Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, No.10 - Women Behind the Scenes, Crime writer Claire McGowan, Gender Politics.
Woman's Hour
BBC
4.1 • 3K Ratings
🗓️ 18 November 2020
⏱️ 46 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Rosamund Kissi-Debrah is number three on the Woman’s Hour Power List 2020: Our Planet. She is a tireless campaigner for cleaner air, following the tragic death of her daughter Ella from a series of severe asthma attacks. Since then she’s created powerful change from a grassroots level, influencing the Mayor of London and working with the World Health Organisation. She joins Jessica to speak about her work and her hopes for making a difference.
Boris Johnson’s government has been criticised for its lack of women at the top table and for being run by a “toxic boys club” behind the scenes. The dramatic departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain from Downing Street has led to calls for a female led reset at Number 10: The Prime Minister’s fiancée Carrie Symonds is a former conservative party strategist, the head of the No10 Policy Unit is Munira Mirza who is described as the PM’s “nonsense detector” and his new Press Chief is Allegra Stratton. Jessica Creighton talks about the power shift to Katie Perrior who was Chief of Staff for Theresa May and to Anji Hunter who was Tony Blair’s “gatekeeper” and longest serving aide.
Crime writer Claire McGowan talks to Jessica about her new novel The Push, a murder mystery set in an antenatal group, where all the parents-to-be are keeping secrets.
If you don’t feel you know enough about gender politics, a new – and free – course is now available online. It covers gender equality, gender history and stereotypes. It’s been developed by the University of Glasgow. New research indicates that nearly 9 million people in Britain don’t really understand what toxic masculinity is and nearly 8 million people said they didn’t know enough about LGBTQ rights. Jessica discusses the issues with Dr. Tanya Cheadle, Lecturer in Gender History at The University of Glasgow and Jordan Stephens, who is a mental health campaigner and one half of Rizzle Kicks.
Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is the Woman's Hour podcast for Wednesday the 18th of November. |
| 0:04.1 | Good morning, welcome to the program. Now what do you know about toxic masculinity? |
| 0:09.0 | It's become a bit of a buzz word recently but for many people, what millions of you actually, |
| 0:14.0 | you don't actually know what the term means. Hopefully we can clear that up for you on the program |
| 0:19.2 | today because there's a new online course available on gender politics and we'll be talking |
| 0:24.4 | to a lecture of gender history and a mental health campaigner about it. |
| 0:29.1 | Also, crime writer Claire McGowan joins us in the studio to discuss her new murder mystery, |
| 0:33.5 | The Push, which interestingly is set in an anti-natal group at lots of twists and turns in that one. |
| 0:40.7 | Also, Boris Johnson's government has been criticised for so few women being at the top table |
| 0:46.1 | and for being a bit of a toxic boys club behind the scenes. We'll be diving deep into that issue |
| 0:52.6 | a little bit later in the morning. But first, if you've been listening to Woman's Hour this week, |
| 0:57.3 | you'll know about the power list 2020 our planet. Celebrating 30 women who are doing amazing |
| 1:04.4 | things really to improve the environment. Number three on the list is Rosamond Kissi Debra, |
| 1:10.0 | who was campaigned for cleaner air following the death of her daughter Ella from a series of |
| 1:14.9 | severe asthma attacks and Rosamond is with me in the studio. Very good morning to you Rosamond. |
| 1:19.7 | Great to see you. Morning and lovely to see you too. And congratulations on being on the power list. |
| 1:25.6 | How did you react when you found out? I'm still laughing on time. So that would tell you, |
| 1:34.0 | it was such a shock, but my immense thanks to the judges and everybody that emailed, |
| 1:41.3 | or I don't know how it was compiled. I am deeply, deeply honoured, really. |
| 1:46.4 | Massive smile on your face right now. Your eyes are glowing with joy. It's lovely to see. |
| 1:52.2 | Just tell me a bit about the campaigning work you've been doing and tell me about your daughter |
| 1:57.6 | Ella that passed away. Yes, it will be coming up to eight years now since my late daughter pass |
... |
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