logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
40m 57s

What's the state of women's history in 2...

IMMEDIATE MEDIA
About this episode

What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To mark International Women's Day, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to three expert historians – Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda and Hannah Cusworth – to get their thoughts on the biggest trends and challenges in the field of women's history at the moment.


The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Oct 7
The dark side of Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys is well-known for his brilliantly evocative diary, which gives an unsurpassed insight into daily life in Restoration London. However, it turns out Pepys also had a sinister side. Something that has been overlooked or ignored in his diaries for centuries, is that Pepy ... Show More
38m 21s
Oct 5
Britain's female slaveowners: the heiresses who made fortunes from enslavement
Women's role as slaveowners is often overlooked – but, just like men, they both profited from and maintained the institution of slavery. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Miranda Kaufmann profiles several 'Caribbean heiresses' who married into the British aristocracy and bro ... Show More
38m 12s
Oct 3
Preview: Should historians be celebrities?
Historian, author and broadcaster David Olusoga is among the famous faces to feature on new TV series The Celebrity Traitors, which launches in the UK next Wednesday, 8 October on BBC One. But what are the opportunities, and dangers, when historians become celebrities? And to wha ... Show More
10m 42s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Life Lessons From Historical Women
When women's stories aren't being flat-out ignored from the history books, they can often be sidelined. Well not here! Joining Kate today is the comedian and author of Life Lessons from Historical Women, Eleanor Morton, to share some of her favourite stories of inspirational wome ... Show More
35m 48s
Aug 2024
Kamala Harris: An Unprecedented Candidacy?
Cleopatra, Catherine the Great, Boudicca, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel: what do these women have in common? They were all leaders of their nations, and they may - pending the choices of the electorate later this year - be joined in their ranks by an American. But what might K ... Show More
28m 47s
Nov 2024
Gladiator Women of Ancient Rome
Evidence shows us that women gladiators fought in front of baying crowds in Ancient Rome. Who were these women? How would these fights have played out? And what did the rest of Rome think of women taking up such a masculine space? Joining Kate is historian and expert in all thing ... Show More
34m 50s
Aug 2024
How Nudes Changed Britain
Why were nudes so significant in Victorian England? What role did painting them play in wider social change at that time? And why didn't men think that women had the capacity for genius? Joining Kate today is Tabitha Barber, curator of the Tate Britain exhibition Now You See Us, ... Show More
32m 7s
Dec 2024
How Old is America?
When fossils were discovered in the US during the 19th Century, it altered American understandings of science, religion, race and more. So what was the Hadrosaurus Foulkii, and why did it have such an enormous effect? Caroline Winterer, William Robertson Coe Professor of History ... Show More
27m 55s
Sep 21
Who are the Trailblazing Women Hidden From Our History? With Women's Prize Founder Kate Mosse
Did you know that Mary Shelley was a teenager when she started writing Frankenstein in 1814? Or that England’s most prolific goal scorer - man or woman - was superstar striker Lily Parr, who scored a staggering 997 goals between 1919 and 1951? When Kate Mosse launched the #WomenI ... Show More
53m 47s
Sep 2024
What The Ancient Greeks Got Wrong About The Female Body
Why did the Ancient Greeks depict a womb as an octopus in their textbooks? Their writings and (mis)understandings of the female body might seem borderline comical now, but how did these beliefs on the physical indicators of womanhood still impact us today? Joining Kate is Helen K ... Show More
46m 47s
Sep 2
History's Worst F*ckboys: Charles II
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to know the so-called Merry Monarch and the many women in his life.Was it better to be married or be a mistress to Charles II? How ma ... Show More
44m 49s
Sep 23
Why Are We Scared Of Single Women?
Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From Miss Havisham to Bridget Jones, Caroline Young joins Kate once again.Caroline is the author of 'Single and Psycho: How Pop Culture Created ... Show More
42m 11s
Aug 19
The Real Virgin Mary
Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And what else do we know about this woman?Joining Kate today to help her get to know more about Mary, her life and her influence is author ... Show More
42m 5s