Woman's Hour

Otegha Uwagha is a writer & commentator. Today she discusses her new essay, Whites: On Race and Other Falsehoods. She discusses, what she sees as, the ‘colossal burden’ of co-existing with white people when you are not white. A Mary Wollstonecraft inspired sculpture, created by Maggi Hambling, is causing a stir. Mary Wollstonecraft wrote the famous "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman". But there's controversy over the sculpture which has a small naked female figure at the top of it, and some are wondering whether that's appropriate to remember Mary. Our reporter Melanie Abbott reports from the scene and talks to passers-by, plus we have art historian Ruth Millington who gives her reaction to the piece.Nigella Lawson’s new book is Cook, Eat, Repeat. It's about the pleasure of cooking, feeding and eating. It was mainly written during lockdown. Nigella joins Jane to discuss her love of cooking and food and describes how to Cook the Perfect Fish Finger Bhorta, which was inspired by the political journal

Twenty five years ago Martin Bashir's Panorama interview with Diana Princess of Wales made headlines around the world with quotes like “ there were were three of us in this marriage so it was a bit crowded” Now questions are being asked about how the interview with her was secured , which the BBC are investigating. We hear from Rosa Monckton one of Diana’s best friends Under the current Abortion laws it is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to birth if Down's syndrome is detected. This doesn’t happen very often but Heidi Crowter, a 25-year-old woman from Coventry who has Down’s syndrome, and Máire Lea-Wilson from London, whose 18-month-old son Aidan has Down’s syndrome, are going to the High Court to try to change it. They want the limit reduced for all non-fatal disabilities including Down’s Syndrome , cleft palate and club foot in line with the normal 24-week limit. Anita Rani talks to them and to Clare Murphy from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.Woman's Hour Power List 2020 Our Planet; What

Covid 19 has been difficult for everyone but one group that’s been at the front line of fighting the pandemic is critical care nurses. There are reports of record sickness levels partly due to stress and mental health issues at the same time as new plans for how people are nursed in intensive care are introduced. Anita Rani talks to Nicki Credland who chairs the British Association of Critical Care Nurses. A new study reveals women with allotment plots now outnumber men for the first time. A recent study by Dr Tilly Collins and Ellen Fletcher of Imperial College London, found that in London almost two thirds of plots – 64% - are now occupied by women. The National Allotment Society estimates that half of holders nationally are now women - compared to just two percent in 1973. Dr Tilly Collins and allotment holders Irene O’Malley and Sonia Hyman, join Anita to discuss their appeal and why traditional allotments have become a very different kind of space where women want to relax and be self-sufficient.Anne

The US Presidential election results with Dr. Jeanne Morefield, Senior Lecturer in political theory at the University of Birmingham, and Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Washington, DC.A current storyline in Emmerdale is about a couple who decide to have a termination when their baby’s diagnosed with Down Syndrome. It’s a difficult decision for anyone, but some campaigners say expectant parents are routinely given outdated advice and encouraged to have a termination. Nicola Enoch who set up the support website Positive About Downs talks about her experiences and we hear from Jane Fisher who is the Director of ARC - Antenatal Results and Choices.Stella Dadzie is a teacher, writer, artist and education activist. In her new book, A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery & Resistance, she reveals the largely untold stories of women of African descent who, caught up in the horrors of over 400 years of slavery, were transported across the Atlantic to the sugar plantations of Jamaica and

Liz Brookes looks after her husband Mike, who has had vascular dementia and Chris Black cares for his wife, Helen, who has Picks disease, or Frontotemporal dementia. How have they coped during the pandemic? We also hear from Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs from Carers UK.Has the Covid crisis helped to usher in a future of flexible working? A new report from the campaign Flex Appeal says while that forced remote working during a pandemic is not the same as flexible working, there are lessons that can be learned from lockdown. Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka who co-founded Flex Appeal, and Louise Deverell-Smith who runs Daisy Chain, an online platform that matches flexible employers with flexible job-seekers discuss.As part of our new series on life and shoes, we speak to Carmen about her espadrilles her mother danced in decades ago. Josh suffered his first major depressive episode just before he was due to take his A levels. At university his mental health deteriorated further. Josh

