Woman's Hour

When Meghan Markle entered the Royal Family it was seen by many as the dawning of a new age, a breath of fresh air.Less than three years later the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced their wish to ‘step back’,We want to hear your thoughts. Do you think their announcement was outrageous or an inevitable consequence given the treatment of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex?What impact will her ‘stepping back’ have on the Royal Family?The number to phone is 03700 100 444. Lines open at 0900.

What impact did the Profumo Affair have on the woman at its centre Christine Keeler? We hear an interview she did with Jenni in 2001 and Baroness Joan Bakewell and Professor Kate Williams discuss the attitudes to Christine Keeler at the time and how they have changed now.We hear why women are at particular risk when it comes to experiencing a concussion. We hear from Dr Willie Stewart the Head of Glasgow Brain Indury Research Group and from Samantha Ainsworth who has post-concussion syndrome.Professor Helen Taylor tells us why women are the main readers of fiction.The government’s official advisers on youth justice are calling for a full review of the age of criminal responsibility. We hear why there are calls for it to be raised from ten years old to twelve. Dr Eileen Vizard a consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Louise King the Director of Policy and Campaigns for Just for Kids Law.Are you a snowplough parent? Are you guilty of doing your child’s homework so that they don’t experience failure? R

Back in 2018 we had a series called How Fat Feels. It included 16 year old Phoebe who told us how she felt about her body and how her weight has affected her as a teenager. Today Phoebe joins Jane in the studio to listen back to that interview and reflect on how she is now.The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative was first championed by Lord Hague and Angelina Jolie in 2014. This week's review by the Independent Commission of Aid Impact says that it's been “valuable & worthwhile” but its fallen short. Baroness Arminka Helic, who was part of the Initiative from the start, joins Jane to discuss.Rosamund Lupton has brought out a new thrllier. It's called Three Hours and is about a school shooting in rural Somerset. As the minutes count down, the adults and children involved refuse to let evil win and look after each other instead. Rosamund Lupton explains how and why she chose to explore such a distressing story from all angles and perspectives.

BBC One drama series The Trial of Christine Keeler is an imaginative reappraisal of the 1960s scandal known as the Profumo Affair. It's told from her perspective and the impact a series of powerful men had on the teenage girl. We hear archive of Christine Keeler talking to Woman’s Hour in 2001. And, Baroness Joan Bakewell and Professor Kate Williams discuss attitudes to Keeler at the time and changes in sexual politics since 1963. New research out today reveals that women in the UK have much poorer sexual health than men. But many of the groups identified in the study – including those with sexual dysfunction and low desire - are often being missed by existing sexual health services. We look at what's happening and why. Fifteen per cent of UK farmers are women. When it comes to Black or ethnic minority farmers, numbers are hard to pin down - and it seems there’s a similar lack of diversity in farming and food production in America. Leah Penniman is a Black woman who describes herself as an activist farmer. Sh

We’ve heard of the helicopter mum. Now here comes the snowplough. That’s the term used to describe an overprotective parent who clears anything in their path in order to ensure their child’s success. But what does this behaviour do to a child? Jenni is joined by Rebecca Glover, Principal of Surbiton High School who has created a TedX Talk ‘Do Snowplough parents remove true grit?’ and Dr Angharad Rudkin, a child psychologist.

Reynhard Sinaga has been identified this week as ‘Britain’s most prolific rapist’. He was convicted of 159 counts of sex offences including 136 rapes, against 48 male victims and will serve a minimum of 30 years in prison. Police believe there may have been up to 200 victims. According to research 1 in 6 men have been targets of rape or sexual abuse. To discuss the issue of male rape and the support available to victims, Jenni is joined by Alex Feis-Bryce, CEO of SurvivorsUK and Neil Henderson, CEO of Safeline and Chair of Male Survivors Partnership. In our series’ How Fat Feels’ back in 2018 Mellisa talked honestly to our reporter Ena Miller about why she insists on calling herself fat and how her weight shapes her life. ‘Some days I use my fat as armour, some days it’s like a shroud’ she said then. Today Mellisa joins Jenni to listen to that interview again and consider how she feels now about her body. We’ve heard of the helicopter mum. Now here comes the snowplough. That’s the term used to describe an

Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial begins in New York today – two years after the first allegations against him were made public. .The Hollywood film producer who’s 67- faces five charges of rape and sexual assault involving two women. He’s pleaded not guilty. Dozens of other women have made allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against Weinstein since the publication of revelations in the New York Times in October 2017. He denies any non-consensual sex. Amanda Taub is a writer for the New York Times.In May 2018 we put out a call to our listeners, asking How Does Fat Feel? Ena Miller interviewed three of the dozens of listeners who got in touch. A woman we are calling Jules described herself as fat and said that as she got bigger her life got smaller. Her low self esteem was having an impact on her marriage and her general health was poor. Today 'Jules' joins Jane to listen again to that interview and to talk about how she feels now.Practising mindfulness can calm parents and children alike, according

