Woman's Hour

It's understood that there will not be a specific women's minister in Prime Minister Liz Truss' government. Amber Rudd, former women's minister who held the post whilst Home Secretary - tells Emma why she believes the move is 'regressive' and 'baffling'.

We discuss the latest on Liz Truss’ first full day as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Emma Barnett is joined by Baroness Gabby Bertin who worked with David Cameron for a decade while he was leader and Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor at the Daily Telegraph. What is it like to break away from a strict religious community? Emily grew up in the Hasidic Jewish community, known for its religious conservatism and social seclusion, but left with her children following a difficult divorce. She tells her story to Emma.For any woman over fifty who has ever asked ‘What now?’ ‘Who do I want to be?’ comes a book by Sharon Blackie, a psychologist and writer, best known for her ecofeminist book, If Women Rose Rooted. She joins Emma to talk about her new book, Hagitude.We speak to Mursal Hedayat, a businesswoman who came to the UK as a refugee at the age of 4 and is now being recognised for her entrepreneurial success with her social enterprise that helps people become language coaches. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse on her autobiography, Finding my Own Rhythm - from a young dancer in apartheid era South Africa to renowned Latin dance champion and TV star.Liz Truss is the UK's new prime minister. What will be her priorities? Which women will she promote in her first reshuffle? What will her leadership style be? We hear from Katy Balls; the deputy editor of The Spectator, and Hannah Al Othma from The Sunday Times.Pregnant women are advised not to drink alcohol, but what about eating fish? The guidance on this can be confusing - with many women avoiding fish altogether when pregnant. But a new study shows that avoiding fish could be the wrong thing to do. We hear from co-author professor Jean Golding who specialises in Paediatric and Peri-natal Epi-deemiology at the University of Bristol.With inflation running at over ten per cent, it’s understood that Liz Truss – who becomes prime minister later today – is considering a freeze on energy bills as one of her first acts in office. The Women’s Budget Group argue that women are less prepared to face cost of living rises, due to lower wages and savings, and in particular they are concerned about job losses for women working in small businesses which could result from increasing fuel costs. Women make up the bulk of those working in the hospitality, retail and care sectors. Sara Reis is the deputy director at the Women’s Budget Group and joins Jess to discuss their latest report.Holly Bourne writes fiction for teenagers and adults, and female friendship is central to her books. In her new adult novel Girl Friends, Jess and Fern are millennials whose passionate closeness as teens is central to both of their lives until things fall apart. When they meet more than ten years later they are forced to reassess their friendship and how it was shaped by the sexual politics of the time they grew up in.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

As the Conservative Party looks set to elect its third female leader and prime minister, it has left observers and women in other political parties wondering about the secret of their success. The Labour Party have yet to elect a female leader despite having introduced all women shortlists for the 1997 election which returned a record 101 female Labour MPs to the House of Commons, one of whom was Fiona Mactaggart the MP for Slough. She joins Emma Barnett alongside former cabinet minister and MP for Chipping Barnet Theresa Villiers.This year, there have been increasing reports of refugees attempting to travel into Europe by sea, with some travelling by dinghy across the Mediterranean and across the channel into the UK. Last week, the Ocean Viking search & rescue ship rescued 466 women, children and men in 10 rescue operations within 60 hours in the Mediterranean, including two heavily pregnant women and a 3-week-old baby. Emma is joined by Rebecca, a British midwife and medical lead on board the Ocean Viking.Leonardo DiCaprio has been called out for only publicly dating women under the age of 25. It comes as the 47-year-old actor broke things off with his girlfriend Camila Morrone who was 22 years his junior. We discuss why women are responding to the news online with so much humour and mockery with the digital culture commentator Hannah Van-de-peer. Emma also speaks to the relationship psychologist Emma Kenny.Helen Fields is a criminal barrister turned bestselling author. Her latest novel The Last Girl to Die follows private investigator Sadie Levesque as she investigates murder on the Isle of Mull, far off the coast of Scotland.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Baroness Brenda Hale on Roe v Wade and her reaction – as well as if she supports the barrister strikes. She also talks about the differences between the UK and US justice systems, and whether we need to re-evaluate how rape cases are tried in the UK .How much do you gossip? Two women who rely on gossiping to make a living talk about how much it runs the world, and its importance in politics. Women are in some of the lowest-paid jobs in the country – but they also make up the majority of trade union members. General Secretary of UNISON, Christina McAnea, talks about why unions are striking and what could happen next. How does it feel to become a mother when your own mother is dying? Hear one woman’s story of when this happened to her, and expert advice on how to cope with it and look after yourself, as well as everyone else. It’s the joy of dressing up without the stress of going to the event…Frock Up Friday is something that now involves more than 15 thousand people dressing up every Friday night, and feeling good about themselves. The founders tell us about how we can be involved.Fan-girls are often ridiculed or called hysterical – but they can do more than just sing a long to songs. A member of the BTS Army and a Korean Culture expert tell us about how fangirls can prompt activism and change.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lottie Garton

New sexual misconduct allegations have been made about a cabinet minister and a top Number 10 aide who serve at the heart of Boris Johnson's government according to a Sky News investigation. They've published testimony from two women who give detailed, first-hand accounts of what they claim happened to them when one was assaulted and the other groped by political figures who are both now in senior roles. Liz Bates is the political correspondent at Sky News and presenter of the Open Secret Podcast.The race to be the next Prime Minister comes to an end of Monday, when either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will enter Number 10. Ella Robertson McKay has recently interviewed both candidates as the National Chair of the Conservative Young Women group – which represents female party members under the age of 35. Ella joins Anita to discuss what each candidate is offering to young women and what Ella’s members think the winner should prioritise. At the start of lockdown in spring 2020 two friends living in Hastings set up a Facebook group for friends to experience the excitement of dressing up on a Friday and getting read to go out when everybody was forced to stay at home. The “Frock up Friday” movement was born and within three weeks the group had 10,0000 members worldwide and now two years later, they number 15,000 and are still growing. The friends who founded the group call themselves the “Mother Frockers” – Beverli Francis and Suzie Simms – and they’ll be joining Anita Rani this morning to talk about their picture book which details many of the fabulous outfits members share, their festival this weekend for online friends to finally meet up in person, as well as their plans for the future.In July the healthcare charity Nuffield Health published data which showed that 47% of women had done no vigorous exercise in the past year. It was quickly pointed out that there might be lots of reasons for this - lack of time and money for example but there are other factors too. Every Body Outdoors is a group of women who are determined to fight for clothing and kit which fits them and they want to see larger and plus-sized people out and doing exercise, Charlotte Petts joins 5 of the group in the Brecon Beacons as they walk and talk about their campaign and their experiences. In the third and final part of our Woman’s Hour series on Fangirls we ask: Is there a darker side to being a fangirl? We speak to freelance writer Jessica LucasPresenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Liz Bates Interviewed Guest: Ella Robertson Mckay Interviewed Guest: Beverli Francis Interviewed Guest: Suzie Simms Reporter: Charlotte Petts Interviewed Guest: Jessica Lucas

The former President of the Supreme Court Baroness Brenda Hale joins Emma Barnett to give her reaction to the overturning of Roe vs Wade in the United States. She also talks about abortion law here in the UK, the upcoming barristers' strike and whether rape trials should get priority for court time.A new campaign is being launched today, exclusively on Woman’s Hour, aiming to help more women who are being underpaid their state pension. Mothers’ Missing Millions is specifically aimed at women who spent time out of paid work bringing up children, mainly in the 1980’s and 1990’s – but did not receive credits for this on their National Insurance record as they should have done. According to the Department for Work and Pensions’ annual report which came out in July, this is now ‘the second largest’ source of error on state pensions. Emma is joined by Steve Webb, the former pensions minister who now works at the corporate consulting firm LCP, which is offering a free guide to how women can fix this for themselves. Listener Hannah got in touch asking us to talk about being motherless when you’re about to become a mother yourself. In 2017 her mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when Hannah was 24 weeks pregnant with her first child, and she sadly passed away when her grandchild turned one. Emma speaks to Hannah, as well as consultant perinatal psychologist Julianne Boutaleb.In her new book, Look! We Have Come Through! Living with D.H. Lawrence, Lara Feigel, Professor of Modern Literature and Culture at King’s College London, tells the story of a pandemic year spent in the company of her partner, her two children and D.H Lawrence. Lara joins Emma to talk about D.H Lawrence and how an author can inform and change your life.

In a new series 'Friends Forever?' we are looking at key relationships in many women's lives, those with female friends. Specifically we're interested in when things go wrong - when and why friendships fall apart and how devastating that can be. And, whether they can be repaired. Annie and Lizzie were very close at school and after and then their lives diverged. They each told their story to Jo Morris.More than 33 million people have been impacted by the devastating floods in Pakistan, and over a thousand people have died since mid-June. Emma is joined by two students from Pakistan who have set up Mahwari Justice campaign to get sanitary products to those in need. In the second part of our Woman’s Hour series on Fangirls we ask: Can fan girls change the world? We speak to Professor Jay Song, Associate Professor in Korean Studies at the University of Melbourne about the political power of fangirls and a member of the BTS Army, Dr Heta Bhatt. We deep dive into the world of K-Pop band BTS & their loyal fandom called the BTS Army, who have been instrumental in shaping politics and socioeconomic issues in Korea and beyond. The cost of living crisis is having an impact on us all. And while paying a monthly fee to go to the gym may likely be seen by some as non-essential expenditure – some people say using the facilities there like showering can help shave hundreds of pounds off energy bills. Should there be boundaries on what facilities people can use in the public sphere? We are joined on the programme by the money saving expert and mum Gemma Bird. The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees also chats to us about setting up ‘warm banks’ - those are heated sites like museums and galleries for those unable to afford their energy bills.Reporter: Jo Morris

How does it feel to reach the age your Mum was when she died? Jo Morris has talked to 3 women who feel a clock ticking. Their stories are all different but they have one thing in common – none of them have felt able to talk about this before. They didn’t want to worry their loved ones or vocalise difficult thoughts.As the cost of living crisis worsens for families across the country, workers have been voting for industrial action over below-inflation pay offers in what many are describing as the “summer of discontent”. They include transport workers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, teachers, postal workers, civil servants, lawyers and British Telecoms engineers. Women are in some of the lowest paid jobs and now make up the majority of trade union members. We speak to Christina McAnea General Secretary of the UK’s largest union - UNISON – and also to Sarah Boston, author of Women Workers and the Trade Unions. We investigate what role women are playing in both the movement and the strikes.Presented by Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

What comes to mind when you hear the word gossip? You’re probably imagining two women together whispering or laughing. Gossip has a bad reputation, but it can be a way of forming and maintaining, friendships. Comedian Rachel Parris and improv-artist Lauren Shearing who she works with on 'Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, talk about the role gossip plays in their relationship.Why do we gossip and why's it get such a bad rap when we enjoy it so much? We hear from Dr Kathryn Waddington, Emerita Fellow in Psychology at Westminster University who's researched and written about gossip for 25 years. In the Middle Ages the word gossip meant ‘women who supported other women during childbirth’ so when did it change into the ‘gossip’ we know today? Historians Professor Melanie Tebbutt from Manchester Metropolitan University and Dr Natalie Hanley-Smith from Oxford Brookes University discuss.So what if the discovering and reporting of gossip is your profession? Journalist Marie Le Conte, a former diarist for the Evening Standard and Camilla Wright the founder of Popbitch look at the life of a professional gossip.Sex and relationships are a cornerstone of gossip. It’s often - ‘who is doing what?’ and ‘with whom!?’ But what happens if you broadcast your life to the world? Rubina Pabani and Poppy Jay are the hosts of BBC podcast Brown Girls Do It Too. In the days of social media - how do they find the judgemental gossip mill?Gossip is often a key strand in storylines in films, TV and novels. Whether it’s introduced for comic effect or used in the build up to the climax of a drama, or to build intrigue in a reality television series Literary critic Alex Clark and film and television critic, Hanna Flint illustrate how.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyGuest: Rachel Parris Guest: Lauren Shearing Guest: Dr Kathryn Waddington Guest: Prof Melanie Tebbutt Guest: Dr Natalie Hanley-Smith Guest: Marie Le Conte Guest: Camilla Wright Guest: Rubina Pabani Guest: Poppy Jay Guest: Alex Clark Guest: Hanna Flint

Many people are having positive life-affirming experiences of hosting Ukrainian refugees but we have also been contacted by some listeners who are having a trickier time and feel not much is being said publicly about when these situations go wrong. Listener Jane tells us about her experience of taking in a Ukrainian student. We also hear from Dr Krish Kandiah, founder of the charity Sanctuary Foundation. Roz Unwin shared her passion for quizzing. She took it up over lockdown, and now runs her own quizzes in North London. She joined Emma, along with Alice Walker, who was crowned this year’s Mastermind Champion.We look at matrilineal communities who trace kinship through the female line and can involve the inheritance of property and titles with Woman’s Hour listener and Professor of Indigenous and Environmental History at the University of Hull, Joy Porter and Dr. Mariaelena Huambachano, Environmental Humanities, Native American and Indigenous Studies at Syracuse University.Listener Freya shares her experience of having anorexia and being sectioned, and coming out the other side.Liz emailed to tell us about the unusual way she keeps fit: on a trapeze. She explains how it changed her life, along with Katy Kartwheel - an actress and circus performer, who also teaches aerial skills to people of all ages.And a listener asked us to raise awareness of a less publicised aspect of the menopause - pubic hair loss. Emma finds out more from the Chair of the Menopause Society Paula Briggs and the Sex Therapist Stella Sonnenbaum.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

On our final day of Listener Week Jessica Creighton brings a host of stories to the table inspired by your requests.Listener Carol is DJ BB. She got in touch to tell us about taking up DJ’ing in her 50s and setting up an event called ‘She’s In Control’. Nearly 60 she tells us about the negative perception of older women in music and the club scene. DJ Ritu is the same age as Carol but has been in the club scene since her 20s. They both join Jess Creighton to dissect the music and club scene through the lens of an older female DJ. Have you decided to retire and then changed your mind months or years later? What made you de-retire? Were the reasons financial? Did you miss the mental stimulation or daily structure or the socialising? Jessica Creighton speaks to Ros Whitehouse who, in her early 70’s, felt society was telling her to retire but within months she realised it was a mistake. Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of the Silver Line Helpline, joins them.We received an email from an anonymous listener who described her experience of being an unwanted child. To discuss this issue, and the impact it can have later in life, Jessica speaks to Dr Caroline Boyd – a peri-natal, chartered clinical psychologist.And we look at matrilineal communities who trace kinship through the female line and can involve the inheritance of property and titles with Woman’s Hour listener and Professor of Indigenous and Environmental History at the University of Hull, Joy Porter and Dr. Mariaelena Huambachano, Environmental Humanities, Native American and Indigenous Studies at Syracuse University.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant Photo Credit: Mahaneela

As Listener Week continues...Nicky e-mailed us about a group in Norwich called Rosie’s Plaques, who put up blue plaques for the brilliant and daring things women have done over the years. Maggie Wheeler from the group joins Emma Barnett to talk about why they do it.Alice emailed in as she wants to address the issue of negative connotations around hormones. She feels that more conversations should happen between mothers and their children about hormones and we should be embracing our hormones and the way we behave because of them. Also joining the discussion will be Dr Farah Ahmed, women’s health specialist. A topic that we feature a lot on Woman’s Hour is eating disorders and the mental health of young people, something that has been particularly highlighted during the pandemic. When it comes to mental health services, we often speak about waiting lists and lack of resources, but one listener, Freya, got in touch because she wanted to share her experience of having anorexia and being sectioned, and coming out the other side. And Liz emailed to tell us about the unusual way she keeps fit: on a trapeze. It was a friend who persuaded to take it up in her late 40s. She'll be explaining how it changed her life and feels like joy therapy, along with Katy Kartwheel - an actress and circus performer, who also teaches aerial skills to people of all ages.

Emma is joined by listener duo - and world record holders - Fay and Emma who ran 106 marathons in 106 consecutive days. Enduring a gruelling 2,777 miles of running, the pair hope to inspire people to be active while you can, focusing on what the body can do – not what it looks like!The killing of 9 year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool has shocked the city and the country. Listener Bobby wanted us to discuss women being killed in shootings. Jenny Kirkham, content editor for the Liverpool Echo, joined Emma Barnett.Listener Ruth Griffin got in touch to say “Please please get someone on to talk about Universal Basic Income!" Trials have been undertaken in Wales, Kenya and Finland, and Ruth asks…"why aren’t we pushing this to be introduced?" Professor Guy Standing is founder and co-President of the Basic Income Earth Network, an NGO promoting basic income as a right, Guy is joined by Ruth Kelly, a fomer Labour MP and Minister and now Senior Fellow at the Policy Exchange Think Tank. We’ve all heard of Florence Nightingale, but have you heard of Rufaida Al-Asalmiya? Born 2,000 years before her, Rufaida was known for her work in promoting hygiene practices in invasive procedures, she was the first documented user of mobile care units in conflict zones. Listener Sofiya, who herself is a registered nurse and Muslim only just heard about Rufaida a few weeks ago. Sofiya joins Emma alongside writer Dr Shamaila Anwar. As part of listener week Coral from London wants to know why widowhood is not talked about more - is it taboo? She's joined by Sue from Norwich who has experiences and wisdom to share. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Listener Week: stories suggested by you.Many of you wanted us to talk about the patriarchal nature of some wedding traditions which seem to have stood the test of time like being walked down the aisle by your dad. Why are they still around and what do they symbolise? We look at their roots with Rachael Lennon, author of Wedded Wife: A Feminist History of Marriage; and journalist Sarah Graham, who planned a feminist wedding.We regularly cover the health issues women face as they approach the menopause. One listener asked us to raise awareness of a less publicised aspect of the process - which is pubic hair loss. Many women finds this gradually happens from the perimenopause on and unlike when you’re younger, it doesn’t grow back and it's said can exacerbate problems with libido and sexual identity. Emma finds out more from the Chair of the Menopause Society Paula Briggs and the Sex Therapist Stella Sonnenbaum.The refugees minister, Lord Harrington, has made a plea to the Treasury to double the money given to families hosting Ukrainian refugees. He fears that the cost of living may lead to a quarter of the host households pulling out of the scheme at the end of October when the initial six months is up. Many people are having positive life-affirming experiences, but we have also been contacted by some listeners who are having a trickier time and feel not much is being said publicly about when these situations go wrong.And advice for a mother who lives in a rural area who emailed about her daughter being bullied from Kidscape’s CEO Lauren Seager-Smith and Consultant Child Psychologist Dr Jane Gilmour.Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

