Woman's Hour

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Magazines & Reviews

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

BBC Radio 4 FM

Woman's Hour: Being lesbian in the military, Roe v Wade overturned, Shireen Abu Aqla

27/06/2022

Being lesbian in the military, Roe v Wade overturned, Shireen Abu Aqla

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Being lesbian in the military, Roe v Wade overturned, Shireen Abu Aqla

Lesbians used to be banned from serving in the armed forces - what's the situation now?

Dame Kelly Holmes came out as a lesbian last week. The Olympic champion served in the army in the late 1980’s, when you could face prison for being gay as a member of the military. Dame Kelly spoke of her worry that she would still face consequences if she were to let her sexuality be known. It wasn’t until 2000 that a ban on being gay and serving in the Army, Navy or RAF was lifted. Emma Riley was discharged from the Royal Navy in 1993 for being a lesbian, she joins Emma in the studio alongside Caroline Paige, joint Chief Executive of Fighting with Pride.

American women are starting this week with a newly re-drawn map of the United States, in light of the Supreme Court's landmark overturning of Roe vs Wade last Friday, which gave women constitutional right to get an abortion nationwide. Today, abortion is legally banned in at least nine US states - with more to follow as so called trigger laws clear the necessary hurdles. For some this is a time of huge shame, sorrow, bafflement and fear - the clock turned back on women's rights. For others - the supreme court's decision represents a victory - the success of a long fought battle against abortion being a nationwide right in America.  But for women who are pregnant now and don't want to be - especially in states where even abortion providers are unclear if they will be prosecuted should they go ahead - what should they do? Emma hears from BBC correspondent in Washington DC Holly Honderich, journalist Hadley Freeman and Dr Jan Halper-Hayes, former Global Vice President for Republican Overseas.

A memorial service will be held in London tomorrow for the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqla who was killed while reporting in the occupied West Bank last month. On Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the bullet had been fired by Israeli security forces - something the Israel Defence Force disputes. Emma is joined by the BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Yolande Knell to talk about Shireen.

It's the first day of Wimbledon, and current world number 11 Emma Raducanu makes her centre court debut this morning, playing against Alison Van Uytvanck. This is her second Wimbledon, but her first since winning the US open last year. Molly McElwee is the women's sport reporter for The Telegraph and gives the lowdown on Emma’s form.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Woman's Hour

Being lesbian in the military, Roe v Wade overturned, Shireen Abu Aqla

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4