The hottest Gender Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

Boy Friends: What's Wrong with Insisting Luca Has to Be Gay

Humanities in Revolt • 119 implied HN points • 27 Jul 22
🎭️ Culture Gender Film Love Friendship Social Issues
  1. Arguing that Luca and Alberto’s relationship can only be understood as gay can reinforce damaging patriarchal conceptions of boyhood masculinity.
  2. The presumption that men of all sexual orientations are incapable of non-sexual bonding reinforces a dehumanizing patriarchal stereotype.
  3. It is important to recognize and embrace the diversity of masculinities and femininities, rather than adhering to narrow and essentializing gender norms.

Humanizing Boys: How Disney's Luca Shows Us Another Masculinity is Possible

Humanities in Revolt • 119 implied HN points • 22 Jul 22
🎭️ Culture Gender Masculinity Representation Youth Media
  1. The movie Luca challenges conventional male socialization by celebrating male emotional connection and offering a different vision of masculinity.
  2. Luca showcases a friendship that involves meaningful conversations, emotional expression, and support, which contrasts with traditional aggressive and violent masculinity.
  3. Societal norms and stereotypes constrain boys' identity development by enforcing narrow definitions of masculinity, limiting their exploration of all facets of humanity.

Women + the entertainment industry

The Digital Native • 39 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Entertainment Fashion Gender History Social media
  1. Women in entertainment industry have played influential roles throughout history, from propaganda tools to shaping fashion trends and societal norms.
  2. Models have evolved over the decades, from pin-up girls to supermodels to Gen Z models, each contributing to changing body ideals, fashion, and industry standards.
  3. The digital era, especially social media, has given models more control over their narratives, allowing them to connect with audiences, advocate for causes, and shape trends in a more personal way.
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The deep state of the patriarchy

Discomfort zone • 39 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Gender Society History Philanthropy Civil Rights
  1. Guardianship of women is a significant issue worldwide, where women are not considered adults in the legal sense and require male permission for basic decisions.
  2. Guardianship practices are not limited to specific countries or religions, as it is observed globally.
  3. The remnants of guardianship still exist in Western societies, affecting women's autonomy and equality despite historical movements for change.

On "polyamory," "ethical non-monogamy," and all the other depressing ways to pretend you aren't just cheating

Unreported Truths • 67 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Relationships Gender Social Issues Lifestyle Society
  1. Polyamory trends are often dressed up in fancier names but fundamentally involve cheating
  2. Drug use, especially with substances like THC and psychedelics, can influence decision-making in polyamorous relationships
  3. Childless couples and shifting gender dynamics in earning power can play a role in the rise of polyamory

Mind the cinematic gender gap

I have thoughts • 19 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Film Literature Gender Art Books
  1. There is a gap in recognizing female artistic achievements in the cinematic world, with examples like Greta Gerwig being overlooked for Best Director nominations despite success in filmmaking.
  2. There is a need for more representation of women in the film industry, both behind the camera as directors and in front of the camera as well-written characters.
  3. Artistic consumption can be more intentional to support and promote women's voices and stories, encouraging a shift towards inclusive creative exploration.

5 Tough Women Who Debunk the Woke Narrative

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 39 implied HN points • 10 Jan 23
🎭️ Culture Film Equality Feminism Entertainment Gender
  1. Tough, gritty female characters have been present in films for a long time, debunking the notion that women were historically excluded from such roles.
  2. Characters like Laurie Strode, Ellen Ripley, Sarah Conner, Sidney Prescott, and Rose DeWitt Bukater showcase diverse forms of empowered women in cinema.
  3. Believable and multi-dimensional female characters in movies defy stereotypes, showcasing that women can excel in hero roles just like men.

Slut-onomics: How the scarcity of sluts tears the social fabric apart

Wood From Eden • 32 HN points • 12 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Society Gender Relationships Sexuality Feminism
  1. The availability of casual sex has always been uneven among men, with only a minority having most access.
  2. Slut-shaming in the past may have helped some men downplay their conquests, reducing competition and maintaining peace.
  3. The shift from categorizing women as 'good' or 'bad' to grading them on a scale has intensified competition and made rejections more personal.

Commentary on The Constitution

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Society Relationships Gender Personal Growth Arts
  1. Many people stay in bad relationships because of societal pressure or a sense of duty, which can hold them back from finding better, healthier connections.
  2. When partying or dancing, a person's energy can affect the whole group's mood. Positive, relaxed vibes can make everyone feel safe and have fun.
  3. Predators tend to target those who seem weak or alone in social settings, so it's important to recognize your own strength and stay aware of your surroundings.

What Can Apes Teach Us About Gender?

Holodoxa • 79 implied HN points • 03 Jul 22
🔬 Science Gender Evolution Biology Behavior
  1. Frans de Waal's book 'Different' explores the biology behind sex and gender differences in humans and society, offering a balanced perspective between social constructionists and biological determinists.
  2. De Waal emphasizes that understanding the biological influences on gender does not prescribe certain behaviors, but rather describes the natural variations in gender expression among primates.
  3. The author caution readers that activism for social equality needs to be informed by a proper understanding of biology, highlighting the importance of balancing science with social issues.

Bicycles in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Society Technology Innovation Gender Infrastructure
  1. Bicycles have played a crucial role in societal changes, like enabling women's freedom and connecting communities in developing nations.
  2. Despite the rise of electric and automated vehicles, bicycles are increasingly popular worldwide, with more bicycles than cars being made annually.
  3. Bicycles offer numerous benefits such as environmental friendliness, space efficiency, and pedestrian safety, leading to a reevaluation of urban infrastructure prioritizing bikes over cars.

