The Conversation
Episodes
Injured by implants
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Life-changing pain from supposedly routine implant operations. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who were injured by medical devices, and have gone ...
Women rewriting history
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
History is told by the victor, and he's usually male. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two historians who've made it their mission to track down 'ordinary' w...
Passionate about democracy
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The relationship between women and democracy in Brazil and Bhutan - Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women with a passionate interest in their country's po...
Vegan campaigners
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Is veganism more than just a food fad or diet trend? Research suggests the majority of vegans are female - why? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who ...
Why I dated on reality TV
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On Love Island and Date My Family - what's it like to date in front of millions? With TV dating shows the idea is for romance to blossom between conte...
Women investing in women
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Around 90% of all startup investment currently goes to male-led companies. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who specialise in funding and supporting...
Young, indigenous and female
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does maintaining tribal traditions matter to these women? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two indigenous activists from Ecuador and the US about the lengt...
Creating female superheroes
30 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two women making comic books more diverse speak to Kim Chakanetsa about working in a male-dominated industry and why they're so keen to represent wome...
Women celebrating literature
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two women who set up book festivals that have gone on to become hugely successful in their own countries and beyond tell Kim Chakanetsa about the impo...
Women creating computer games
16 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rhianna Pratchett and Ieva Beneckė talk to Kim Chakanetsa about their love of gaming and the impact they can have in an industry that's still dominat...
Busting period taboos
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two women who've made it their mission to smash period taboos, and make it easier for girls to manage their menstrual health. Kim Chakanetsa speaks t...
Social media poetry stars
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Poets Leticia Sala and Nikita Gill on being taken seriously by the establishment after launching their careers on social media. They talk to Kim Chaka...
Coaching national teams: Tracey Neville and Desiree Ellis
25 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two exceptional sportswomen who've coached their national teams to victory in major tournaments. England's former netball head coach and South Africa...
Female friendship
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's so important about friendships between women and how do they change over the course of our lives? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women about makin...
Putting women's stories centre stage
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing women's stories to the West End and Broadway stage - Kim Chakanetsa unites two playwrights who are on a mission to amplify female voices.Morg...
How motherhood changed me as a film-maker
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two prize winning documentary makers from Syria and China tell Kim Chakanetsa about using their own lives to explore the issues facing their home coun...
Women living positively with HIV
28 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two HIV positive women from Kenya and Italy talk to Kim Chakanetsa about how they overcame stigma to live well with the disease. Doreen Moraa Moracha...
Psychotherapy pioneers: Esther Perel and Susie Orbach
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While therapy was once considered the reserve of the rich, it's now part of many people's lives as they deal with trauma, relationship breakdown, and ...
Women working in war zones
14 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's it like to provide aid in a war torn country? Two women who work in conflict zones talk to Kim Chakanetsa about what they feel are the most eff...
Startups saving lives
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How to turn a healthcare vision into reality - Yassmin Abdel-Magied speaks to two entrepreneurs from Vietnam and Nigeria who spotted an issue in medic...
Is mountain climbing worth the risk?
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mountain climbing is a notoriously high-risk, high-reward activity. Yassmin Abdel-Magied asks two pioneering female climbers who've scaled the world'...
The hugging dentists
23 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Easing the fear of the dentist's chair - getting teeth fixed can be a traumatic experience for vulnerable patients. Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who...
Jobs for the girls?
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why are so many women not in work? Kim Chakanetsa brings together women from Jordan and South Africa - countries with two of the highest female unempl...
Cooking my culture
09 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Migrant cooks serving up stories of home - Kim Chakanetsa meets two remarkable women who have used cooking to forge independent careers and to open up...
Women using hip hop to change attitudes
02 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's life like for women in hip hop? Nelufar Hedayat brings together two outspoken female hip hop artists from Guatemala and Yemen, who aim to chang...
Dementia carers
26 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What does good care look like? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who have dedicated their lives to looking after and advocating for people with dement...
Women writing relationships
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Do you really know the person you're dating? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two acclaimed female authors whose stories shine a harsh light on the duplicity o...
Champion mums
12 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
World-class sportswomen combining motherhood with incredible athletic achievement. Kim Chakanetsa asks how they do it, what support they have behind t...
Female roadies
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Most people's idea of a band 'roadie' is a burly bloke in a black T-shirt, lugging kit around a stage, living hard and touring constantly. Kim Chakan...
Women living with schizophrenia
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two women who hear voices and battle with delusions, tell Kim Chakanetsa about the stigma they have faced as women and how they have learnt to live wi...
Motherhood, multiplied
22 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Raising four or six babies at once - what's it like? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two women in very different situations who are experiencing mother...
We refuse to accept street harassment
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Zero tolerance for street harassment. Two activists in France and India tell Kim Chakanetsa why they won't accept wolf whistles, groping or violent at...
How language defines us as women
08 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The way we talk about gender is evolving, but what impact do words have? Kim Chakanetsa meets two women at the forefront of the study of language and ...
Do small loans really work for women?
01 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Microlending is touted as a way to lift women out of poverty - with stories of small loans transforming lives in developing countries. But is that the...
Fasten your seatbelts: Female flight attendants
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's it like to be a woman in the airline industry? Flying has undergone great changes in the past few decades, but Kim Chakanetsa asks how far perc...
Women delivering better births
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Women around the world are still dying unnecessarily in childbirth, and suffering 'violence' in the delivery room. What can be done to empower pregn...
Women crunching numbers
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two women breaking the mould in maths and computer science talk to Yassmin Abdel-Magied about the significance of their achievements and the wealth of...
Union women
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when women head up workers' unions? Joanna Impey brings together two powerful women in charge of the rights of millions of workers in the...
Women fighting an invisible disease
27 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
176 million women around the world have endometriosis, a condition which causes crippling pain. So why does it still go undiagnosed for years after w...
The beauty of ageing
20 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How to subvert the negative stereotypes about older women? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two women - both in their late 70s - to discuss how to grow ...
Mums: Online and influential
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you share your family life online with millions of other mothers? And what responsibilities does it come with? An Indian blogger and...
Body hair
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What does your body hair say about you? Can the decision to remove it be a sign of patriarchal oppression? Yassmin Abdel-Magied meets two women who de...
Is tidying a feminist issue?
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Women are still the ones expected to be on top of household organisation, so does that make tidying up a feminist issue? With the 'decluttering' trend...
Survivors of sexual assault
15 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking the silence on sexual assault. Two women tell Kim Chakanetsa how they worked through the trauma of sexual violence, and then decided to speak...
Female film composers
08 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How to break the 'celluloid ceiling' in the movie industry, a term used to describe the under-representation of women in Hollywood? The numbers are pa...
My family's hidden history
01 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Discovering how your family was caught up in major historical events...two women from India and Singapore tell Kim Chakanetsa why they started digging...
The Conversation in Lagos
23 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Nigeria is a country where women take leading roles in business, media and the arts yet for many, feminism is a filthy word. The country recently went...
Women and self defence
18 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Empowering women with self-defence skills is the aim of our two guests, who have both adapted traditional martial arts to create classes for women. Th...
Women saving lions and bears
11 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Protecting lions in Kenya and grizzly bears in the US - two women tell Kim Chakanetsa about their experiences and achievements in the male-dominated f...
The Conversation in Dublin
02 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland voted in two ground-breaking referendums in the last five years. The same sex marriage referendum and Irish abortion referendum have changed t...
The 2018 Nobel science women
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two female scientists won Nobel Prizes in 2018, which was unprecedented in a single year. They join Kim Chakanetsa to discuss the whirlwind that follo...
Women who resolve conflict
18 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How do women handle high stakes hostage crises and complex conflicts? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two women who have successfully worked with some ...
The Conversation in Karachi
17 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How do you tackle cyber bullying? Do feminists hate men? And what has #MeToo done for Pakistan? These are just some of the questions tackled by the al...
Women undercover
11 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is it really like to go undercover as a woman? Our two guests set out to better understand the sex trafficking trade, and to gain deeper insight...
Women Shaking Up Universities
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What difference does it make when women run universities? There are many higher education leaders who champion the idea of diversity, but few of them ...
I Was Put into Care
28 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What’s it like to grow up away from your family? Two women who spent part of their childhoods in care tell Kim Chakanetsa how they look back on that...
Female Fury
21 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is making women angry, and can that rage be channelled for good? Kim Chakanetsa speaks to feminist writers from South Africa and the US. US write...
The Women Who Plan Luxury Parties
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Taking event planning to another level, from supplying bespoke flip flops to conjuring unforgettable scents and flying a plane filled with flowers int...
Female football agents
07 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is being an agent to female soccer players different from representing men? Kim Chakanetsa speaks with two female football agents from the UK and Fran...
Women Styling Bollywood and Hollywood
31 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A floor-length gown, a strong pose and hundreds of flashing cameras: Kim Chakanetsa brings together the women behind the glamour, making actors and mo...
Parkour women: The city is my playground
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gaining freedom and strength from your everyday environment. The sport of parkour involves moving around urban obstacles as quickly as possible. Athl...
War Through A Woman’s Lens
17 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
As a conflict photographer you need bravery, passion and an ability to bear witness to unimaginable horror. Kim Chakanetsa brings together two women w...
Women Opening Up Classical Music
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why is classical music still so male and pale, and what can be done about it? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two leading female musicians who are working to ...
Disabled Women Challenging Stereotypes
03 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nelufar Hedayat unites two women with disabilities from Toronto and Mumbai, who are challenging misconceptions about their sexuality and what they’r...
Wrongfully Convicted Women
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Take your baby into prison or leave them behind? Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women from Kenya and the US faced with that reality when their lives wer...
Beauty Pageants: What's in them for Women?
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gowns, glittery bikinis and a lot of hair spray: thousands of women around the world wear them on stage every year, hoping to win a beauty pageant. Ma...
A Dangerous Place To Be A Woman
12 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The most extreme hate crime against women is femicide, the act of killing a person because they are a woman. But there is a growing movement of women ...
Campaigners for Gay Women's Rights
05 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Campaigning for gay rights in Uganda and Sri Lanka - Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women activists in countries where homosexual acts are punishable wi...
Women demanding equality in sport
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Is women's sport still not taken as seriously as men's? What needs to happen to achieve the same pay, prize money and media coverage as their male cou...
The changing face of women in music videos
22 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Traditionally made by men and often criticised for sexism and colourism, Kim Chakanetsa asks two top female directors if the portrayal - and the power...
#MeToo: Two women's stories beyond Hollywood
15 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One year ago a #MeToo tweet by Hollywood actor Alyssa Milano encouraged an outpouring of women using the hashtag to talk about experiences of sexual h...
Women Bossing the Beauty Business
08 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Does the beauty industry fuel insecurity and undermine a woman's choice to look how she wants? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two beauty entrepreneurs...
Fighting For Women's Health
01 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How do you improve women's access to good healthcare? Two female doctors talk to Kim Chakanetsa about the issues they face in two starkly different pl...
Women Defying Bans in Iran and Saudi Arabia
24 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like to put yourself in danger fighting for your rights as a woman? Kim Chakanetsa unites two women from Iran and Saudi Arabia, who decided...
The women plumbers changing the trade
17 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Two female plumbers on what puts women off from entering the industry, the messy reality of the job and the joy of solving problems with your hands.Ju...
Women winning the Nobel Prize for Medicine
10 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Just 12 women have won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine since it was founded in 1901. Kim Chakanetsa brings together two of these female No...
Female Computer Pioneers
03 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The lost role of women in the development of the computer industry is brought into focus by an internet pioneer and a computer historian.Radia Perlman...
Young African Authors
27 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Two award-winning African writers sit down with Kim Chakanetsa to talk race, gender and getting published in your early 20s.Nigerian author Chibundu O...
Ending Child Marriage
20 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to end child marriage in a generation? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two women working to make it a thing of the past in Malawi and in...
Crowning The Queens
13 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can hats be liberating for women? Nelufar Hedayat brings together a hatmaker to the British Queen and a turban designer to Beyoncé. Rachel Trevor-Mor...
Women in Translation
06 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can translating a book be a feminist act? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two female translators from Egypt and the UK who explain why it matters that...
Banishing body shame
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Body shaming is discrimination against 'non-perfect' bodies and it is usually directed at women. Kim Chakanetsa sits down with a Danish comedian and a...
Star Chefs
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The professional kitchen is often seen as a place where bravado, machismo and sexism are standard. Kim Chakanestsa brings together two top female chef...
Female Financiers
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can financial markets transform women's lives? Kim Chakanetsa unites two financiers from Nigeria and Bangladesh who are trying to increase wealth for...
Mothers Fighting for Clean Water
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Their children became sick, and they wanted to know why. Nelufar Hedayat brings together two women who identified toxic water supplies that were poiso...
Chess Grandmasters
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take for a woman to excel in the ruthlessly competitive, male-dominated world of chess? Kim Chakanetsa meets two outstanding female playe...
Art Dealers
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the art world, how much power do women hold? In 2017, of the top 100 artists whose work fetched the highest amount at auction, just 13 were women....
Social media influencers
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We meet two women who earn a six-figure salary by sharing their lives, fashion tips and their most personal moments on social media. Kim Chakanetsa de...
Tackling the Gender Pay Gap
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why do women earn less than men across the world, and what can be done to narrow this gender pay gap? Two experts from Italy and Kenya give their idea...
Head Gardeners
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Planting, pruning and giving the orders - Kim Chakanetsa meets two female head gardeners who are challenging the idea that gardening is a hobby for wo...
Winter athletes
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Women making history on the snow and ice. Kim Chakanetsa meets two female athletes who are pioneers in their winter sports. Simidele Adeagbo is a Nige...
Academics in Exile
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Explosions in classrooms and a commute threatened by bombs and bullets - academics from Yemen and Syria who found themselves working through a civil w...
Travellers
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Travelling alone while female - what's the reality? Kim Chakanetsa brings together two wanderlust women who won't let sexism stop them from adventurin...
The million dollar teachers
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to be the world’s best teacher and win a million dollars at the same time? We meet two women who have won the Global Teacher Prize...
Women in podcasting: The Guilty Feminist and Not Your African Cliché
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Feminism! Freedom! Identity! When it comes to frank discussions, podcasts by and for women are leading the way in creating communities where nothing i...
Feminist Publishers
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Promoting women's writing around the world - Kim Chakanetsa brings together the heads of pioneering feminist publishing houses in Australia and India,...
Bakers
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Two women re-define what it means to be a bread-maker. While women and baking have always been closely associated with each other, the billion dollar ...
Professional Gamers
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Professional female gamers excelling in a male-dominated environment. Emily Webb unites one of the UK's most successful live streamers, and a champion...
Women Leading Muslim Communities
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Women who are acting as religious leaders in two Muslim communities in Europe. As women doing this is highly unusual, and is not accepted by most Mus...
Firefighters
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fighting fires and stereotypes at the same time - Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two senior fire women in India and the UK. Dany Cotton joined the London Fi...