Sarah wrote in suggesting we provide a basic guide to economics. Economics is so central to our lives but few of us, she thinks, are economically literate enough to engage properly with the constant references in the news. Sarah is joined by Rupal Patel, Senior Economist at the Bank of England and co-author of Can’t We Just Print More Money? Economics in Ten Simple Questions. One of our listeners – Roz Unwin – wanted to share her passion for quizzing. She took it up over lockdown, and now runs her own quizzes in North London. She joins Emma, along with Alice Walker, who was crowned this year’s Mastermind Champion. Ageing without children is the subject of our next discussion. Listener Mo Ray, Professor of Health and Social Care at the University of Lincolnshire wanted us to raise awareness of the growing numbers. She says care and ageing policy is still built on the assumption that behind every older person there is at least one adult child ready and able to provide care and support. She joins Emma along with Jenny Collieson, Trustee of the charity AWOC, Ageing without Children. To discuss the realities of the post mastectomy body, Emma speaks to listener Janine, a former nurse from Merseyside. Janine had a bilateral mastectomy as well as bilateral reconstructions, yet remains nipple-less. She emailed in saying “I have no idea where to go to get ‘completed”. Similarly frustrated by the lack of creative and attractive prosthetics, lingerie and fashion for the asymmetric body post her own mastectomy, we hear from Katie, a listener from Leicester who founded a collective called Bionic Boob, made up of artists making knitted boobs, sculptures, body armour and even biodegradable boobs with shelving. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

It has been a year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The country is in economic crisis, there are droughts and the lives of women and girls have been impacted hugely. We hear from the first female deputy speaker for the Afghanistan Parliament Fawzia Koofi, the former Women’s Minister Hasina Safi and Samira Sayed Rahman, from the International Rescue Committee. They will discuss access to education for girls and what role the international community should play.We had Beatlemania in the sixties and then and fans of Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, K-Pop’s BTS and Beyonce. But what is a fangirl? We discuss a subculture of women that have often been ridiculed and marred as hysterical, obsessive, juvenile and embarrassing and ask whether fangirls have been misunderstood? We hear from playwright and songwriter, Yve Blake who has created the award-winning musical ‘FANGIRLS’ that’s currently touring at Sydney Opera House and Hannah Ewens, a music writer at Rolling Stone, a former fan girl and author of ‘Fan girls: Scenes from Modern Music Culture’.New research shows increasing numbers of young women in the UK are suffering injuries and other health problems because of the growing popularity of anal sex among straight couples. Increased rates of faecal incontinence and anal sphincter injury have been reported in women who have anal intercourse according to a report recently published in the British Medical Journal. We hear from one of the authors of the report - Lesley Hunt who is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - and also from Claudia Estcourt from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV.If you're a mother in Russia and have ten children, you'll now be rewarded by the President. That's because Vladimir Putin is bringing back the “Mother Heroine” award which Joseph Stalin introduced in 1944 to encourage large families after tens of millions Soviet citizens died in the Second World War. This time around, women will get a one-off payment of one million roubles - that's £13,500 - after their tenth child is one years old, as long as the other nine children are still alive. Mothers will also get gold medals with the Russian flag on and the country’s coat of arms. Dr Jenny Mathers is a Senior Lecturer of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, and an expert on Russian politics and security.We have a performance of ‘I do this all the time’ from the artist Self EsteemAnd pockets - do you get overjoyed when you realise your dress has pockets, and do you get angry when you realise those new pair of jeans have fake ones? Data tells us that the majority of women want pockets on our clothes but don’t always get them. Comedian Tiff Stevenson tells us about her love for pockets. Fashion historian Amber Butchart delves into the fascinating history of women’s pockets - from tie round the waist bags to the Suffragette suit, she explains how pockets have evolved over time influenced by surrounding, politics and cultures.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed

The British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith had to stop running at the European Championships this week because of cramp. She said it was because of her period, and now she's calling for more research into periods and sporting performance. Hepatahlon Olympic Bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton comes onto the programme, as well as Dr Richard Burden who's co-lead on Female Health & Performance at the English Institute of SportWe talk to Sharon Horgan and Eve Hewson, about a new black comedy series they're in called Bad Sisters. It's all about five Irish sisters, and four of them hate their brother-in-law. They're desperate for the fifth sister to be rid of him. What will they do?We speak to Lena Kulakovska, who escaped Ukraine when she was 36 weeks pregnant and is now safely settled in Devon. She's just had a baby daughter, so what are her plans for her and her three young children?We hear once again from listener Titania. She sent us an email when we put the call out to tell us how it feels to reach the age your Mum was when she died. We hear her story.And we start a new series about fangirls. This week we go beyond the stereotype of the hysterical girl who's obsessed with someone famous. We ask instead what does being a fan bring to your life? We're joined by playwright and songwriter, Yve Blake, who's created the award-winning musical FANGIRLS and Hannah Ewens, a writer at Rolling Stone, former fangirl and author of Fangirls: Scenes from Modern Music Culture.

If you’re a social media user you may well be familiar with the concept of vabbing – vaginal dabbing – where you use vaginal fluid as a perfume behind the ears and neck. Proponents claim it acts as an aphrodisiac to would-be lovers by spreading pheromones. Emma Barnett talks to sex expert Tracey Cox and the evolutionary biologist Dr Tristram Hunt. Have you tried it? Does it work? And is it sanitary?Adam Downs is one of 15 people with learning disabilities who is in a high security hospital. He is currently at Rampton Secure Hospital with serial killers, murderers and paedophiles even though he has never been convicted of an offence. Ex-patients include Charles Bronson, Ian Huntley and Stephen Griffiths. His mother Alison Rodgers and Dan Scorer from the learning disability charity Mencap talk to us about their campaign for him to be cared for in the community. They say at least 2000 people with learning disabilities and or autism are currently being detained in inpatient hospital units in England and the Government is not reaching the targets they set.It’s almost 25 years since Diana Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris. She once famously said “being a princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be” so what is the life of a princess in the modern royal family and how are our perceptions of that role influences by fiction and culture. Emma Barnett talks to Anita Anand the presenter of the Radio 4 series “Princess” which looks at famous historical and fictional princesses and also to writer and journalist Ros Coward who’s co-authored a new book “Diana: Remembering the Princess”Award winning musician Sarah Class who has composed and produced the music for the series ‘BBC Africa’ narrated by Sir David Attenborough, plays live in the studio ahead of her appearance at the Earth Prom concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 27th August, as part of the BBC Proms series.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Mary Phillips was born to a white British mother and an African American GI father – who she never met. She was one of around two thousand mixed-race children born into white, rural communities after the second world war. She joins Emma Barnett to tell the story of how she found her four half siblings in America, decades later, and what she found out about her father.Who do Conversative-voting young women want to be their next Prime Minister? Woman's Hour can reveal new data from Ella Robertson McKay, National Chair of the Conservative Young Women group.New research shows increasing numbers of young women in the UK are suffering injuries and other health problems because of the growing popularity of anal sex among straight couples. Emma Barnett talks to one of the authors of the report, Lesley Hunt who is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and also to Claudia Estcourt, from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV.In her three books about mothering, the psychotherapist Naomi Stadlen has made visible the work, loving and teaching that mothers do. She joins Emma who herself has a much-thumbed copy of Naomi's first book 'What Mothers Do - especially when it looks like nothing'.The dating app Tinder is celebrating its tenth birthday. The launch of the app in 2012 and other digital platforms has changed how many people meet their long or short term partners. But not everyone thinks online dating has improved romance for the better. Aurora Townsend is the founder of Planet Theta and George Rawlings is co-founder of Thursday.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Self Esteem is creating pop with purpose, tackling the patriarchy, sexual abuse and toxic relationships to a fun danceable beat. She is nominated for this year's Mercury Prize for her second album Prioritise Pleasure and joins Emma in the studio. The cost of living crisis has been a central point of contention between the two candidates vying to be our next Prime Minister. Emma is joined by Baroness Minouche Shafik, Director of the London School of Economics. Previously deputy governor at the Bank of England - touted by many as the favourite to have replaced Mark Carney as the Governor of the Bank when he stood down in 2019, instead Andrew Bailey took the role and recently declared a recession is likely.Before 1900, a woman who wanted to study the stars had to have a father, brother, or husband to provide entry. Now in a new book ‘The Sky Is for Everyone’, thirty seven leading women working in the field of astronomy, who have broken down barriers tell their personal stories of scientific success. Two of the women featured in the book are Cathie Clarke, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge and Professor Carole Mundell, the Hiroko Sherwin Chair in Extragalactic Astronomy, Head of Astrophysics at the University of Bath, and President of the UK Science Council.It’s been two weeks since the Lionesses brought home the Euro 2022 trophy. Last week the England Captain Leah Williamson spoke on this programme about the importance of ensuring girls have the chance to play football. Emma is joined by Richard, not his real name, whose daughter played for the Crystal Palace junior team but has recently heard her team has been cut. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

It has been a year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The country is in economic crisis, there are droughts and the lives of women and girls have been impacted hugely. Emma is joined by an expert panel including the first female deputy speaker for the Afghanistan Parliament Fawzia Koofi, the former Women’s Minister Hasina Safi and Samira Sayed Rahman, from the International Rescue Committee. They will discuss access to education for girls, what role the international community should play and the situation for Afghan refugees in the UK.Over the weekend we learnt the Crown Prosecution Service - the CPS - said it isn't going to be prosecuting any of the people who were arrested at a vigil for Sarah Everard who was murdered last year. We hear from Barrister Pippa Woodrow of Doughty Street Chambers in London who's represented two of the women in this case. The government says it wants to improve how victims are treated in the criminal justice system across England and Wales. As part of that aim, there's a draft Victims Bill. It wants to give more weight to what a victim of crime says, improve support for victims so they can recover better, and make it easier for victims to maintain contact with the criminal justice system and stay connected. But the Children's Commissioner says the experience of children as victims needs special attention in this Bill, as they have different needs to adults. The Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, tells us more.Plus are you pro-pocket? Data shows the majority of women want them, but clothes don’t always have them. We’re joined by comedian Tiff Stevenson to talk about her love for them and fashion historian Amber Butchart, who delves into their history. Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

Having led the England women’s team to Euro 2022 victory, the Lionesses' captain, Leah Williamson, reflects on the Euro 2022 victory and answers young listeners' questions.The Armed Forces are not reaching their targets in terms of recruiting women. The MOD is hoping to increase the proportion of women in the armed forces to 30% by 2030 but they have not met the target set for 2020. We discuss with Lauren Godier-McBard and Ria Jackson.It's the end of an era - the actor playing Peggy in The Archers is hanging up her mic at the age of 103. June Spencer has played the matriarch since 1951. Her last appearance was on Sunday's omnibus edition. Felicity Finch who plays Ruth Archer, shares how the rest of the cast has reacted to the news.It’s been described as one of the most seismic events of the 20th century, but how did the Partition of India affect women? The split led to violence, disruption and death with women facing kidnapping, rape and forced suicide. It was a time of huge destruction and disruption but it was also a time of courage, compassion and survival of the women who overcame trauma to somehow rebuild their lives. We hear from Shruti Kapila, Professor of Indian History at Cambridge University and Ritu Menon, feminist publisher and writer, and author of Borders & Boundaries: Women in India’s Partition.BBC Afghan have a new radio programme called 'Women' which focuses on women and girls, especially those in rural areas. It's presented by Shazia Haya in Pashto, and Aalia Farzan in Dari who fled their home country last August when the Taliban retook control. Faranak Amidi is the presenter of World Service's The Fifth Floor and caught up with Shazia and Aalia.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lucy Wai Editor: Lisa Jenkinson

It’s been described as one of the most seismic events of the 20th century, but how did the Partition of the former imperial domain of British India into two countries, India and Pakistan, affect women? The split led to violence, disruption and death with women facing kidnapping, rape and forced suicide. It was a time of huge destruction and disruption but it was also a time of courage, compassion and survival of the women who overcame trauma to somehow rebuild their lives. We hear from Shruti Kapila, professor of Indian History at Cambridge University and Ritu Menon, feminist publisher and writer, and author of Borders & Boundaries: Women in India’s Partition, as they discuss the stories of women at this time.Marvel, famous for its superhero comics, series and films has bought the story of Partition alive on screen in the new hit series Ms Marvel which features a Muslim female superhero for the first time. But is entertainment a good way to bring historical events to a new audience and generation? We hear from Fatima Asghar one of the writers responsible for an episode in the series dedicated to Partition. She explains how her own family story has influenced her writing. The poet and musician Amrit Kaur uses her love of music to help raise awareness of the women whose lives were affected by Partition. She started learning the Indian classical instrument at the age of 13 and since then has travelled the world using music to share the struggles of women through her music, which also includes the use of Punjabi folk songs. She performs a Punjabi poem written by Amrita Pritam.How are the events of the 1947 Partition remembered and understood by the younger generations? How does this type of trauma affect generations to come? We speak to three young women Unzela Khan, Dr Binita Kane and Amrit Kaur to talk about how the events of 1947 have shaped their lives and how it's contributed to who they are today.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed

Having led the England women’s team to Euro 2022 victory, Lionesses captain Leah Williamson joins Woman’s Hour for a very special programme. Leah joins Jessica Creighton to reflect on winning England’s first major trophy since 1966 and to discuss the future of women’s football both at the elite level and in schools. She also talks about her passions outside of football, including being a DJ. Jessica and Leah speak to Radio 1’s Adele Roberts and Dr Kelly Jakubowski, from Durham University who is an expert in music and psychology, about how you find the perfect track for a celebration. And, fashion and football aren't necessarily two things you'd put together, but they are two topics very close to Leah's heart. She expresses herself through her clothes and will talk about her love of unisex fashion. We will also speak to an original Lioness, Sue Whyatt, to discuss how far the game has come. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Emma Pearce

In a report published on Friday, the Joint Committee on Human Rights says the Government bears ultimate responsibility for the pain and suffering caused by public institutions and state employees that railroaded mothers in the 1950s, 60s and 70s into unwanted adoptions in England and Wales. Anita Rani speaks to Harriet Harman MP, who is Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and Veronica Smith, founder member of the Movement for an Adoption Apology. TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world. We hear from author and content creator Tova Leigh who contacted us to say she has noticed more and more disturbing content on the site that encourages violence against women and girls, and BBC Technology reporter Shiona McCallum.The first international England Women’s football match was in November 1972. 50 years on, we speak to Woman’s Hour listener and reserve goalkeeper for the England team, Sue Whyatt who says the team are still waiting for their 'caps; and we hear from the honorary secretary of the Women’s Football Association, Patricia Gregory who co-organised that match.Jersey has elected its first ever female Chief Minister. In elections last month, more women won seats in Jersey’s States Assembly than ever before. Emma Barnett speaks to Kristina Moore, a former journalist and TV presenter, to find out how her first few weeks in office are going.From picking up the pen to survive in prison and since her release, Lady Unchained has made it her mission to become an advocate for life after prison. She is a poet, performer, and award winning broadcaster. We speak to her as she releases her debut poetry book: Behind Bars: On punishment, prison & release.

It looks like Serena Williams is leaving tennis. She's won 23 grand slam titles and four Olympic golds but has suggested it's time to move on. She's made the announcement in Vogue, where she's said retirement - "causes a great deal of pain. I hate it." So she hasn't explicitly said she's giving up but she's given a large hint, saying she wants to focus on her family. Jessica Creighton speaks to former tennis player, Jo Durie and sports journalist Natasha Henry about the tennis icon.The Armed Forces are not reaching their targets in terms of recruiting women. The MOD is hoping to increase the proportion of women in the armed forces to 30% by 2030 but they have not met the target set for 2020. One of the barriers to change is thought to be visibility - new research has found the UK public knows little or nothing about female veterans. Lauren Godier-McBard led the research and Ria Jackson is an RAF veteran and founder of the blog The V word.BBC Afghan have a new radio programme called 'Women' which focuses on women and girls, especially those in rural areas, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It's presented by Shazia Haya in Pashto, and Aalia Farzan in Dari who fled their home country last August when the Taliban retook control. It aims to inform, educate and empower its listeners. Faranak Amidi is the presenter of World Service's The Fifth Floor. She spoke to Shazia and Aalia. This spring more than two million people had registered to become potential blood stem-cell donors in the UK. That’s regarded as a milestone by DKMS, which is the biggest stem cell-register in the UK. And it gives one mother in Northern Ireland some much-needed hope. Anne Greer’s youngest son is in a critical condition in hospital. Daniel was fit and well, but in May after complaining of back pain that was coming and going, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. The family want people around the world to donate blood to see if their stem cells are a life-saving match for Daniel. On Woman’s Hour we talk about girls a lot, their safety, their mental and physical health but we don’t often talk to them. For an occasional series called 'Girl’s World' Ena Miller went to talk to groups of girls at their schools in their friendship groups, not necessarily about the big ‘issues’ but about what makes them laugh, who they laugh with…what they care about. Today, India and Alice are both aged 13 and they live in Stroud. Today we're going to be talking about women in the world of elite bodybuilding where in the UK alone there will be more than 200 female bodybuilding shows this year. Kate Bishop - co-creator of the book Core which includes 42 photos of ‘muscly women’ doing what the book describes as 'subverting the archetype of femininity' and one of the bodybuilders in the book, Louise Plumb, discuss. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Natasha Henry Interviewed Guest: Jo Durie Interviewed Guest: Laura Godier-McBard Interviewed Guest: Ria Jackson Interviewed Guest: Shazia Haya Interviewed Guest: Aalia Farzan Interviewed Guest: Anne Greer Reporter: Ena Miller Interviewed Guest: Kate Bishop Interviewed Guest: Louise Plumb

The British-born actor and singer Olivia Newton-John has died at the age of 73. Best remembered for playing the iconic role of Sandy in the musical film Grease. We pay tribute with Stockard Channing who played Rizzo in Grease, and the film critic Karen Krizanovich and Olivia Moore who is currently playing her in the stage version in London's west end. Brit & Mercury prize winner Heather Small on ‘Colour My Life’, her first album in sixteen years. For the album, she teamed up with the London Metropolitan Orchestra to re-imagine all of her Top 10 hits as well as release new songs and covers. What is it like to live with a chronic but hidden illness? Poppy Nash is a textile artist who lives with type 1 diabetes and one of her latest works The Art of Dying 2.0 is a full-scale installation of bedclothes and bedding, examining the experience of living in isolation as a ‘vulnerable’ person through the pandemic. Ione Gamble lives with Crohn’s disease. She’s the founder & editor of the art, fashion and culture publication, Polyester and has now written a book, Poor Little Sick Girls.The overturning of Roe v Wade in the USA has put abortion very much at the top of the news agenda. Our 2019 series in which women spoke, often for the first time, about their abortions seems even more relevant now. Today, a woman we are calling Kerry talks about the abortion she had when she was 18 and her certainty then and now that this was the right choice for her.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

In 2020, a black 15-year-old schoolgirl, known as Child Q, was strip-searched by police while on her period after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis. A safeguarding report on the incident concluded it was unjustified and racism was "likely" to have been a factor. New data published by the Children’s Commissioner has found what she calls a “concerning” number of children have been strip-searched by the Metropolitan Police without an appropriate adult present. BBC reporter Celestina Olulode joins Jessica to talk us through this data and we also hear from Jacqueline Courtenay, a mother from North London who organised a rally about this issue. It's the end of an era - the actor playing Peggy in The Archers is hanging up her mic at the age of 103. June Spencer has played the matriarch since 1951. Her last appearance was on Sunday's omnibus edition. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall was a big fan of Peggy's, calling her, "a true national treasure who has been part of my life, and millions of others, for as long as I can remember". Felicity Finch who plays Ruth Archer, has known June for a long time and tells Jessica how the rest of the cast has reacted to the news.Following the launch of the Women's Health Strategy we speak to the new chief executive of NICE - the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The agency makes recommendations to the NHS in England and Wales on medicines, treatments and procedures. Dr Sam Roberts took up the post in February 2022. Before joining Nice, she was Managing Director of Health and Care at Legal and General but began her career in clinical practice and spent some time working as a junior doctor in a London hospital.How does it feel to reach the age your Mum was when she died? Our reporter Jo Morris talked to three women whose stories are different but who all feel that the age their Mum passed away has shaped their lives. First, Rachel lives in Devon with her family. Even people who know her really well, don’t know about a feeling she’s been keeping secret.The Commonwealth Games ends today and what a couple of weeks it's been. England have come second, after Australia, in the medals table with Scotland 6th, Wales 8th and Northern Ireland 10th. Across all sports there have been a lot of success for the home nations women. Jessica is joined by Jeanette Kwakye, former Olympic athlete and BBC broadcaster.

This time last week we were looking forward to the big match: The Lionesses at the European Championship Final at Wembley. We hoped, but we just couldn't predict what would happen, but what a great moment when they won against Germany! But don't let the success of women's football overshadow the sport that's been with us all along: netball. At the Commonwealth Games, the English team - known as the Roses - are in the semi-final tomorrow, up against Australia. If they win, they'll be in the final on Sunday. And don't forget: the Roses WON at the Commonwealth Games last time around, four years ago. We speak to ex-Roses captain, Ama Agbeze.In the last normal academic year before the pandemic, 7,894 children were permanently excluded from English state schools. However, the data shows that certain groups of children are more likely to be excluded than others. Boys are three times more likely than girls, children on free school meals are four times more likely than other children, and Gypsy Roma, Travellers of Irish heritage, and black Caribbean children are all significantly more likely to face school exclusion than white British children. To explore why these disparities exist, Anita is joined by Dr Amelia Roberts, deputy director of UCL’s Centre for Inclusive Education; Jason Arthur, CEO of Mission 44, a charitable foundation which aims to support disadvantaged young people; and Lisa Smith, chair of the Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and Other Travellers. When we think about the World War II war effort, Indian women in saris are not the first people that come to mind. Social historian Kiran Sahota has been researching the role of Indian women in the war, and has curated her research into a documentary and exhibition, which is currently on tour in the UK. There’s been anger from counsellors and psychotherapists about new guidelines around access to rape victims therapy notes. The changes introduced by the CPS were first reported exclusively by Woman’s Hour back in May when solicitors raised concerns. Now five leading bodies representing psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors have raised their own concerns. Newsnight reporter Anna Collinson has been looking into the story. We also hear from Dame Vera Baird, the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales.According to the art market, men are 10 times better at painting than women, with men’s art valued ten times more than women’s. Now, a new Radio 4 documentary, 'Revaluating Art' explores why. Its creator, Mary-Ann Sieghart explains.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Ama Agbeze Interviewed Guest: Dr Amelia Roberts Interviewed Guest: James Arthur Interviewed Guest: Lisa Smith Interviewed Guest: Kiran Sahota Interviewed Guest: Vera Baird Interviewed Guest: Anna Collinson Interviewed Guest: Mary-Ann Sieghart

Last week we talked about the Spanish equality ministry’s summer campaign promoting body positivity on the beach featuring diverse women of different shapes and sizes. But the campaign has received a lot of criticism since as it used multiple women’s images without their permission. We hear from one, Juliet Fitzpatrick who had a double mastectomy, who believes her face was manipulated and put onto the body of another woman - who had only one of her breasts removed.US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's controversial visit to Taipei in the face of warnings from Beijing. Pelosi has hinted she’d attracted China’s annoyance not for becoming the highest ranking US official to visit Taiwan in a quarter century, but because she’s a woman. Nancy Soderberg is an American foreign policy strategist and former US ambassador to the UN. And we are also joined by Isabel Hilton, the founder of China Dialogue. Good morningPoetry is the space where I go to make sense of the world' - the the words of Hanan Issa an Iraqi-Welsh poet from Cardiff who was recently appointed as the next National Poet of Wales. She joins Jessica to explore some of the themes which influence her work and talk about what the new role means to her.Since Roe v Wade was overturned in the US more women are telling their stories but secrecy and shame still surrounds abortion. In 2019 we asked you ‘have you had an abortion? How did you feel about it then and how do you feel about it now? Over the past few week's we've given you the opportunity to hear some of the stories again. Today in the fourth episode of the series we hear from a woman in her 60's we are calling "Alison".And Chrysta Bilton talks to us about her new book Book - A Normal Family: The Surprising Truth About My Crazy Childhood (And How I Discovered 35 New Siblings) Presenter Jessica Creighton Producer Beverley Purcell PHOTO CREDIT; Sue Lacey

Kansas is the first state in the US to decide in a referendum to protect abortion rights in a major victory for pro-choice groups. What impact could this have across the rest of America after the overturning of Roe vs Wade? Professor Fiona De Londras, Chair of Global Legal Studies at Birmingham Law School updates us.The Lionesses win is still being celebrated, with thousands gathering in Trafalgar Square on Monday to celebrate. The women’s game, however, has a history of being dramatically underfunded compared to the men’s and currently 37% of schools don’t offer girls’ football in PE. To change this, the government has announced a £230 million investment into improving grassroots football… but will it work? Former English international footballer Rachel Yankey and Francesca Brown, the founder and chief executive of Goals4Girls discuss their hopes for women’s football and the lasting legacy of the Euro win.We’re looking at dance music on the programme today. A new report has found that just 5% of dance music in the UK charts has a female as the lead artist. The report also looks at gender equality issues at festivals, and how ‘The Male Gaze’ places pressure on women in the industry. The Radio 1 DJ Jaguar joins Jessica, alongside Nicola Davies, the report’s lead author. Sam Smith was the first, and youngest woman to ever run a stockbroking company in the UK, and she often found herself the only woman in a room or trading floor. She's one of just nine female CEOs of companies in the FTSE 100 index, and has decided to step down from her role at the firm she founded FinnCap Group PLC. So what are her reflections on how things have changed for women in the 24 years since she joined the world of finance? Last year she turned 50 - at the same time her daughter left home for university. Thrown by how much it affected her, Juliette Pochin, a record producer working with artists ranging from Alfie Boe through to Harry Styles and the London Symphony Orchestra, has come out from behind the studio and written a cabaret show Music, Mayhem and a Mezzo. She is making her debut at the Edinburgh Fringe from the 5th to the 13th August. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Professor Fiona de Londras Interviewed Guest: Rachel Yankey Interviewed Guest: Francesca Brown Interviewed Guest: Jaguar Interviewed Guest: Nicola Davies Interviewed Guest: Sam Smith Interviewed Guest: Juliette Pochin

The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are underway and for the first time in a major multi-sport event, more medals will be awarded to women than men, with the medal programme confirming a total of 136 events for women compared to 134 for men. Jessica speaks to BBC Sports presenter Clare Balding as well as the first ever female Chef de Mission for Team Scotland, who for the first time have more women competing in their team than men.Six weeks after pop star Lizzo changed the lyrics of her song because it contained an ableist slur, Beyonce has been criticised for using the same term. In her new song ‘Heated’, which is co-written by hiphop star Drake, the slur is used twice. In a statement, Beyonce said the term wasn't used intentionally in a harmful way, and will be replaced. Hannah Diviney is a writer and Disability Activist from Sydney, who went viral for calling out both Lizzo and Beyonce.The impact of body image on mental and physical health is "wide-reaching" according to a new wide-ranging report out today by the Health and Social Care Committee which calls for e.g. for the Government to introduce a law so "commercial images" which feature bodies which have been doctored in any way - including changing body proportions or skin tone - are legally required to carry a logo to let viewers know they have been digitally altered. And the Government to speed up the introduction of a promised licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures to prevent vulnerable people being exploited. Jessica hears from Jeremy Hunt is Chair of the Committee, and Dawn Steele, a patient trustee to the board of the Joint Council For Cosmetic Practitioners.Penelope Campling is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. Over the course of her 40-year career, she has seen many changes in the way we treat serious mental illness. She spent twenty years running the NHS personality disorder unit in Leicester. She has now retired from the NHS, still practising as a psychotherapist, and has just published her second book, Don’t Turn Away: Stories of Troubled Minds in Fractured Times.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

In today's Woman's Hour we dedicate the programme to Women's Football after the Lionesses won the Euro 2022 Championship last night. Rebecca Myers is a journalist for The Times and a prominent voice in Women's Sport, she joined Andrea to give a match report and described some of her favourite moments. What will the legacy of last night’s Women’s Euro 2022 be? The former lioness and second highest goal scorer for England Kelly Smith joins Andrea Catherwood alongside Dame Heather Rabbatts, Dame Heather was the first female board member of the Football Association when she joined in 2012.We will also discuss the grass roots of the game and what more oppurtunities could be given to girls who want to play at school and beyond, Andrea speaks to Baroness Sue Campbell the Director of Women’s Football at the FA.David Kogan negotiated the sale of the TV rights for the Women’s Super League and is a long time advisor to the FA, he joins Andrea to discuss what next for the business side of the sport. Neither the Wales nor Scotland women’s football teams qualified for the Euro 2022 tournament, but will England’s victory, and Northern Ireland’s involvement in the group stages, be a boost for all the nations of the UK? The Scottish crime writer and football fan Val McDermid joined us alongside Laura McAllister, former Wales international team captain and currently deputy chair of UEFA's Women's Football committee and Caragh Hamilton, a midfielder for the Northern Ireland team.And Evelyn, a seven-year-old goalie from Leeds, has written a poem in honour of her favourite Lioness. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Emma Pearce

The actor Samantha Womack on her new role as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.As the Lionesses reach the final of the Euros on Sunday let's not forget that the FA, the Football Assocation, banned the women's game for fifty years. Jacqui Oatley, the first female Match of the Day commentator, reflects on the women's game.Women with learning disabilities die on average 26 years younger than the general population. In her first interview since taking up the role of chair of trustees at the learning disability charity Mencap, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn tells Emma about why the life, and death, of her sister Diana Fairbairn, who had learning disabilities and cerebral palsy, has inspired her new campaigning role to improve support for people with learning disabilities.Namulanta Kombo on her award winning podcast 'Dear Daughter', which started with her idea of writing letters to her young daughter with advice for life.Norma McCorvey is the real person behind the Roe vs Wade court case of 1972. Her eldest daughter Melissa Mills discusses what her mum would have made of the court case she was so central to being overturned.Friends and business partners Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin have become stars of pandemic feel-good TV with their Netflix show Get Organised with The Home Edit. They go into someone’s home and transform a cluttered space into something beautiful and functional. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

We talk to journalist Fiona Govan based in Madrid who writes for Olive Press about the controversy surrounding a new ad campaign in Spain proclaiming “All Bodies are Beach Bodies”. Posters including women of all shapes and sizes, including women with mastectomies with a slogan “Summer Belongs to Us too.” Helpful messaging? Or “absurd” as some opposition politicians claim which is creating “a problem where it doesn’t exist”.Should children who misbehave be excluded permanently from school? Recently, Southwark Council in London hit the headlines when it urged its headteachers to sign up to an ‘Inclusion Charter’ to avoid school exclusions. Some campaigners argue that excluding troubled children leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and puts them at risk of becoming part of a world of crime. Others say that it is necessary to exclude pupils who are disrupting the education of others or pose a danger to staff and other children. Anita is joined by Louisa McGeehan, chief executive of Just for Kids Law, a legal charity for children and young people; Tom Bennett, School Behaviour Advisor to the Department for Education, and Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, headteacher of Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham.We talk to Namulanta Kombo about her award winning podcast “Dear Daughter” which started with her idea of writing letters to her young daughter with advice for life. And the writer and comedian Helen Wood who wrote shows such as ‘The Usherettes’ and ‘The National Trust Fan Club’ tells us about her latest production ‘Let’s Talk About Philip’ which explores the the mystery and secret surrounding her brother’s death 32 years ago.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Sue Maillot

Friends and business partners Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin have become stars of pandemic feel-good TV, with their Netflix show Get Organised with The Home Edit. They go into someone’s home – be it a Hollywood celebrity or a stressed family of five - and transform a cluttered space into something beautiful and functional. The emphasis is firmly on giving busy women back some time and headspace through better organisation of their homes. Clea and Joanna join Emma to give some pro tips and explain how they got the business off the ground with a little help from Hollywood actor and exec Reese Witherspoon.Women with learning disabilities die on average 26 years younger than the general population. This shocking figure is contained in a new report which investigates health inequalities for people with learning disabilities, and the resulting premature and, often, entirely avoidable deaths. In her first interview since taking up the role of Chair of Trustees at the Learning Disability charity Mencap, the former Director General of the CBI Dame Carolyn Fairbairn tells Emma about why the life, and death, of her sister Diana Fairbairn, who had learning disabilities and cerebral palsy, and who died last December, has inspired her new campaigning role to improve support for people with learning disabilities.As the Women and Equalities Committee in Parliament releases its final report into the overlooked impacts of the menopause, Emma speaks to the Chair of that Committee, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, about the actions she wants the government to now take up. These include consulting on making menopause a protected characteristic under the Equality Act – meaning employers would have to make reasonable adjustments for menopausal women in the workplace.Last month, we asked listeners about the matriarchs in their lives, the redoubtable women whose stories deserve to be told. Today, listener Kate from Cambridge tells her Grandmother ‘Babushka’s story.

It’s been just over a month since Roe vs Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in the United States. On this programme we’ve covered the aftermath of this ruling many times, but what about the woman at the centre of it all? Jane Roe, or a name you might be less familiar with, Norma McCorvey, the real person behind the Roe vs Wade court case of 1972. Her eldest daughter, Melissa Mills, joins Emma Barnett to discuss what her Mum would have made of the court case she was so central to, being overturned. Last night the England women’s team won in a decisive 4-0 victory against Sweden in the Euro semi-final at Bramall Lane. Emma speaks to BBC sports commentator Robyn Cowen, former England player, Anita Asante and sports commentator Jacqui Oatley about what this means for the sport.A new oratorio, Voices of Power, that contemplates the nature of female power across the centuries is set to make its world premiere at Hereford Cathedral tomorrow. Composed by Luke Styles and set to libretto by Jessica Walker, it features the thoughts from seven women from across two millennia, including the likes of Boudica, Margaret Thatcher and Eleanor Roosevelt. Luke and Jessica join Emma to discuss. Period and fertility tracking apps have been growing in popularity for years, but new analysis reveals the majority share sensitive personal data, with experts warning it could be used to target women with tailored advertising. We speak to Fatima Ahmed, obstetrician, gynaecologist and ORCHA'S clinical lead for women’s health.

