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46:29 | Sep 29th, 2016
Where does private space for women end and public space begin? Where does a woman's right to wear, or walk, or say, what and where she wants become different to men's - on the beach? On the bus? Online? Joining Lauren Laverne to discuss:
Shelina Jan...Show More
56:44 | Sep 14th
The journalist Waad Al Kateab documented her life on camera in war torn Aleppo, Syria. She tells us about her documentary and how she fell in love, married and had a baby daughter during the conflict.
We discuss intersectionality in feminist economi...Show More
47:14 | Sep 13th
We asked you to get in touch and send us a picture that somehow captured you at your best. Today Diane Barker tells us about a very special picture that captures an adventure in Eastern Tibet.
We hear the concerns of midwifes about the role they ...Show More
45:11 | Sep 12th
Susan Sontag, the American essayist, novelist and critic rose to fame in the 1960s. She became an iconic cultural figure and during her life she was linked with figures like Andy Warhol and Annie Leibovitz. Fifteen years after her death, Benjamin Mos...Show More
42:42 | Sep 11th
There's a call for population wide testing for the BRCA gene in the Jewish community, which is at greater risk carrying the gene mutation which is linked to ovarian, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer. We're joined by Dr Ranjit Manchanda, Consuta...Show More
56:15 | Sep 10th
Margaret Atwood's new novel is out today. It's science fiction and is called The Testaments. Science fiction is often stereotyped as a male genre, but we forget that a woman was one of its first authors: Mary Shelley who wrote Frankenstein. When it c...Show More
53:33 | Sep 9th
We want to hear how Brexit is affecting your relationship, your mood and your behaviour. Do you feel more or less anxious about the future? Do you see eye to eye with others in your family - have you fallen out with close friends - or have you found ...Show More
56:50 | Sep 7th
In a week of extraordinary politics, how have female MPs and advisors fared? We discuss the âmachoâ culture and language of parliament with Katy Balls, deputy political editor at The Spectator and Helen Lewis, staff writer at The Atlantic.
National ...Show More
53:31 | Sep 6th
Researchers tell us women are responsible for the majority of consumer decisions, making an estimated 80% of purchases, and most of the final decisions on which clothing, food, or even family holidays to buy. Weâre also told that women are typically ...Show More
48:07 | Sep 5th
National Poet for Scotland Jackie Kay on a new production of her 1980's play Chiaruscuro.
A new survey by NCT (National Childbirth Trust) and Netmums on the limitations of postnatal checks for new mums. Kavita Trevena who's just had a child share...Show More
41:59 | Sep 4th
As BBC journalist Carrie Gracie prepares to release her new book, Equal, about her yearlong battle for equal pay, we discuss the impact this case has had on equal pay for all. Have these high-profile cases inspired employees, employers and policymake...Show More
10:09 | Sep 4th
The comedian Jen Brister talks about what it was like becoming a non-biological mum. She had twin boys with her partner Chloe four years ago after two rounds of IVF, and it was Chloe who gave birth. Jen talks about the reaction of friends, professi...Show More
48:09 | Sep 3rd
The comedian Jen Brister talks about what it was like becoming a non-biological mum. She had twin boys with her partner Chloe four years ago after several rounds of IVF, and it was Chloe who gave birth. She talks about the reaction of friends and p...Show More
48:53 | Sep 2nd
Why is having sex while you've got your period such a taboo subject? Does the idea disgust you or your partner or has the experience brought you closer together? The BBC journalist Emma Barnett, author of âPeriodâ, and campaigner Nimko Ali, author of...Show More
56:53 | Aug 31st
Cara Delevingne is one of the most recognisable faces in the world with over 43 million followers on Instagram alone. Sheâs spoken openly about her sexuality and issues with severe depression. She began modelling when she left school but is now is co...Show More
42:55 | Aug 30th
The artist Sam Taylor-Johnson began her career as a photographer, part of the Young British Artists set. She moved into film and became a household name when she took the helm of Fifty Shades of Grey. She talks about her new film A Million Little Pi...Show More
11:30 | Aug 29th
Listener Ellie Kemp wants to raise the subject of school Parent Teacher Associations and the difficulties they face in finding parents who have the time or the confidence to volunteer, particularly in rural areas, as well as the increasing reliance s...Show More
43:28 | Aug 29th
Is the jobs market working for women? We ask if policies on part time or flexible working actually work in practice? And, as more and more women leave careers to go freelance â why are they doing it? We hear from Lucy Adams, CEO of Disruptive HR, Kir...Show More
43:12 | Aug 28th
Data from a large study of women's menstrual cycles shows that just thirteen per cent of women experience a 'text-book' 28 day menstrual cycle and that the date of ovulation can vary significantly. Professor Joyce Harper who led the study, explai...Show More
42:14 | Aug 27th
A ÂŁ10 million campaign to diversify the building industry was launched this month by the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board), backed by the Department for Education. Currently women make up 16% of the total UK construction workforce of two mi...Show More
43:15 | Aug 27th
Six female candidates continue to vie for the democratic nomination for president in 2020 elections. We take a look at the front-runners including Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris
Jada Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, philanthropis...Show More
27:51 | Aug 24th
Why does society judge women who are single? Weâll hear from listener Joy, Emily Hill author of Bad Romance and from the journalist Bibi Lynch.
Doreen and Virginia have belonged to the same book club, set up in 1965, for decades - is it one of the o...Show More
53:50 | Aug 23rd
Listener Trisha wonders why people seem find it odd that she and her adult son get on so well - she and her daughter donât get the same surprised reaction when they spend time together. So why the difference?
Following the death of her husband, lis...Show More
49:47 | Aug 22nd
Day Four of Listener Week.
One Listener wanted us to talk about how you get over falling out with your best friend. Doreen and Virginia wondered if they're members of the longest running Book Club - which began in 1965. Twenty year old Sophie Tay...Show More
19:07 | Aug 21st
How do you teach gender equality to boys?
