The Hidden Pain of Male Childlessness - Dr Robin Hadley

I sat down with Dr Robin Hadley to discuss involuntary male childlessness - the research around it and his personal experience. Dr Hadley is the author of many scientific publications on the subject, as well as the book, ‘How is a Man Supposed to be a Man? Male Childlessness – a Life Course Disrupted’, available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1800731876/

Dr Hadley on X: https://x.com/RobinHadley1

Dr Hadley’s website: https://www.robinhadley.co.uk/

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Robin’s experience of male childlessness

04:35 We’re conditioned to dismiss male broodiness

09:24 The stigma around childless men

12:16 Economic factors delaying fertility

15:17 Is it ethical to bring a child into the world?

19:31 We want instant gratification - which kids don’t provide

22:49 IVF is mostly unsuccessful

25:17 Young people are now corporate targets

27:24 Can antinatalism override biology?

31:04 The depopulation crisis

34:02 We’re living sicker, for longer

37:37 Attachment issues reduce fertility

43:40 Sperm health and steroids

47:06 Men have a biological clock too

48:12 The biggest predictors of male childlessness

48:48 The West does not celebrate the family

51:19 “There’s something missing”

52:47 The grief of not raising children

55:35 Tackling inequality

56:54 Final words

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ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION:

In a world saturated by social media and marked by skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD among Gen Z, young people are growing up in a landscape of chaos and contradiction. While protests swell in city streets and activists hurl soup at famous artworks to demand climate action, a quieter crisis unfolds within - the mental and emotional battles faced by a generation trying to make sense of it all.

The Next Generation is hosted by 20-year-old Elliot Bewick, offering a raw and honest look at the world through the eyes of those living in it. Bringing together insight from professionals and young people on the ground, this podcast isn’t here to complain or chase clout. It’s here to bend the arc of the modern world towards solutions, truth and a love for the beautiful adventure of life itself.

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