Woman's Hour

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

We mark the centenary of women being able to enter the legal profession. Cherie Booth QC, Dana Denis-Smith founder of the First 100 years, Abi Silver a former associate at a city law firm and now a legal consultant, Beth Collette who's a barrister in her second year of tenancy talk about what it's like for women in the profession now - how far we've come and what more needs to be done.Mari Takayanagi a Senior Archivist at the Houses of Parliament tells us about the The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 and the changes it brought in and the pioneering women who worked so hard to open up the profession to women.Plus we look at what it's like to be a female magistrate We hear from former magistrate Katherine McMahon and Jacqui MacDonald who's currently serving as a magistrate in the Central and North London area as well as being Trustee at Magistrates AssociationPresenter Andrea Catherwood Producer Beverley PurcellGuest; Cherie Booth QC Guest; Dana Denis-Smith Guest; Abi Silver Guest; Be

We find out about the so-called Merry Widows of Champagne as well as the women making champagne today. Francoise Peretti, Director of Champagne Bureau UK and Joanna Simon, drinks journalist tell us more. We hear about the difficulties of being autistic and pregnant from an anonymous listener and from Lana Grant a mother with Asperger’s who's the author of From Here to Maternity: Pregnancy and Motherhood on the Autism Spectrum. Are beauty pageants still OK in 2019? To discuss is Salma Haidrani, a journalist who documented her experiences as a contestant in Miss England 2018s, Leanne Levers who's a political scientist and the journalist, Tanya Gold.Since the election last week more than 1000 women have signed up to 50:50 Parliament, registering their interest in standing as an MP. We discuss why with Lucrece Grehoua who's signed up herself and Frances Scott who set up 50:50.Single at Christmas? How do you feel about it? We talk about the benefits of the single life as well as festive dating trends with the jo

Jo March has been an inspiration for many women over the 150 years since Louisa May Alcott’s 'Little Women' was first published in 1869. Greta Gerwig is the director of the latest film version, to be released on Boxing Day - and it's already been highly praised, Greta talks about her life-long love for the character of Jo and her passion for bringing her to the big screen. Marlene Hobsbawm and Ursula Owen have recently published their memoirs, Meet Me in Buenos Aires and Single Journey Only. Both women are in their eighties and both were born to Jewish emigres families who settled in England before the Second World War. They both married at a young age, by the standards of today, to men on the political left. Both loved music and both adored their children. But, there are also significant differences. Marlene was married to one man for 50 years. Ursula had many significant relationships. Work and feminism played a large part in Ursula’s life. Marlene established her music career much later on. They join Je

Since last week's Election, a thousand women have signed up with 50:50 Parliament to register their interest in standing as an MP next time. What's inspiring them to get involved ?For the last five years, Annie Norman has been on a mission to make women more visible in the wargaming world. She tells us about the inspiration behind her latest collection of minitures.Professor Usha Goswami, an expert on children’s language development on how much babies understand, and why rhythm so important for developing language skills.And if keeping up with all the festive celebrations is getting too much, tips on how to avoid "social burnout".Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Beverley PurcellGuest; Professor Usha Goswami Guest; Annie Norman Guest; Frances Scott, Guest; Lucrece Grehoua Guest; Olivia Petter Guest; Louise Tyler.

Champagne goes with Christmas! So who are the women behind the big brands, past and present? We're talking to Françoise Peretti, Director of the Champagne Bureau UK, as well as Joanna Simon. drinks journalist.Nurses in Northern Ireland are on strike today and over 90% of nurses there are women. They're on strike to get the same pay as colleagues in other parts of the UK and get better staffing levels. But Northern Ireland's healthcare system is in trouble and 300,000 people are waiting to see a consultant according to figures from the Department of Health. We hear from Rita Devlin from the RCN in Belfast.We're looking at pregnancy and early motherhood if you have autism. One of our listeners got in touch explaining how hard the whole experience can be. We hear her story and then speak to Lana Grant, who's a mother of six and also has autism. She advises midwives on how to help pregnant mums with autism, like our listener.And Part 3 of our series on Amsterdam's Red Light District.

