LTR – In this conversation, Mark Brooks sits down with Dr. Stephen Whitehead, sociologist, gender studies expert, and author of The End of Sex, to explore the profound social changes reshaping love, intimacy, marriage, and the dating industry.
Stephen explains what he means by “the end of sex” and argues that the traditional gender arrangement that once shaped adult life is breaking down. The conversation explores the growing divergence between men and women, the rise of independent femininity, changing expectations around relationships, and why many dating platforms may still be designing for outdated assumptions about what women and men want.
They also discuss masculinity, emotional intelligence, emotional labor, the “semantic gap” between men and women, and the growing influence of AI companions. Stephen argues that the future of dating may depend on platforms moving beyond maximizing swipes and engagement, and instead helping people develop the understanding and skills needed to build meaningful relationships.
[**See the video here on YouTube**]
The June LTR was kindly sponsored by HubPeople, LeadThink and Courtland Brooks