Virgin Radio
29 May 2024, 14:25
The outspoken author, Caitlin Moran, gives her verdict on the controversial influencer and delves into her latest book, What About Men?
Caitlin Moran, the beloved author known for her wit and wisdom, is back with a bang!
She recently joined The Ryan Tubridy Show on Virgin Radio to chat about her latest book, What About Men?, and didn’t hold back when it came to discussing the infamous Andrew Tate.
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The million-selling author of How to Be a Woman and its sequel, More Than a Woman, has turned her keen eye towards the world of men, and her insights are as sharp and entertaining as ever.
For those who may not know, Caitlin Moran is a literary powerhouse.
She’s penned bestselling novels like How to Build a Girl and How to Be Famous, and her work has even graced the silver screen with the 2020 film adaptation of How to Build a Girl, starring Beanie Feldstein and Emma Thompson.
Moran’s columns for The Times and her satirical Friday piece, Celebrity Watch, have kept readers chuckling and thinking for years.
Moran’s unconventional upbringing as the eldest of eight children in Wolverhampton, where she was home-educated on a council estate, has clearly shaped her unique perspective.
She published her first children’s novel at 16 and became a columnist at 18. It’s no wonder her writing is so vibrant and relatable.
Now, let’s dive into the juicy details of her latest endeavor. Moran’s new book, What About Men?, tackles the complex issues facing modern men.
With feminism having made significant strides, Moran felt it was time to address the challenges men face in today’s world.
As she explained on Tubridy’s show: “As any feminist who talks about the problems of girls and women will know, these days the first question you will be asked is ‘But what about MEN?’”
Moran candidly admitted that she initially dismissed this question but eventually realised the importance of addressing it.
“The problems of feminism are also the problems of, yes, men,” she has noted.
Her book explores a variety of issues men face, from falling behind in education to the rise of online misogyny, with Andrew Tate being a prime example.
When asked by Tubridy if this book received the most response of anything she’s ever done, Moran didn’t mince words.
“A bad response. Yeah, I was absolutely astonished. I’ve had a really easy ride for the last 15 years because I’ve been writing about women and girls.” She noted that writing about men brought a much harsher backlash, with critics quick to question a woman’s right to pen a book about men.
Moran’s daughters were a significant inspiration for her book. She was surprised to find that the young men around them felt feminism had gone too far.
She told Ryan: “I was astonished by this. And I was like, ‘Well, I okay, maybe it’s time to write about men because that astonishes me.’ How could boys think it is easier to be a girl than a boy right now? And then when I started researching the book, I have to say I found some aspects in which they are, in the modern era, right.”
This revelation prompted her to dig deeper into the issues boys and men face today.
She continued: “Well once you’re aware of it… as soon as you’re tuned into it… men are falling behind in education, men are falling behind in employment, that men are the majority of the homeless population, they’re the majority of the prison population. The leading cause of death for men under the age of 40, is suicide, and one in four men over the age of 40 say they have no close friends.”
Moran emphasised that while it might seem easier to be a girl than a boy today, it boils down to the fact that feminism has created a culture where women’s issues are openly discussed.
Adding: “There is a culture of women. That isn’t a ‘culture of men’, in talking about those kinds of things, the language isn’t there. It’s trained out of you really early.”
Enter Andrew Tate, the self-styled ‘leader of men.’ Moran had some choice words for him, likening him to a ‘cruise ship magician.’
She described him as an “online extreme misogyny influencer” whose appeal is mainly to confused teenage boys.
Moran’s humorous yet biting critique painted Tate as a figure who, while outwardly confident, ultimately projects an oddly camp persona that contradicts his hyper-masculine rhetoric.
Her full thoughts went as such: “[He has the look of] a cruise ship magician. You would only think he was an amazing, great, alpha guy, if you were a 15 year old boy, who felt very confused.
“I’m obsessed with his social media feed. He walks around in kind of like purple silky robe. And he drinks his tea from a gold mug that says coffee on it. It’s oddly camp. If he expanded on the camp I’d be into him, but he really hates women and most camp men don’t. So that’s my, that’s my line in the sand.”
Tate’s influence in schools has become a growing concern.
Moran shared: “My understanding is that every school in this country has had to have a staff meeting about the influence of Andrew Tate in class.”
His toxic teachings have led to disruptive behaviour in classrooms, from boys challenging female teachers’ authority to writing misogynistic messages on assignments.
Moran pointed out that Tate’s popularity highlights a failure on the part of ‘the progressive left’ to address boys’ issues adequately.
She explained: “My generation has spent the last 10 years spending so much time talking about women and girls, quite rightly, we’ve been brilliant about women and girls, so much feminism, but we just forgot to talk about boys in that time.
“If you’re a 15-year-old boy, all you’ve known in your lifetime is people going, ‘Here are 50 Women who are going to change the world… women rule the world, typical straight white men.’ And the only time you heard anyone talking about men in a positive way, was Andrew Tate.”
With What About Men?, Moran hopes to create a dialogue that mirrors the discussions feminism has fostered for women.
Her tour promoting the book will see her visiting cities across the UK, engaging with audiences about the vital issues men face today.
She’s set to appear in Wolverhampton, Brighton, London, Norwich, and Sheffield in early June.
So, if you’re curious about the modern male experience and ready for a good laugh along the way, Caitlin Moran’s What About Men? promises to be an enlightening read.
And if you’re in the UK, don’t miss the chance to see Moran live – she’s sure to bring her trademark wit and wisdom to every event.
Caitlin Moran’s tour begins in Wolverhampton on the 1st of June. You can but tickets here. The paperback of What About Men? comes out on 6th June with a brand new introduction where Caitlin addresses the controversy of the book.
Listen to The Ryan Tubridy Show on Virgin Radio UK, weekdays from 10am-1pm.