People with ADHD are more likely to have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for healthy brain function. This led to fish oils being tested as a possible treatment - but results have been very mixed. Consultant psychiatrist Prof Carmine Pariante from King's College London talks to Jane Garvey about why they work for some people and not others. She's also joined by Prof Ilina Singh of Oxford University, who reveals what children with ADHD think about using medication to control their symptoms.

Worzel Gummidge is back this Christmas with a remake of the classic books by Barbara Euphan Todd. Vicki Pepperdine - star of ‘Getting On’ and podcast ‘Dear Joan and Jericha’ - plays the fairground doll Aunt Sally. But this is a very different character from the rosy-cheeked femme fatale made famous by Una Stubbs. How has the story been updated for the modern day? What’s it like to spend hours having your head wrapped in latex? And what’s the attraction to playing female roles that defy expectation?For the first time, five major beauty pageants - Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA - have been won by black women. People around the world have seen this as a milestone in representation. But are beauty pageants still relevant and necessary in 2019? And can these competitions be feminist? Salma Haidrani is a journalist who documented her experiences as a contestant in Miss England’s 2018 heats. Tanya Gold is a journalist at the Guardian. Leanne Levers is a political scientist.There

Being single at Christmas – do you love it or loathe it? And what does it mean to be “marleyed” or “scrooged”? We discuss embracing singledom and festive dating trends with journalist Lizzie Cernik and dating expert Rachael Lloyd. Finland’s new government is young and led by women. Last week, Sanna Marin was sworn into office, making her the world's youngest prime minister at the age of 34. She will lead a centre-left coalition with four other parties, all headed by women, three of whom are under 35. We hear from Li Andersson, the Finnish Minister of Education. And journalist Ndela Faye and Emilie Gardberg, Director of the Finnish Institute join us in the studio to discuss. ADHD is a common disorder that affects around one in twenty children. Previous research has shown that children with ADHD are more likely to be deficient in omega-3, but there was conflicting evidence that taking fish oils could help symptoms – until now. Prof Carmine Pariante from King’s College London talks about his latest study, and Pr

The artist Alison Lapper talks about her latest exhibition featuring a painting of her son Parys who died this summer aged just 19.Why is there a shortage of HRT in the UK? The investigative journalist Emma Hartley who writes for the online magazine Tortoise told us what she has discovered.The first British astronaut Helen Sharman, Dr Varsha Jain, a gynaecological researcher interested in the impact of spaceflight and zero gravity on the human body, and Liz Seward, a senior space strategist at Airbus, discuss the future of women in space.We hear about the case involving Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been defending her country against allegations of genocide at the UN International Court of Justice in the Hague. Our correspondent in The Hague Anna Holligan tells us the latest.How should parents talk to teenagers about losing their virginity? Flo Perry the author of How to have Feminist Sex and Rachel Fitzsimmons, the sex educator and lecturer in sexual health at the University of Lancashire discus

What does the result of the 2019 General Election mean for women? What do we know about how women voted yesterday and what do we know about those women who were elected? We discuss the winners and losers – and how the result will shape the issues that women are affected by in the next parliament with Sarah Childs, Professor of Politics and Gender at Birkbeck, University of London; Alice Thomson, Associate Editor at The Times; Ash Sarkar, Contributing Editor Novara Media and, Dr Rosalind Shorocks, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester. Back in August Woman’s Hour talked about the current shortage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and what you should you do if your normal supply of HRT tablets, skin patches or gels is unavailable. Investigative journalist, Emma Hartley, decided to find out for Tortoise Media why the shortage existed and why it predominantly affects the UK. She joins Jane to explain what she discovered. And Singin’in The Rain, An American In Paris, On The Town - all those tec

How should you talk to your teenagers about losing their virginity? How do you even approach the topic with them? Jenni Murray is joined by Flo Perry, the author of ‘How to have Feminist Sex’, and Rachel Fitzsimmons, sex educator and lecturer in sexual health at the University of Central Lancashire. They have plenty of tips on how to have these often difficult conversations when the time is right.

To many Elizabeth I was only ever a kingless Queen, an unmarried woman and a childless virgin. To others she was a political mastermind, a monarchic powerhouse and a resolute survivor. Playwright, Ella Hickson's talks about her new take on the Queen in her play Swive, now on stage at the Sam Wannamaker theatre in London. How do women in power negotiate patriarchal pressure in order to get their way?How do you as a parent talk to your teenagers about losing their virginity? Flo Perry author of 'How To Have Feminist Sex' and Rachel Fitzsimmons, sex educator and lecturer in sexual health at the University of Central Lancashire with advice and tips on how to navigate the conversation. Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been defending her country against allegations of genocide at the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague. The latest from our Correspondent Anna Holligan. Thousands of parents are turning to so called "BabyBanks" to feed and clothe their children. They work in exactly the same way as a

What is the future of spaceflight? In October, the first all-female spacewalk was conducted by Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, as they made repairs to the exterior of the International Space Station. As space missions become easier to conduct, the novelty of an all-female astronaut team will wear off. But there are still some barriers to women astronauts. To discuss the importance of diversity in space, Jane speaks to the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman, who visited Mir, the Russian space station, in 1991. Alongside Helen is Dr Varsha Jain, a gynaecological researcher interested in the physiological impact of spaceflight and zero gravity on human physiology, and Liz Seward a senior space strategist at Airbus discussing when humanity will colonise the moon and when the first woman will set foot on Mars. Femke Halsema is Amsterdam’s first female mayor and she says she wants to make sex work in the red light district safer. The plan is to crack down on human trafficking and the humiliation women working

You’ll probably know Alison Lapper. There used to be a huge marble statue of her in Trafalgar Square and it showed her 8 months pregnant, with no arms and short legs. That’s because Alison has a condition called phocomelia. This summer her son, Parys, died. He was 19, and had been struggling with mental health problems and drugs. Alison is an artist and she has an exhibition on right now. One of her pictures is of her son, but that wasn't the intention, she says, when she was painting it.It's International Human Rights Day. We're focusing on the women and girls in migrant camps in Greece, where conditions are dangerous and risky. Sexual harassment and gender-based violence are problems as well as food and water shortages and poor sanitation. Hillary Margolis of Human Rights Watch has been there recently.Poet and novelist Helen Mort has written a story called Weaning. It's part of an anthology called The Book of Sheffield. It's about a mother who stops breastfeeding and the impact it has on her mental health.

With the recent gang rape and brutal murder of a young woman in India, and news this week of another woman being set alight on her way to give evidence at her rape trial, we consider the longstanding issue of sexual violence again women in the country. In 1979 divers were working hard, excavating the contents of Mary Rose, Henry VIII's war ship. Over the next 3 years more than 19,000 artefacts were brought to the surface. Forty years on, we speak to one of the divers, Dr Alexzandra Hildred, who went on to become Head of Research at the Mary Rose Trust. How can you have a green Christmas if you're on a budget? We discuss eco and budget friendly ways to gift, decorate and socialise. The first in our series about eminent women scientists: Medical pioneer, Dame Janet Vaughan whose wartime research saw advances in treatments of blood transfusion, starvation, radiation and anaemia. She later held the position of Principal of Somerville College, Oxford for over 20 years and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Soci

The U.N. Secretary-General issued a dire warning this week. He said that the international effort to stop climate change has been “utterly inadequate.” What are you doing to have a greener Christmas when it comes to the food you eat? Are you considering a more sustainable alternative to turkey for Christmas lunch? We hear from the food writer and campaigner, Jack Monroe, the journalist, Nina Pullman and Jenny Costa from Rubies in the Rubble.The President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Professor Lesley Regan, is calling for a bold approach to transform women’s health services. She tells us about her ambitions.Dr Jessica Wade, a British physicist, tells us why she's made it her mission to include more women in Wikipedia. She's added pages for more than 800 women in STEM and tells us about some of the obstacles she's faced.Four leading women politicians debate the ongoing problem of child poverty in the UK. We hear from Helen Whately from the Conservatives, Laura Pidcock from Labour,