Listener Week: Female breadwinners, Attitudes to stepmothers, Traditional craftswomen

Listener Week continues on Woman's Hour as we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to the air.

What happens when a woman earns more than her partner, or is the sole earner in a household? For some couples, it’s a practical arrangement that works well. For others, it can bring unexpected tensions, challenging traditional ideas about gender, identity and power. Listener Karla emailed the programme to say that she wanted to talk about what it means to be a female breadwinner. She joins Anita Rani along with Melissa Hogenboom, author of the book Breadwinners.

Lynne got in touch with the show to share her experience of being a stepmother and ask why people question the validity of her role and other her. Lynne explains that her bonds with her partner and her stepdaughter are incredibly strong, but expresses confusion and anxiety at how people react to her being a stepmum. Lynne talks to Anita and Professor Lisa Doodson, a chartered psychologist, author and stepmother herself, who has carried out research into this topic.

After our recent series about women and gaming, listener Jacqueline got in touch to say, 'I use games to 'check out' of life and to cope with an overwhelming amount of stuff that I need to manage. The games are an escape, but all those issues just come rushing back afterwards. I don't know where to turn for help.' Jacqueline joins Anita to share her experience, alongside consultant psychiatrist Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, founder and Director of the National Centre for Gaming Disorders.

Last weekend Laura Hollywood was crowned Europe’s Strongest Woman at the Official Strongman European Championship. We heard about her achievements from her friend Helen, who is a Woman’s Hour listener. As well as being a ‘strong-woman’, Laura is also a strength coach, supporting women through the perimenopause, helping them to embrace their strength, enhance their performance, and build their best self. Laura joins Anita to explain what it take to become a ‘strong woman’.

Mary-Havana Little is a traditional fibrous plasterer. She got in touch for Listener Week to suggest we talk about traditional crafts. Mary is one of the few women in the plastering world, working to create ornate decorative mouldings using techniques from hundreds of years ago. She joins Anita to speak about working in this male-dominated craft, and why she wants to inspire more women and girls into the industry.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt