Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women

202. Cat Bohannon

This week’s difficult woman is the writer, researcher and intellectual Cat Bohannon, best known for her New York Times bestseller Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Millions Years of Human Evolution. Rachel is mind-blown as Cat tells her about the time she lived in a car for three months so she could continue teaching her students at the University of Arizona. Rachel also asks Cat about her upcoming book, which looks at why studying women’s health could save us all.

201. Hannah Barnes

In this week’s Difficult Women, Rachel is joined by Investigations Editor at the New Statesman, Hannah Barnes. Hannah led BBC Newsnight’s investigation into the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). Her work helped lead to an extensive NHS review, and was nominated for an array of awards. Hannah is also the author of Sunday Times bestseller Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children, which was shortlisted for both the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Orwell Prize. Hannah tells Rachel about the challenges that come with reporting on complex and contentious issues.

200. Cindy Gallop

Cindy Gallop is a true Difficult Woman: born in Buckinghamshire, raised in orthodox Brunei by a formidable “tiger mother,” and destined for marriage and motherhood. Instead, she became the founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, a radical platform challenging porn culture by showing real, consensual, emotionally honest sex. Fiercely single, unapologetic about dating younger men, and committed to designing her life entirely on her own terms, Cindy has spent decades dismantling the myths around sex, relationships, and what women are meant to want.

199. Jazz Saunders

This week's difficult woman is the reality TV star Jazz Saunders, much loved for her kind, down to-earth nature, close friendships and fiery rows on Made in Chelsea. Jazz came out as bisexual on national tv and we have watched her in the first lesbian relationship of the whole series. We discuss all of this and we also hear from Jazz's mum Elyse. Enjoy!

198. Holly Tucker

This week’s difficult woman is Holly Tucker MBE. Nicknamed ‘Holly hurricane’ when she was growing up, she is one of those women who really do appear like they ‘have it all’. She co-founded the online marketplace Notonthehighstreet in 2006 and later founded Holly & Co, a purpose-led company supporting independent businesses. Rachel and Holly talk about balancing a career with family; the death of the high street and how to save it and, of course, Holly’s most difficult moment.