43:49 | Aug 21st
Listener Ellie Kemp wants to raise the subject of school Parent Teacher Associations and the difficulties they face in finding parents who have the time or the confidence to volunteer, particularly in rural areas, as well as the increasing reliance ...Show More
54:50 | Aug 20th
Catherine wrote to us about the wellness industry. She asks whether its relentless focus on improvement whether through diet, exercise or psychological tools such as mindfulness contributes to yet more pressure, particularly for women, to live the pe...Show More
52:46 | Aug 19th
This week Woman's Hour is all yours.
We've had loads of emails and tweets about what you want us to talk about this week.
Today we hear from Heidi who wants us to explore a kind of ADHD which is the Inattentive type and affects girls. Heidi is jo...Show More
56:46 | Aug 17th
Somalilandâs first midwife, first Foreign Minister and former First Lady, Edna Adan Ismail tells us what galvanised her campaign to end the practice of FGM and why now in her 80s she still works at the hospital she helped to build in her homeland.
W...Show More
45:12 | Aug 16th
The Country Girls by the Irish author Edna Oâ Brien was banned by the Irish Censorship Board and burn publically in her hometown when it was first published in the 1960âs. This story of female friendship and the restrictions of rural Irish life for ...Show More
43:51 | Aug 15th
Award-winning author and former Childrenâs Laureate Malorie Blackman discusses Crossfire, the new novel in her Noughts and Crosses series, which will also be a BBC TV series starring Stormzy.
A family must prove whose parent died first in an extraor...Show More
17:29 | Aug 14th
Talking to your kids about race and racism with Dr Pragya Agarwal and Freddie Harrel.
44:33 | Aug 14th
Edna Adan Ismail has spent her life improving women's health in Africa, campaigning to end FGM and becoming Somalilandâs first midwife. She was also its first Foreign Minister and is a former First Lady. She was the daughter of a doctor in Somalila...Show More
50:19 | Aug 13th
Talking to your kids about race.
The UK is currently facing a shortage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). What should you do if your normal supply of HRT tablets, skin patches or gels is unavailable? We hear from GP & menopause specialist Dr ...Show More
51:15 | Aug 12th
Todayâs programme is dedicated to the challenges and joys of the long summer weeks out of school. Is boredom good? Will children fall behind on their learning? How can you be sure your teenagers are safe while youâre at work? Jane also hears about...Show More
54:20 | Aug 10th
Director, actor Kathy Burke on her new series of documentaries for Channel 4 âAll Womanâ which are about appearance, motherhood, marriage and relationships.
Weâll be talking about womenâs finances and the changes to income when women have a f...Show More
48:49 | Aug 9th
Kathy Burke: actor, comedian, theatre director and for many people, a national treasure. She's got a new TV series starting next week which explores what it means to be a woman today. It looks at attitudes to beauty, motherhood and relationships. So...Show More
09:26 | Aug 8th
Police forces across the country have found that the number of crimes involving children attacking their parents has doubled in the last three years from 7,000 to 14,000. The figures have been uncovered by BBC Yorkshire after they made a Freedom of I...Show More
45:43 | Aug 8th
Womanâs Hour talks about money. Over their lives, women earn less and save less than men â and, very often, find they need more of it. Research consistently suggests that women are less likely to talk about personal finances or to seek financial advi...Show More
42:14 | Aug 7th
We remember the woman considered the greatest American writer of the twentieth century â the Nobel Prize winner, Toni Morrison, who died on Monday.
The number of crimes being reported to the police involving children attacking their parents has doub...Show More
54:43 | Aug 6th
Disability campaigner Dr Amy Kavanagh describes how she experienced harassment in public spaces when she started to use a white cane. Now she has started a project with Dr Hannah Mason-Bish, Director of Centre for Gender Studies at Sussex Univers...Show More
51:27 | Aug 5th
Hints and tips on helping your child settle into primary school from early years consultant Helen Stroudley and mum of two Vibha Ghei who are part of a new BBC Bitesize Campaign.
According to the TUC, half of women have experienced sexual harass...Show More
55:30 | Aug 3rd
The journalist and writer, Lyra McKee was shot dead in Londonderry nearly four months ago. She had been watching rioting in the Creggan area of the city. Her book Angels With Blue Faces, written before her death has just been published. We hear from ...Show More
45:43 | Aug 2nd
Itâs been nearly four months since the young journalist and writer, Lyra McKee, was shot in Londonderry; she had been watching rioting in the Creggan area of the city. She had just written a book called 'Angels With Blue Faces' and a week before she ...Show More
48:23 | Aug 1st
Women in rural areas are half as likely to report domestic abuse as those in urban ones. Judith, who moved to the Scottish Highlands from London, tells reporter Kathleen Garragher about the culture of privacy and keeping yourself to yourself. When h...Show More
41:08 | Jul 31st
Gemma Chan talks about her role in the Channel 4 drama "I Am Hannah" - a woman in her mid-thirties struggling with the pressure to settle down and start a family.
The ruler of Dubai and his estranged wife, Princess Haya, are in court this week b...Show More
44:48 | Jul 30th
The long summer holidays have started and you'll have heard by now that the runner-up of The Fortnite World Cup was Jaden Ashman, a British 15-year-old who won nearly a million pounds. In the run up to the computer tournament he was spending more t...Show More
42:11 | Jul 29th
The UKâs second female Prime Minister stepped down last week after a turbulent three years in office. In the last few weeks commentators have picked over Theresa Mayâs failure to deliver Brexit, her loss of the Conservative majority in the 2017 Gener...Show More
56:36 | Jul 27th
Dany Cotton the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade talks about how she dealt with trauma in her years as a firefighter. Dr John Green Chief Psychologist for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and Gill Scott-Moore CEO of Police Ca...Show More
51:23 | Jul 26th
Dany Cotton says, 'I was thrilled to take part in this yearâs Takeover and talk about topics Iâm passionate about - I have managed to include something tasty, something fluffy and something serious! I will be explaining to the listeners the benefits...Show More
44:51 | Jul 25th
Cressida Cowell says, "I will be talking about the thoroughly modern magic of reading and how that magic can and must be made accessible to absolutely everybody. Also I'll be talking exclusively to Woman's Hour about lost ancestors including an extra...Show More
40:06 | Jul 24th
Amika George is a 19 year old student, activist, and founder of #FreePeriods. She's been campaigning to combat period poverty in schools. 200,000 signed her petition and almost 2,000 teenagers protested outside Downing Street. Two years on, the gove...Show More
53:56 | Jul 23rd
Harriet Wistrich is a human rights lawyer and founder and director of the Centre for Women's Justice. Her cases are consistently in the news â the fight to keep the so-called âblack cab rapistâ, John Worboys in prison and the release of Sally Challen...Show More
54:39 | Jul 22nd
Nadiya Hussain says, "My edition of Womanâs Hour focuses on time, and our lack of it! Having enough âtimeâ for everything feels like a constant battle. We're juggling childcare and career demands and I wonder whether women are feeling the pressure mo...Show More
56:49 | Jul 20th
Black women are five times more likely to die in childbirth compared to white women. We hear the personal experiences of two women: Candice Brathwaite who got sepsis after her caesarean section and Remi Sade who felt she was pushed towards a more med...Show More
45:52 | Jul 19th
How best can we harness the huge amount of interest created by recent big sporting moments to inspire more women and girls to take up sport? Jenni is joined by Dame Katherine Grainger who is Britainâs most decorated female Olympic athlete of all time...Show More
45:32 | Jul 18th
Ahead of the world premiere of âEarthwardâ at the Proms, young composer Alexia Sloane talks to Jenni about the upcoming performance and the causes that inspire the music.