Guest Post: When Reactionary Feminism Ain't It

Reactionary Feminist • 17 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Feminism Gender Society Family Politics
  1. Feminist policies are not universally applicable and need to consider local, cultural, and material contexts.
  2. Luxury beliefs in feminism can vary greatly across different societal contexts and personal experiences.
  3. Some women may benefit from traditional feminist values like independence and career focus, while others may prioritize family and marriage due to different societal pressures.

Liberals are bad at BDSM

Unstabler Ontology • 19 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Sexuality Psychology Sociology Trauma Gender
  1. BDSM is becoming more common and prevalent, making it challenging for individuals who do not wish to engage in it to find compatible sexual partners.
  2. Understanding BDSM requires a departure from liberal individualistic views, as it contradicts microeconomics and challenges traditional notions of consent and freedom.
  3. Some aspects of BDSM culture imitate elements of traumatic experiences and call into question societal norms regarding power dynamics and sexual acceptance.

Fathers & daughters

Kvetch • 60 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Family Movies Gender Literature Parenting
  1. Daughters change you - fathers of daughters are less likely to interrupt, more likely to divorce, and may receive less investment than sons.
  2. The feminine - a father's love for his daughter is pure and appreciates the feminine qualities without lust.
  3. Disney and other cartoons - Disney often portrays wayward daughters and bildungsroman sons, emphasizing the special bond between fathers and daughters in various films.

Trafficking hysteria as rape fantasy

Sex and the State • 18 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Gender Society History
  1. In 1910, Congress passed the White-Slave Traffic Act to address concerns about white girls moving to cities for work.
  2. Moral scolds created a myth of Black men kidnapping white women to control social change and freedom for white women.
  3. Trafficking hysteria was used to enforce compliance through fear and false narratives.

Get Laid or Die Trying

The Carousel • 21 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Literature Society Psychology Gender Art
  1. Incels are portrayed negatively in mainstream media and associated with extreme ideologies and violence.
  2. The novel 'Incel' attempts to humanize an incel protagonist and explore the complexities of incel culture.
  3. The book 'Incel' is part of a left-wing project for deradicalization but fails to provide hope or solutions for incels.

Why Are All the Public Intellectuals Men?

Working Theorys • 19 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Intellectuals Gender Media Public Discourse
  1. Public intellectuals are often men who comment on current affairs and have a big impact on public discourse.
  2. Modern day public intellectuals are not necessarily traditional scholars, but individuals who study the world and share their observations.
  3. The most identifiable public intellectuals are men, especially those who use new media platforms to reach a wide audience.

Luca's Humanizing Vision of Masculinity

Humanities in Revolt • 59 implied HN points • 17 Nov 21
🎭️ Culture Film Masculinity Gender Humanity
  1. The Disney movie Luca offers a refreshing take on masculinity, rejecting conventional norms and celebrating emotional vulnerability in boys.
  2. Luca beautifully subverts the harmful notions of patriarchal masculinity that often depict men as inherently superior, domineering, and detached.
  3. The film presents a healthy and humane vision of boyhood masculinity, promoting a more inclusive and emotionally expressive view of manhood.

The Missing Aunties

Reactionary Feminist • 27 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Relationships Marriage Gender Family Community
  1. In the past, 'aunties' played a role in matchmaking and family formation, which seems more successful than modern dating methods.
  2. The decline of the 'auntie' role in society may have led to challenges in relationship formation and marriage survival stories.
  3. Efforts are being made to recreate an 'aunty-like' network for matchmaking and support in relationships, recognizing the need for social coordination.

All* of my friends are ending their marriages

The Shift With Sam Baker • 3 HN points • 18 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Relationships Marriage Gender Society
  1. Many women in their mid-40s to late-50s are reconsidering their marriages, feeling unsure about spending the next decades as they are.
  2. In certain traditional marriages, the bulk of domestic and emotional labor falls on the women, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed and underappreciated.
  3. The decision to end a marriage is sometimes met with assumptions and judgments, like accusations of finding someone else, even when that isn't the case.

Testosterone: The Difference Maker

Holodoxa • 39 implied HN points • 01 Jul 22
🔬 Science Biology Gender Psychology
  1. The book 'T: The Story of Testosterone' by Carole Hooven explores the significant impact of testosterone on sex differences in morphology, behavior, athletic performance, and more.
  2. Hooven's work challenges social constructivist views on sex differences and presents evidence supporting biological influences.
  3. The book serves as a valuable resource for cultural commentators, shaping discussions on sex and gender differences and dispelling misconceptions about the biology behind them.

Family Systems in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Family Technology Social media Gender Multiculturalism
  1. Family systems around the world vary and are shaped by culture, geography, and environment.
  2. Information technologies like the internet and social media are impacting family structures by enabling exposure to different cultures and family systems.
  3. Changes in family dynamics are influenced by factors like income gaps, industrial demands, and interactions through online channels.

Barbie's Beauty Standards

Reactionary Feminist • 21 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Feminism Gender Society Beauty Art
  1. The Barbie movie explores adult themes like body image and feminism, questioning artificial beauty standards
  2. The concept of economic sex persists despite advancements in technology and biotech interventions
  3. Barbie feminism raises questions about duality, reproduction, and the societal pressure to conform to certain beauty standards