Living Freedom

Battle of the sexes: the new political divide?
2025-11-24 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London)
This event is now fully subscribed.
Today, over half a century on from the radical emergence of equality movements in 1960s, the growth of an ideological and social splintering between the sexes is frequently making headlines.
A recent report by Onward notes that, in line with international trends, the divide between men and women in the UK is growing, most evident amongst Gen Z. In the 2024 General Election, young women moved leftwards while young men drifted significantly to the right, with the former almost twice as likely to vote Green as young men, who in turn were twice as likely to vote Reform as young women. With Gen Z opting for more radical parties, political polarisation is deepening – and following gendered lines.
Perhaps the problem is social media, with young women tending to use TikTok and Instagram while young men tend towards X and podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience. Socially, Gen Z men and women are also said to be drifting apart. Women now outperform men in education, being more likely to attend university and get higher-paying jobs in their twenties. However, young women are also reportedly more stressed, more lonely and less satisfied with life, while fears over the ‘manosphere’ and toxic masculinity go hand-in-hand with a hardening sense of cultural antagonism and alienation between the sexes.
Some say lower levels of intimacy and sexual activity in Gen Z reflect a loss of emotional connection and long-term commitment. Others point to young men increasingly viewing themselves as ‘left behind’ and more resentful of feminism, equal rights and woke policies that they perceive as discriminating against them. Are political divisions ruining young people’s love lives, too?
Is this divide as alarming or deep-rooted as it seems? Could Gen Z’s polarisation be a passing phase? Or is the growing divide around the sexes now an issue to take seriously – perhaps in ways that class or racial divides might once have been addressed in the past? And when previously ideology or shared social experiences were used to overcome these divisions, what is the route forwards to find common ground between the sexes today?
SPEAKERS
Poppy Coburn
acting deputy comment editor, Daily Telegraph
Emma Gilland
project assistant, Ideas Matter; author, The Corona Generation
Nicholas Stephenson
researcher and data analyst, Onward
Jake Weston
project assistant, Academy of Ideas
CHAIR
Alastair Donald
convenor, Living Freedom

Living Freedom Xmas Bash Balloon Debate 2025
2025-12-11 19:00 - 21:00 | central London
We would like to invite you to join us in Westminster for a drink, some good company and a fun Xmas balloon debate. Please register using the form below.
What is the greatest representation of freedom in culture?
A panel of valiant freedom lovers will seek to convince you of their choice, whether a work of art or literature, a film, opera, play or song.
Each contestant will have just three minutes to present their case, followed by a round of questions from the audience. Then there is a vote, and the top three will be given an additional one minute to convince you to back their choice.
Which cultural representation of freedom – and its defender – deserves to stay in the balloon? You decide!
SPEAKERS
Ada Akpala, writer and commentator
defending nudity in art and beyond
Freddie Attenborough, research manager, Committee for Academic Freedom
defending the work of playwright and writer Joe Orton
Sonia Gallego, reporter, Al Jazeera English
defending Monty Python’s Penis Song (Not the Noel Coward Song)
Reem Ibrahim, communications officer, Institute of Economic Affairs
defending Hamilton: An American Musical
Jasper Robbins, writer; alumnus, Living Freedom; history and politics student
defending Top Gear (2002-2015)
Kevin Rooney, religion, philosophy and ethics teacher; editor, irishborderpoll.com
defending Alan Bennett’s The History Boys
Jake Weston, project assistant, Academy of Ideas
defending gambling culture
HOST
Alastair Donald, convenor, Living Freedom
This invitation-only gathering will take place in Westminster. We’ll send out details after registration.
REGISTER
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Is anti-extremism a threat to liberty on campus? In conversation with Michael Ben-Gad
2026-04-14 18:30 - 20:00 | central London
This event is now fully subscribed.
Extremism on campus is back in the headlines. In the long shadow of October 7, one recent survey found half of students had heard slogans glorifying Hamas, Hezbollah or other proscribed groups, while 65 per cent reported teaching disrupted by protests. Some students describe threats and abuse, and referrals to the Prevent counter-extremism programme have gone up by 50 per cent in two years. After the recent revelation that one in five students refuse to live with a Jewish peer, one parliamentarian argued that anti-Semitism in universities has been ‘normalised’.
The Henry Jackson Society has identified dozens of universities hosting events mourning the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and campuses are ‘now used as platforms to spread extremist narratives’. Meanwhile, the government plans tighter oversight – including clamping down on ‘divisive content’ and plans to ‘strengthen monitoring’ of non-violent extremism. A Campus Cohesion Charter will help manage external speakers and events, and will risk-check free speech for signs of crossing into unlawful activity or support for terrorism.
Yet such moves pose real moral dilemmas for those who believe in free speech. After all, setting clearer expectations around conduct, respect and shared values across university life can easily spill over into wider restrictions on speech. How should we define extremism and should we be open to new constraints? Where do the boundaries lie between resisting intolerance and tolerating all views and ideas? Is ‘extremism’ being weaponised to undermine our freedoms?
To help us navigate our way through the issues, we’ll be joined by Michael Ben-Gad – a lecturer at City St George’s, University of London – who himself faced protests by students, calling him a Nazi, threatening violence and demanding his dismissal. Join us to work out how we defend liberty in an age increasingly inclined to police ideas.
Doors open at 6.15pm, discussion starts at 6.30pm.
SPEAKER
Professor Michael Ben-Gad
City St George’s, University of London

CHAIR
Alastair Donald
convenor, Living Freedom
READINGS
The targeting of Israeli Professor Michael Ben-Gad: Britain’s academic freedom crisis
Professor Ian Pace, Jewish Chronicle, 21 November 2025
Students given stronger protections against extremism on campus
Department for Education and Bridget Phillipson MP, 8 March 2026
What the government’s Social Cohesion Action Plan means for universities and students
Jim Dickinson, WONKHE, 9 March 2026

Nova Exhibition London: private tour and talk
2026-05-26 18:00 - 20:00 | central London
On Sunday 10 May, thousands of people headed to the Extinguish Antisemitism rally at the gates of Downing Street. As Jewish Chronicle columnist Stephen Pollard said, this was ‘the moment for the silent majority to find its voice’ in response to recent hatred, intimidation and violence against the Jewish community.
The best of the speeches clarified the challenges – and cheered the crowd. And yet a nagging feeling remained: this gathering could – and should – have been much bigger. The fact it wasn’t reflects, to some extent, the ongoing confusion over the Israel–Palestine conflict, not least over the fateful terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 at the Nova Music Festival. On that day, 411 young people lost their lives – the starting point of this latest chapter of territorial and sectarian conflict.
Thankfully, a major new exhibition is opening, giving a brilliant opportunity to demystify the events of 7 October. Having received lots of media coverage on its tour of major cities – including New York, LA, Buenos Aires and Berlin – the Nova Music Festival Exhibition opens in London this month. This is less about the wider conflict than a human story of young people, of varying nationalities, coming together through music. Via sound, visuals and personal testimony, it reveals the stories behind the headlines. Designed as a space for open discussion and thinking critically, it doesn’t shy away from issues such as extremism, resilience, media literacy and community cohesion.
With the help of Nova’s exhibition team, Living Freedom has organised a special gallery tour to take place on Tuesday 26 May at 6pm. The tour will be followed by short talks on the experience of the Nova festival and how to respond by building solidarity against antisemitism.
WE HAVE ARRANGED FREE ENTRY FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS ON THIS TOUR. To come on the tour, you must register in advance using the form below. Details of the venue will be given out after registration.
This private tour is open to everyone aged 18 to 30 and to all alumni of Living Freedom Summer School.
In addition, we are delighted to welcome along paid subscribers to our Substack and all our generous supporters who have given financial support to scholarships programme for Living Freedom Summer School.
You can sign up as a paid or free subscriber to our Substack here.
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