For hundreds of years women were treated as somehow incomplete, or dangerous, if they didn’t have a (male) partner. It used to be illegal for women to live alone in some parts of the UK and, until much more recently, single women weren’t allowed mortgages. And then there’s the cat lady stereotype. Amanda Vickery, professor of history at Queen Mary University of London, tells Adam Fleming how the stigma around women’s singledom has evolved, and how it’s fading.
Kultur & Gesellschaft
AntiSocial Folgen
Peace talks for the culture wars. In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.
Folgen von AntiSocial
145 Folgen
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Folge vom 11.11.2025The single woman stigma
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Folge vom 07.11.2025Are women better off single?An article in British Vogue asking if it's "embarrassing" to have a boyfriend prompts a discussion about whether women might be better off ditching men and staying single.Some women say they feel more empowered by single life, and that they expect much higher standards of men these days. Others think it's divisive to suggest men are, on average, poor relationship material and that it's unfair to demean women who are happy with a partner.We speak to author of the British Vogue article, Chanté Joseph, to find out what prompted it and what it revealed. The image of single women in society has a long, and largely negative, history - we open the archives on cat ladies and old maids.And who's happier anyway - single women or those in relationships? We look at the available data.Presenter: Adam Fleming Production team: Simon Tulett, Natasha Fernandes, Paul Moss, Marie Lennon Studio manager: Andrew Mills Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Penny Murphy
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Folge vom 04.11.2025Is sexual harassment on public transport getting worse?What do we know about the levels of sexual harassment on public transport? Statistics show that a third of women and girls have experienced it and 97% of women fear it could happen to them, but is the problem getting worse, and who is at fault? Author of Mind the Gender Gap and Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Plymouth, Dr Sian Lewis, breaks down the data.
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Folge vom 31.10.2025Women’s safety and public transportA petition calling for women-only tube carriages has surpassed 12,000 signatures. It comes amid increased reports of sexual offences on public transport, both in London and beyond. Supporters claim that giving women the option to travel separately from men will make them safer, and send a message that harassment is unacceptable. Critics argue that this is a backwards step, amounting to segregation. Some say it unfairly stigmatises men. We hear from the woman leading the campaign, and explore the history of single-sex train carriages in the UK. Does the data show that sexual harassment on trains is on the rise, or are the figures a symptom of increased reporting? What do we know about other public safety campaigns attempting to tackle sexual harassment and violence over the years - and do they point us towards better solutions?Presenter: Adam Fleming Production team: Ellie House, Natasha Fernandes, Tom Gillett, and Bob Howard Studio manager: Andrew Mills Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Penny Murphy