Mary Whitehouse

Was Florence Nightingale a nursing pioneer, or a terror with a spreadsheet? Could the mother of modern nursing really have been a glorified doctor's receptionist from hell? Did her colonial attitudes towards race, and her perpetuation of the idea of 'women's jobs' hold us back as ... Show More

Was Marilyn Monroe a genius who beat the system to become a star? Or was she a career driven narcissist who perpetuated the sexism of old Hollywood? And does she have a case to answer for the toxic beauty standards with still live with today. Hannah Platt, Janine Harouni and Tony ... Show More

You might not have heard of Joe Weider, but he was the man who invented modern bodybuilding. Formalised training, published magazines, birthed massive international competitions, and unearthed a megastar in Arnold Schwarzenegger. But was he a genius who built himself up from noth ... Show More

Actor Gillian Anderson on prudes, powerful women, and collecting secret fantasies; How singer-songwriter Chappell Roan slow-burned her way to stardom; and Oliver Burkeman tells you how to stop being such a people-pleaser. 

Stripped of her crown and trapped In the Tower of London will Lady Jane Grey give up her faith or face the executioner’s axe? Nicola Coughlan shines a light on extraordinary young people from across history. Join her for 12 stories of rebellion, risk and the radical power of yout ... Show More

You may recognize the name Susanna Horenbout, but how much do you really know about her story? Today, I'm excited to have Dr. Emma, our resident art historian, with us to dive into the fascinating life of this remarkable artist and explore her connections to the Tudor court a ... Show More

Another installment of the series GAY OR NAY, where we determine if someone is gay...or nay. This time? Mary Todd Lincoln and the woman who made her dresses Elizabeth Keckly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

We're back on the Marie Antoinette train, and in Season 7 Part 2 the topic is "Meanwhile, Back in France."To explain the French royal court system that Marie Antoinette eventually joined, we're taking a look at notorious mistress Madame du Barry in a saga so iconic it can't be co ... Show More

Zainab wishes she could turn back time, and there’s panic at the Tearoom. 

Today's special guest is the researcher and museum worker Indigo Dunphy-Smith, who is bringing her expertise to the case of Marianne Woods and Jane Pirie, two Edinburghian school teachers who found themselves embroiled in a sex scandal and court case in the early years of the 19t ... Show More

This week, it's a Foster duet as we're joined by Dr. Meg Foster (no relation) to talk about Australia's legacy of bushrangers, and her recent book Boundary Crossers: The Hidden History of Australia's Other Bushrangers. If you don't know who the bushrangers were, don't worry, that ... Show More

The stories of ancient Rome are littered with despicable women, and those of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are especially infamous. But where do these stories come from? And why have they endured for centuries? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Joan Smith explores how Roman misogyny, mistra ... Show More

In October 1919 President Woodrow Wilson suffered a massive stroke leaving him paralyzed and partially blind. In the face of this crisis of leadership the First Lady, Edith Wilson stepped in to conceal the extent of his illness. Edith acted as his gatekeeper deciding whom Woodrow ... Show More