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As if one new play opening wasn’t enough pressure Olivier award-winning playwright, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, has two this month. ‘Typical Girls’, set in a women’s prison, opened this week at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and tomorrow ‘Mum’ begins previewing at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. A psychological thriller, ‘Mum’ explores the pressures and complex emotions many women experience when they have a baby. She joins Emma.

As the Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer gears up for his first in-person conference speech today, Alison McGovern, shadow minister for digital, culture, media and sport joins Emma. Divisions within the party seem to be growing - with talk again of the so called Labour left, whom Starmer has to convince, thinking of splintering off.

Rates of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and herpes have been on an upward trend for the past decade, according to the latest figures from Public Health England. But despite being more common, the stigma attached to contracting an STI still runs deep. One Woman's Hour listener got in touch to share her story of catching herpes in her 50s and the devastating effect this has had on her life and confidence. Dr Liz Foley, a consultant in genito-urinary medicine for the Solent NHS Trust, and Marian Nicholson, Director of the Herpes Viruses Association discuss the facts about herpes in the UK and how to break down the stigma that comes with a diagnosis.

A listener wanted to share her experience as a 'late life lesbian' who realised she was gay at the age of 44. She is about to publish a book of lesbian erotica under the pen name Flick Bayliss and explains to Emma why.

The University of Leicester turns 100 this year and as part of their celebrations, they are launching a programme called Our 100 – commemorating their‘ hidden heroes’. One of these is Dr Mary Swainson, a mental-health pioneer whose work formed the basis of student counselling. With Freshers' week taking place around the country, how has the service transformed today? Sarah Cavendish, Head of Student Services at the University of Leicester, reveals how the demands and complexity of issues have increased and what is available to students.

Presenter: Emma Barnett
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Morgan Lloyd Malcolm
Interviewed Guest: Dr Liz Foley
Interviewed Guest: Marian Nicholson
Interviewed Guest: Flick Bayliss
Interviewed Guest: Sarah Cavendish