There’s a headline making the rounds right now that we can’t ignore: The Great Feminism Recession. Yep, that’s what Cosmo is calling it. And in this week’s episode of Messy Liberation, we dig into this absolute mess of a take—and the problematic-ass study it’s based on.
Because spoiler: Feminism isn’t dead. But white men? Still mad. Still fragile. Still drunk on their own power.
🎙️ What We Talk About in This Episode
This convo covers a lot of ground (because of course it does—this shit is deep). We start with that Cosmo article and the global study that shows Gen Z men are increasingly rejecting feminism. And then we zoom out to talk about:
- The hubris of white men in politics (including a recent story that should’ve been a career-ending scandal but somehow… wasn’t)
- Why “not all men” is the same tired derailment as “all lives matter”
- The difference between interpersonal harm and systemic oppression—and why so many people still don’t get it
- What data literacy has to do with feminist liberation
- Why we need to stop coddling male fragility
- And what it means to raise emotionally skilled boys who won’t grow up into power-hungry assholes
This episode is messy, unfiltered, and maybe a little ragey—but also deeply thoughtful, nuanced, and rooted in hope. Because if we can name the problem (again and again and again), we can do something about it.
💥 Favorite Rant from the Episode
“Until it is not all men, it’s all men.”
—Me, and I stand by it.
Look, if you’re a man and you say you’re an ally, then act like it. Call in your friends. Talk to your brothers. Stop getting defensive when we point out what you already know is true. The patriarchy is real. And the rest of us are sick of carrying its weight.
🎧 Why You Should Listen
If you’ve been feeling like the world is gaslighting you—politically, culturally, interpersonally—you’re not alone. This episode will make you feel seen. It might make you yell “HELL YES” in your car. It might make you cry a little. It might help you feel just a tiny bit less like you’re losing your damn mind.
And if you’re a parent of a white boy like me, I hope it gives you some tools—or at least some perspective—on what we’re up against and what we can do differently.
This is the kind of feminist conversation that doesn’t happen in mainstream media. So I’m proud as hell to be having it.