The English language contains roughly one million words. And so, as a lover of words myself,
I will continue with my advocacy that encourages and challenges people to use better ones.
Now the battle against “toxic masculinity” has largely been won, I would like to turn attention back toward the next on the list – “the patriarchy”.
Because I hear it everywhere. And increasingly, every time I hear it, it makes less and less sense.
I hear it cited as the cause of the pay gap, domestic abuse, poverty, sexual violence, incarceration, knife crime, the failing education system, for both male billionaires, and male homelessness, for why men don’t go to therapy, and for male loneliness, and suicide.
It’s tiring.
Because, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt as I’ve excavated each of these issues, it’s that there are no easy answers, and none of these complex societal problems can be solved or explained through simple, one word solutions – and certainly not ALL of them, with the same answer.
What’s also difficult to ignore, is how many men understandably feel alienated, and erased by these low resolution world views; that continually overlook, or see through, the painful experiences of men, and the structural sexism they face.
So – do you think we live in ‘the patriarchy’ in UK, in 2026?
Or are there better ways to view the world, that can get us to where we want to go, faster?
What do you think?
~ Listen to the full podcast with Jordan Stephens:
2026-06-16
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