Anyone listening to Woman's Hour? (Weds 14/6)

[WinterTrees]

My radio is on, but the signal keeps dipping in and out (often does this in hot weather for some reason) and I wasn't concentrating properly. It seems to be a discussion about the rise of the anti-abortion movement, and the role of the far right in this.

The young interviewee (Sian someone, I think, but I didn't catch her full name) has just brought in the general rise of 'wokeism' and the 'culture war' around LGBTQ+ issues as being part of the problem. She cited the push back against Drag Queen Story Hour as an example of this far right influence, and then circled seamlessly back to abortion, with no challenge at all from Nuala McGovern.

I didn't hear it properly and will listen again when it becomes available. I'm hoping that I've misunderstood, and the BBC's flagship women's programme was not promoting the narrative that women who object to pornified men breaching safeguarding best practice and blurring children's perception of appropriate boundaries are dangerous far-right zealots. Did anyone else hear it?

One positive thing about the interview with Alice is her explaining the invidious position her Mum was in. Her Mum has picked up a considerable amount of criticism about how she should have ended her 16 year old daughter's grooming.

Very good item

It's awful but I think that's unlikely given the nature of his conduct. I don't suppose RB has much recall of names.

I could have done without Trinny, but the rest was excellent. Welcome back Emma! Hope to see you on Newsnight soon as well.

There are still some cracking good programmes on R4. The life scientific, more or less, money box, seriously, etc . Don’t give up on it.
I too have gone off women’s hour - I think Anita did it for me when she pitched up with talking about the programme as a “show” as if she was up for airless entertainment rather than serious debates and investigations. I like Anita on Tv, but she’s pants at WH. The sad thing is that she is now better than Nuala- she just seems bored and half hearted , and the topics are just a bit dull now.

I heard Life Changing last night and I'm glad I didn't switch off.

Just listened. Oh my goodness!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001lyp1

Quite. Jaw-dropping. What an incredibly brave man.

I find myself slightly in disagreement with the majority here. Emma Barnett is certainly a fantastic journalist but I occasionally find her slightly grating.

In the first item with the author EB was very 'matey' and was literally guffawing along with her in a way that was drawing herself (EB) too far into the story. I understand it was chosen as a first item to introduce EB back to the listeners with a story relevant to her experience but still, I feel Jenni Murray would have been shown just as much humanity and empathy with the guest, but without being quite so obviously aligned to her POV, and without making the whole thing sound like a catch up between friends down the pub from which the listener was excluded.

I contrast this with a WH interview I heard EB do two or three years ago with (I think) a pro-life guest (I forgot the details unfortunately) where she constantly interrupted and repeatedly snapped 'Errr... nooo...". It was very clear what her thoughts were, as it was this morning, and I expect a little more distance and impartiality from my BBC presenters.

I too have gone off women’s hour - I think Anita did it for me when she pitched up with talking about the programme as a “show” as if she was up for airless entertainment rather than serious debates and investigations. I like Anita on Tv, but she’s pants at WH. The sad thing is that she is now better than Nuala- she just seems bored and half hearted , and the topics are just a bit dull now.

Anita is completely out of her depth. As you say, she's better at tv.

@SirCharlesRainier I beg to differ. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is fantastically eloquent and open, to start with. EB and CNA have talked motherhood and constipation and pain before and this was a lovely, personal way of easing EB back into work. Two intelligent, questioning, thoughtful, female-focused women talking about an experience that many of their listeners would know about. Why can't a woman talk about the pain she feels at having to go back to work and leave her baby for the first time in months? It felt absolutely relevant to me. There will be thousands of women who have been through the same back-to-work situation in recent months. Jenni Murray talked about her cancer, remember.

I thought this first show was a cracker with excellent guests. It felt as if it was about the things that really matter to women. Daisy Goodwin was excellent and relevant, Alice was a real scoop. I agree with a PP, that Alice explained with great maturity how nothing her mother could have done would have stopped her from behaving the way she did. It reminded me very much of Three Girls about the Rotherham abuse gangs and the parents who were powerless in saving their children. Even Trinny, there to plug her book, sounded thoughtful.
Can you imagine how Anita Rani would have reacted to Trinny? I have visions of fangirl guff.

People know EB's not a walkover and I think they perform better with her than they do the fluffiest.

I will start listening again on EB days.

Fair enough @Pluvia , it's not the content that I object to though (yes it was a great episode in that sense), rather the tone. I don't at all think those subjects should be avoided but I think you can have a warm and eloquent discussion without the host describing Adichie's lovely face or finishing her sentences for her as if they're old roommates. Just personal preference although I accept this more personal style is increasingly in vogue these days.

I listened to yesterday's WH and it was back to normal.