David Trimble, a leading figure in Northern Irish politics and joint Nobel Pe...Show More
43:06 | Jul 17th
We'll be taking a closer look at The Squad: the Congresswomen at the centre of Twitter comments made by President Trump. Who are Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar? Why are these four politicians of colour causing ...Show More
50:53 | Jul 16th
Live from Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena for the Netball World Cup, we're joined by BBC Sport's Hazel Irvine, former player Sara Bayman and Commonwealth gold winning England Netball captain Ama Agbeze to discuss the tournament so far, predictions for the...Show More
45:56 | Jul 15th
Black women in Britain are now five times more likely to die as a result of complications in pregnancy than white women. This is according to the latest study from MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquirie...Show More
56:46 | Jul 13th
Cash Carraway tells us about her life as a working class woman and mother living in poverty today.
We discuss the importance of parental leave policy transparency and why only 23 FTSE 100 companies make their maternity and parental leave policies av...Show More
46:28 | Jul 12th
The dress historian Amber Butchart has been finding out about the history of some of the summer wardrobe staples we all buy or dig out every year - today, sunglasses.
Jill Halfpenny on her new role in the TV drama Dark Money. She plays Sam, the mot...Show More
Babes in the Woods murders, parental leave, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, menopause lessons in schools
46:48 | Jul 11th
In 1986 two nine year old girls were murdered in woods near Brighton. The crime became known as the Babes in the Woods murders. It took 32 years for the man who abducted, sexually assaulted and killed them to be found guilty. His name was Russell Bis...Show More
41:19 | Jul 10th
Olivier, Tony and Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave on her new stage play, Vienna 1934âMunich 1938 â a production which she has written, devised, and performs in, and which intimately explores her familyâs personal history amidst the rise of fasc...Show More
51:28 | Jul 9th
The Girl Code: what is it and what does it include? How about "not going out with your friend's ex"? We find out with Moya Lothian-McLean and Ellen Scott.
A UK refugee charity says Chinese women whoâve been traumatised because of human trafficking a...Show More
54:50 | Jul 8th
Todayâs weâre looking at an important milestone in a childâs life: when they move up from primary to secondary school. Can you remember how it felt? Do you have a child who is in year 6, leaving primary school or a child who is just completing their...Show More
54:09 | Jul 6th
OâHooley and Tidow the English Folk duo from Yorkshire talk to us about their track Gentleman Jack and perform Beryl.
We discuss how some womenâs centre are being used to facilitate community payback, and how this is affecting vulnerable women with ...Show More
45:34 | Jul 5th
Two women have been picked for top European Union positions for the first time. In a surprise choice, Germanyâs defence minister Ursula von der Leyen has been nominated to head the European Commission. And Franceâs Christine Lagarde will be the head ...Show More
42:49 | Jul 4th
A new report by the Childrenâs Commissioner for England estimates that there are 2.3 million children in England growing up with a vulnerable family background and half of these children receive patchy or no support at all. What needs to change to i...Show More
10:10 | Jul 3rd
Youâre ready for that nerve wracking event in every parentâs life â the school parentsâ evening. Youâve done your best to look neat and tidy when your son says, âMum, youâre not going in that jacket are you?â It seems there is no fashion critic so br...Show More
42:37 | Jul 3rd
New research from the University of York shows that the number of women dependent on cannabis has been underestimated and that there is significant gender bias in the way cannabis dependence is assessed and counted meaning that women may not be getti...Show More
49:21 | Jul 2nd
It's 50 years since the Stonewall riots, a defining moment in the history of the gay rights movement. We ask how visible lesbians were in those early days and how or whether this has changed as rights have progressed and the movement is now ever mor...Show More
48:29 | Jul 1st
England womenâs football team are through to the semi-finals of the World Cup. Ahead of the game on Tuesday evening we discuss their chances of winning the competition and the blossoming global love for the womenâs game with Sunday Times sports journ...Show More
56:37 | Jun 29th
We hear from Vicky Knight, the star of a new film âDirty Godâ about a young mother who is the victim of an acid attack.
As we conclude our series on teenage mental health we hear from three parents about how they have helped their child deal with me...Show More
56:17 | Jun 28th
Over the last two weeks weâve been looking at teenage mental health - weâve talked to doctors, teachers, parents and to teenagers themselves. Last year referrals to Child And Adolescent Mental Health services were at their highest level ever. How ...Show More
41:13 | Jun 27th
Kate Tempest talks about her new album project produced by Rick Rubin. 'The Book of Traps And Lessons' has a run time of 43 mins and has a continuous narrative. She talks about her work and performs part of her ode to England and love. We look at wh...Show More
16:16 | Jun 26th
Catherine Carr speaks to four young people, ranging in age from 13 to 19, to hear from them directly about their mental health experiences. We don't use their names.