Having to leave a child's bedside when they're being cared for in hospital can be a huge wrench. To help reduce the separation anxiety, a third of neonatal units in the UK are now using an app that helps parents stay in touch with their premature babies 24 hours a day. Doctors and nurses can send photos and video updates to parents when they can't be with their baby in hospital. So far, around five thousand families have used the service. Emma Barnett talks to Katharine Da Costa - a reporter for BBC South and Consultant Obstetrician Dr Maggie Blott.This year saw an unprecedented number of women winning major awards and prizes. What does being a winner feel like, and is it always good to win? Jenni Murray hears from the writer Edna O'Brien who won the David Cohen Prize for Literature. The award celebrates a writer who has broken down social and sexual barriers for women in Ireland and beyond, and moved mountains both politically and lyrically through her writing.Christmas is steeped in all sorts of tradition

The word ‘concussion’ might sound like a benign knock to the head but it can have lasting consequences. Women are particularly at risk. With all else being equal, women are two to three times more likely to experience a concussion, will have worse symptoms and take longer to recover. Dr Willie Stewart from Glasgow University has been trying to find out why – but has been hampered by the lack of female brains available to study. He’s now asking women to consider donating their brains in the name of science and understanding how sex differences affect the outcome and treatment of traumatic brain injury. Jane is also joined by Samantha Ainsworth, who talks about her experience of post-concussion syndrome. Back in October we spoke to the anti-abortion group who put up graphic posters of aborted foetuses in the constituency of the MP Stella Creasy. At the time she was heavily pregnant. The same group, called CBR UK, is now planning regular anti-abortion demonstrations at Cardiff University. They've had three of th

Last weekend Lucy Edwards made history when she became the first blind person to present on Radio 1. How did she begin her career in broadcasting?After a six year battle, Charles Keidan and Rebecca Steinfeld were finally able, as a heterosexual couple, to opt for a civil partnership. They talk about how their campaign began and their plans for their future.The power of the habit that’s become entrenched. How do habits form and how easy are they to break? Author Catherine Gray on her latest book – the Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary. Plus, as the Teenage Cancer Trust reveals that nearly thirty per cent of the young people who need to be treated don’t have any discussion about the impact it might have on their fertility we ask; What difference can such a discussion make? And we look at one of the big issues of the new decade, social care.Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Rosie Stopher Editor Beverley PurcellGuest; Catherine Gray Guest; Lucy Edwards Guest; Charles Keidan Guest; Rebecca Steinfeld Guest;

Tracking apps can share a friend or loved ones location with you at all times, so you always know where they are. So it's little wonder that some parents see them as an easy way to keep tabs on their teenagers. But does it stop them becoming independent? And can it ruin trust in your relationship with your children? In this week's Woman's Hour Parenting Podcast, we hear from two different perspectives. Debby Penton tells Jenni Murray why she uses location tracking apps to keep track of where her kids are, while Nicola Morgan explains why she has some concerns about the technology

Young children may know they can deceive others but their first lies are often more humorous than effective. Imagine the child who claims not to have eaten any cake while her mouth is still full, or who blames the family dog for drawing on the wall. But is lying actually an important sign other cognitive skills are also developing? As a child matures how does the nature and motivation behind lying change? And is it ever a cause for concern? Consultant child and educational psychologist, Laverne Antrobus explains.What is it like to have to care for young children or the elderly while facing the bushfires and extreme heat in Australia? The Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria are currently being ravaged by bushfires and temperatures exceeded 40C in every state and territory at the start of the week. How do you look after the vulnerable in such a difficult situation? On Monday’s phone-in we talked about making and breaking habits. A review of the available international research and research at the

The Children’s Commissioner for England says that we need an urgent review of the care system. She is concerned that around 30,000 children in care are living miles away from friends and family, while others are living in unregulated and inadequate placements. Anne Longfield explains what she thinks needs to be done. Cancer treatment can have an impact on fertility, but a recent survey by the Teenage Cancer Trust suggests that nearly a third of young people did not have a discussion about their fertility before starting treatment. We speak to 18 year old, Ellie Waters who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer aged 14, Dr Louise Soanes, a Teenage Cancer Trust Nurse Consultant for Adolescents and Young People and Professor Pamela Kearns, a Consultant Paediatric Oncologist. Elsie Widdowson was one of the British dietitians responsible for overseeing the government-mandated addition of vitamins to food and wartime rationing in Britain during World War II. Dr Venki Ramakrishnan the President of the Royal Socie

As we stand at the start of a new decade we look at three key issues that will shape women’s lives in the 2020s. And we hear some big ideas on how things could change.How do we tackle the crisis in social care in the next decade? Given the fundamental caring roles women perform in households, what new ways of thinking about and valuing care work might help find solutions?In women’s health - are we getting access to the right treatments and diagnosis? With the growing visibility of conditions such as endometriosis, so long down played as 'women’s troubles', we’ll ask what treatments and drugs are getting funded and why. How could science and medicine better serve women?What does the workplace of the future need to look like for women, and how do we get there? Our guests are Kate Raworth, a self-described renegade economist, the sciences author Angela Saini, GP and Clinical Director of PatientAccess.com, Dr Sarah Jarvis, and the writer and activist Beatrix Campbell.Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Helen Fitzhe

Civil partnerships have been in place for same-sex couples since December 2005 but as of today they're open to mixed sex couples. We hear from the campaigners, Rebecca Steinfield and Charles Keidan who first appeared on the programme nearly six years ago after they announced their intention to be civilly married in the Jewish Chronicle. Since then they've fought to be able to legally register their union. We hear from them today as they are finally able to become civil partners in the eyes of the law.Yesterday a 19 year-old woman was found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Ayia Napa in Cyprus. She withdrew her allegation after a lengthy late night interrogation by police during which no lawyer was present. She will be sentenced next week. Women’s groups and criminal justice campaigners have expressed their concerns about the police investigation, and the judge's handling of her case. Joan Smith explains her concerns about the conviction and what is likely to happen next. Sue Elliott Nicholls ha

How do you build healthy habits that you actually enjoy? How do you undo habits that have been bugging you for a life time? We want to hear from you about the decisions and actions you make every day that form the fabric of your life. Do you want to take more exercise, stop eating so much chocolate, stop shouting at your children? Would you like to stop procrastinating, bingeing on box sets and biting your nails? How about reading more books, being nicer to your partner and going to bed on time? We want to hear from you about your successes and failures in making and undoing habits. And if you’re looking for guidance Heather McKee, a behaviour change specialist, will be on hand with evidence-based strategies and advice. Phone lines are open from 0800 on Monday. The number to call is 03700 100 444. You can email now via the Woman's Hour Website.Presenter: Jane Garvey Interviewed guest: Heather McKee Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

The Star Wars saga, which started in 1977, has come to an end with the release of Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker. How has the representation of women changed, throughout the generations, in one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all time? Anna Smith is a film critic and host of the feminist film podcast Girls on Film. Victoria Upton is a member of the Norwich Star Wars Fan Club. Gabriella Geisinger is the deputy movies editor at Digital Spy.Is your pelvic floor too tight? What are the signs, what are the causes and what exercises can you do to help? Emma speaks to Maggie Blott, a consultant obstetrician at the Royal Free Hospital and Marta Kinsella, pelvic health and rehabilitation physiotherapist. For a second time, we visit Northern Ireland's second city Londonderry - the setting for the hit TV Channel 4 comedy. Reporter, Kathleen Carragher meets four ‘real life’ teenage 'Derry Girls'. They talked about a range of issues from changes to the law on abortion and equal marriage to why Nadine Coyle’s prese

This year saw an unprecedented number of women winning major awards and prizes. What does being a winner feel like, and is it always good to win? Jenni Murray hears from the writer Edna O'Brien who won the David Cohen Prize for Literature. The award celebrates a writer who has broken down social and sexual barriers for women in Ireland and beyond, and moved mountains both politically and lyrically through her writing. She also hears from Khadijah Mellah who won the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood, and is the Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year; Natasha Benjamin who won the Lorraine Inspirational Woman of the Year Award for her work supporting children affected by domestic violence; the educator and disability activist Sinead Burke who has achondroplasia and is on the BBC 100 Women list as one of most inspiring and influential women in the world; and Laura Smith who won this year’s Funny Women Stage Award.Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor

Christmas is steeped in all sorts of tradition – but it’s not just trees, tinsel and turkey. Many families have their own festive rituals and the mere idea of doing things differently would make it feel… well, just not like Christmas. But why do we get so hung up on doing Christmas a certain way - even if it doesn't make us happy? What is it about human psychology that makes tradition so attractive? And if your family festivities make you want to run away and hide, what’s the best way to break the cycle?Jenni Murray talks to Dr Cristine Legare from the University of Texas at Austin about why rituals are an inevitable part of being human, and also to listeners about their stories of change at Christmas - including starting new traditions with a baby and the family forced to break tradition thanks to a kitchen fire and a large dog...If there’s one thing that most people expect on Christmas Day, it’s a Christmas dinner. From turkey and pigs in blankets to brussels sprouts and bread sauce it's a meal that many co

2019 has been another eventful year in Northern Ireland's second city, Londonderry. There was the shocking murder of the young journalist Lyra McKee, shot by dissident republicans and as a border city it's been at the heart of the Brexit debate. The Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont is still deadlocked over power-sharing. On a lighter note, it has also basked in the success of the second series of the hit Channel 4 TV comedy series, Derry Girls - the raucous misadventures of a group of teenagers growing up in the 90s. So what do 'real' Derry girls, from both communities, make of the past year in their city? Kathleen Carragher spoke to four Derry women who are contemporaries of TV’s Derry Girls - they were teenagers in the 90’s The actress and writer Joanna Scanlan is known for Thick of It, Getting On, No Offence Puppy Love and most recently The Accident. Her latest role is as Mother Superior in the BBC’s new adaptation of Dracula. She joins Jenni to discuss. Christmas is upon us and whilst many of us