#488 The New Rules of Sex, Marriage & Power with Wednesday Martin, PhD

About this episode

The episode features a conversation with Wednesday Martin, PhD about modern relationships, gender dynamics, and the evolving role of women in society.

This week we're joined by bestselling author, social researcher, and cultural provocateur Wednesday Martin, PhD for a wide-ranging conversation about modern womanhood, relationships, power, and what happens when life refuses to follow the script. From Manhattan moms to stepfamilies, sexuality to social science, Wednesday has spent decades exploring the hidden rules that shape our lives. The best-selling author of Primates of Park Avenue, Stepmonster, Marlene Dietrich, and Untrue brings her trademark blend of sharp research, wit, and fearless honesty to the mic. We dive into her latest project, A Year Without Men, and explore why so many women experience a midlife pivot—and why that's very different from a midlife crisis. We unpack what the data says about being a woman in America today, how changing gender dynamics are affecting sex and relationships, and why certain cultural conversations continue to spark fierce debate. Along the way, we tackle questions about marriage, monogamy, cheating, affairs, sexual assault, the controversial CNN "Rape Academy" story, and the phrase "Not All Men." Plus, nearly a decade after our first conversation about heterosexual relationships and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Amy Baldwin, April Lampert

Guest: Wednesday Martin, PhD

Topics covered

• modern womanhood
• relationships
• power dynamics
• midlife pivot
• gender dynamics
• sexuality
• cultural conversations

Keywords

• women
• relationships
• midlife
• gender dynamics
• sexuality
• marriage
• cultural conversations

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Primates of Park Avenue, Stepmonster, Marlene Dietrich, Untrue, A Year Without Men

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