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Woman's Hour: Daphne Oram - one of electronic music's female pioneers

23/04/2021

Daphne Oram - one of electronic music's female pioneers

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Daphne Oram - one of electronic music's female pioneers

'Sisters with Transistors'; Covid & pregnant women; Facial shaving; Pan Am stewardesses

The unsung female pioneers of electronic music; The international jet-age stewardesses of Pan Am; Removing facial hair; Update on the impact of Covid on pregnant women.

In 'Come Fly the World', journalist Julia Cooke explores the history and legacy of Pan Am, one of the world’s most iconic airlines.  Julia focuses on the adventurous lives and careers of the international jet-age stewardesses of Pan Am – a job which no longer exists - who were expected to fit a specific physical profile, speak multiple languages and demonstrate diplomacy.  As the women worked to maintain the glamourous image of Pan Am, they interacted with international politicians and helped to transport American soldiers to and from war zones, during the Vietnam War.  The stewardesses witnessed global history and world events, playing a crucial role in major wartime missions including the evacuation of children during the fall of Saigon.  

Throughout the pandemic, pregnant women have been asked to make their own judgements on the risk of vaccination versus the risks of COVID-19. With very little real-world data available, that decision has been no easy task however two new large scale studies may now help prospective parents feel more confident in balancing the costs and benefits. One study of over 35,000 pregnant women given the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines showed no evidence of them being unsafe. The second study looked at what happens to pregnant women if they do catch COVID-19. Aris Papageorghiou, a Professor of Fetal Medicine at the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute, talks to Anita about the results of this global study. He also explains why we should consider allowing pregnant women to be vaccinated sooner, rather than making them wait for their age-related invite to arrive in the post.

Hair removal is a rite of passage for a lot of women and apparently some influencers are encouraging shaving your face!   Apparently facial hair removal is nothing new - Queen Elizabeth I started the trend by shaving her facial hair, and women even shaved their eyebrows off.  So how popular is it with women today? Beauty therapist and make up artist Naveeda discusses.

A new film called 'Sisters With Transistors' about the unsung female pioneers of electronic music, is released today. Featuring women like Clara Rockmore, Suzanne Ciani and Delia Derbyshire, of Dr Who theme fame, the film is narrated by Laurie Anderson and celebrates the achievements of women whose male counterparts took centre stage in historical narratives around ground-breaking electronic composition. The director Lisa Rovner joins Anita as does Bishi, the singer, composer and artistic director and co-founder of WITCiH, The Women in Technology Creative Industries Hub, a platform to increase the visibility women at the intersection of music, creative technology and STEM. 

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Professor Aris Papageorghiou
Interviewed Guest: Naveeda
Interviewed Guest: Julia Cooke
Interviewed Guest: Lisa Rovner
Interviewed Guest: Bishi

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Daphne Oram - one of electronic music's female pioneers

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