After an eight month UK tour the children’s classic, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe comes to London's West End with Samantha Womack - best known for playing Ronnie in Eastenders - taking on the role of the White Witch. Following last night's first TV debate Emma's joined by two women who will have a vote but have yet to decide whether to back the former chancellor Rishi Sunak or the foreign secretary Liz Truss. Sally Ann Marks is the chairman of the Maidstone and Weald Conservative Association and Lizzie Hacking is Deputy Chairman of the Hastings and Rye Conservative Association.If I said the phrase ‘girly drink’ to you, what image would it conjure up? A sweet cocktail, a fizzy wine? Or would you challenge the very notion that some drinks are for women and others for men? To discuss the history of women’s consumption of alcohol and their involvement in making it, Emma is joined by the historian and writer Mallory O'Meara, whose new book is called Girly Drinks – A World History of Women and Alcohol and Melissa Cole, beer writer and author of The Ultimate Book of Craft Beer.Plus as wedding season is upon us - some people will spend thousands on their special day. However Nell Frizzell, an author and journalist whose new novel is called Square One, had a different approach. How surprised was she that when she tweeted that she'd spent just four pounds on the fabric for her dress and her shoes cost one pound went viral. And the woman now campaigning for rights for women to get time off work after a miscarriage after losing three babies herself..Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

The BBC’s first Green Sport Awards has announced the winner of its Evergreen Award. Leilani Münter is an American former professional stock car racing driver whose environmental activism has been central to her career. Leilani used her race car as “a 200mph billboard” to get environmental messages in front of the 75 million race fans in the USA. Leilani joins Emma. A new reoprt by MPs says the NHS in england is facing its worst staffing crisis in history. Women make up 77% of NHS staff. Dame Jane Dacre is a Professor from UCL Medical School and contributed to the report joins Emma alongside Dr Radhika Vohra who is a GP and menopause specialist. It’s almost a year since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. Lynne O’Donnell has years of experience reporting from the country and decided to return earlier this month. She says she was detained, abused and threatened by the Taliban. Lynne is safely out of Afghanistan and joins Emma Barnett. Following the overturning of Roe v Wade in the US more women have talked about having had an abortion but many never speak openly about their experiences. In a series first broadcast in 2019 we hear five different personal testimonies from women. Today, a woman who felt her mental health was at risk when she found she was pregnant 10 months after the birth of her third child. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

TV personality Vicky Pattison shot to fame on the reality show Geordie Shore, where her extreme party-girl lifestyle in Newcastle was lived out in front of the cameras. Now, she’s taking a long, hard look at her past in a new documentary which centres around her father’s struggle with alcoholism for most of his adult life. She explains how this has, in part, contributed towards her own unhealthy relationship with drinking.England's first ever Women's Football team will finally be recognised with caps for a match that took place in 1972. Sue Whyatt, the reserve goalkeeper of the team shares what this recognition means to her and her teammates. Earlier this week the government launched its much awaited Women’s Health Strategy for England. We discuss with Women's Health Minister Maria Caulfield; Dame Professor Lesley Regan, the newly appointed Women's Health Ambassador; and BBC Health Correspondent Catherine Burns.Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward from Bananarama come into the Woman's Hour studio to talk about how it all started, their friendship and their new album, Masquerade. At least 20 Iranian feminists, most connected to Iran's #MeToo Movement, have written a letter of complaint to Instagram and Facebook after they were bombarded with thousands of fake followers. They say they've been deliberately targeted and want META - the owner of the social media platforms - to take action. We speak to one of the women affected, Samaneh Savadi, an Iranian women’s rights activist based in the UK.The author RJ Palacio discusses the 10th anniversary of her bestselling children's book Wonder, and shares her top tips for writing a book.Presenter: Paulette Edwards

Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward from Bananarama come into the Woman's Hour studio to talk about how it all started, their friendship and their new album, Masquerade.The Baby is a new TV drama about a woman who suddenly gets a baby. It literally lands in her arms without warning. What's she going to do when she never wanted a baby in the first place? We have Michelle de Swarte who plays 38-year-old Natasha who finds herself with the baby, and Executive Producer Naomi De Pear.This Sunday we've got the Tour de France Femmes. It’s been called a “seminal” moment for women’s cycling because for the first time women will be able to wear the yellow jersey across eight days of gruelling cycling. We have Dani Every from British Cycling and cyclist Elinor Barker, an Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion. This week the government launched its Women's Health Strategy, pledging to take women's health much more seriously, at every stage of a woman's life. Period education is only briefly mentioned, but we talk to Chella Quint, teacher and period campaigner, about her ideas to get it into the school curriculum for boys and girls.

TV personality Vicky Pattison shot to fame on the reality show Geordie Shore, where her extreme party-girl lifestyle in Newcastle was lived out in front of the cameras. Now, she’s taking a long, hard look at her past in a new documentary which centres around her father’s struggle with alcoholism for most of his adult life. She explains to Nuala McGovern how this has, in part, contributed towards her own unhealthy relationship with drinking. We look ahead to this weekend’s historic event in the world of women’s darts as the World Matchplay tournament which takes place in Blackpool is the first female tournament to be fully televised. We catch up with the woman known as ‘Queen of the Palace’, Fallon Sherrock, about her career, her success and also about how the sport has grown.Did you know that diet and exercise can cause period loss, even if you're considered to be a generally healthy person? FHA – functional hypothalamic amenorrhea – is when over-exercising, under-eating or stress causes the body to stop menstruating. It's estimated that FHA affects between 2-5% of women, with 30% of women who exercise, including elite athletes considered to be at peak health, experiencing period loss. On Tiktok, the hashtag #periodloss has over 2.9 million views, and is full of women talking about their experiences with FHA. Nuala is joined by Martha Williams, a Senior Clinical Advice Coordinator at Beat, a charity working to tackle eating disorders, and Olivia Nevill, an online fitness coach who has experienced FHA.At least 20 Iranian feminists, most connected to Iran's #MeToo Movement, have written a letter of complaint to Instagram and Facebook after they were bombarded with thousands of fake followers. They say they've been deliberately targeted and want META - the owner of the social media platforms - to take action. They say they're under a "coordinated cyberattack". Because the bots have made their accounts unmanageable, they've had to put their accounts on private mode which limits their social media reach and the community they're trying to build. Nuala is joined by Samaneh Savadi, an Iranian women’s rights activist based here in the UK.

Today the government launches its much awaited Women’s Health Strategy for England. For generations women have lived with a healthcare system that is designed by men, for men. Despite making up 50 percent of the population and living longer than men, women have been under-represented in research, with little known about some female-specific issues, spending a greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability, with growing geographic inequalities in women’s life expectancy. Having spoken to nearly 100,000 women the government say this will reset the dial on women’s health. Krupa Padhy speaks to Women's Health Minister Maria Caulfield and Dame Professor Lesley Regan the newly appointed Women's Health Ambassador.Tonight England's Lionesses will take on Spain in the quarter finals. The two teams will go head to head in Brighton, in what will be the first knockout game of the tournament. Although both are strong teams, England and Spain have previously competed against each other 15 times resulting in the Lionesses winning twice as many games as their opponents. England have also been scoring more goals than any team has ever done in the group stage. BBC Women's Sport Reporter, Jo Currie gives us an overview of the brilliant Lionesses taking to the pitch this year. Tim Berners Lee is often credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web. But who are some of the women who played an instrumental role in building the internet and the technology that surrounds it? We hear about Karen Spärck Jones, Sophie Wilson and Hedy Lamarr. And with a fifth of women in the UK experiencing online harassment and abuse, how can the internet be made more friendly to women? Krupa Padhy speaks to Charlotte Webb, who teaches internet equality at University of the Arts London and is the co-founder of the Feminist Internet and to Dame Stephanie Shirley who founded an all-women software company in the 1960s.Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Marie Caulfield Interviewed Guest: Dame Professor Lesley Regan Interviewed Guest: Catherine Burns Interviewed Guest: Jo Currie Interviewed Guest: Dame Stephanie Shirley Interviewed Guest: Charlotte Webb

It’s being called medicine’s Me Too moment. Two female doctors have launched an online campaign gathering testimony about sexual harassment and a culture of sexism in the world of health care. Dr Becky Cox and Dr Chelcie Jewitt join Krupa to explain why they launched Surviving in Scrubs. Last week we looked at radical solutions to the ageing population and slowing birth rate, including a tax on the childfree. One country which has taken a unique approach is Hungary which introduced tax breaks and loans to encourage women to have more children in 2019. The BBC’s Nick Thorpe’s joins Krupa to discuss how successful the policy has been. Back in 1972, the very first England Women's Football Team beat Scotland in their first international victory, but unlike the men’s team, the Lionesses were not awarded official caps. Pressure has been mounting for the Football Association to recognise the 1972 team with caps. The reserve goalkeeper, Sue Wyhatt, joins us as the FA announce they will award the caps. The male contraceptive pill has been talked about for decades but so far has never got past the research stages. There is a current clinical trial though that is already yielding good results – however it’s not a pill, it’s a gel. It’s also had positive feedback from the couples who tried it. Krupa is joined by Dr Diana Blithe, who leads the Contraceptive Development Program at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the US.The UK premiere of Little Women opens at Opera Holland Park later this week. The award winning director Ella Marchment, joins Krupa Padhy, along with Charlotte Padham, who makes her professional debut as Jo.Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Emma Pearce

American author R J Palacio talks to Krupa Padhy about her latest novel "White Bird" Following the overturning of Roe V Wade in the US more women have talked openly about having had an abortion but many never speak openly about their experiences. In a series first broadcast in 2019 we hear five different personal testimonies from women. Today, a woman we are calling Amanda who only came to terms with her abortion 25 years later.How can learning your child’s ‘love language’ help you become a better parent? Child and Educational Psychologist, Dr Nneka Ikeogu, talks us through the 5 languages of love and explains how children give, and receive, love using them.We hear from the BBC’S South Asia Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan about how the economic crisis in Sri Lanka is affecting families across the countryAnd how do women's bodies respond to extreme heat? We talk to GP Dr Radikha Vohra and Dr Jo Mountfield from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Gayl GordonPicture Credit: Heike Bogenberger

A formal apology should be issued by the government to the thousands of unmarried mothers in England and Wales who had their babies taken for adoption in the 50s, 60s, 70s. In a report published today, the Joint Committee on Human Rights says the Government bears ultimate responsibility for the pain and suffering caused by public institutions and state employees that railroaded mothers into those unwanted adoptions. Harriet Harman MP is Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.Fulani chef Fatmata Binta has won the world's most prestigious gastronomy prize, the 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize, an international achievement award for chefs who improve society through food. Fatmata is the first African to receive the award, and won for her work celebrating nomadic food culture and exploring west African cuisine through her Dine on a Mat pop-up restaurant.What shape does a life take after fleeing a war? It's nearly five months since Russia invaded Ukraine and families across the UK are trying to redefine their 'normal' after being displaced. Many will be housed in temporary accommodation; others will be living with host families. While safety and the promise of a new home will bring comfort and relief, sharing a domestic space with strangers can bring its own set of challenges. Anastasia Skelton is an Ukrainian living in the UK who is currently volunteering as a coordinator in Canterbury, helping to match refugees with host families. And Kate Daniels is a family therapist and senior lecturer in clinical psychology at Christchurch University. She has set up a project to equip host families with the emotional skills necessary to make the transition as easy as possible for the people displaced by war.The artist and feminist activist Elsa James tells us about exploring her identity as a black woman living in Essex in her latest exhibition 'Othered in a Region that has Been Historically Othered'. She has lived in the county for more than 20 years but asks ‘Is being in Essex diluting my black identity’? She also examines the lives of historical black female figures as well the women who came over as nurses as part of Windrush and who made their homes in Essex.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Harriet Harman Interviewed Guest: Veronica Smith Interviewed Guest: Fatmata Binta Interviewed Guest: Anastasia Skelton Interviewed Guest: Kate Daniels Interviewed Guest: Elsa James Film Still: Andy Delaney

Since the overturning of Roe vs Wade in the United States here on Woman’s Hour we’ve looked at what this will mean for women in America, and also what the status of abortion is here in the UK. But what right do women around the world have to an abortion and could the overturning of Roe vs Wade in America lead other countries to follow suit? Macarena Saez is from the NGO Human Rights Watch and joins Emma. A new study shows women are now twice as likely as men to be extremely worried about their lives and those around them, after the pandemic. Journalist Eleanor Morgan and Charlotte Faircloth from UCL join Emma to discuss.The latest in our series about matriarchs, the redoubtable women in your lives. Today listener Alexandra on her fabulous Auntie Lilla who bred miniature Shetland ponies was 6'3" and a bit terrifying. Jersey has elected its first ever female Chief Minister – the equivalent of the island’s Prime Minister. Politics on the island has been largely male, white and middle class for years. But in elections last month, more women won seats in Jersey’s States Assembly - the equivalent of Jersey’s Parliament - than ever before. Emma Barnett catches up with Kristina Moore, a former journalist and TV presenter, to find out how her first few weeks in office are going. Bees and other essential insects that we rely on to pollinate our crops are threatened by harmful pesticides according to a group of women campaigners who have launched a petition this week. We hear from Anabel Kindersley who is the co-owner of Neal’s Yard Remedies and the leader behind the #StandByBees campaign and Ben Woodcock, a scientist from UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Conservative MPs start voting in the first round ballot to see who will take over from Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister - 4 women and 4 men ,after the candidates were reduced to eight contenders. Some of the policy areas being debated are familiar: tax, immigration and our relationship with the EU. Some are less so and quite new to the political battlefield as defining issues for the candidates, such as what do each of them think constitutes being a woman. It is also striking that the political ghost of one woman is being invoked left, right and centre - Margaret Thatcher. Emma talks to Mrs Thatcher's former private secretary, Caroline Slocock. We also talk to Ella Robertson McKay the National Chair of the Conservative Young Women - which is made up of women under the age of 35. She reveals the results of a poll of their membership which asked who they want to be Prime Minister. Cases of Covid have been rising rapidly in the UK in recent weeks and new data in a report out today from the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee shows that by the end of May 2022 nearly three million adults in England are unvaccinated. While overall uptake has been high, it has been low with particular groups - including pregnant women and some ethnic minorities. We talk to Marian Knight, Professor of Maternal and Child Population Health at Oxford University.Obvious evidence of child sex crimes in Telford was ignored for generations leading to more than 1,000 girls being abused, an inquiry has found. Agencies blamed children for the abuse they suffered, not the perpetrators, and exploitation was not investigated because of "nervousness about race". Chairman Tom Crowther QC said the abuse had thrived unchecked for decades. His report makes 47 recommendations for improvement by agencies involved. West Mercia Police has apologised "unequivocally" for past events as has Telford & Wrekin Council. Emma talks to Richard Scorer, a solicitor with Slater and Gordon who has represented many victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.In 2019 we asked our listeners ‘Have you had an abortion? How did you feel about it then and how do you feel about it now?’ 5 women told us about their personal experience of having an abortion. Today, a woman we are calling Clare remembers getting on the bus in her school uniform to access an abortion more than 30 years ago.When ‘Lady Unchained’ was 21, she was sentenced to two and a half years in prison following a fight in a club when trying to protect her sister. Picking up the pen to survive in prison, she began to write and perform poetry. Since her release, Lady Unchained has made it her mission to become an advocate for life after prison - a poet, performer, award winning broadcaster. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Unchained Poetry, an artistic platform for artists with lived experience of the criminal justice system, and runs poetry workshops in prisons and in Women Centres. We speak to her as she releases her debut poetry book: ‘Behind Bars: On punishment, prison & release’, a culmination of her work during and after prison.

The online platform TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world, with more than one billion monthly active users. Young people in particular love watching and creating videos and the content is often funny and upbeat. But author and content creator Tova Leigh contacted us to say she has noticed more and more disturbing content on the site that encourages violence against women and girls.Following the slew of sleaze and misconduct allegations against MPs at Westminster is there an argument for a change in the way our parliamentarians are selected? Would greater scrutiny of individual applicants at an early stage avoid some of the issues encountered over the last few years and could it lead to greater female representation? Emma Barnett talks to the political journalist Michael Crick who has recently founded the twitter thread Tomorrow’s MPs which monitors political party selection processes, and to the former Deputy Chief Whip of the Conservative party who served as MP for Guildford for many years, Anne Milton.A few weeks ago we asked listeners about the matriarchs in their lives, the redoubtable women whose stories deserved to be told. We got so many great stories that we decided to hear some of them on air. Today, listener Zoe from the Peak District on her nan May Mythen. She had 15 children, refused to send her learning disabled son to an institution as was common in the 1940's and inspired her grand-daughter Zoe to be brave and try stand-up comedy.Normal is a term we bandy about all the time, but have you ever stopped to think about what it actually means, and whether it’s helpful as a concept? Sarah Chaney is the author of Am I Normal? The 200 Year Search For Normal People (And Why They Don’t Exist). She joins Emma to explain why she believes that women in particular have been hard done by in the history of the so-called norm.