Swearing, Women in north east India, The 'grey pound' and fashion, A story of brutal crime, forgiveness and empathy

Nov 10, 2023

Dr Rebecca Roache and Dr Emma Byrne discuss swearing, double standards, and the misogynistic roots of certain swear words. They also explore the impact of swearing on women and the potential for reclaiming words. Alex Mar joins to discuss a story of brutal crime, forgiveness, and radical empathy. The podcast touches on fashion trends for older women and changes at Vogue.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Violent Clashes and Alleged Gang Rape in Northeast India

03:26 • 2min

The Aftermath of a Brutal Crime

05:11 • 9min

A Story of Crime, Forgiveness, and the Gray Pound

13:54 • 17min

Changes at Vogue and a Story of a Brutal Crime and Forgiveness

30:36 • 3min

Paula Cooper: A Life Shaped by Circumstances

33:37 • 14min

Swearing and its Impact on Women

47:14 • 9min

Swearing, Feminism, and Reclaiming Words

55:48 • 2min

If you've been following the Covid inquiry, you may have noticed a lot of strong and swearing language. So why do we swear, and are women judged differently for swearing than men? In her new book For F*ck's Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude, and Fun, Dr Rebecca Roache explores double standards, the misogynistic roots of certain swear words and the challenges in reclaiming them. Anita Rani is also joined by the scientist Dr Emma Byrne who discusses why she swears, swearing in front of children and her own relationship with certain swear words.

Six months ago, there was a horrific act of violence in north-east India, when two women were stripped, paraded naked, and allegedly gang raped by a mob. It made the news nationally when their ordeal was made public in a viral video. Now the two women have spoken for the first time, in a face-to-face interview with the BBC's Divya Arya.

Luxury fashion brand Loewe recently made headlines with the face of their Spring/Summer 2024 pre-collection campaign: 88-year-old Dame Maggie Smith is pictured modelling some of their best-selling bags. Is this a step in a new direction for the world of fashion? Are major brands waking up to the consumer power of the 'Grey Pound'? Anita Rani is joined retail analyst Kate Hardcastle and former British Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman.

In 1985 in Gary, Indiana, four girls aged between 14 and 16 years old entered the house of an elderly woman and brutally murdered her. They took her car and a small amount of cash. The girls were black and the woman was white. Ruth Pelke was a Bible school teacher, a widow, well-known in her community. Those facts are not disputed. A new book called Seventy Times Seven by Alex Mar is a forensic study of what happened before and after that day and her focus is on Paula Cooper - a 15-year-old girl sentenced to death for her crime. So far, so grim, but this is also a story of forgiveness and radical empathy. Alex Mar joins Anita.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey