Woman's Hour

The playwright and activist Eve Ensler talks about her book The Apology an imagined letter from her father apologising to her for sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Does what you wear to work matter? We discuss exactly who determines work dress codes with the brand and image consultant Isabel Spearman, Helen McCarthy – who lectures in early modern history at Cambridge University, Magdalene Abraha, the group editorial manager at a publishing company, Lindsey Bauer who’s is a teacher at Colyton Grammar school in Devon, Viv Groskop the comedian, writer and author of How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking, and Uma Creswell who runs her own business and is vice president of the City Women Network. As the final series of Mum airs on BBC2 – we examine the character Pauline and ask why so many British sit coms and novels centre around women who are obsessed with status. We hear from critic and journalist Alex Clark and from Julia Raeside the broadcaster and television critic. We discuss myths about sexual desire: why do so many women want more pleasure and how do they get it? Dr Wednesday Martin is the author of Untrue: why nearly everything we believe about women and lust and infidelity is untrue and how the new science can set us free. Fran Bushe is a playwright and comedian with a show called Ad Libido. Professor Kimberle Crenshaw talks about the term intersectionality: why she first used it in 1989 and its continued importance today. What’s it like coming out to your parents? We hear from Amelia Abraham the author of Queer Limitations, from Riyadh Khalaf who's written Yay! You’re Gay! Now What? and from Amelia's stepmum Tessa. Why has the white plimsoll become such a desirable piece of footwear? Hannah Rochelle the author of En Brogue and Dr Thomas Turner the author of The Sports Shoe – A History from Field to Fashion tell us more. Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow