7. Normal women...are beyond definition

Men have always claimed that there is such a thing as “female nature” and described it with great authority – but throughout history, women have refused to conform to the strict view of what is masculine and feminine - from fierce jousting medieval ladies to 18th Century French aristocrats who seamlessly slip in and out of male and female roles.Joining Philippa to discuss whether women have ever fitted the mould are:Professor Cordelia Fine, philosopher of science and psychologist and author of Testosterone Rex and Delusions of Gender andDr Ronx Ikharia, A&E doctor and presenter of Operation Ouch and The Gender Diagnosis podcastNormal Women: 900 Years of Making History is Philippa Gregory's radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen, but a history of the millions of women missing from the record: wives and workers, viragoes and angels, female husbands, priests and pirates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women is a new podcast from HarperCollins, launched to coincide with the publication of this landmark work of scholarship and storytelling, from celebrated novelist and historian Philippa Gregory. Normal Women is a radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen – but of social and cultural change, powered by the determination, persistence and effectiveness of women– from 1066 to modern times. This is not another book or podcast about three or four well-known heroines; it is a story about millions of women: those who left records and those who were ‘hidden from history.’The podcast weaves together Philippa’s narrative history with lively discussions, bringing together historians who are experts in their field, and guests with their own modern perspectives. From popstars to TikTok superstars, groundbreaking campaigners to best selling authors, Philippa welcomes women from all walks of life to look back at the past lives of half the population, and put women where they belong – centre stage.This eight-part series starts on the 26th October, publishing weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.