In April we spoke to Liz Brookes who looks after her husband Mike, who has had vascular dementia and to Chris Black who cares for his wife, Helen, who has Picks disease, or Frontal Temperal dementia. How they are getting on six months later? Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs from Carers UK joins them.For blind or partially sighted women it is impossible to read visual results of a standard pregnancy test. The Royal National Institute for the Blind has designed a prototype for a tactile test which means the user can maintain their independence and privacy. Jane Garvey talks to the Chair of the RNIB Ellie Southwood.Leila and Sahand were both married to other people when they fell in love and had a child together. Adultery is a crime in Iran, fearing for their lives they fled their homeland for a safe life elsewhere. We speak to Leila and to the director Eva Mulvad who has made a documentary film ‘Love Child’ about their life over the last seven years.Women still make up only 24% of those

We’ve just started a second lockdown in England – with other parts of the United Kingdom also going through variations of the same. But what if you’re pregnant? What’s going through your mind and what are you concerned about? As the pandemic’s gone on, we’ve heard about women being on their own for scans, deliveries and sadly, miscarriages too. And an enquiry has just started into a rise in stillbirths over the last Lockdown. Chloe discusses the issues with Bertie Harlev-Lam, Executive Director for Professional Leadership at the RCM ,also a working midwife, and Jo Mountfield, Vice President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Southampton, and a consultant obstetrician at University Southampton Hospital. Has the Covid crisis helped to usher in a future of flexible working? A new report from the campaign Flex Appeal says while that forced remote working during a pandemic is not the same as flexible working, there are lessons that can be learned from lockdown. They have surveyed more th

Maggie O’Farrell’s first picture book for children is the story of a brave little girl who is visited by her snow angel in her time of need. The idea for the book grew out of a story Maggie told her own sick child in the back of an ambulance. Why are reassuring tales so crucial for children and adults in difficult times? This US election has been described as one of the most divisive US presidential elections in decades, pitting incumbent Republican Donald Trump against his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. We reflect on the results with USA Today columnist and CNN political & legal pundit, Sophia Nelson and Bronwen Maddox, Director of Institute for Government, previously foreign and US editor for the Times. How did North American women vote this time and with more women than ever standing for election, who are the winners and losers?How do you build your confidence when you’re at rock bottom? Whether you’ve had an illness, your partner has left you or you’re returning to work after having a baby, your sen

America goes to the polls today. It's predicted the women's vote will be key, particularly the suburban woman who came out for Trump in 2016 but 4 years on has changed her mind. We review the polls ahead of what is expected to be the biggest turn out in years. Johnny Depp has lost his libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a "wife beater". We talk to a Women's Rights organisation and look at the career implications for the 57 year old film star and his 34 year old ex wife Amber Heard. One group of self employed people we’ve not heard much about during the pandemic is sex workers. The coronavirus has spelt economic disaster for an industry which requires social contact and many are turning to online platforms like OnlyFans which allows them to sell photos and videos with a monthly subscription. Jane will be talking to Laura Watson from the Collective of English Prostitutes and the feminist writer Julie Bindel.And in our new series on life and shoes, we speak to Carmen about h

We may not be doing much holiday cruising in the pandemic but Jane McDonald known as ‘Queen of Cruise’ has a new album out ‘Cruising with Jane McDonald Vol 2’ featuring many well-known songs, all performed on her popular TV series of the same name. It’s been more than 20 years since she found fame as the stand out character from the BBC’s docusoap The Cruise - she joins Jane to talk performing, cruising, holidays and life out of the water. A new study, led by the Universities of Nottingham and Oxford, provides a more detailed picture on which women are at increased risk of breast cancer when using different HRT treatments. Dr Yana Vinogradova from the University of Nottingham, a lead investigator on the study, joins Jane to discuss the results.Shortly before Josiah was due to take A levels, he suffered his first major depressive episode. At the time neither he or his family had a clue what was happening. Nonetheless he scraped through his exams and in the autumn went to university as planned. At universit

Pottering can be described as keeping busy without a plan or purpose. We hear from a self-confessed potterer. She's life coach Sarah Longfield, and we also have Anna McGovern, who's written a book called Pottering: A Cure for Modern Life.Statistics pulled together by NHS digital tell us that more people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities are being admitted to hospital because of eating disorders. We hear from a parent whose daughter was recently diagnosed with an eating disorder and from Professor Sandeep Ranote who's a psychiatrist and expert on eating disorders. Concern over the state of our planet is at a record high but who holds the real power? We hear from Karen Shackleton the Founder of the Ilkley Clean River Campaign and Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of The Environment Agency.How do we ditch our shame? Comedian Grace Campbell has written a book called Amazing Disgrace. It's about growing up feeling shameful about sex. It's also about mental health and being jealous. She joins the psychothera

The Vendee Globe solo round the world sailing race is considered to be one of the toughest sporting competitions: 24,000 miles as the crow flies, no help, no stops and no turning back. This year out of 33 entries, six women are aiming to be on the start line on 8th November. We hear from three British women who are taking part.How do we ditch our shame? Comedian Grace Campbell has written a book, 'Amazing Disgrace', about growing up feeling shameful about sex, rejection, mental health and jealous tendencies. Grace and psychotherapist Gabrielle Rifkind join Jane to discuss how we can negotiate with ourselves, and work on getting rid of our shame.The femme fatale, the crazy cat lady, the girl next door – writer and performer Anneka Harry has come up with 50 tired tropes for women in her book, 'Lady Sidekick'. She’ll discuss how women have been pigeonholed for years into a handful of tired and basic characters, and how it’s now time for a change.In peace processes between 1992 and 2018, women represented only 3%

Author Victoria Hislop discusses her new novel ‘One August Night’, the long-anticipated sequel to her award-winning work, ‘The Island’. Why has she waited so long to revisit the hugely popular Cretan world and characters she created?It's the Women's FA Cup this weekend between Everton and Manchester City. Everton's Captain Danielle Turner and Jude Morris-King , volunteer Treasurer at the Man City Women Official Supporters Club talk to Paulette about what's it been like for the game under lock down and about the possible long-term impact of Covid-19 on the women’s game.Plus a study at the University of Cambridge, as part of the CanTest collaborative, has revealed that a blood test already available to GPs in the UK is more predictive of ovarian cancer than previously thought. We hear from Cancer Research UK’s head of early diagnosis Dr Jodie Moffat and science teacher Fiona who was diagnosed three years ago. And singer Charlotte Awbery tells us about her journey from waitressing to being a guest on the Elle

According to NHS Digital more people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities are being admitted to hospital because of eating disorders. Experts say problems should have been picked up much earlier, rather than getting to the point of going to hospital. We speak to a mother whose daughter has just started treatment and Professor Sandeep Ranote, who's a psychiatrist and expert on eating disorders.Most young people leave home gradually over a number of years, but for teenagers who've grown up in care it can be very different. They've often started to live independently by the age of 18 or even before that, and they' are vulnerable to homelessness, unemployment, criminality, poor mental-health, and having children early on. We hear from Ashlee and Emma who've been in care and are now supported by the charity Break. We also hear from Mark Riddell MBE, who's National Implementation Advisor for Care Leavers. What do young care leavers need to help them move into adulthood and what things work for them? S

Pottering - what exactly is it? And why should you make time for it? To discuss this most British of pastimes, Jane is joined by self-confessed potterer – life coach Sarah Longfield and Anna McGovern, author of Pottering: A Cure for Modern Life, who defines pottering as keeping herself busy but without a plan or a purpose. Caitlin McNamara, a former Hay Festival curator, claims she was attacked in February of this year whilst working on the inaugural Middle East festival, by Sheikh Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance in the United Arab Emirates cabinet and a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family. Now taking legal action in the UK, she joins Jane to explain why she has decided to make public the alleged assault. Baroness Helena Kennedy discusses the importance of this case.October is Black History Month. Reporter Olivia Cope spoke to two black female performance artists about their work and the influence this past year has had on their craft. Sophia Thakur has been holding free workshops over Zoom during lockdo

Poland's top court has ruled that abortions in cases of foetal abnormality are unconstitutional. Poland's abortion laws were already among the strictest in Europe but the Constitutional Tribunal's ruling will mean an almost total ban. Once the decision comes into effect, terminations will only be allowed in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother's health is at risk. We hear from Justyna Wydrzynska, who runs a group in Poland which gives information about abortion to women you want it.Public concern over the state of our planet is at a record high. But for all the targets and strikes and banning plastic straws, change still feels pretty slow. So what's the problem? Three women, who are suggestions for this year’s Woman’s Hour Power List, plus one of our judges, talks about the kind of power that brings about change, their own quests to make a difference, and how they keep going. We have Karen Shackleton, Sian Sutherland, Hil Berg and Emma Howard.

The Poor Clares of Arundel are a community of nuns. They've just released an album'Light for the World' described as 'traditional plainchant with added beats'. We hear from Sisters Leo & Sisters Aelread.What impact is Long Covid having on women’s lives, and where are we with treatment and support?How will the female vote impact the USA presidential elections? Melissa Milewski, a lecturer in American History at the University of Sussex and Dr Michell Chresfield Lecturer in United States History, at the University of Birmingham discuss. The number of women sleeping rough and living in temporary accommodation has risen. Katya Adler hears from Dame Louise Casey who, as “Homelesssness Tsar”, championed the “Everyone In” policy which got rough sleepers off the street and into temporary accommodation during the height of the pandemic and Petra Salva, the head of the Rough Sleepers Unit at the charity St. Mungos.Sister Bliss is a DJ, songwriter and electronic artist. She is perhaps best-known as a member of the

New research out this week suggests that 1 in 45 people who get COVID-19 will continue to be unwell after three months, even if their initial infection was mild. And, under the age of 50, it does seem that women are more likely to develop Long Covid than men. People with Long Covid report on-going symptoms including fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, problems concentrating - ‘brain fog’ - and heart palpitations, which leave them unable to work, look after their families or even get off the sofa. Support groups and campaigns to get recognition and treatment for this new and debilitating illness have sprung up – most of them led by women. Their efforts are now beginning to bear fruit, with among other things a network of Long Covid clinics recently announced for some parts of the UK. What more needs to be done? Jane is joined by a panel of experts and campaigners to hear from some of you about how Long Covid has changed your lives since March, and to discuss the latest developments. She speaks to -

Sister Bliss is a DJ, songwriter and one of Britain’s most iconic and long lasting female electronic artists. She is perhaps best-known as a member of the British electronic band Faithless. She joins Katya to talk about her thirty year career, going from the underground club scene to sell-out arena shows. Female deaths due to cocaine have risen by 26.5% in 2019, according to the ONS. Why is the number of women dying from cocaine use increasing so rapidly? The UK economy has taken a real hit during the pandemic with figures suggesting women with small business start ups in areas like beauty, leisure and hospitality being worst affected. But the crisis also seems to have spurred on many others to take the plunge and go out on their own. And Dr Polly Russell the lead curator of a major new exhibition Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights’ which opens at the British Library tells us how the work of contemporary feminist activists in the UK has its roots in the long and complex history of

The number of women sleeping rough has risen over the last decade and as the economic impact of Covid 19 takes hold, social policy advisers fear the situation could worsen. Female rough sleepers with their complex profile have it worse on the street, and in wider homelessness terms the number of lone women and women with children has soared in temporary accommodation. Katya Adler talks to Dame Louise Casey who, as “Homelesssness Tsar”, championed the “Everyone In” policy which got rough sleepers off the street and into temporary accommodation during the height of the pandemic and Petra Salva, the head of the Rough Sleepers Unit at the charity St. Mungos. A new film version of The Secret Garden is released on Friday. Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the book was first published in 1911 and is seen as a classic of English children’s literature. But the story of the author behind the book is far less well known and utterly fascinating. Katya Adler is joined by Ann Thwaite, whose biography of Frances Hodg