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Weekend Woman's Hour: Saoirse Ronan, Children and exercise, Endometriosis, Self-care

Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan on her role as a stroppy teenager in Lady Bird. How to encourage children to get active. Endometriosis. Former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott.

Saoirse Ronan is just 23 years old but has already received three Academy Award nominations, four British Academy Film Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award for her role as Christine or Lady Bird in the coming-of-age film of the same name. What it's like to have already been so widely acclaimed for her acting at such a young age?

Nicole Stott is a former NASA astronaut, making her one of only 60 women to complete a space flight, compared to 500 men. She's now an ambassador for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, where she inspires the next generation, and is pursuing her long term passion in art.

Lena Dunham has revealed she has had a hysterectomy after struggling to cope with endometriosis. We talk to Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Miss Karolina Afors about the treatments available and under what circumstances might surgery be recommended.

Propaganda from so-called Islamic State represents women fighting on the frontline for the first time. Dr Katherine Brown from the University of Birmingham and Elizabeth Pearson from the think-tank Royal United Services Institute discuss what this change of tactic might tell us about the role of women role within ISIS.

How can we encourage children to get off the sofa and take some physical exercise? Kate Dale, from the This Girl Can advertising campaign run by Sport England, and Maria Lally, Health Journalist give their top tips for getting kids active.

What does it mean to take care of yourself? Does it mean becoming super healthy, taking loads of exercise and radically altering your diet as journalist Decca Aitkenhead spent last year doing? Or is there a gentler, kinder way of giving yourself the care that you need as Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips suggest in their new book, Self-Care for the Real World.

And dinosaurs on tour - challenging gender stereotypes. The Natural History Museum's Head of Conservation, Lorraine Cornish, tells us about taking the museum's much loved dinosaur, Dippy, on a UK-wide tour, and how she hopes he'll encourage more girls to get involved in science.

Presented by Jenni Murray
Produced by Sophie Powling
Edited by Jane Thurlow.

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58 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jenni Murray
Producer Sophie Powling
Editor Jane Thurlow
Interviewed Guest Saoirse Ronan
Interviewed Guest Nicole Stott
Interviewed Guest Karolina Afors
Interviewed Guest Katherine Brown
Interviewed Guest Elizabeth Pearson
Interviewed Guest Kate Dale
Interviewed Guest Maria Lally
Interviewed Guest Decca Aitkenhead
Interviewed Guest Nadia Narain
Interviewed Guest Katia Narain Phillips
Interviewed Guest Lorraine Cornish

Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Feb 2018 16:00

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