Woman's Hour

Susannah Constantine describes herself as an author, journalist, PA to three teenagers and middle-aged lapsed fashionista turned podcaster to the wardrobes of the superstars! She has recently written about her alcoholism. Sober now for seven years, she wrote the article because she felt a lot of women are struggling. This is borne out by figures from Alcohol Change UK, who have seen a huge increase in the number of women coming their website since the first lockdown started, with 173,580 female visitors, an increase of more than 100% on the previous year. Susannah joins Emma to describe the feelings of shame surrounding drinking, especially for women, and how it leads to a sense of isolation and loneliness. And she talks about the positives of her life post drinking Writer Sarah Jaffe joins Emma to talk about the ideas in her new book, Work Won't Love You Back. She argues we've been sold an idea that certain work is not really work and should be done for the sake of passion rather than pay. She looks particularly at how gender and the labour of love myth interact, how the devaluing of work in the home has lead to a devaluing of certain work outside (eg childcare, domestic work, nursing, teachers etc) . She examines the notion that paid work is a liberation for women particularly when the amount of work women do in the home has not been significantly reduced. She asks how the unpaid intern came about, the overworked teacher, the boss who describes the work place as 'like a family'', how the labour of love myth permeates almost every area of our lives and at what cost.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Samantha Cameron talks about setting up her own clothing brand and what life was really like at Number 10.Katiann Rocha from the Halo Collective, an organisation of people working to put a stop to hair discrimination and Emma Dabiri, author of the book Don’t Touch My Hair discuss discrimination against afro hair.Internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist, Dame Jane Goodall on climate change and how the planet has changed over the decades. Breathing coach, Rebecca Dennis and Mike Thomas, a professor of primary care research and expert in the use of breathing exercises for asthma at the University of Southampton discuss why we need to be taught how to breathe.Comedian Rhod Gilbert on male fertility and his campaign to raise awareness and encourage men to be open, engage and be a part of the conversation. Rhod Gilbert: Stand up to Infertility is on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Two on Sunday at 10pm. Following Elaine Paige’s admission that her height has made her feel horribly insecure throughout her life, Elizabeth Carr Ellis shares her feelings about the challenges that come with being smaller in stature.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Lisa Jenkinson

Can the way we breathe change our mental and physical health? With Rebecca Dennis, author of new audiobook 'Breathe', and Prof Mike Thomas from the University of Southampton. The campaign for a statue of Emmeline Pankhurt's forgotten sister and the first woman to die for the suffrage movementPlus a look at new research which reveals discrimination against Afro hair in the UK is widespread, with black people stating they have experienced microaggressions around their hair. And Ann Wolbert Burgess the woman who inspired the character of psychologist Dr Wendy Carr in the TV series Mindhunter. Presenter Anita Rani Producer Beverley Purcell

Samantha Cameron spent six years at number 10 Downing Street with her husband David in the glare of the media spotlights. She was there through the tumultuous years of the Scottish and EU referendums - issues which still rage today - witnessing some of the biggest political changes for generations. She was the youngest first lady for 50 years, juggling family life and a new baby with a high pressure job. She is credited with modernising the upmarket stationers Smythson and has now set up her own clothing brand Cefin. She talks to Emma about life at number 10, family, fashion and business.Rape victims at the heart of a landmark court case say they have been failed by the Crown Prosecution Service. A judicial review lodged against the CPS by the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) and End Violence Against Women (EVAW) coalition is being heard in the Court of Appeal this week. They say that a change in tactic has led to a more cautious approach and a subsequent collapse in rape prosecutions. To discuss the issues Emma is joined by Harriet Wistrich, Director of the CWJ.Former rugby World Cup player Rachael Burford talks about setting up the Girls Rugby Club to give the game an international boost.Presented by Emma Barnett Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

Men don't talk about fertility and society largely views fertility as a woman's issue despite the fact that men are said to be a factor in around half of all fertility issues between couples. That's the view of the stand up comedian Rhod Gilbert who is raising awareness of the issue and wants men to open up and be part of the conversation. He's made a BBC documentary 'Stand up to Infertility' where he shares his own struggles to conceive with his wife Sian. Stand Up to Fertiliy is streaming now on BBC iPlayer and on BBC Two on Sunday 31st January at 10.00pm.A new study indicates teenage girls experience a sharper decline in well-being and self-esteem compared with boys due to “heavy social media use". It has also suggested that the pandemic might be making it worse. The report - by the think tank, the Education Policy Institute, and the Prince's Trust - calls on the government to act quickly to improve mental health support for schools in England. Emma is joined by Whitney Crenna-Jennings , the author of the report, and Matt Haig - the author and mental health campaigner who decided to leave twitter earlier this week - where he had nearly half a million followers. Today is International Holocaust Memorial Day where we remember the millions of people murdered by the Nazi regime. For decades, survivors have spoken about their experiences in the hope that nothing of its kind will ever be repeated. But when the last survivors are gone, who will tell their stories? And how do we talk to children about such harrowing events? Children’s author, Liz Kessler has written fictional a novel called When The World Was Ours that was inspired by the true story of her father’s escape from Czechoslovakia. Noemie Lopian is the daughter of Holocaust survivors Ernst Israel and Renee Bornstein. Ernest wrote The Long Night about his time in 7 different concentration camps and several death marches. They join Emma to discuss why it’s so important to talk to children about the Holocaust and the parallels between now and then.

Women and Gambling.Pauline and Derek Tremain are a couple who work together, running a small business from home in Kent. It's not your run of the mill business however, they provide a very specialist service called 'body mapping' to police forces up and down the country, painstakingly recreating murder injuries with 3D imaging for juries to look at. They talk to Emma about their memoir How to Solve a Murder - True Stories from a Life in Forensic Medicine. Elaine Paige is an award-winning star of the West End and Broadway. . What, you may ask, would such a woman have to worry about? Well if you've been reading the Radio Times or the papers recently, you'll know that her height - just 4 foot 11 has made her feel horribly insecure throughout her life and caused her to be both literally and metaphorically overlooked. We hear from Elizabeth Carr-Ellis from Canterbury who's the same height and knows exactly how she feels. Wendy Simon found herself unexpectedly running a city from her living room in December, as Interim Mayor of Liverpool. She explain how she took the reins in such a challenging time.Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

Internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall discusses the tragedy of lost nature and the positive action needed to combat climate change.Does it matter if female cabinet ministers are missing from flagship political programmes and TV briefings? Emma speaks to former Government minister Anna Soubry, and later in the programme to Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.In the new episode of Grounded with Louis Theroux, musician FKA Twigs says she was coercively controlled. What can you do if you find yourself in a psychologically abusive relationship?IMAGE CREDIT: Bill Wallauer

Clemency Burton-Hill gives her first broadcast interview to Emma Barnett since she suffered a brain haemorrhage a year ago. She talks about how music has helped her ongoing recovery, and how she has learnt to speak again. Sindiso Khumalo & Dr Christine Checinska on the V&A museum's African fashion exhibition, Plus Katie Price on her son Harvey who was born with Septo-optic Dysplasia, a rare disorder that affects brain function. Her family have lived their lives in the public eye for more than 15 years - and now in a new BBC One documentary, we see her having to make tough decisions about his future as he turns 18. There’s been a surge in calls to domestic abuse services in the pandemic as couples spend more time at home together - the majority of calls coming from women. For many victims and survivors, work is usually a place of respite. We hear from Business Minister Paul Scully who's written to employers urging them to be a bridge between their workers, spot domestic abuse and offer the support they need. And the lives of Irish women in the US in 19th and why they were called Bad BridgetsPresenter Anita Rani Producer Rabeka Nurmahomed

Women trying to escape domestic violence can spend months on end in a refuge or in unsuitable temporary accommodation due to lack of suitable housing. The Local Government Ombudsman has just published a highly critical report about how the London Borough of Wandsworth spectacularly failed one victim of domestic abuse. We hear from ombudsman investigator Cameron Black, women in this situation. And we ask Lucy Hadley from Women’s Aid whether the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill will resolve some of these problems. Throughout the 19th century, tens of thousands of Irish women left to make their fortunes in the US. But what happened to these women once they reached the Land of Opportunity? Dr Elaine Farrell of Queen's University Belfast and Dr Leanne McCormick of Ulster University have pieced together their stories. They talk to Anita Rani about drunkenness, sexual deviancy and the lives of crime led by those they call 'Bad Bridgets'. How have young women's finances been over the past 12 months? The lockdowns have put serious financial pressure on lots of people, but others have been able to curb their spending habits as shopping and eating out became impossible. What are the tools young women need to look after themselves? Iona Bain is the founder of Young Money Blog and the author of Own It, and Selina Flavius is the author of Black Girl Finance: Let's Talk Money. Archaeologist turned computer scientist, Iris Kramer, has created an AI tool that can sweep for sites of historical interest that are hidden to the human eye. The entrepreneurial PhD student has secured many grants to found her company Arch-AI.Presenter: Anita Rani Reporter: Carolyn Atkinson Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Katie Price and her family have lived their lives in the public eye for more than 15 years - and now in a new BBC One documentary, she's having to make tough decisions about her son Harvey's future. Born with Septo-optic Dysplasia, a rare disorder that affects brain function, hormones and vision, Harvey is moving onto the next stage of his development as he turns 18. Katie joins Emma to discuss. Senior judges in the Family Courts were heavily criticised last year for outdated views on allegations of marital rape in family court proceedings. This week the Court of Appeal is holding a legal review into the Family Courts’ approach to domestic abuse and sexual violence for the first time is 20 years. Barrister, Dr Charlotte Proudman explains why this review is both important and necessary, and why it may prompt cases being overturned.It's been reported that the former First Lady Melania Trump did not write her own thank you letters to her White House staff. The goodbye letters were allegedly written by an aide. Around 80 White House staffers received a typed note from the outgoing First Lady, and were under the impression she wrote them herself. But two sources familiar with the letters claimed Mrs Trump outsourced the work to a lower-level East Wing staffer. Comedian and writer, Katy Brand reveals where she stands on thank you letters.Christina McAnea is the new leader of the UK's largest trade union UNISON, also the fastest growing in Europe. Representing 1.4 million public sector workers - around 80% of which are women - we ask what's top of her in-tray when she starts in the job tomorrow?Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty Starkey Editor: Karen DalzielInterviewed Guest: Katie Price Interviewed Guest: Charlotte Proudman Interviewed Guest: Katy Brand Interviewed Guest: Christine McAnea

Emma Barnett with Clemency Burton-Hill's first interview since she suffered a brain haemorrhage a year ago today. She talks about how music has helped her ongoing recovery, and how she has learnt to speak again. Sindiso Khumalo & Dr Christine Checinska on the V&A museum's African fashion exhibition, the new interim mayor of Liverpool Wendy Simon talks about being thrust into the role last month as Covid 19 cases were rising exponentially and as Joe Biden assumes the US Presidency we hear from Sarah Elliot from Republicans Overseas UK and Joan Walsh, the National Affairs Correspondent for The Nation and a CNN political contributor. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Some top British ballerinas have become new mums during lock-down. In fact, there are so many in the Royal Ballet that they've created a Whatsapp group. We know that being a ballet dancer is competitive and careers can be short, so has lock-down given the chance to get pregnant? Lauren Cuthbertson, is principal of The Royal Ballet and had her baby a few weeks ago, and Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani, first artist of The Royal Ballet, is due in April.There’s been a surge in calls to domestic abuse services. As so many of us are working from home at the moment the Business Minister has written to employers urging them to be a be supportive as they can be, and that means helping victims of abuse in the home. We hear from Paul Scully. When it comes to the Covid vaccine, research from the University of Glasgow indicates that BAME communities are much less likely to get the vaccine if or when it's offered. Reasons include language barriers and misinformation. We hear from Dr Zubaida Haque, as well as children speaking various different languages to persuade their grans and granddads to get the jab. The Welsh Labour MP, Alex Davies-Jones, says she was left without the majority of her cervix because she delayed getting a smear test. She wants to tell other women not to make the same mistake. According to the Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, the MP Caroline Nokes, more then six hundred thousand women could miss their routine smear tests during the pandemic.

Music producer Phil Spector who has just died in a California jail was serving a life sentence for the murder of the actor Lana Clarkson. Lana Clarkson starred in a number of 1980s B movie sci-fi films like "Barbarian Queen" but at the time she met Spector she was working in a bar. Emma is joined by the biographer of Phil Spector, journalist and author Mick Brown. New exclusive research by reporter Melanie Abbott for Woman's Hour has found more and more aesthetic doctors and nurses are treating women for mistakes made injecting fillers by untrained practitioners. Melanie Abbott, Sharon Bennett from the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses and Labour MP Carolyn Harris from the all party parliamentary group on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing join Emma. Duchess is the new podcast from Duchess of Rutland Emma Manners and daughter Lady Violet in which they talk to titled women who are responsible for ancestral piles around the UK. They have their own huge place, Belvoir Castle, and they join Emma to discuss the pros and cons of running such a business. We've all seen images in the press of houses where terrible things happened and heard stories of children held captive by their parents. Abigail Dean's first novel 'Girl A' is told by Lex the survivor, the one who flagged down a car and escaped from 'The House of Horrors'. It explores the impact on 'Girl A', as she was dubbed, of childhood trauma. She and her six siblings have different stories and different outcomes - what happens to those left behind when the headlines and the fascination fall away?Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Emma, a pediatric nurse, who has been redeployed to an Intensive Care Unit talks about what it’s like to care for Covid patients and the daily stress and pressure currently experienced by health care professionals.Amy Pope, former deputy home security advisor to President Obama talks about Congresswoman Liz Cheney, one of ten Republicans who crossed the floor and voted with the Democrats to impeach President Trump for the second time. Author Debra Waters and science journalist and author Helen Thomson talk adult crushes. Should we see crushes as normal, exciting and harmless ways of understanding ourselves and our needs? Or is it morally questionable if you’re in a loving, committed relationship? We hear from Anjali Raman-Middleton who went to primary school with Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah who was nine years old when she died in 2013. She had a rare and severe form of asthma. Angali co-founded 'Choked Up' with three other teenagers to lobby against the pollution that contributed to Ella's death.Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, Natasha Rattu, Director of Karma Nirvana and Dr. Naomi Crouch Chair of the British Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Society and spokesperson for The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists talk about the Virginity Testing (Prohibition) Bill that was introduced in the House of Commons by Richard in December . Debbie McGee and Naomi Paxton talk about being sawn in half and what it’s like to be a magician’s assistant.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Lucinda Montefiore

As Wonder Woman 1984 hits video on demand services this week, a new generation is introduced to the superhero styled as Diana Prince. Later this year, she'll celebrate her 80th anniversary - so what is her story? And what makes her so culturally relevant still? G Willow Wilson is one of the women who's written for the comic series.Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, introduced the Virginity Testing (Prohibition) Bill into the House of Commons in December. His interest was sparked by an investigation for BBC Newsbeat and 100 Women which found that virginity tests are being offered at British medical clinics. Richard joins Anita to explain why he wants to make this controversial practice illegal. She also speaks to Dr. Naomi Crouch, Chair of the British Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Society and spokesperson for The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Natasha Rattu, barrister & Director of the charity Karma Nirvana. If the first lockdown was all about watching Normal People on TV, why is this lockdown all about Bridgerton? We hear from writers Marian Keyes and Kathryn Flett and from the Bridgerton star Kathryn Drysdale.Anjali Raman-Middleton is a 17 year old activist, and one of the founders of Choked Up, a group set up by black and brown teens campaigning for changes to clean air laws. Anjali went to primary school with Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died, aged 9, in 2013. At an inquest in December, Ella become the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.

Everyone remembers their first teenage crush - that feeling of butterflies in the stomach and uncontrollable blushes. As we age, crushes still occur but they tend to be a guilty secret. But are there benefits to having a crush? Facebook introduced a secret crush feature in December last year and it is claimed that crushes can induce mood-boosting chemicals. Should we see crushes as normal, exciting and harmless ways of understanding ourselves and our needs? Or is it morally questionable if you’re in a loving, committed relationship? Emma is joined by Debra Waters, who won the Bridport Prize last year for her short story "Oh Hululu" about an adult crush, and Helen Thomson is a science journalist and author whose new book is called 'This Book Could Fix Your Life' in which she shares her advice on affairs of the heart.Yesterday, the eyes of America were mainly on one woman. Congresswoman Liz Cheney was one of ten Republicans who crossed the floor and voted with the Democrats to impeach President Trump for the second time, something that has never happened before to a President. A key trigger in all of this was, of course, the storming of the Capitol Building last week. Cheney laid blame firmly at the feet of President Trump and criticised his role in stoking the attack. So who is Liz Cheney and is she the political heroine some are saying she is? Is she trying to save the Republic from doom and destruction at its most desperate hour? Emma talks to Amy Pope, former deputy home security advisor to President ObamaAn estimated 30,000 migrants and refugees have lost their lives in the Mediterranean in the last fifteen years. One of the largest shipwrecks took place in October 2013 when a boat went down off the Italian island of Lampedusa, killing 366 migrants on board. A second tragedy, with an even larger loss of life, happened in April 2015 when a boat sank carrying 1000 refugees and migrants travelling from Libya to Italy. Cristina Cattaneo, Professor of Forensic Medicine at the University of Milan, has spent the last five years voluntarily running a project with others to identify just some of those who died.The Equality and Human Rights Commission has a new chair. Her name is Kishwer Falkner. The EHRC's most recent and high-profile investigations have been into pay at the BBC and anti-Semitism within the Labour Party. Its twitter tag line says that it’s here to “to stand up for freedom, compassion and justice in our changing times”, but it has its critics too. The Women and Equalities Committee once said it needed to overcome its ‘timidity’, and be ‘bolder’. That was in 2019, so has it?

To mark the centenary of the infamous ‘sawing-a-woman-in-half’ illusion, Emma Barnett talks to Debbie McGee and Dr Naomi Paxton, also to author Angie Thomas about her new book "Concrete Rose" the prequel to her bestseller "The Hate U Give", Joan Bakewell talks about her legal challenge over the government's decision to delay the second dose of the Covid 19 Vaccine for elderly and we hear how the the nurse Sarah Link lived in a caravan for nine months outside her family home in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands to protect her mum from catching Covid.The programme includes a clip of Baroness Boothroyd courtesy of Sky News Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Around 2.3 million people in the UK have received 2.6 million doses of vaccine. Yesterday we heard they're planning to vaccinate 2 million people a week, until the middle of February with the aim of reaching the most vulnerable who've accounted for 88% of deaths from Covid 19 so far. A recent poll showed more than a quarter of 18-to-34-year-old women said they would say no to a Covid jab, citing concerns over the vaccines effect on their fertility and pregnancies. Emma talks to Professor Lucy Chappell, Research Professor in Obstetrics at Kings College in London and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; and to the Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi. Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, was due to be executed by lethal injection later today, but a reprieve has been granted. Lisa was convicted for the gruesome murder of a 23-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant. The baby miraculously survived. Emma speaks to Leigh Goodmark, Marjorie Cook Professor of Law and Co-Director, Clinical Law Program. She assisted the defence team with advocacy for Ms. Montgomery. Sex and the City: After six series, 94 episodes and two films - the women are making a return - but without Samantha - the feminist icon played by Kim Cattrall. The lead character and producer Sarah Jessica Parker yesterday announced they would be back with 10 half-hour episodes - showing us how their lives have changed now they're in their 50s. Reaction has been mixed. Hadley Freeman is a columnist and feature writer for the Guardian and a BIG fan of Sex and the City. She explains how she feels on hearing it is coming back.This is an edited version of the programme.Presented by Emma Barnett Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

Listeners and practitioners offer advice and support to parents living with violent children. Pat Craven from the Freedom Programme, and Karina Kelly who advocates Non-violent Resistance join Emma.Author of Running Like a Girl, Alexandra Heminsley has written a new memoir about having a baby after much difficulty and finding out not long after that her husband is set on transitioning. She talks to Emma about this tumultuous time of her life.The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said this morning that right now we are at the worse point of the epidemic in the UK. He said over 30,000 people who have it are in the NHS system at the moment. In a tweet he's said "the number of people in ICU is rising rapidly." So what about the army of healthcare professionals who are looking after Covid patients? What's the toll on them? We've already had emails from healthcare workers saying they're close to handing in their notice because of the strain and others describing the daily stress and pressure on the wards. Emma speaks to a paediatric nurse who's been redeployed to an adult Intensive Care Unit. and Nicki Credland, Chair of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

We have music and chat from singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone who has been named as runner up of the BBC Sound of 2021.Helen Lewis, staff writer at the Atlantic and Melissa Melewski lecturer in American politics at The University of Sussex discuss the role women played in this week’s violent protest when the Capitol building in Washington was stormed by Trump Supporters.We hear from Hannah who has been ghosted by her mum.We discuss the unintended consequences both positive and negative of the #metoo movement with Gudrun Young, a defence barrister and Sarah Green, Director of End Violence Against Women.And we have a special message from Her Majesty the Queen and the actor Imelda Staunton tells us about her latest role playing the Queen on television.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Louise Corley

We hear from the singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone who's the runner up in the BBC Sound of 2021. Caroline Aldridge's eldest son Tim had a bipolar disorder and he passed away before he could access treatment. She’s talks about her book "He Died Waiting " which outlines why she thinks mental health services failed him. We unveil new data showing the pressures facing families over school closures and managing paid work. Plus why the British Pregnancy Advisory Service has announced it will open a not-for-profit IVF clinic later this year in Central London. Presenter Andrea Catherwood Producer Beverley Purcell

The poet Carol Ann Duffy - who served as the first woman poet laureate between 2009-2019 and has won numerous awards for her poetry including the Whitbread, Forward and T. S. Eliot Prizes - joins Emma with a poem which feels particularly apt in the current circumstances, as we enter another lockdown and people are separated from their families and friends – it is called Long Table. Carol Ann talks to Emma about what she has been doing in lockdown and the importance of writing in recording our experiences over the past year. The world looked on in horror yesterday in what has been described as an act of domestic terrorism as thousands of President Trump supporters ransacked Congress and stormed the Capitol building in Washington. Their aim? To bring a violent halt to the formal confirmation of his election defeat. Before they headed to the building, Trump roused his followers to fight for him - and his lawyer - the former mayor of New York Rudy Guliani said: "Let's have trial by combat." To look at the photos, you would think it was a march dominated and led by gun toting, animal skin-wearing men. It was men who sat in chair of the US speaker of the House - Nancy Pelosi and in the Senate chamber - two of the defining images of the riot. But women were there and are there as part of the mass online movement which led to this action: Stop the Steal. What role do they and are they playing in these groups? Emma speaks to Helen Lewis, staff writer at the Atlantic and author of the book Difficult Women and Melissa Milewski, lecturer in American politics at University of Sussex. A tree has been pulled down in Hackney. So what? Trees get pulled down all the time. But it wasn’t just any old tree: it was 150 years old, and was called The Happy Man, named after a pub that used to be nearby. Campaigners have been trying to save it for months and despite the bitter cold they've been in the branches, even sleeping in them. One of them is Maria Gallastegui and she joins Emma to talk about her experience. A key legal hearing starts in Scotland today with a campaign group challenging the Scottish Government over the meaning of the word “woman”. For Women Scotland has been granted a judicial review into the Gender Representation on Public Boards Act 2018 (GRPBA) which was passed as part of efforts to drive up the number of women in senior positions on public bodies. Its wording covers trans women who have changed their legal sex from male to female using a gender recognition certificate, as well as others who are “living as a woman” and are “proposing to undergo” such a change “for the purpose of becoming female”. Emma Barnett talks to Susan Smith from For Women Scotland and to Jennifer Ang from Just Rights Scotland about the review.

The #MeToo movement exploded across social media and into the public consciousness in late 2017. In case you missed it, Me Too aimed to show the scale of harassment and sexual violence in society and raise awareness of women who've been abused. Amid shared stories from women of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds, it exposed not only the magnitude of sexual assault but the systemic failure to stop it. It's the most visible, feminist, social media movement of recent times. But what are the victories, criticisms and unintended consequences of #MeToo?A year on from the start of Harvey Weinstein's trial in New York City, we hear reflections from actors Rosanna Arquette and Caitlin Dulany, who have both accused Weinstein of sexual assault. Emma is also joined by defence barrister Gudrun Young; the Director of End Violence Against Women, Sarah Green; and the author Lionel Shriver.

We're in another lockdown. Schools are shut like last time. Only children of key workers and those who are vulnerable can go in. Listeners have already been in touch expressing their concerns. We want to hear from you. Is it the right thing to do? Why has the messaging been so inconsistent. What impact will school closures have on working life, parents and children? How different is this from where we were in March? We want to hear from you.We’ve talked about ‘ghosting’ before on Woman’s Hour, usually in the context of relationships where a partner or prospective partner just suddenly disappears and cuts off all communication. Hannah, a listener, wrote to us to tell us her story of being ghosted by her own mother. She talks to Emma.Lockdown has been a perfect opportunity for people to get outside and explore the great outdoors. But would you consider doing it in the nude? Donna Price - a volunteer for British Naturism and head of the Women in Naturism campaign says that despite women's fears about body image and being leered at by men, walking and swimming naked with other people can be the most liberating, confidence-building and joyous of experiences. But what does it feel like crossing from being a clothes-clad member of society into being naked with strangers? Journalist Caroline Steel reflects on her own experience and the revelations she had about the way society views women's bodies.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Emma Barnett presents her first edition of Woman's Hour with music from Mel C, Imelda Staunton on her new role in The Crown and the latest on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from her husband Richard and the former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Editor: Karen Dalziel

Holly Ridings is the first woman to be Nasa's chief flight director and is in charge of the Artemis programme - named after Apollo's twin sister - which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024. She tells us about the challenges involved with space travel and what makes a good astronaut. More and more of us are living longer - so how can we do it better? Consultant Geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock, CEO of the Centre for Ageing Better Anna Dixon, and Dr Niharika Duggal from the University of Birmingham explain how to approach independence, exercise, and even driving as we get older.As The Archers celebrates 70 years, we look at how farming - the backdrop of the radio drama - has changed for women since it's been on air. Felicity Finch, who plays Ruth Archer, meets Mary Quicke - one of the real life inspirations behind the storylines.What makes the night sky so magical? We speak to Karine Polwart, a folk singer whose new work takes inspiration from the stars she watched as a child. And, of course, we say goodbye to Jane Garvey who leaves Woman's Hour after 13 years. The journalist Elizabeth Day quizzes Jane, and we listen back to some of her funniest moments.Presenter: Melanie Abbott Producer: Rosie Stopher Editor: Sarah Crawley

Woman's Hour celebrates the 70th anniversary of The Archers, looking at the female characters and storylines that have shaped the programme, presented by Felicity Finch (Ruth Archer). How have the roles of women in farming changed over the last 70 years in the real world and in The Archers? From Jill Archer who is often portrayed more as a traditional farmer's wife to Ruth who is very much in partnership with David to Pip who is a thoroughly modern farmer and appears to be in pole position to inherit the farm. Helen Archer has also made a foray into cheese-making. Felicity hears from Mary Quicke of Quicke’s cheeses, who is cited by Agricultural editor of The Archers as an inspiration for Helen’s storyline. Female scriptwriters only began on The Archers in 1975. They brought a new perspective to the programme, revitalising its profile and cementing its place in the British psyche. One of the first women to write for the show was Mary Cutler. She joins Felicity to talk about what it was like during those early years and her most memorable stories for female characters during her 40 years writing for the show. Felicity also talks to Naylah Ahmed, who has been writing for the show for 5 years.Susan Carter is often at the heart of what is going on in the village of Ambridge and is known as the village gossip. According to a recent study, men and women gossip on average for 52 minutes every day. But Susan’s gossip is often perceived as malicious and small-minded. Charlotte Martin who plays Susan actually works as a psychologist when she’s not on the programme. She joins Felicity, Dr Cara Courage and comedian Angela Barnes to discuss the role of gossip on the show.One of the unique and strange things about playing a character in Ambridge – is that the storylines unfold over years, so you grow old with the programme. Younger characters, as they age, inherit the standing of more established characters, and none of them know where they might end up. So we asked the actor Katie Redford – who plays Lily and Emerald O’Hanrahan who plays Emma to talk about their hopes for their characters in the future. Our guests also muse on the characters who might be missing that they hope might turn up in Ambridge one day. Presenter: Felicity Finch Producer: Clare Walker

We look back at the end of a momentous year. Jane revisits listeners we spoke to during 2020, Sarah whose father died from Covid in April, Lizzie who gave birth alone to baby Bibi in May, Gillian who’s been battling with Long Covid, and Deborah whose (good-natured) bickering with her partner escalated during lockdown.And author, journalist and How to Fail podcaster Elizabeth Day interviews Jane about all the things that have and haven't gone right during her time at Woman's Hour. Presenter: Jane Garvey Interviewed guest: Elizabeth Day Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

What do our first names really say about us? More than you might think, according to Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester. She claims that our names often reveal important clues about our age, social class and ethnicity that might affect the way that we are treated by other people. She joins Jane, along with name expert and the founder of the British Baby Names website, Eleanor Nickerson to discuss what's in a name.How has this classic British name become synonymous with being middle of the road? The actor Jane Asher turned 71 earlier this month and was born in the year that Jane entered the UK top 50. Jane Brody celebrated her 30th birthday last week and was born the year after Jane stopped being a UK top 100 name. Woman's Hour listener Victoria Smillie wanted to change her surname following her divorce, but realised in doing so that she had never been happy with her given name, Lesley, either. So she changed both. They are joined by another of our listeners, Tracy, who truly hates her name but can't quite bring herself to lose it. By the age of three, Esther Robertson had had three different first names and surnames. Esther joins Jane to discuss how her changing name has affected her life.The author Charlotte Mendelson keeps lists of names and can deliberate for hours about what to call the characters in her novels. She joins us along with the journalist and editor Alex Clark to discuss the best and worst names in books.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Laura Northedge.

More and more of us are living longer but we don’t talk enough about what it means to be old, according to Consultant Geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock. The author of ‘The Book about Getting Older’ tells us about what she’s learnt about looking after the old and their families over many years, and the practical things that people can do to make things happier in old age. We also hear from Anna Dixon, CEO of the Centre for Ageing Better. Exercise - and building muscle - can help you stay healthier longer into old age. Dr Niharika Duggal from the University of Birmingham explains how muscle improves our immunity. Janine Rickus from Extend, an organisation that specialises in exercise classes for older people, gives advice on the moves that'll keep you on your feet in old age. Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

Holly Ridings is the first woman to be NASA's chief flight director. She was appointed in 2018 and is responsible for missions to the International Space Station, the Orion spacecraft and commercial spacecraft. She is also in charge of the Artemis programme - named after Apollo's twin sister - which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before and potentially lead to further missions to Mars. She is responsible for 32 flight directors who are overseeing human spaceflight at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.How do you know if you’re fit enough psychologically to go into space? What do you need to do to survive in such close quarters with other people? When it comes to Mars, the focus is often on how to get there: the rockets, the engines, the fuel. But upon arrival, what will it actually be like? Jane speaks to Kate Greene author of “Once Upon a Time I Lived On Mars” and to Dr Iya Whiteley, Director of the Centre for Space Medicine at Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London. What are the jobs for women in space? Vinita Marwaha Madill is founder of Rocket Women which aims to inspire women around the world and provide advice on working in the space and technology industries.And finally, what is the cultural significance of space and the moon to us? It is the site of so much folklore, myth and legends and has spawned countless books, films and songs. Looking up at the stars is a trope of romance – but it also a reminder of how small and insignificant our own lives are – seen against the life of the cosmos. For that reason many ask – should we even be going to the moon or Mars? Jane discusses this with the folksinger Karine Polwart who is writing a new theatre piece called “The Only Light Was Stars” and Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian who is a driector, member of the SETi Institute, Vice-Chair of The Committee for the Cultural Utilisation of Space and director and founder of the International Space Orchestra in NASA. Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Clare Walker

Labour MP Stella Creasy joins us to discuss buy now pay later services, and whether they should be regulated. Oti Mabuse and partner Bill Bailey have been crowned Strictly Come Dancing champions as they took the 2020 glitter ball trophy home on Saturday. Oti Mabuse is the first professional to win the competition two years in a row. Next year, she is going on tour with her new show ‘I AM HERE', which explores her journey from growing up in South Africa, to becoming a multi-award winning dancer.The mezzo-soprano Patricia Hammond is celebrating the parlour song. Composed by women, these domestic songs of the Victorian era have largely been marginalised or forgotten. In her new book and CD, She Wrote the Songs, she tells us about the women behind the songs and their importance to musical history.We heard earlier in the pandemic that in-person meetings for vulnerable children had become mostly impossible. But now child protection professionals feel that face-to-face conferences are unlikely to ever resume. So what does that mean for the children in question? And what is missed as a result? Lisa Harker from the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory joins us. A new BBC three-part drama Black Narcissus tells the story of a group of Anglo-Catholic nuns who travel to the Himalayas to set up a school in an abandoned clifftop palace, which was once known as the 'House of Women'. It's adapted from Rumer Godden's 1939 novel, and the writer Amanda Coe joins Jane to discuss.The breast surgeon and breast cancer survivor, Liz O'Riordan, tells us the story behind her 'Jar of Joy'.And the award-winning poet Liz Berry shares her evocative poetry inspired by her love for the Black Country.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Rosie Stopher Editor: Beverley Purcell

Christmas Day programme about Joy. Jane Garvey is joined by the Rev. Kate Bottley, who brings the Christian perspective of joy at Christmas, and talks about her personal passion for ice water swimming. Natalie Maddix is the founder and Creative Director of the House Gospel Choir. She describes the joy of communal singing and shares some of the choir's uplifting music. The breast surgeon and breast cancer survivor, Liz O'Riordan, tells us the story behind her 'Jar of Joy'. The crime writer Sophie Hannah explains her theory of finding joy - even in the most adverse of circumstances. Tonia Buxton is a chef and consultant at the Real Greek Restaurants. She gives details of her family's ‘dirty’ Christmas sandwiches and her family recipes for Greek Liver stuffing. Woman's Hour listener Joy Barnard tells her story of being adopted at Christmas in 1961, and Lynette and Daisy reveal what brings them personal joy.Presented by Jane Garvey Producer: Louise CorleyRECIPESGreek Christmas Liver StuffingIngredients 50g/2oz butter 1 onion finely chopped livers from your turkey finely chopped ( I like to add another pack of 200g ) ½ cup/ 75g/3oz long grain white rice rinsed ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ cup/ 75g/3oz of sultanas. ½ cup/ 75g/3oz of pine kernels 1 ½ cups/275ml/ 10fl oz water sea salt & coarsely ground black pepperMethod In a frying pan add the butter & fry the onion until softened. Add the liver & continue to fry till browned. Then add the spices, seasoning, pine kernels & sultanas & rice. Stir in the water & bring to the boil. Cover with a lid & simmer for 10/12 minutes. You can either stuff the bird or put it in a shallow casserole dish, cover with foil & warm before serving. Melomakarona Greek Christmas biscuits This wonderful recipe is one I have taken (with permission ) from my friend Asimakis Chaniotis who is the most exciting young Greek Chef who has a Michelin star as well as many other accolades. He has refined this traditional recipe that is handed down from generation to generation. https://www.asimakischaniotis.co.uka IngredientsFor the syrup 500 g water 800 g granulated sugar 150 g honey 3 stick(s) cinnamon 3 cloves 1 orange, cut in half 1st mixture400 g orange juice 400 g seed oil 180 g olive oil 50 g icing sugar 1/2 teaspoon(s) cloves 2-3 teaspoon(s) cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon(s) nutmeg 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda orange zest, of 2 oranges 2nd mixture 1 kg all-purpose flour 200 g semolina, fine Method For the syrup : Boil all the ingredients apart from the honey until the sugar melts and let it to be cold for 3-4 hours Preheat the oven 190 In one big bowl mix with a hand whisk all the ingredients from the 1st mixture In a separate bowl mix the ingredients from the 2nd mixture Combine the 1st bowl to the 2nd and mix by hand gently Bake them for 20-25’ Soak the hot cookies to the cold syrup Let them drain on a wire rack Drizzle with honey (optional ) and walnuts

‘Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner’ was a famous 1967 film about an inter-racial marriage in the US. Filmed against the backdrop of race riots that took place the same year, it starred Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracey, Katherine Hepburn and Katherine Houghton. Actor, Tracy-Ann Oberman has written a play called ‘That Dinner of 67’ looking at what happened during the making of the film. She talks to Andrea Catherwood about playing the iconic Ms Hepburn.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has deemed an Instagram campaign by online shopping firm Klarna, that ran in April and May, as ‘irresponsible’ for encouraging shoppers to use their ‘buy now, pay later’ service to cheer themselves up during the pandemic. The Swedish company has over 10 million customers in the UK, with an average age of 33. Its model allows payments to be staggered for products, with no fees or interest. Consequently, companies with similar models to Klarna, do not have to abide by Financial Conduct Authority rules, and thus customers are not protected and risk getting into debt. The Labour MP Stella Creasy is spearheading a campaign to make an amendment to the Financial Services Bill to better protect consumers.In her book ‘The Little Library Christmas’, Australian-born food writer Kate Young guides you through the Christmas period with festive food, edible gifts, reading recommendations and suggestions for Christmas films. She joins Andrea to talk about how to Cook the Perfect Jansson’s Temptation – a Swedish dish that she cooks every year as one of her Christmas rituals. The stereotypical Christmas scene is familiar - a big house, warm fireplace, and plenty of space for Father Christmas to leave the presents. But that's not the reality for most children. Which is why Hollie McNish wrote her poem 'You do not need a chimney', to reassure children living in flats and hostels that St Nick will still be able to get to them. Hollie joins us to read the poem, along with Sue Whitfield, who's had help from Homestart - the charity that will benefit from sales of the poem. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Tracy-Ann Oberman Interviewed Guest: Stella Creasy Interviewed Guest: Kate Young Interviewed Guest: Holly McNish Interviewed Guest: Sue Whitfield Photographer: Joseph Sinclair

Oti Mabuse and partner Bill Bailey have been crowned Strictly Come Dancing champions as they took the 2020 glitter ball trophy home on Saturday. Oti Mabuse is the first professional to win the competition two years in a row. Next year, she is going on tour with her new show ‘I AM HERE', which explores her journey from growing up in South Africa, to becoming a multi-award winning dancer.The increase in domestic abuse during the pandemic has been widely reported. The charity Family Rights Group works to keep children safe in their families and advise parents whose children are in need, at risk or in care, and support kinship carers raising children. Their chief executive, Cathy Ashley, confirms that rise and says that domestic abuse is now the most common reason given by callers to their free advice line as to why social workers have become involved with their family. She also explains why grandparents so frequently become kinship carers in these situations.Quarry Bank cotton mill stands on the outskirts of Manchester, it is now a National Trust property . It features in a play called The Whip by Juliet Gilkes Romero a new audio version of which is now available on the Royal Shakespeare Company’s YouTube channel. The play tells the story of the cover-up of the death of a child working at the mill. Louise Adamson went to Quarry Bank back in 2017 to see an exhibition about the lives of the women and children who worked there and the songs they sang as the worked.Samantha Evans is West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s first female whole time firefighter. When Samantha joined the service in 1990, there were no female shower facilities on station, and no other women in the team. Samantha is now retiring, after 30 years of service.Presented by Jessica Creighton Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell

We heard earlier in the pandemic that in-person meetings for vulnerable children had become mostly impossible. But now child protection professionals feel that face-to-face conferences are unlikely to ever resume. So what does that mean for the children in question? And what is missed as a result? Journalist Marianne Eloise was recently diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, aged 27. She says it finally gives her an explanation of why she has found it difficult to simply exist; from experiencing extreme sensory overload in situations others find normal, to never being able to make small talk. Marianne joins Jane to talk about her personal breakthrough and why she believes it’s harder for women and girls to be diagnosed as autistic.The mezzo-soprano Patricia Hammond is celebrating the parlour song. Composed by women, these domestic songs of the Victorian era have largely been marginalised or forgotten. In her new book and CD, She Wrote the Songs, she tells us about the women behind the songs and their importance to musical history.Listener Prue wrote to us about a recent discovery that’s made her question her past. For her seventieth birthday, Prue, a family history buff, got a DNA kit from her nieces. There were no surprises with the results about her geographical origins. Then she realised could also find people with matched DNA, and she was shocked to find out her late dad was not her biological father. Since then Prue’s been trying to find out who her father was- with the help of people she’s met online. Jo Morris met with Prue at her home.

New BBC three-part drama Black Narcissus tells the story of a group of Anglo-Catholic nuns who travel to the Himalayas to set up a school in an abandoned clifftop palace, which was once known as the 'House of Women'. Adapted from Rumer Godden's 1939 novel, the writer Amanda Coe joins Jane to discuss.Coping strategies over the Christmas period with the psychologist Laverne Antrobus.Carolyn Cobbold is No. 10 on the Woman's Hour Power List 2020: Our Planet. She's worked tirelessly to quite literally change the shape of coastal defence, leading the Manhood Peninsula Partnership to secure funding for the largest coastal realignment project in Europe. The musician and DJ Cerys Matthews tells us about her latest album 'We Come From the Sun' which involved collaborating with the Hidden Orchestra and 10 poets. She's joined by the award winning poet Liz Berry who talks about her track Christmas Eve.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

Sharon D Clarke talks about her role as The Narrator in an audio adaptation of “Peter Pan”.Three women from this year's Power List - physicist and climate researcher Prof Joanna Haigh; one of the leads from the Climate Assembly Prof Rebecca Willis; and Guardian Environment Correspondent Fiona Harvey discuss how we understand and talk about climate change.Sharon Hague from Pearson talks about a new study by the Fawcett Society into gender stereotypes and the damaging effect it has on society.Leading gynaecologist and early pregnancy specialist Dr Jessica Farren talks about miscarriage and and the grief that can be exacerbated by the festive period.Food historian, Pen Vogler talks about our eating habits and reveals how they are loaded with centuries of class prejudice.The Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell talks about her international conducting debut at the Southbank with Chineke!Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Lucinda Montefiore

An audio adaptation of Peter Pan with music will be launched on Christmas Eve in support of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, that will feature a host of actors - Olivia Colman, Bertie Carvel, Kenneth Branagh, Jane Horrocks, Clive Rowe, and Sharon D Clarke. She joins Jane to talk about her role as The Narrator, who in this version is Wendy’s great granddaughter.A new study into gender stereotypes suggests that they’re still widespread in 2020 and causing life-long harm. The Fawcett Society has spent the last 18 months gathering evidence as part of their Gender Stereotype Commission and they say the problem persists in terms of parenting, education and the commercial sector. Jane talks to Sam Smethers from the Fawcett Society and to Sharon Hague from the education resources specialist Pearson which has contributed to the report and subsequently changed the teaching material if offers to schools.How does it feel to reach the age your Mum was when she died? Jo Morris has been hearing from 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 these dark thoughts. They describe their fears as well as the joy of ordinary life and the freedom that comes from realising that you are not your mother. Today, Claire's story. We meet two more women from the Woman's Hour Power List: Our Planet. Judy Ling-Wong is the founder and Honorary President of the Black Environment Network, and Zarina Ahmad is a Climate Trainer at CEMVO Scotland. They've both dedicated their work to making the environmental sector a safer and more inclusive place for ethnic minority groups, and they join Jane to discuss the gains made and the work still to do.

Environmental filmmaker and Woman's Hour power lister Franny Armstrong thinks it's time for a bit of climate comedy. Having spent the best part of two decades making serious documentaries such as The Age of Stupid, Rivercide and McLibel, Franny talks about reaching new audiences with her film Pie Net Zero, featuring fake news reporter Jonathan Pie. A 10 week consultation period run by the Home Office looking at violence against women and girls has just been launched focusing on "the crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls ranging from rape to FGM to upskirting and online offences." We hear from Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins.Women with learning disabilities are among the thousands of older and disabled people who've been described during the Covid crisis as ‘vulnerable’. But many are unhappy with that label – because not only have they been working throughout the pandemic – they've been working on the frontline. Statistically women with learning disabilities are the least likely to have a job. Disability Affairs reporter Carolyn Atkinson has been hearing from women with learning disabilities. Diane Lightfoot, CEO of the Business Disability Forum and Claire Cookson, CEO of DNF Project Search discuss. Christmas can be a particularly hard time for those who have experienced miscarriage or subfertility. Leading Gynaecologist and early pregnancy specialist Dr. Jessica Farren shares insights from her own personal experience of miscarriage and those who she has cared for.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Dianne McGregor

As we approach this year's final another chance to hear Jane Garvey celebrating all things Strictly.A dance special with chief Strictly judge Shirley Ballas, Love Island participant and professional ballroom dancer Curtis Pritchard, Professor of Dance History Theresa Buckland from Roehampton University, Sujata Banerjee, a Kathak artist and educator and Ingrid Mackinnon, a choreographer who teaches jazz, ballet, modern & African dance. We find out why dancing makes you feel good plus Curtis gives Jane a twirl round the dance floor and proves it's never too late to put on your dancing shoes.

The government’s long delayed full response to the online harms white paper will be published today. New rules will be introduced for tech firms which allow users to post their own content. Firms who fail to protect people face fines of up to ten percent of turnover or the blocking of their sites. Popular platforms will be held responsible for tackling both legal and illegal harms and all platforms will have a duty of care to protect children using their services from being exposed to harmful content. Jane Garvey talks to the Minister in charge of steering the bill through the House of Commons Caroline Dinenage. Food historian Pen Vogler, author of Scoff, puts our eating habits under a microscope and reveals how they are loaded with centuries of class prejudice. As she says, "most Brits could read a shopping basket as though it were a character sketch: Typhoo or Earl Grey, Kingsmill or sourdough". If, she says, we spent less time scoffing at other people's eating habits and more time thinking about how everyone could have the same access to good food, then maybe Britain's reputation for bad food could be a thing of the past. The way we understand and talk about climate change has shifted dramatically in the past couple of years. To discuss why, Jane speaks to three women from this year's Power List - physicist and climate researcher Prof Joanna Haigh; one of the leads from the Climate Assembly Prof Rebecca Willis; and Guardian Environment Correspondent Fiona Harvey. Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

The Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell, is quickly becoming “one of the brightest stars in the world of classical music.” Currently Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra , she is making her international conducting debut at the Southbank with Chineke! Europe's first majority Black, Asian and ethnically-diverse orchestra. She describes how she first discovered she could sing and fell in love with the violin, before finding her life’s passion of standing on the podium in front of an orchestra, and explains her ambition is to conduct an orchestra behind heavy metal band Metallica.All families have secrets and back in 2018 when we asked listeners to tell us some of their stories Moira wanted to talk to us about a secret that has affected her life. Now 57, she grew up an only child with her mum and dad in Swansea. She speaks to reporter Jo Morris.Safia Minney MBE is number 28 on the Woman's Hour Power List: Our Planet, for her pioneering work in making fashion more sustainable. As the founder of People Tree and Real Sustainability, she's worked for decades to change how people think about clothes. But how has that changed over the years? And how can we enjoy fashion and clothing without having a negative impact? Safia joins Jane, along with influencer Venetia LaManna and ByRotation founder Eshita Kabra-Davies to discuss.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell

Dame Stephanie Shirley – always known as Steve – tells us about her work revolutionising the workplace and as a major philanthropist. On Tuesday, Leicester University are launching their 'Student Sex Worker Policy and Toolkit'. We hear from Professor Teela Sanders, a Professor of Criminology at Leicester University who explains why she is leading this initiative and the feminist commentator and journalist Sarah Ditum gives us her view.Are men beginning to turn to cosmetics to improve their appearance in the same way as women? Danny Gray, who created the WarPaint make-up range for men believes this to be the case and the make-up artist, Lisa Eldridge, author of Face Paint: the History of Make-Up gives her thoughts.What’s the best way to approach shyness in your child? We hear from Nadia Finer who runs an online programme for shy 7-14 year olds who want to feel braver, and more able to speak up and join in. Is it time to end the idea that being in a couple is the superior way to live? We hear from Professor Sasha Roseneil the author of a new book, The Tenacity of the Couple-Norm.And we discuss the therapeutic benefits of clay with Kate Malone, one of the UK’s leading potters and ceramicists – and Charlotte Clarkson, who’s been getting the chance to try out the medium at her local youth centre.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Sarah Crawley

This week the first part of The Ockenden Review into Maternity Services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS (SaTH) Trust was published. It urges improvements in the way mothers and babies are looked after, not just in Shrewsbury but across England. We talk to the local MP there, Lucy Allan, as well as Gill Walton from The Royal College of Midwives and Jayne Terry who's an obstetrician in London.We have part 2 of our series which talks to parents about puberty blockers. Today we hear from a mum, who we're calling Nichola, who's seriously worried about her child taking them. And Leicester University are launching a Student Sex Worker Policy and Toolkit. Why? What is it? And does it suggest that choosing sex-work as a option for earn money whilst studying is a good idea? We discuss with Professor Teela Sanders from Leicester University, and Sarah Ditum, who's a feminist writer and columnist.

Last week the High Court ruled that it was ‘unlikely that children under 16 could give informed consent to puberty blocking drugs. The Tavistock - which runs the only clinics in the UK that have been offering this treatment on the NHS – is seeking to appeal the judgement. Meanwhile NHS England have suspended all new referrals for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for the under 16’s. Children already on the drugs will have their cases reviewed, and a court order will be required to start or to continue treatment. We asked you to get in touch if you were affected. Today, we hear from ‘Jen’ – not her real name – whose 14 year old was due to start assessment for puberty blockers this week. On Friday, a parent we’re calling Nicola who has serious concerns about this treatment for her child, talks to us.Around 90% of the goods we buy spend at least some of their life travelling the world's oceans. Cargo ships are efficient in terms of cost but burn large quantities of thick, unrefined fossil fuels and generate more emissions each year than Germany or Canada. So how can this globally-important industry reduce its impact on the planet? Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping, believes that harnessing the tried-and-tested method of wind power and sail could halve emissions and save millions in costs on fuel. She talks to Jane about how intelligent, 40m-high aluminium sails will bring shipping into the 21st century.Kate Malone is one of the UK’s leading potters and ceramicists – and she is keen to share the therapeutic benefits of working with clay. She joins Jane along with Charlotte Clarkson, who’s getting the chance to try the medium for herself at a local youth centre.Somali- born Ifrah Ahmed was just eight when she was subjected to female genital mutilation. At 17, she was smuggled out of the country alone and ended up in Ireland. She’s now an Irish citizen and a successful campaigner against the practice of FGM. She was instrumental in bringing about legislation banning the practice in Ireland. Her inspiring story has been made into a film ‘A Girl from Mogadishu’ and she joins Jane to tell her story, along with the film’s director Mary McGuckian Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

Boris Johnson is in Brussels today to have a face to face meeting with European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. They’re trying to find a post-Brexit trade deal. So how will the dynamics work between the two? Sonia Purnell used to work with Boris Johnson in Brussels when they wrote for the Telegraph together. She’s written a biography about him. And Maria von Welser knows Ursula von der Leyen. They wrote a book together about women in German society.What’s the best way to approach shyness in your child? Nadia Finer joins Andrea to offer her advice. She runs an online programme called The Mighty Mob. It's for 7-14 year olds who want to feel braver, more able to speak up and join in, and more comfortable to be themselves. Nadia, who is shy herself, says that shy children do not need to change who they are, nor should we make them. In her new cookbook The Home Cookery Year, Claire Thomson offers solutions for quick dishes that are easy to make in minimal time at the end of a busy working day. The former chef and mother of three discusses cooking with her children during lockdown, with only half a kitchen, and how to Cook the Perfect…Brussels Sprout Galette with Pancetta & Chestnuts.We’ve been asking women how it feels to reach the age their mum was when she died. Today’s story is a bit different. Beth is 24 and her story is complicated. When she heard we were looking for stories on this subject she thought, at first, that she didn’t have anything to say.

Extinction Rebellion has used civil disobedience to put the climate crisis firmly at the top of the news agenda. It’s also attracted women and whole families to take to the streets to protest for the first time in their lives. Gail Bradbrook, the co-founder of XR and one of the women on this year’s Woman’s Hour Power List, joins Jane to talk about the support for – and criticisms of – the use of protest to bring about systemic change in the name of the planet.Are men beginning to turn to cosmetics to improve their appearance in the same way women use them? According to Danny Gray, who created the WarPaint make-up range, says they are. He’s seen a huge increase in interest from men, which he partly puts down to the amount of time they’ve spent looking at themselves on Zoom. He discusses this trend, and the make-up artist, Lisa Eldridge, author of 'Face Paint; the History of Make-Up', explains the background behind men and their use of cosmetics.It’s time to end the idea that being in a couple is the superior way to live, according to a new book, 'The Tenacity of the Couple-Norm'. The couple-norm is the ubiquitous idea that being in a couple is the normal, natural and better way of living. It’s such a powerful norm that being in a couple is almost synonymous with being a successful adult. The authors – academics from 4 different countries - argue that, amidst enormous transformations in our ideas about family life and relationships in past decades, this norm has remained largely unchallenged and unchanged, making life difficult for anyone who departs from it. The lead author, Professor Sasha Roseneil, joins Jane.Gail Newsham features in the latest series of The Game Changers podcast which showcases trailblazing women in sport. Gail Newsham has spent the last three decades researching and sharing the story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies. One hundred years ago over 50,000 turned out to watch them play a match. She explains why the team was so important in the history of women’s football.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Gail Bradbrook Interviewed Guest: Lisa Eldridge Interviewed Guest: Danny Gray Interviewed Guest: Professor Sasha Roseneil Interviewed Guest: Gail Newsham

What goes on in the ladies? Office gossip, getting locked-in, the most embarrassing moments, confessing to a stranger, a place for bonding, bullying, and bunking-off? We hear your stories about women’s toilets, with Comedian Shazia Mirza and Historian Claudia Elphick. Dame Stephanie Shirley – always known as Steve – joins Jane to talk about her career-spanning book of speeches So to Speak. Now 87, she’s a successful IT entrepreneur who revolutionised the workplace for women and is now a major philanthropist. She's in demand for public speaking and often starts by giving her own story of arriving here on the Kindertransport in 1939, one of 10,000 Jewish children fleeing Nazi Germany. She says she has done more since that day than she would ever have believed possible.We continue our series on family secrets. Today we hear about a woman in her late forties who has a secret which has affected her life since she was a teenager. And we get the latest about vaccines from GP Sarah Jarvis.

Non-essential shops reopened in England this week after the second Lockdown - thousands of jobs now hang in the balance. We hear from Joanne Cairns, deputy head of research at USDAW and Catherine Shuttleworth, retail analyst.The Woman’s Hour Power List recognises the work of 30 inspiring women who are making a positive contribution to the environment and the sustainability of our planet. Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB which is the UK’s largest conservation charity and Miranda Lowe, Curator at the Natural History Museum in London talk about their work to spark our interest in the environment and nature.Two of this year’s TechWomen100 Award winners June Angelides MBE and Rav Bumbra on how to encourage more women and girls to work in the tech industries.Many women have been underpaid state pension. Steve Webb, partner at Lane, Clark and Peacock and Jasmine Birtles financial expert and director of MoneyMagpie explain.What makes an evil woman. We hear from Professor of History at Birkbeck and Rhetoric Professor at Gresham College talks about her interest in evil women.Festive Drinks. Sandra Lawrence from The Cocktail Lovers magazine talks about classic cocktails.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Dianne McGregor