Ashley James: The misogynistic labels that keep women small

What does it really mean to navigate womanhood under constant scrutiny? This week on Well Enough, author, DJ and broadcaster Ashley James explains the impossible standards women face.Ashley reveals the truth about misogynistic labels, from the slut-shaming she experienced at an all-boys school to being called 'selfish' both for not having children and then for wanting a life outside motherhood. She shares how becoming a mum forced her to confront her own internalised misogyny - and why birth trauma is dismissed as a 'negative mindset problem' rather than a maternity care failing.We also explore the hidden costs of being a woman, from the £20,000 women spend on menstruation in their lifetime to the double standards that mean female voices are constantly questioned while male commentators speak without proving their credentials.Ashley James’s bestselling Bimbo is available here Follow Well Enough on Instagram here Follow Emilie on Instagram here  Timecodes:00:00 Introduction03:16 The Misogyny Behind Calling Women Influencers05:46 Slut-Shamed at 1408:21 Punished for Having a Woman's Body11:01 Why "Bimbo" Needs Reclaiming14:06 The Impossible Standards of Mothers17:11 Regretting Motherhood20:16 Birth Trauma & the Failure of Maternity Care.22:46 Why C-Sections Shouldn't Be Shamed 26:31 Childcare Costs More Than My Mortgage 28:46 The Pressure to "Bounce Back" After Birth 32:26 Trolls & Misogyny: Refusing to Be Silenced 36:41 The Hidden Cost of Having a Period 40:31 Medical Gaslighting: Why Women's Pain Is Dismissed 43:21 Raising Kids Without Misogynistic Labels Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What this episode covers

What does it really mean to navigate womanhood under constant scrutiny? This week on Well Enough, author, DJ and broadcaster Ashley James explains the impossible standards women face.Ashley reveals the truth about misogynistic labels, from the slut-shaming she experienced at an all-boys school to being called 'selfish' both for not having children and then for wanting a life outside motherhood. She shares how becoming a mum forced her to confront her own internalised misogyny - and why birth trauma is dismissed as a 'negative mindset problem' rather than a maternity care failing.We also explore the hidden costs of being a woman, from the £20,000 women spend on menstruation in their lifetime to the double standards that mean female voices are constantly questioned while male commentators speak without proving their credentials.Ashley James’s bestselling Bimbo is available here Follow Well Enough on Instagram here Follow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes:00:00 Introduction03:16 The Misogyny Behind Calling Women Influencers05:46 Slut-Shamed at 1408:21 Punished for Having a Woman's Body11:01 Why "Bimbo" Needs Reclaiming14:06 The Impossible Standards of Mothers17:11 Regretting Motherhood20:16 Birth Trauma & the Failure of Maternity Care.22:46 Why C-Sections Shouldn't Be Shamed 26:31 Childcare Costs More Than My Mortgage 28:46 The Pressure to "Bounce Back" After Birth 32:26 Trolls & Misogyny: Refusing to Be Silenced 36:41 The Hidden Cost of Having a Period 40:31 Medical Gaslighting: Why Women's Pain Is Dismissed 43:21 Raising Kids Without Misogynistic Labels Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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This episode was published on April 8, 2026.

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