What's the story?

They say it’s a 'man’s world'...
so what does that mean for the rest of us?

This podcast is on a mission to find out.

Everything in our world has been influenced by that fact 'man' designed and led all aspects of it without the inclusion or consideration of 'woman'. Her being, and her story, have been a footnote. While some implications of this are clear - the wage gap, lack of women in leadership - most consequences are so deeply embedded they are all but impossible to see... unless you are looking!

The Story of Woman is dedicated to doing just that. Each episode features an interview that explores a different part of our world through the female gaze. Looking at everything from the economy, healthcare, gender roles, and more, we dive deep into at where we are, how we got here and what still needs to be changed in order to (finally) rewrite the story of mankind to become the story of humankind.


Season One showcased the work of a selection of the world’s best non-fiction writers, whose work focuses on the subject of women. From Mary Ann Sieghart’s The Authority Gap and its examination of our gendered workplaces, to Elinor Cleghorn’s scything insights on medicine in Unwell Women, to discussing women and the built environment with Leslie Kern, author of Feminist City, our first series ranged across subjects on a global scale.

Season Two gives you the opportunity to hear from some of today's greatest changemakers: women leading their industries and shaping the future of our world. Kicked off by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Cherie Blair, CBE KC, our highly esteemed guests include those who’ve founded multi-million dollar companies, started global movements (Black Lives Matter), taken home the Olympic gold, and were awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. These women share their stories of change, and how you can join in the fight.

From a man's world to mother nature, our world is shaped by gender. So when one half is left out, the story of humankind becomes something else entirely. By adding women back in, we will begin to understand what it means to be fully human and discover a better path forward, for all people.

Listen to the introduction episode to learn more.

"Women’s voices are not being heard. Women are more than half our culture. If half the adults in our culture have no voice, half the world’s experience is not being attended to, learned from, or built upon.
Humanity is only half what we could be."

-Nicola Griffith

A few more things...

Who is "woman"?

Woman: the female part of man the human race

The Story of Woman defines "woman" as all those who presently identify as such - regardless of which body they were born with. It chooses to use this language not to perpetuate the binary, but to highlight the negative implications of its existence and begin to correct for woman’s historical absence. Given that this absence applies to all people who don’t identify as “man”, this includes those who identify as non-binary, gender fluid or anywhere else on the spectrum of gender.

Intersectionality*

While gender is the focus of this community, it is crucial to recognize that there are additional layers of discrimination for those living at the intersection of the overlapping systems of oppression, such as race, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, economic status, and age, among others. Each conversation will explore how these biases interact with gender, always recognising that there is no single story of woman.

*first coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989

"When women are removed from the narrative, humankind becomes something else... If we instead took those aspects of the human experience that we have coded as female and recognised them as universal, we would change our entire definition of what it means to be human.

The crux of the problem has always been that the human has been equated to the male. Woman is some sort of supplement, made, as we know, from a single rib."

-Katrine Marçal, Mother of Invention

Our team

The Story of Woman is brought to you by...

Founder, producer, host

Anna Stoecklein

Recent Episodes

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S3 E10. The Story of Human: Inner Work for Outer Healing with Remi Olajoyegbe
March 11, 202401:11:16

S3 E10. The Story of Human: Inner Work for Outer Healing with Remi Olajoyegbe

Uncover the root cause of societal issues and explore a movement beyond feminism in the Season 3 finale of "The Story of Woman." Join host Anna Stoecklein and Remi Olajoyegbe, co-founder of Medicine festival, in a profound discussion on inner healing for societal transformation. Dive into the import...

S3 E9. From 1963 to Today: How “The Feminine Mystique” Lives On
March 04, 202401:00:03

S3 E9. From 1963 to Today: How “The Feminine Mystique” Lives On

Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique," published in 1963, is often recognized as a catalyst for the second wave of feminism. How far have we come since then in terms of women's role in society, and specifically women's maternal and domestic role? In this episode of The Story of Woman, host Anna St...

S3 E8. From Doubt to Belief: The Evolution of #MeToo and Survivor Testimony with Leigh Gilmore, author of The #MeToo Effect
February 26, 202401:04:29

S3 E8. From Doubt to Belief: The Evolution of #MeToo and Survivor Testimony with Leigh Gilmore, author of The #MeToo Effect

The #MeToo movement empowered millions to speak out about sexual violence and changed the default response to women's accounts from universal doubt to selective belief. What changed? In this episode, guest host Sarey Ruden speaks with Leigh Gilmore to discuss her book, “The #MeToo Effect: What Happe...

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