The Rise of the Femosphere: Who Are the Women Giving Up on Men? (Dr Jilly Kay)

Are young men and women being pushed further apart? Recent polling by Merlin Strategies for the New Statesman suggests a growing divide: Gen Z women are less likely than their male peers to describe themselves as “happy”, “ambitious”, “excited” or “fulfilled, and only 35% of women under 25 say they have a positive view of men. Professor of Media and Communications at Loughborough University, Dr Jilly Kay argues that digital platforms are accelerating a new era of gender polarisation. In this special edition of Radical, guest hosted by historian and academic Dr Eliza Filby, Jilly explains why she coined the term “femosphere” to describe online communities in which women are encouraged to see men as inherently problematic, avoid casual dating, and exploit male attention for financial gain. Jilly and Eliza explore why a generation raised online feels increasingly powerless amid economic insecurity and social fragmentation, and ask what solutions might exist for a culture shaped by pessimism, alienation and division.

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Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray with Oscar Pearson and Bella Saltiel. Digital production was by Jem Westgate. Technical production was by Jonathan Greer. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.