Unedited - Reclaiming Mothering: Elinor Cleghorn on Being Strong and Kind; Good Humour; the Power of Knowing Who We Are; and Not Trying to Fix Everything

Unedited - Reclaiming Mothering: Elinor Cleghorn on Being Strong and Kind; Good Humour; the Power of Knowing Who We Are; and Not Trying to Fix Everything

From Thank You, Mama by Ana Tajder

May 26, 2026 · 1h 13m

About this episode

Elinor Cleghorn discusses the complexities of mothering, women's health, and the societal expectations surrounding motherhood.

This is the long, unedited version of the episode 191 with Dr. Elinor Cleghorn, a feminist cultural historian, writer, and researcher, and the author of the critically acclaimed Unwell Women and A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering . In this episode, Elinor talks about her British mother, Sarah, who raised her as a single mother, later had two more children, and fostered 50 children. From Sarah, we learn about what makes a great mother; the importance of good humour; how to be both strong and kind; the difference between being kind and always being "nice"; and why we do not need to fix everything. From Elinor, we learn about why medicine has so often failed to understand women's illnesses; the radical history of motherhood; the ways patriarchy has used and constrained mothering; the commercialization of menopause; and many other fascinating topics. To learn more about Elinor and her work, please visit her Instagram here . Subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…" newsletter here . To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net For more about "Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net Connect…

More episodes of Thank You, Mama

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Thank You, Mama podcast page.