24/12/2013

Available for over a year

2013 was a year when feminism, or women's issues, were in the media spotlight - from the serious to the bizarre. There was Lily Allen's feminist anthem (or not), the Jane Austen banknote, and Mylie Cyrus twerking. Also, female genital mutilation, where to wear the Niqab, twitter trolls and growth of campaigns like The Everyday Sexism Project and No More Page Three. So, have British women rediscovered feminism? If so, is there a connection to the more obviously revolutionary times of the late 60's and early 70's, when young women fought for equal rights? Sheila Dillon went to Leeds to try and find answers. She meets a woman whose campaigning was inspired by the murders committed by Peter Sutcliffe, the so-called Yorkshire ripper and discovers how much has changed in 30 years. She meets students at Leeds university and even attends a pole dancing class. She also talks to women footballers who play for the Millwall Lionesses A distinguished panel of feminists - journalist, Dame Ann Leslie, writer Shelina Zahra Janmohamed, and campaigner, Laura Bates who runs the Everyday Sexism website - reflect on the issues facing women in the UK.