39:40 | Jun 26th
Vicky Knight, star of new film Dirty God, discusses how her experience of a fire influenced her role in the film.
In the next in our series about teenage mental health, Catherine Carr speaks to four young people aged between 13 and 19 about their ex...Show More
49:52 | Jun 25th
When journalist Rebecca Reid discovered she was pregnant she didnât want to wait until her 12 week scan to share her news. But, having told friends, family and even colleagues, at 10 weeks Rebecca discovered she had miscarried. She joins Jane to exp...Show More
47:12 | Jun 24th
Third in our series about teenage mental health. So far weâve talked to doctors and teachers, today we hear from the parents. 75% of mental health problems start before a child reaches their 18th birthday. How do parents or carers cope when their ...Show More
56:51 | Jun 22nd
The sex therapist Dr Ruth will be discussing porn, vibrators, Vigara and the importance of communication when it comes to great sex.
We celebrate the summer solstice with the poet Elizabeth-Jane Burnett and her poem Preface.
Why are women asked to ...Show More
45:41 | Jun 21st
Sunday 23rd June is International Women in Engineering Day. We hear from three female engineers about their routes into the industry. Why despite various campaigns to attract women is it still such a male-dominated trade?
The Resolution Foundation...Show More
47:38 | Jun 20th
Elly Curshen, better known on social media as Elly Pear, is passionate about encouraging people to eat more vegetables. She cooks spiced paneer, spinach and grains and discusses cooking from scratch. We continue our look at teen mental health by tal...Show More
18:56 | Jun 19th
Over the next couple of weeks weâll be focusing on teenage mental, talking to health professionals, teachers, parents and teenagers. Today the Prime Minister is at a school in London to launch a new initiative, that all teachers will be trained to sp...Show More
39:41 | Jun 19th
As the candidate field narrows further in the Conservatives quest for the next leader, we discuss how those left are trying to win over different female electorates - MPs, the party membership and the women who will have to vote for the new PM in any...Show More
45:18 | Jun 18th
One woman and six new-born babies die during pregnancy or childbirth every two hours in Yemen according to UNICEF statistics released recently. The organisation says this is a direct result of the conflict there. We hear from Malak Hasan, an advocac...Show More
56:33 | Jun 15th
What's the fascination with films books and television programmes like Killing Eve where the story centres on women obsessed with other women? Author Joanna Briscoe and journalist Sirin Kale discuss.
We hear why a UK wide coalition of womenâs organi...Show More
48:34 | Jun 14th
As new data shows just how many women are silenced by the threat of abuse online, we ask what is being done to make women feel safer on social media. And who is responsible for monitoring abusive content? Jane talks to Hannah Bardell MP, Leigh Hopwoo...Show More
45:56 | Jun 13th
With the second series of the BBC's Killing Eve underway, Villanelle and Eve continue their obsession with each other. We discuss why the obsession women have for other women has become such a familiar dramatic theme â from Mrs Danvers in Rebecca, to...Show More
10:07 | Jun 12th
You donât need qualifications to teach your children about science. The founder of Nanogirl, aka Dr Michelle Dickinson, who set up a nanomechanical testing lab in New Zealand has created a cookbook to teach children about cooking and science at the s...Show More
40:48 | Jun 12th
We look at the prospects for the two women in the race for the Conservative Party leadership. Is there a chance the UK may see its third female Prime Minister? We hear from Rachel Sylvester, the award winning journalist who has interviewed them both ...Show More
51:41 | Jun 11th
Food writer and anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroeâs new book âTin Can Cookâ is filled with recipes made from tinned ingredients that can be bought from corner shops and supermarkets. An outspoken voice on poverty in the UK â her mission is to help...Show More
53:12 | Jun 10th
Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997 with The God of Small Things. It was followed up twenty years later with Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Now she has just published My Seditious Heart, a collection of political essays written in ...Show More
56:50 | Jun 8th
We look ahead to the Womenâs Football World Cup in France with former England, Chelsea and West Ham player Claire Rafferty, BBC Womenâs Sports reporter Jo Currie and Gemma Clarke author of Soccer Women: the Icons, Rebels, Starts and Trailblazers Who ...Show More
45:33 | Jun 7th
Elizabeth McGovern, best known in the UK for being Lady Cora in Downton Abbey is in a play in London at the moment called Starry Messenger. Elizabeth plays the wife of a man going through a mid-life crisis. Plus the latest Sadie and the Hotheads news...Show More
45:05 | Jun 6th
Turkish writer Elif Safakâs latest novel '10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World' tells the story of Leila, a woman whose body has died, but whose mind has a precious ten minutes to reflect on the joy, pain and injustice of her life as a prostit...Show More
45:05 | Jun 6th
Anna & Elizabeth are a folk duo with a banjo, Virginia roots and a catalogue of traditional ballads, but their latest album, 'The Invisible Comes To Us' is much more than a classic folk record. They join Jenni to discuss creating music with geographi...Show More
43:47 | Jun 5th
After her identical twin girls were born prematurely at 30 weeks, writer and journalist Francesca Segal found herself sitting in what she called the âmother shipâ of neonatal intensive care, all her expectations of parenthood shattered. She speaks t...Show More
14:06 | Jun 5th
After her identical twin girls were born prematurely at 30 weeks, writer and journalist Francesca Segal found herself sitting in what she called the âmother shipâ of neonatal intensive care, all her rosy expectations of parenthood shattered. She spe...Show More
47:53 | Jun 4th
We look ahead to the Womenâs Football World Cup in France with former England, Chelsea and West Ham player Claire Rafferty and BBC Womenâs Sports Reporter, Jo Currie. Who are the teams and players we should be looking out for? We also discuss the his...Show More
48:42 | Jun 3rd
Juno Dawsonâs latest novel is called Meat Market. It's inspired by her time working in fashion and being in contact with models, editors and agents. It's a story about young girls seduced by money and images of perfection but vulnerable to predators,...Show More
56:49 | Jun 1st
The playwright and activist Eve Ensler talks about her book The Apology an imagined letter from her father apologising to her for sexual, physical and emotional abuse.
Does what you wear to work matter? We discuss exactly who determines work dress c...Show More
46:53 | May 31st
Is it time to challenge stereotypical ideas about male and female sexual desire? We hear from women who think so. According to Dr Wednesday Martin research in recent years has suggested that much of what weâve been told by scientists is untrue, for i...Show More
44:26 | May 30th
The third and final series of Mum is currently airing on BBC2 and Pauline is proving to be as terrifyingly class-conscious as ever. Why do so many British sitcoms and novels centre around women who are obsessed with status? From Margot in The Good L...Show More
13:32 | May 29th
Coming out to your parents. How do you prepare ? Advice for parents and children.
43:22 | May 29th
Eve Enslerâs play The Vagina Monologues was first performed in 1996 and became a worldwide phenomenon. Her recent book The Apology is an imagined letter from her father apologising to her for a lifetime of devastating sexual, physical and emotional ...Show More
54:51 | May 28th
Intersectionality at 30. In 1989 KimberlĂŠ Crenshaw Professor of Law at Columbia University and UCLA coined the term Intersectionality. It recognises that race and gender discrimination can work together simultaneously, along with other factors lik...Show More
43:06 | May 27th
Tailored suits, uniforms or jeans and trainers â do you dress up or down for work? How much does what you wear matter in the workplace? Do you feel pressure to be polished? How much do you suppress your natural style in order to fit in? How has fash...Show More
56:52 | May 25th
The author, blogger and podcaster Deborah James talks abut living with bowel cancer and why we all need to talk about poo.
Jayson Greene talks about dealing with the unexpected death of his two year old daughter Greta.
We discuss why the conversati...Show More
45:38 | May 24th
It's Foster Care Fortnight. It's a yearly campaign designed to raise the profile of fostering and show how it can transform lives. It's also the time when there's a big push for new foster carers. According to the Fostering Network, over 8,000 new f...Show More
06:53 | May 23rd
What do you know about Nitrous Oxide? The Royal College of Nursing says the public need to be made aware of its dangers. It was made illegal to sell it for psychoactive purposes three years ago, but the Home Office estimates that in the last year, ha...Show More
43:21 | May 23rd
People in the UK have a worrying lack of knowledge about what constitutes a crime when it comes to the sexual abuse of children, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Barnardoâs. The childrenâs charity has been working with ITVâs Emmerdale on...Show More
43:21 | May 22nd
Four years ago, two year old Greta Greene was killed by a piece of falling masonry while out with her grandmother. Her father, Jayson, has written a memoir âOnce More We Saw Starsâ. He discusses how he has dealt with his grief and loss. Violinist Ali...Show More
50:47 | May 21st
Author, blogger and podcaster Deborah James on living with bowel cancer and busting taboos with her Sun column and the You Me and the Big C podcast.
Maria Miller, chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee is introducing a Ten Minute Rule Bi...Show More
51:55 | May 20th
Itâs been a month since Lyra McKee was killed in Londonderry. She was 29 and was already making waves in journalism as well as being an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. The night she was shot she had been watching rioting in Creggan, a housing esta...Show More
56:50 | May 18th
We explore the origins and enduring appeal of red lipstick with beauty journalist Rachel Felder and Florence Adepoju the founder of the lipstick brand MDMflow.
What do women voters think about the two new political parties: Change UK and the Brexit ...Show More
54:42 | May 17th
This time last year prominent womenâs rights campaigners in Saudi Arabia started to be arrested and imprisoned. In total there were 20 arrests, including some men who were their supporters. When the women appeared in court some of them said theyâd b...Show More
46:40 | May 16th
Red is the best-selling lipstick colour on the market for most brands. Beauty journalist Rachel Felder, author of âRed Lipstickâ has explored the origins and history of red lipstick, looking at its association with film stars, the aristocracy, its s...Show More
40:57 | May 15th
Sally Wainwrightâs new drama Gentleman Jack tells the story of Anne Lister, the Victorian landowner and industrialist whose coded diaries have revealed a hidden world of lesbian relationships and class and gender struggles in 19th Century Yorkshire. ...Show More
10:59 | May 15th
Potty training over the weekend? From birth? What are the fads and what really works? Jenni is joined by Rebecca Mottram, a childrenâs nurse who now runs her own business teaching potty training and Christina Hardyment, author of Dream Babies, to try...Show More
47:33 | May 14th
This year has seen ongoing turmoil at Westminster, the date on which Britain leaves the EU deferred and two new political parties founded and fielding candidates â Change UK and the Brexit Party. It is frequently claimed that we are seeing a realignm...Show More
44:12 | May 13th
Womenâs loos: a place of camaraderie, retreat or even high drama? Samantha Jagger has been documenting what happens in the ladies for 10 years. She's captured candid moments between friends and strangers and her photographs, mostly taken in pubs and ...Show More
53:56 | May 11th
Cellist, songwriter and singer Ayanna Witter-Johnson performs her track Unconditionally from her new album Road Runner.
Itâs nearly a year since Ireland voted in a referendum to change its law on abortion. The majority who cast their vote last May w...Show More
46:16 | May 10th
This month there are two important anniversaries in Ireland attached to the way women, children and babies were looked after by the State and the Church. Twenty years ago the Irish State issued a formal apology to them, and 10 years ago the Ryan Repo...Show More
46:36 | May 9th
When it comes to potty training, we unpick the fads from what works. Rebecca Mottram, a childrenâs nurse who now runs her own business teaching potty training and Christina Hardyment, author of Dream Babies help us to work out the dos and donâts - an...Show More
40:06 | May 8th
Mark Carney will step down as Governor of the Bank of England on January 31st 2020. The search is on for a successor and the Chancellor hopes to make an appointment in October. An executive search agency has been tasked with widening the diversity of...Show More
12:47 | May 8th
Plastic whistles, stretchy men, pencils with rubber toppers, bubbles, balloons and sweets â How do you fill your goody bags for your childâs party? Are you totally anti the concept of handing out obligatory plastic tat ⌠or do you go down the right-...Show More
1:04:33 | May 7th
This time last year there was a referendum in Ireland about abortion. The country voted to change its strict laws and make it legal up to 12 weeks. So Jane and the crew are taking the whole show to Dublin to talk about how the country's changed for ...Show More
55:04 | May 6th
What kind of relationship do you have with food? Do you have a tendency to restrict what you eat, to go on diets, to worry about your weight? Do you worry about your childrenâs eating habits? Do you put some foods on a pedestal and demonise others? ...Show More
56:50 | May 4th
The Danish comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagen talks about what she sees as endemic fatphobia in our society.
We discuss Margaret Thatcherâs legacy for women in politics with the Conservative MP for Saffron Walden Kemi Badenoch and with Ayesha Hazari...Show More
46:41 | May 3rd
We discuss the impact of Margaret Thatcher for women in politics. Weâll be dipping into the Womanâs Hour archive and asking why she is still relevant for women politicians today. With Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden and Vice Chair of the Conserv...Show More
43:50 | May 2nd
Andrea Levyâs novel Small Island was published in 2004, dramatised for television in 2009 and now Helen Edmundsonâs theatrical adaptation has begun a run at the National Theatre. It tells the stories of Hortense, who grows up in Jamaica and moves to ...Show More
44:23 | May 1st
It is 40 years since the UK elected its first woman Prime Minister on May 3rd 1979. Weâre marking this moment in our political history with a look at the late Margaret Thatcher. She remains a deeply controversial and divisive figure, admired by many ...Show More
12:14 | May 1st
Why do some women opt to go it alone and become solo parents using donor sperm and eggs? Jenni speaks to Genevieve Roberts, author of 'Going Solo,' a book about her experiences of becoming a mum using donor sperm and Beth who is pregnant with her fi...Show More
46:54 | Apr 30th
Danish comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagen challenges what she sees as endemic fatphobia in our society. In her new book, Happy Fat, Sofie shares how she found a true acceptance of her body and offers practical tips to those who are still struggling ...Show More
50:12 | Apr 29th
Bo Burnham's film Eight Grade has just been released in the UK and explores the challenges of being a young teenager in the age of social media. Is it a coming of age film for our time? Jane speaks to film critic Rhianna Dhillon.
While Storm Han...Show More
56:50 | Apr 27th
With countless television documentaries dedicated to true crime cases, why do women make up the majority of the audiences? We hear from Julia Davis editor of Crime Monthly Magazine, Jacqui Hames former police officer and presenter of Crimewatch and c...Show More
46:07 | Apr 26th
We take a trip to Biggin Hill airport. Popular with millionaires and stars who travel in private jets, there's a small group of women working there. Some of them fly planes, but in the UK as a whole only 6% of our pilots are women.
This week t...Show More
45:56 | Apr 25th
Melinda Gatesâs new book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World explains that empowering women can profoundly change the way that societies function. She is, along with husband Bill Gates, the founder the worldâs largest private ...Show More
43:03 | Apr 24th
Today is the 6th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, where over 1,000 garment workers died. Over half were women. Fashion Revolution Week wants to raise awareness about where and how our clothes are made - and what itâs doing to the...Show More
09:31 | Apr 24th
A paediatric dietitian gives advice on how to feed a child with food allergies.
46:03 | Apr 23rd
If you have a common mental health problem such as depression or anxiety what effect does it have on your relationship? What should you expect from your other half? Equally, if your partner has depression, what is the best way to support them? Linda ...Show More
43:57 | Apr 22nd
We are currently experiencing a boom in true crime, with countless TV documentaries about cases like the Yorkshire Ripper, the murder of Jill Dando, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and podcasts such as Serial, The Teacherâs Pet and My Favourite...Show More
56:48 | Apr 20th
The photo of a young Sudanese woman chanting on top of a car went viral and became an iconic image in the protests against Omar al-Bashirâs rule. What role have women played in the protests? And what is the current status of women in the country? CNN...Show More
53:33 | Apr 19th
As weâve mentioned recently, the number of children being taken into care in England is currently at a 10-year high. Two weeks ago we looked at the repeat removals of children by the court and the lengths some mothers have gone to avoid that. Today w...Show More
44:10 | Apr 18th
Three Sisters, Anton Chekovâs 1901 classic play, is on at The Almedia Theatre in London. It's about Olga, Masha and Irina who are frustrated with their small-town life especially after growing up for while in buzzing Moscow. When two glamorous mili...Show More
42:01 | Apr 17th
Dame Glenys Stacey is stepping down as HM Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales at the end of May. In her last annual report she was deeply critical of the Probation services saying that privatising offender management was "irredeemably...Show More
14:41 | Apr 17th
Diagnosing and managing food allergies in infants and children.
46:03 | Apr 16th
The photo of a young Sudanese woman chanting on top of a car has gone viral and has become an iconic image in the protests against Omar al-Bashirâs regime/rule. What role have women played in the protests? And what is the current status of women in t...Show More
48:08 | Apr 15th
Nearly a year ago the Republic of Ireland voted to change the law on abortion in a referendum. The majority voted to make it more available and so in January abortion became legal up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. But Womanâs Hour has found out that s...Show More
56:49 | Apr 13th
As the second series of the comedy Fleabag comes to an end we talk about the appeal of female comedic characters. The author Erin Kelly, the TV Development Executive Danielle Dash and the Editor in Chief of Empire Magazine Terri White discuss.
Katy...Show More
45:34 | Apr 12th
The television comedy dramas Fleabag and Derry Girls finished this week. Whatâs the appeal of the seriously flawed female character from Jane Austenâs Emma through to Bridget Jones?
Upskirting is now a specific criminal offence across England and Wa...Show More
52:16 | Apr 11th
The Sexual Revolution liberated a generation, but did it do as much for women as it did for men? Virginia Nicholson joins us for a conversation about the impact that decade had. It's said that dogs are manâs best friend - but, we talk to two women wh...Show More
42:41 | Apr 10th
9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy - three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. Louise Redknapp should have joined the cast for the opening of the show at the beginning of the year but ha...Show More
12:47 | Apr 10th
What makes the adolescent brain different and why is it that an easy child can become a challenging teenager? Jenni talks about risky behaviour and how to limit it with the neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, author of Inventing Ourselves...Show More
48:06 | Apr 9th
Waterproof mascara, mini-skirts, vibrant tights and athleisure: Mary Quant is widely considered to be a pioneer in womenâs fashion. A new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates the work of the iconic fashion designer. Jane talks to c...Show More
50:42 | Apr 8th
Radio 4âs soap opera, The Archers has long inspired a diverse and loyal fan base. The everyday tale of farming folk has tackled everything from unplanned pregnancy in the 1960s to the coercive control and domestic violence a couple of yearsâ ago. But...Show More
56:52 | Apr 6th
Juliet Uzor tells us about winning this yearâs Great British Sewing Bee.
