Find out why Iona and Zoe hated the new Barbie movie. Iona Italia is an associate editor at Quillette. She is also the editor of Areo Magazine and host of the Two for Tea podcast. She writes for Substack at The Second Swim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spicy topics this week, as usual. Find out about the flaws in Australia's #CSIRO #Gencost report on #renewableenergy (it's not as cheap as they say), why environmentalists are hostile towards #nuclear energy, and why grifters like #pearldavis do themselves a disservice when they fall for anti-semitic #conspiracy theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire and Zoe discuss the tragic death of Richard Bilkszto, a Toronto educator who took his life after being falsely smeared as a white supremacist by a DEI trainer. We recently published an article by Quillette editor Jon Kay who recounts Richard's story, you can read it on our website.We also discuss how mainstream feminism devalues motherhood and undermines the importance of biology. Could this have to do with the declining birth rate in the West? Plus, what are Claire's thoughts on the Barbie movie? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michel Houellebecq, the controversial French author, has consistently produced novels that explore societal challenges, often tracing back to the cultural revolution of the 1960s.His new book, "Quelques Mois dans ma Vie" (A Few Months in My Life), which was published in May 2023, reveals two recent scandals that have embroiled his life.In this episode I interview RJ Smith, an Australian author who lives in Paris. Quillette recently published RJ's critical review of Houellebecq's new book, which you can read here: https://quillette.com/2023/06/26/the-sorrow-and-the-self-pity/Aside from discussing Houellebecq's life and work, we delve into France's tumultuous colonial history and its modern day ramifications in the form of tensions between French citizens of Maghrebi descent and the broader French population. The term "Maghrebi" refers to people from the Maghreb region of North Africa, including Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.Just last month riots took place after Maghrebi teen Nahel Merzouk was killed by French police. We discuss that and the gilets jaune (yellow jacket) protests which kicked off in 2018 and are still going to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do women post sexy selfies? And why does this behaviour anger some people? Claire Lehmann and Zoe Booth discuss the complex world of intrasexual female competition and their experiences with it, concluding that the more we know about human behaviour, the more empowered we are to make good decisions."Slut shaming" can also be referred to as sexual shaming, sexual bullying, sexual stigmatization, or promiscuity shaming. It refers to the practice of criticizing or mocking someone, usually a woman, for their real or presumed sexual behavior, including for dressing in a sexual manner, having premarital, casual, or promiscuous sex, or for behaving in ways that deviate from traditional or socially accepted gender expectations."Thirst trapping" is a term that originated in online and social media culture. It refers to the act of posting provocative or tantalizing images or messages on social media platforms to attract attention, particularly of a sexual or romantic nature. The intention behind a "thirst trap" is to elicit compliments, admiration, or even expressions of desire, often called "thirst," from others. While it's commonly associated with photos that emphasize physical attractiveness, a thirst trap can also be a post that highlights other desirable qualities or achievements to gain attention or admiration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire and Zoe discuss how large corporations such as BHP, Coles, Woolworths, and the Big Four banks, leverage ESG scores issued by rating agencies to boost their reputation, despite their involvement in wage theft scandals, underpaying workers, and breaching laws. This practice of investing in ESG to deflect attention from controversies is known as 'wokewashing'.A recent example of this is them getting behind the Yes campaign regarding the Voice to Parliament, a proposed advisory body in Australia that would provide a formal role for Indigenous Australians to give advice and input into matters of legislation and policy that impact them.Claire and Zoe also discuss the new Instagram Threads application.Keywords: ESG initiatives, wokewashing, corporate scandals, social justice, green technology, diversity and inclusion, World Economic Forum, Australian corporations, BHP, Coles, Woolworths, Big Four banks, voice referendum, LGBTQ+ festivals, business practices, government, unions, media, academia, non-profit sectors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Australia, thousands of children and teenagers are increasingly refusing to attend school due to anxiety, a phenomenon known as "anxiety-based school refusal". Over half of students were chronically absent last year, defined as missing over 20 days of school annually. This trend has been attributed to the impact of Covid lockdowns on mental health and the influence of excessive screen time. Social isolation during lockdowns has led to increased social anxiety, with school becoming a perceived threat.However, the trend of school refusal predates the pandemic, with experts warning of rising child anxiety rates. Contributing factors include doom-laden messages about climate change from the media, and the negative effects of social media on sleep and genuine friendships. Overparenting is also considered to be a significant issue, as it denies children the necessary challenges that foster resilience.In the face of school refusal, allowing a child to stay home can reinforce the belief that school is a threat and attendance is optional. We suggest a better approach is graded exposure therapy, a method widely recognized as the most effective treatment for various anxiety disorders. This method can be likened to exposing a person with a phobia to the object of their fear gradually until they become desensitized. In the context of school refusal, this could involve rehearsing school drop-offs and working in partnership with schools and psychologists until the child can do it alone.We should be teaching children that discomfort is not necessarily a problem to be solved, but a part of life to be endured, and that it's a mistake to believe good mental health means feeling good all the time. Therefore, allowing children to struggle with their problems, rather than stepping in to solve them, can be more beneficial in the long term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire and Zoe discuss Queensland's new self-ID laws, how the pendulum has swung so far that "trad" is now counter-culture, and Zoe's online escapades messaging trolls who hate Quillette. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 5, Claire and Zoe discuss updates on the Brittany Higgins scandal, which suggest that Higgins (and journalists such as Lisa Wilkinson) rode the #MeToo wave for personal gain.We also discuss sexual dynamics in general, including some talk of sexual assault and how to prevent it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A researcher from the University of Cincinnati who is conducting seminars on "far-right radicalization" in the United States characterises Quillette, an Australian-based liberal-centrist organization, as being more "radicalizing" than Fox News and comparable to InfoWars. This "researcher" has been awarded over $300,000 from the US Department of Homeland Security. Maybe us being characterised as a "terrorist organization" by the DHS may explain our consistent inability to run ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices