Woman's Hour

Shohreh Bayat, an Iranian chess referee, has caused controversy this week having been accused of not wearing a hijab at the current Women’s World Chess Championship. The wearing of the headscarf is mandatory in her country and despite disagreeing with the rule she claims she was complying. We hear from Shohreh. How worried is she about returning to Iran? And BBC correspondent, Sarah Rainsford explains her situation.On the bicentenary of Anne Brontë’s birth, screenwriter Sally Wainwright (To Walk Invisible) and Anne Brontë biographer, Adelle Hay (Author of Anne Brontë: Reimagined) discuss Anne’s most famous work 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall', and why it is now considered one of the first feminist novels. The latest statistics suggest young British people are having less sex than ever before. Could this be because it can be so hard to be open about what we like, and what we want, from sex? Do our gender expectations make it particularly hard for straight men to admit they like a submissive role in sex? What about when the sexual act itself comes with elements of stigma or taboo - like anal play? We discuss how straight men can talk about sexual desire with female partners and why this matters. Shakira ‘Scotty’ Scott is an erotic romance author and blogger. Habeeb Akande is a sexual well-being educator. Matthew is 30 and has been married for two years.Francesca Wade has written a group biography about five exceptional women – the modernist poet, H.D., the detective novelist, Dorothy L Sayers, the classicist Jane Harrison, the economic historian Eileen Power and the writer and publisher Virginia Woolf. They all lived at different times in the same London square. She discusses with Jenni the struggles these women faced to live, love and above all, work independently in the early 20th century.Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Shohreh Bayat Photographer: Misha Friedman Interviewed Guest: Sarah Rainsford Interviewed Guest: Sally Wainwright Interviewed Guest: Adelle Hay Interviewed Guest: Shakira ‘Scotty’ Scott Interviewed Guest: Habeeb Akande Interviewed Guest: Francesca Wade

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? In this week's Woman's Hour Parenting Podcast, Jenni Murray speaks to consultant child and educational psychologist, Laverne Antrobus.

A report on child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester says police and social workers were aware and failed to protect victims fifteen years ago. We hear from Maggie Oliver, the former detective who blew the whistle on the failure to tackle grooming gangs in Rochdale, why she thinks little has changed in that time and why prosecutions must follow. When she turned 60, bass player Alison Rayner formed a jazz band. She also set up Blow the Fuse, an organisation to support women musicians. Alison talks about her choice of instrument, why it’s never too late to take up music and the reaction she gets from her audience. Professor Joanna Bourke looks at the history of ideas about the breast from beauty to age and function to sexual pleasure. She also discusses what happens when we turn our attention to the male breast.And, in Flora Shedden’s new book Aran, each chapter follows a day in the life of the bakery of the same name which is located below the highlands of Scotland. She joins Jenni in the studio with Granny Joan’s and Angus’ shortbread.Presenter: Jenni Murry Producer: Ruth Watts

You might have seen a striking picture this week of the two top women in Northern Ireland facing four men in suits. The women are the First Minister, Arlene Foster from the DUP and Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill from Sinn Fein. The new Assembly has more female politicians that ever, so what does this say about how Northern Ireland is changing?New books and apps help you track your periods and find out when you're on top form and when you're not. But it is true that we can work our life around your hormones if we understand our cycle? Jenni's joined by Dr Emma Ross, Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport and Maisie Hill, author of Period Power. Is mourning a friend different from mourning for someone in the family? You're expected to be very sad when a family member dies but grieving for a friend can be seen as ‘too much’. It can also be complicated, especially if you knew them in a different way to how their family did. When friends of our own age die it can bring up all sorts of tricky emotions. Sue Elliott-Nicholls, who knows what it's like to grieve for friends and family, reports. ‘Mixed-weight dating’ is a term used to describe a couple with a noticeable difference in body size or shape. Some people see it as a straight-forward description of the couple but others say the phrase is offensive. Steph Yeboah is a plus-size and body positive lifestyle blogger. Ebony Douglas is the CEO of her own marketing and PR agency - and has been in a relationship like this for three years.

Today we look at under-18 access to procedures carried out at cosmetic clinics. A listener contacted us to voice her concern over the way these places are regulated because, in the last 18 months, her daughter who is now 17 has accessed more than 20 clinics for around 30 procedures. She was never asked to prove her age despite being asked to sign paperwork saying she is over 18. We hear from our listener and Miss Caroline Payne, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a member of British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.Five candidates have secured backing from 22 MPs or MEPs, to see their names go on the ballot to become the next Labour leader. The names of four women and a man will go forward: Rebecca Long Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry and Keir Starmer. After the Conservative Party selected its second woman Prime Minister many senior Labour politicians have insisted that the next Labour leader must be a woman. But does it need to be a woman who can win back the women voters the party lost? What do women voters want to hear from the next Labour leader? And is it a problem if the party fails to select a woman once again?We’ve had a phenomenal response to our interview last week about women and concussion. Dr Priyanka Pradhan - a Woman’s Hour listener and consultant neuropsychologist at St George’s Hospital in London – got in touch to share her expertise in managing concussion and post-concussion syndrome. Jane also reads out a selection of your emails. We speak to the heads of the UK's only two women’s housing associations - Zaiba Qureshi, Chief Executive of Housing for Women and Denise Fowler, Chief Executive of Women’s Pioneer Housing - about how central the issue of housing was to women’s suffrage campaigns, and whether the housing needs of women have changed much since then.Presenter - Jane Garvey Producer - Anna Lacey Voice actor - Heather Craney Guest - Caroline Payne Guest - Jenny Chapman Guest - Yasmin Qureshi Guest - Dr Priyanka Pradhan Guest - Zaiba Qureshi Guest - Denise Fowler

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? Rebecca Glover is the Principal of Surbiton High School and Dr Angharad Rudkin is a child psychologist discuss.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Karen Dalziel

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. She opened a community farm called Soul Fire Farm in New York State, aiming to provide better quality food for people on low incomes. She talks about her new book, Farming While Black. Alice Guy-Blache was a pioneering French filmmaker. In 1896 she wrote, produced and directed one of the first narrative films ever made. She created more than 1,000 films during her 20-year career and ran her own studio, yet her contribution to the birth of cinema has largely been largely forgotten. Pamela B Green spent 8 years researching her story, resulting in the documentary film ‘Be Natural’, and joins us to discuss her work. Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Ruth Watts

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.