What is the best way to care for a parent with dementia? We hear from Sarah Mitchell whose mother Wendy was diagnosed with early onset dementia at the age of 58. Sarah tells us...Show More
46:16 | Apr 5th
The final part in our wig series: Laura Lattimore is a 28-year-old blogger from London. She was diagnosed with Alopecia as a toddler. Since then, wigs have become a big part of Lauraâs journey and self-image. She now uses her platform to promote awar...Show More
47:28 | Apr 4th
With the numbers of children being taken into care in England at a ten year high, we take a look at the women who face the repeat court-ordered removal of subsequent children. We hear the story of one woman who had already had her first two children ...Show More
41:58 | Apr 3rd
Origami outfits, upcycled upholstery and canine coats have kept viewers of the Great British Sewing Bee captivated for the last eight weeks on BBC2. Jenni speaks to the series 5 winner who was announced last night.
What makes the adolescent brai...Show More
15:00 | Apr 3rd
âMaths anxietyâ is real and one in ten children suffer from despair and rage when faced with the subject, according to new research from Cambridge Universityâs Faculty of Education and its Centre for Neuroscience. 1,700 British pupils aged eight to ...Show More
59:59 | Apr 2nd
More in our series looking at what wigs mean to a range of different women. Yesterday we looked at the experience of women who'd lost their hair through cancer treatment. Today we look at why wigs can be so political for black women. Mikai McDermo...Show More
51:03 | Apr 1st
Hair can be intensely personal and equally political. It can be a sign of confidence or beauty, rebellion or activism. But what about wigs? Why do some women choose to wear them and how significant can they be? Throughout this week we'll explore what...Show More
54:14 | Mar 30th
The folk duo, Fran and Flora play Eastern European inspired music from their album, Unfurl.
The former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, tells us about her recent work with the childrenâs charity World Vision where sheâs been trying to help...Show More
45:43 | Mar 29th
Westminster Politics aside, we look at the wider impact that uncertainty about Brexit is having on families, friendships and out in the wider world of work. With MPs currently debating the way ahead for the whole country, we hear about some of the f...Show More
41:22 | Mar 28th
Fran & Flora are the violinist Flora Curzon and cellist Francesca Ter-Berg. Their debut album is called âUnfurlâ and it combines new arrangements of traditional Transylvanian, Romanian, Klezmer, Greek and Armenian music. They play live in the studio ...Show More
12:34 | Mar 27th
According to the latest government crime survey for England and Wales, Ketamine, a powerful horse tranquilizer and anaesthetic is an increasingly popular drug of choice for teenagers. The proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds using the drug rose in 2017...Show More
40:51 | Mar 27th
When you go shopping do you use the self-service checkouts? Or when you pop into a fast food place do you order on the touch- screens rather than go to the counter? If so, your transaction is through computers rather than people. This week the Office...Show More
49:24 | Mar 26th
According to the childrenâs charity World Vision, nine percent of girls in Afghanistan are married before the age of 15. Jane speaks to Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand who's been working with this charity to tackle this issue. She ...Show More
43:57 | Mar 25th
Smacking children in Wales could be banned after the Welsh Government published a bill removing âreasonable punishmentâ as a defence. If itâs made law children will get the same protection from physical punishment as adults. Some argue such a move co...Show More
56:49 | Mar 23rd
Jacinda Ardern New Zealandâs Prime Minister has been praised for her calm, clear and compassionate handling of the Christchurch massacre but do women leaders really do politics differently? Journalist Anne McElvoy and former special adviser Ayesha Ha...Show More
50:05 | Mar 22nd
Last week Cyclone Idai swept through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, leaving behind a trail of destruction, killing hundreds and affecting an estimated 2.6 million people. We hear from Sacha Myers, part of Save the Childrenâs Emergency Health Unit...Show More
48:32 | Mar 21st
There's been widespread praise for Jacinda Ardern handling of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. She's been held up as an example of how women leaders can handle some problems better. But do women leaders really do things differently? Journalist A...Show More
43:11 | Mar 20th
A recent study connected to a current BBC 3 series, Porn Laid Bare, spoke to a thousand 18 to 25-year-olds across the UK. They were asked about porn. 47% of women said they'd watched porn in the last month and 14% said they felt that, at some point...Show More
10:14 | Mar 20th
Friendship battles between children have always existed â but how can you support your child if you feel they arenât fitting in? How do you help your child make friends? And how much can friendship be taught anyway - or should adults leave children t...Show More
52:45 | Mar 19th
Every month Woman's Hour is joined by top chefs and cooks about how to perfect well loved dishes. Mary Berry takes the lead this week and tells us how to make a limoncello trifle.
According to the latest government crime survey for England and Wal...Show More
47:43 | Mar 18th
In less than 10 years Lupita Nyongâo has starred in a number of high profile and award-winning roles. Her latest project âUsâ is a thriller-horror, directed by the Oscar-winning Jordan Peele. Lupita joins Jane to discuss skyrocketing into fame and th...Show More
56:45 | Mar 15th
We discuss the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh the Iranian lawyer, whoâs been jailed for 38 years, and sentenced to 148 lashes for defending womenâs rights. We hear from Mansoureh Mills Middle East Researcher from Amnesty and from Rana Rahimpour from the BBC...Show More
50:12 | Mar 15th
Women seeking asylum in the UK often find the expense of travel in their new country prevents them from being free to move around, volunteer and become involved in their community. The Bike Project in London supports female asylum seekers and refugee...Show More
ARCHIVED: The podcast creator has made this episode no longer available for listening.
44:18 | Mar 14th
The Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been sentenced to a total of 38 years in jail and 148 lashes, according to her family. Ms Sotoudeh was charged with several national security-related offences, all of which she denies. She has spe...Show More
42:09 | Mar 13th
'New Daughters of Africa' features more than 200 writers from more than 50 countries. Its editor, Margaret Busby and Candice Carty-Williams, who has contributed to the collection, discuss why such a rich tradition of writing by women of African desce...Show More
20:30 | Mar 13th
The author and psychotherapist Philippa Perry talks to Jane about her latest publication âThe Book You Wish Your Parents Had Readâ and answers listeners' questions about how to parent well and give children a healthy start â while not being too har...Show More
48:52 | Mar 12th
Twenty five years ago today, women were allowed to become priests in the Church of England. Thirty two women were ordained that day at Bristol Cathedral and now there are nearly six thousand women priests who are women. We speak to one of the first w...Show More
53:06 | Mar 11th
We speak to author Reshma Saujani about the idea that girls and women are brought up to be perfectionists while boys are expected to be brave.
Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with young on-set dementia at just 58 years old. Before the diagnosis she wa...Show More
56:52 | Mar 9th
How do you keep your children safe from knife crime? We hear from youth worker Elaine Donnellon, and two mothers Yvonne Lawson and Rachel Webb whose sons died from knife attacks.
The Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt on the governm...Show More
45:43 | Mar 8th
A production of Richard II has just opened at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London. All the cast and crew are women of colour. It's co-directed by Adjoa Andoh, who also takes on the role of Richard II. She discusses the significance of this version...Show More
43:54 | Mar 7th
According to Forbes, Kylie Jenner is the world's youngest self-made billionaire at just 21. The youngest Kardashian family member is making her fortune from her best-selling cosmetics business. We discuss the debate about whether she's "self-made" wi...Show More
41:39 | Mar 6th
There appears to be rise in knife violence among young people, and itâs happening right around the country. Parents are asking themselves how to keep their children safe, especially when some of the recent stabbings appear to be so random, have happe...Show More
14:36 | Mar 6th
The number of boys receiving treatment for eating disorders has doubled in recent years, according to NHS figures. Since 2012, the number of boys going into hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales increased from 235 to 466. Jenni is joined by Samue...Show More
53:35 | Mar 5th
We talk to Journalist and Author Melanie Reid about her memoir where she gives us an honest account about when she fell from her horse, breaking her neck and fracturing her lower back. Melanie was paralysed from the top of her chest down she spent a...Show More
46:55 | Mar 4th
In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds - around 180,000 a year. What is it like for the families who are never reunited? How does it feel to be a mother with a missing son or daughter? Jane speaks to three women about their own exper...Show More
56:08 | Mar 2nd
A film about the stigma of menstruation in rural India has just won an Oscar â we hear from three British Asian women about the stigma in the UK. Psychologist Dr Sunny Kleo, journalist Poorna Bell and the writer Sonal Sachdev Patel.
The world has b...Show More
46:23 | Mar 1st
The actress Amanda Abbington, who's well-known for her part in Sherlock, is now in a harrowing new play about teenage depression. It's called The Son and has just opened at the Kiln Theatre in North London. It's about 16 year old Nicolas who is goin...Show More
45:50 | Feb 28th
The world has been built by men, for men and, according to Caroline Criado Perez, weâve struggled to do anything about it because weâve been using biased data that excludes women. She explains why and what she thinks we can do about it. Author, Magg...Show More
41:56 | Feb 27th
Tom Kerridge's new book Fresh Start features recipes for home cooks who want to stop eating ready meals and takeaways and start cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients. He joins Jenni in the studio to Cook the PerfectâŚRoasted Winter Sprout Curry...Show More
19:50 | Feb 27th
What do you do if you suspect your child is drinking alcohol and everything seems to be getting out of control? And whatâs the best way to introduce alcohol to your child â if at all? Jane Garvey speaks to Mandy Saligari, author of âProactive Parent...Show More
53:36 | Feb 26th
According to a new survey, more than half of university students in the UK are being exposed to unwanted sexual behaviour. That ranges from inappropriate touching, explicit messages, cat-calling, being followed or being forced into sex or sexual acts...Show More
48:25 | Feb 25th
Monday 25th February is 25 years to the day that serial killer Fred West confessed to the murder of his daughter Heather, and the first set of remains were excavated from 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, crimes for which he and his wife Rose were foun...Show More
56:40 | Feb 23rd
The poet and writer Fatimah Asghar is the voice behind the web series Brown Girls. She talks about her experience of being a young Pakistani American woman and tells us about her new poetry collection.
Men hold one in five of the best paid jobs in n...Show More
48:47 | Feb 22nd
Of the twelve MPs who resigned so far this week from the Labour and Conservative parties, seven of them are women. Jane speaks to Sarah Childs, Professor of Politics and Gender at Birkbeck University about the significance of their resignations.
Th...Show More
45:37 | Feb 21st
Jenni speaks to Mary Akrami, director of the Afghan Womenâs Network and Sunday Times Chief Foreign Correspondent and author, Christina Lamb who has been reporting on Afghanistan for decades. Why are there no women involved in the current peace negot...Show More
41:18 | Feb 20th
More Family Secret, today we hear from Prue who's niece brought her a DNA kit for her 70th Birthday. When she found out that she could find people with matched DNA, she was shocked to discover that the man who brought her up was in fact NOT her bio...Show More
13:29 | Feb 20th
Measles cases in Europe have tripled between 2017 and 2018. It's the highest number recorded this decade, according to the World Health Organisation and in America, two states are experiencing an outbreak of measles. Jane is joined by Helen Bedford, ...Show More
52:55 | Feb 19th
A look at the issues raised by the case of Shamima Begum the 19 year old former east London schoolgirl who travelled to Syria back in 2015 to join the Islamic State group. We hear from Huda Jawad a Muslim feminist, Nimra Tahir who's a lawyer and ...Show More
52:05 | Feb 18th
The 2019 Oscars are on Sunday and no women are in the Best Director category. However, one woman's made it in the Best Foreign Language category. She's Nadine Labaki, the director of Capernaum. She's also the first Lebanese woman ever to be nominate...Show More