthday, Abbie Chatfield. With one month to go, we're celebrating early—because what you've built deserves more than one day of recognition. Thank you for making the world a little less shameful, a little more honest, and a lot more fun. If you're reading this—we'd love to chat. At Just Between Us, we believe in the same mission: helping women stop fumbling and start feeling comfortable in their own bodies. Subscribe for more honest conversations about women's health, intimacy, and the tools that make it all a little easier.
