Standard Issue Podcast

It’s Hannah, Yosra and Mick’s final review of a film of 2023, and Hannah’s picked another celebrated “feminist” movie from that year. Neither Poor Things nor Barbie impressed us much, so the pressure’s on for Justine Triet’s awards-bothering legal drama, Anatomy of a Fall. Will Sandra Hüller impress as a woman on trial after the sudden death of her husband? Will young Milo Machado-Graner’s acting chops blow us away as Daniel? Is Messi the French Border Collie more than just a “good boy” as Snoop? And why are we all sporting the heads of Labrador puppies? Find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're watching Fathers for Justice blueprint and Oscar-nabbing weepathon, Kramer vs. Kramer. But how up to date will Jen and Hannah find the sexual politics? What will they make of Dustin Hoffman's method acting? And how much will Hannah want to give Meryl Streep a hug? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ultra-runner and delightful human Sabrina Verjee loves a crazy adventure. She held the overall record for the 325-mile circuit of the Wainwrights between June 2021 and May 2022, and also held the female record for the Pennine Way between September 2020 to August 2021. On December 21, she’s about to take on a new challenge, running the 100-mile trail of Lakes, Meres and Waters in honour of legendary fell-runner Joss Naylor. Jen caught up with her to talk about loving a challenge, how much sleep is not enough sleep, and whether women are allowed to be adventurers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New BBC audio drama Purple Heart Warriors is about some of the Second World War's least talked about soldiers, the Japanese Americans of the 442nd. We all know Hannah is fascinated by war stories, but not everyone is, so she's asking director Jessica Dromgoole about how you make a story like this accessible to everyone, and what it tells us about war, loyalty, immigration and much more. * Purple Heart Warriors starts on the BBC World Service on December 11 and the whole series will be available to listen to on BBC Sounds from December 9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we talk about the politics of motherhood, it's often around isolated topics, such as the cost of childcare. But, in her new book Mother State: A Political History of Motherhood, academic and writer Helen Charman argues that this isn’t enough to understand the inherently political act of mothering. Jen chats to Helen about bodily autonomy, the paradoxes around our understanding of motherhood, why we should all be interested in mothering, and why Margaret Thatcher wouldn’t have much liked Jen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's going on in South Korea? Does anyone know? And, potentially related, has seen Liz Truss, recently? Hitler? Over here, the Government is finally shaking up the laws around stalking, which is a definite step in the right direction. In Sexism of the Week, our duo of "women of a certain age" have some thoughts on the allegations surrounding Masterchef presenter, Gregg Wallace. And finally, in Jenny off the Blocks, there’s Welsh joy and Suffolk sadness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's well loved, it's influential, it's got Carrie Fisher in it. Got to be rated, right? Well, what about that thesis about male-female friendships? Is Mickey invested in the relationship? Does Jen think it's relatable? Why doesn't Hannah hate this?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a staggering six years since we first had Hannah George and Taylor Glenn, the women behind the Drunk Women Solving Crime podcast, on Standard Issue. Since then, many drinks have been drunk and many crimes have been solved*, and now their award-winning podcast is about to get even bigger. From January, there’ll be two episodes of Drunk Women Solving Crime a week, available wherever you get your podcasts. Mick chats to Taylor and Hannah about crime, drinking, and US presidents.  *no crimes have actually been solved Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in May, Laura Williamson took over the reins as international editor-in-chief at pioneering sports media platform, The Athletic. Jen caught up with her to talk about being the only woman in the room, how things have changed for women in sports media, her ambitions for women in the profession, and supporting rubbish football teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a petition threatens the nascent Starmer Government (it totally doesn't), Jen takes a look at the plan to "Get Britain Working". Hannah's talking about the aftermath of the Conor McGregor rape trial in Ireland. If you thought that leaving Earth was a way to avoid sexism, we've some bad news for you, but there's good news in the form of some Rosa grants for women and girls' groups. And in Jenny Off The Blocks, we're talking cricket, tennis and some confusion over where East London is.  Hannah's interview with the Spycops women is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sim-ep-744-chops-255-groomed-gaslighted-ghosted/id1080808404?i=1000568597088 Hannah's interview with Liz Carr about the assisted dying bill is here: https://podfollow.com/1080808404/episode/563ef5c2e2f8dc772733939451b4f4a66670e4ab/view Mickey's interview with Rosa's Rebecca Gill is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sim-ep-849-pod-253-pod-save-the-women-and-girls-sector/id1080808404?i=1000612424467 Find out more about how to apply for a Rosa grant here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Groundbreaking visuals, brilliant storytelling and a ragtag bunch of characters that celebrate difference and being your true self: is there a bigger must-see movie for young and old alike than this musical fantasy classic? Has time been kind to it? Will the flying monkeys still lead to soiled underwear? Mick, Hannah and Jen have answers. And also questions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our resident music guru Liz Buckley is back – and she’s brought some pop legends with her. Since their genesis on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, the late Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh have become proper chart botherers, world record setters and terrible ghosthunters. Liz is IN. Can she convince Mickey to get onboard the Girls Aloud tour bus, or is it a (sexy) no, no, no from Noonan?  Liz talks about The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, which you’ll find by clicking here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone could write a book for kids, right? Well, that does seem to be the prevailing view, so Hannah's been on the Zoom with Emma Reeves, writer and Chair of The Writers Guild of Great Britain, to find out why and how she writes for children, and why it's nowhere near as easy as everyone thinks. * Emma's new play for kids, The Glass Slippers, is at The Lighthuse in Poole from December 7 until Christmas Eve. Find our more here: https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/the-glass-slippers/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New BBC sitcom Only Child is about a man realising his dad isn't coping on his own, but at the same time, doesn't really want to be helped. Highly relatable content, right? Hannah chats to one of its stars, Greg McHugh, about that whole "circle of life" thing that comes with ageing parents, and working with one of his comedy idols, Gregor Fisher. They're also talking about Fresh Meat, Marvellous and Gary: Tank Commander. Because of course they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are monkeys about to rise up and rule over us? Hannah hopes so, but probably not. Which is a shame, because humans are doing an appalling job of it. This week we're talking about Marine Le Pen vs Paris prosecutors, Rachel Reeves vs Farmers and the Onion vs Infowars. And in Sexism of The Week, Mickey's asking what's gone wrong with Ask For Angela. You can hear Hannah's interview with Elizabeth Williamson about Sandy Hook and Alex Jones on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6e684K7XvKMXGMd4XGRift. Or on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sim-ep-769-chops-264-sandy-hook-tragedy-and-truth/id1080808404?i=1000579799779 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A stellar line-up of top women has drawn Jen to pick late-80s weepy Steel Magnolias. But will this film know what to do with its cast, or indeed know anything at all about women and their friendships? And is anyone prettier than Grandpappy’s duck on a Tuesday? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Nick Miller doesn’t know about football ain’t worth knowing. INTERNATIONAL MAN, football writer, author and – full disclosure – one of Mick’s all-time favourite humans, chats about his new book, Who Owns Football?, why the answer to that question increasingly matters to all of us, what Jilly Cooper's got right about the beautiful game, and how the women’s game is nailing it in all sorts of ways. Who Owns Football? The Changing Face of Club Ownership is published by Bloomsbury and out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dad Shift hit the headlines recently after a brilliant stunt, in which the campaign group attached dolls to statues of famous men across London. Why? To draw attention to the issue of men’s statutory paternity leave entitlement in the UK, which – spoiler alert! – is not good. In fact, it’s the worst in Europe, something the campaign group hopes to change. Jen caught up with Alex Lloyd-Hunter, one of the group’s founders, to talk about why the system as it stands is hurting everyone, perceptions of gender roles when it comes to working and home lives, and whether or not men really do want an equal piece of the pie when it comes to childcare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A feel-good romantic comedy that doesn’t make women feel like shit? Say whaaaaaat? Yosra’s picked Raine Allen Miller’s playful feature directorial debut following a day (mostly) in the life of two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups and forging a connection. Is it the mind-changing rom-com Hannah’s been waiting for? Has it got Mick pining for Peckham? And is it possible for anyone to convincingly sing along with Terence Trent D’arby? Find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a mixed bag of news this week, as Mick and Jen take in: the results of the largest ever survey of rape and sexual assault survivors; the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury following the Church of England’s cover up of child abuse; Iraq slashing the age of consent to nine years old, and Yale’s new college course of Queen Bey. And in Jenny Off the Blocks, there’s good news, bad news, same-as-it-ever-was news, and big MOTD news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices