Every now and again, we read the results of scientific surveys and our blood boils enough that the steam contributes to global warming. This latest survey has succeeded in causing such rage.
Apparently, men spend HOURS hiding in the toilet from 'nagging wives', kids and household chores and suffer from a lack of 'me-time'. Really? Like, in all seriousness?
Considering they don't have to put in tampons or sanitary pads, we often wondered what can take some men so long in the bathroom, but now we know the answers.
Men are viewing bathrooms as their safe haven from the chaos of family life, retreating to the sanctuary to escape chores.
The study was conducted back in 2018 and it focused on the reasons why men hastily run away from their responsibilities to such a strange (and unhygienic…) part of the home.
According to the study, which surveyed 1000 male participants, men rack up seven hours of time spent in bathroom per year.
The reasons? They ran away from nagging partners, house chores, noisy children and also wanted the chance to use their phones in peace. Funny how mums don't get the same opportunity.
The study was commissioned by bathroom expert Pebble Grey, and discovered that one-in-10 bathroom visits would be interrupted. This adds up to 171 interruptions every year.
45 percent of the study's male participants said they rarely get any 'me time'. Among these men, a quarter of them stated that their partners aren't understanding of how hectic their lives actually are.
Somehow, we don't have sympathy considering women get paid less for their time and still have zero moments of self-care in their lives…
If you're trying to have a baby, or thinking about starting a family in a few years, you may want to start taking notes.
According to new research, your man should be chowing down on nuts (sorry boys) as they increase his sperm count.
Researchers took 119 healthy males between the age of 18 and 35 and gave one group a portion of nuts whilst the other continued to eat as normal.
They found a 16 percent increase in sperm count from those who had the nuts.
Their sperm vitality also rose by 4 percent, sperm motility by 6 percent and sperm morphology by 1 percent.
The study was run in the Human Nutrition Unit of the Rovira i Virgili University in Spain, by lead author Dr Albert Salas-Huetos.
Dr Albert says they embarked on the study in response to "pollution, smoking, and trends toward a western-style diet," which is impacting the quality and quantity of human sperm.
The results also concluded that those who ate nuts had a “significant” fall in sperm DNA fragmentation, which is crucial for successful fertilisation and normal embryo development.
Before you run out and stock up on the nuts and force-feed them to your partner, the author said more investigations need to take place before they can solidly conclude the benefits of the nuts when baby-making.
“We can't yet say that based solely on the results of this study,” says Salas-Huetos.
During the 14-week study the men ate 60 grams of mixed almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
Dr Albert did say that if you want to try for a baby, evidence points to a healthy diet aiding your chances of conception.
“But evidence is accumulating in the literature that healthy lifestyle changes such as following a healthy dietary pattern might help conception – and of course, nuts are a key component of a Mediterranean healthy diet," he said.
It's never too early to get his swimmers fighting fit!
We all know sleep deprivation can lead to some major health issues, but according to researchers in Duke University, loss of sleep effects women more than men.
The study surveyed 210 men and women aged between 18 and 65. They were asked about the quality of their sleep, and frequency as well as other health measures like psychological distress and physical wellbeing.
The researchers found that not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is linked with hints of higher rates of inflammation, elevated stress levels, blood sugar regulation problems, increased hostility, and a heightened risk of depression… But, only in women.
As well as that, the more problems women had sleeping, the higher their body mass indexes were.
The researchers suggest that this is because women don't have as much testosterone which can protect the body's cells from inflammation and may also protect the brain and other organs from sleep deprivation and stress.
As for the weight gain? Well, the authors of the study think that the balance of our hormones are to blame and can be thrown totally out of whack if we don't get enough sleep.
The researchers suggest that rather than trying to boost your testosterone levels, developing a solid bedtime routine should do the trick, and giving yourself more time to fall asleep will help, too.
So now you have ample opportunity to tell your other half to shut up in the middle of the night. It's justified, right?
When it comes to marriage advice, we're pretty sceptical. It nearly always comes across as patronising, annoying, or just plain sexist. Men don't get the constant stream of wedding and baby pressure that women do.
There's no shortage of dating advice online and in magazines, even in books like He's Just Not That Into You.
It's time to turn to better sources for comfort, and ones from back in time. The Suffragette's seem like a good place to start… They fought for the right to vote and now we want the right NOT to devote.
Seeing as it's Valentine's Day, it would be rude of us not to share this HILARIOUS piece of advice from a "suffragette wife" which went viral, acccording to Stylist.
The advice was first penned in 1911, and it's still hella relevant today. Entitled 'Advice on Marriage to Young Ladies', the gal holds nothing back and takes zero prisoners.
The first tip? "Do not marry at all." She's starting us off with a big one, that's for sure.
Continuing, the woman writes about the types of men to avoid. Think modern day f*ckboys. She refers to them as, “the Beauty Men, Flirts, and the Bounders, Tailor’s Dummies, and the Football Enthusiasts”.
When it comes to decent marriage prospects, choose a "strong, tame man" who is involved in practical professions, such as a "Fire-lighter, Coal-getter, Window Cleaner and Yard Swiller”. We haven't a notion what a yard swiller is, but it sounds chic.
The suffragette also tells us that the standard of men is dastardly low; most are “lazy, selfish, thoughtless, lying, drunken, clumsy, heavy-footed, rough, unmanly brutes, and need taming”.
How do you tame a man back in 1911, and today? The answer is pretty obvious: food. "Feed the brute," in her words. LOL.
Her final tip recalls her first; you'd "be wiser not to chance" marriage, because it "isn't worth the risk." The post was shared last year as well and also went viral, so it seems that modern day women can still relate to the tip sheet.
It's over 100 years old, but still resonates with today's audience. Interesting, does that mean men haven't progressed at all, or we're still stuck in 1911? We can't tell…
Ah, Galentine's Day. Our saviour from the horrors of Valentine's Day, AKA the only day of the year where showing love and men being romantic is socially acceptable.
Whether companies are using female friendships as a marketing tool or not is a WHOLE other discussion.
For now, we're just gonna bring Leslie Knope vibes for 2019's Galentine's Day, which falls the day before Valentine's Day, and celebrates the power of galpals.
Of course, you don't need to be single to celebrate the special day that is Galentine's; You can snatch all them sexy roses from your boo and high five your ladypals at the same time.
1. Channelling the OG Renaissance Romantics:
Happy #GalentinesDay everyone! Don't forget the real meaning of the holiday, which is not only about uplifting your best girlfriends but coming together as women to drown men and have great hair pic.twitter.com/A7g06btUtw
Women for Election CEO Ciairín de Buis has called on women to run in elections this coming May, and for parties to encourage female candidates.
There have been more Seáns and Johns than elected to Dáil Éireann that women overall, according to data analysis of all elected TDs since 1918
Yesterday saw a crowded audience gather in the Royal College of Physicians on Kildare Street to hear a panel discussion organised by Women for Election, titled; “Will 2019 be Ireland's Year of #MoreWomen?”
The panel was chaired by journalist Alison O'Connor, and included Lisa Chambers TD (Fianna Fáil), TD (Green Party), Senator Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent), Cllr Madeleine Johansson (People Before Profit) and Kate O'Connell TD (Fine Gael).
The event asked politicians about the chance of more women running and winning elections this year, and how parties are taking action to help improve gender balances in the political sphere.
In our last local elections in 2014, only 21 percent of electives were female councillors, compared to 16 percent in 2009.
There has undoubtedly been a swell in political activism in Ireland over the last few years, especially due to the Repeal movement, and the panel were discussing whether this energy would make it to the polls and ballots.
Women for Election CEO Ciairín de Buis commented; “2019 has at least two elections, possibly more. Last year we held a series of training events in Dublin, Cork and Galway covering communication strategies, campaigning and canvassing."
He continued; I’ve met dozens of women who are running in the locals and Europeans this year. We’ve also worked with women and their campaign team who are preparing for the next General Election, whenever that may be.”
22 percent of TDs are women currently, a historic high, but still too low.
De Buis continued; “The appetite for more women to enter politics is there and I, and Women for Election, want to help any woman thinking about running to have the courage and confidence to put her name on the ballot, either with a party nomination or as an independent.”
Green Party leader and TD Eamon Ryan mentions the praise-worthy work of former Green Party TD and former Minister of State Mary White’s role in the establishment of gender quotas for party candidate lists.
Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell refers to the centennial celebration of certain women securing the right to vote, noting that this has added to the conversation around women's role in politics in Ireland.
“The celebration of 100 years since some women first achieved the right to vote has focused the mind on our incomplete democracy,” says Deputy O’Connell.
“Whilst mindful of the progress we have made in terms of female representation it is still shocking that 78% of those in Dáil Éireann are men.
"Leaders must now act by example. The time for acceptance of anything less than an equal male to female ratio is nigh on over." she concluded.
Non-for-profitWomen for Electionwill be hosting training throughout 2019 for women, as well as hopefully organising an online course.
Gillette has made more than a few mortal, and almost exclusively male, enemies today after it debuted its brand new advert about toxic masculinity.
The ad is currently trending on Twitter, having clocked up three million views already on YouTube as well as 282,000 dislikes.
The two-minute clip opens up by showing men of varying ages and ethnicities staring into the mirror, before the narrator asking the question: 'Is this the best a man can get?', turning its former brand mantra on its head.
As the ad rolls on, it shows both negative and positive sides of supposedly 'masculine' behaviour, from bullying and harassment, sexual misconduct, 'mansplaining' and violence, to men standing up for sexual violence victims and acting as excellent father figures.
The video faces the Me Too movement head on as a brand which has a predominantly male audience, and regularly aimed its former ad campaigns at gruff, typically 'masculine' men.
Many viewers felt that the advert accepted its vital responsibility in speaking to their target audience, considering men have been notoriously at the heart of sexual assault allegations.
One especially poignant part of the clip shows Terry Crews speaking out about sexual assault, crucially standing up for both male and female survivors and their Bill of Rights.
WATCH – @terrycrews full opening statement: "I am honored to use my platform and story to help create additional civil rights protections for survivors across the nation under the Sexual Assault #SurvivorsBillofRights."
On the one hand, Gillette's message slightly missed the mark by tarring an entire gender with mostly the same brush, though it did show varying 'types' of men. Some say the advert is capitalising on the #MeToo Movement, others say it's complete chastisement.
The reception has been extremely mixed, with some of the target audience (all men) wanting to go as far as boycotting the brand forever, and others praising it immensely.
One infamously vocal *cough* vile *cough* public figure to comment on it is, of course, Piers Morgan.
I've used @Gillette razors my entire adult life but this absurd virtue-signalling PC guff may drive me away to a company less eager to fuel the current pathetic global assault on masculinity.
Let boys be damn boys.
Let men be damn men. https://t.co/Hm66OD5lA4
The deplorable King of 'Boys will be boys' rhetoric himself has been arguing with members of the public ALL THE LIVELONG DAY on Twitter, claiming man-hating 'feminazis' are waging a war against men through advertising. As if advertising in essence isn't inherently waging a war against women. But whatever.
(Let it be clear: Anyone who equates feminism with man-hating has absolutely zero notion of what feminism means. Feminists hate the patriarchy, not men themselves. They are two different things. Thus ends the public announcement services for today)
Gillette: Men, could you please be the best versions of yourselves and care for yourself and others
Why has the advert received such an angry response?
Many viewers believe that Gillette's efforts have created a video full of preaching, which isn't totally untrue. The video may have missed the mark with it's tone, after all, women know all about what condescension feels like.
We experience patronising behaviour on a daily basis in the workplace, among other settings. It never teaches us the lesson it's attempting to, which for me is the main problem with the ad.
I mean, the clip showing a line of men, standing behind BBQs with smoke wafting up from their grills, reciting “boys will be boys will be boys will be boys"? It's a bit obvious.
That being said, the ad didn't even show the worst aspects of the patriarchy, the worst of the predators, the horrors many women face every single day. It didn't even go that far when we think about it from this perspective, but yet thousands are saying it went more than far enough.
However, the ruthlessly aggressive response by some users to the video clip, in one way, reiterates the point.
While I don't believe all men (or women) should be tarred with the same brush, I do believe that the defensive backlash shows the toxicity of the defensive feminist-fearing aggressive male dialogue.
Today, all the men in Britain who insist that everyone else is snowflakey, over-sensitive and thin-skinned will be crying about an advert that is not scheduled to appear on British TV. Just a heads up. #Gillette
Like many women and men have said, only those who have done something wrong should be afraid of the Me Too era.
By becoming an ally for sexual assault survivors, by proving you believe in equality, by acknowledging the pain which survivors of sexist behaviour and sexual violence have undergone, by lifting up women and minorities such as the LGBT+ and trans communities; only then will society believe that you aren't part of the problem.
It's time for a lot of men to stand up and prove themselves; just because you haven't done anything wrong in the past doesn't mean that you can't stand up for what's right when it matters. And in today's Me Too society, it really matters.
Seeing a massively popular brand attempt to start a conversation is encouraging for most of us, despite the fact that the ad was overdone and the tone was slightly missed.
The male demographic clearly felt attacked by the ad (um, hello, EVERY MEDIA ADVERT makes women feel like sh*t about ourselves so now you understand how it feels) despite the fact that it was arguably trying to encourage them to better themselves for their own benefit.
Let's not forget that toxic masculinity is harmful to men as well as women. While men are the perpetrators of 90% of violent crime in America, they are also 70% of the victims of violent crime. They are also four times more likely to commit suicide.
By facing the aggression and violence inherent in society, men find gain too, yet so many of them are too angered by the ad to see that it isn't trying to attack them personally.
Hate speech by Gillete. Manly Alpha males rule. Pansy betas are actually misandrists and thats who this ad is supporting. #BoycottGillette
President of Procter & Gamble, owners of Gillette, stated that;
"By holding each other accountable, eliminating excuses for bad behaviour, and supporting a new generation working towards their personal 'best,' we can help create positive change that will matter for years to come."
No doubt Gillette anticipated a backlash to the clip, but all publicity is good publicity as the saying goes.
Gillette better be careful or it’ll suffer the same financial fate Nike did when it made rightwingers mad. pic.twitter.com/8ELvdwVDgF
Gillette has collaborated with the Building A Better Man project, which aims to reduce violent behaviour in men, and The Boys and Girls Club of America, which helps young men develop better communication skills.
The company is also donating $1m a year to US charities who work to support men over the next three years.
It has to be said that their efforts deserve praise, since #MeToo began there has been a shocking amount of defensive commentary from groups of men as opposed to constructive conversations and support for women and minorities suffering at the hands of the patriarchy.
Gillette has rarely found itself in the midst of controversy, but today everyone is talking about them.
Women's bodies are complex, to say the least. Half the time we aren't sure what the hell is going on with them, but men are doubly confused.
This lady decided to tweet an image of skin-coloured nipple covers to see the level of knowledge which male brains could handle, and it essentially broke them.
Twitter user @cxffeinated cheekily wrote; "Since men know everything. What are these?" and the responses were absolutely GAS.
The guesses which came in were so pure, so absurd, and so… wrong.
The silicone nipple covers were mistaken for things such as petri dishes from laboratories, wax melts in 'Caribbean Peach' flavour, and even FROG EGGS. (We died at that one)
It has definitely proven that men do not, in fact, know everything.
According to my boyfriend: ‘It’s difficult to tell without some kind of scale….Are those frog eggs?’
Buying Christmas presents for your significant other can be especially tricky; you worry they won't like it, not to mention sizing can be a whole other challenge, but really you want to buy them something that will show how much they mean to you.
Not to worry, we've put together our 10 best Christmas gifts for your guy for winter 2018, and each is as wonderful as the next. From skincare, to cologne to amazing experience packages, this list is better than ever.
He'll definitely be thanking you for getting him any of these crackers, his gratitude will know NO BOUNDS. Hopefully…
1. Smartbox karting experience
Smartbox is the number one gift experience company in Europe, and it's not hard to see why. They aim to give people gifts which aren't material objects; instead they focus on giving adrenaline-fueled memories, romantic getaways and travel tokens as gifts.
It's a great idea to give to a loved one, and we know our significant others would ADORE a karting experience for Christmas.
Hydra sculpt focuses on moisturising and firming the skin, sculpting facial features, and uses the energising and soothing Clarins Men complex as well as the Clarins Men Anti-Pollution complex.
Give your man the best possible skin treatment with this gem of a product.
3. My Name Is Ted luxury leather magic wallet- special edition
My Name is Ted use 100% natural, vegetable tanned full grain Italian leather from Tuscany which takes two months to produce. Their newest edition of the Magic Wallet is absolutely gorgeous, is hand-crafted with seven credit card slots, a secret internal cash pocket in black olive with luxury suede lining and Christmas inspired stitching.
Clinique for Men's latest giftset is for all skin types, and is a travel-friendly trio of daily facial formulas which encourage long-lasting hydration. Get your guy the skin products he deserves; this set includes the Charcoal Face Wash, the Cream Shave and the Anti-Age Moisturiser.
Payot's original black texture combines the super-absorbent properties of charcoal taken from Japanese oak trees with purifying and unclogging effect of kaolin, a well-known soft clay.
Blemishes are drastically reduced after this effective exfoliating gel, which has proven results. Your significant other will thank you after he gets the clearest skin imaginable.
The High Performance duo set and the starter series are both perfect gifts for a man this Christmas.
From anti-ageing to oil control; spf to razor burn; targeted solutions to all-in-one multitaskers- The Lab Series' range has definitely got you covered. Their Lab collection is formulated for men's skin, to keep it smooth and supple after shaving and maintain oil balance.
Buy: www.labseries.com
Price: Duo Set, €55
Price: Starter Series, €27.65
7. Lierac Anti-Wrinkle Repairing Fluid
This revolutionary repairing fluid is for men aged 30 and over, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles over time. After it smooths and perfectly hydrates the skin, it regains its elasticity and tonicity.
If he's worried about the visible signs of ageing, get him this fluid, trust us.
Delarom are a world-renowned French cosmetic brand, and luckily for men, have released their Homme eau Sport cologne which smells divine.
Since launching the cologne in 2012, the product has become hugely popular and is showing no sign of slowing down. Get your significant other this fantastic gift and he'll be smiling from ear to ear, and smelling even better.
Probably one of the most fun gifts you can ever give to someone, this package includes over 70 adventure experiences and will be sure to give your adrenaline junkie parter the ride of his life. From helicoper rides, sailing, bungie jumping and windsurfing, there's so much to choose from this wild present.
A quirky and humorous take on the Emerald Isle, the Irish Socksciety is one of the best possible present ideas; they're simple yet fun.
Socks may seem like a very ordinary gift, but not with this brand they're not. Their socks range from business, to Irish humour to Christmas themed, each as hilarious as the next.
They also custom make designs, so you can choose your own special one for your partner.
When you're applying your face in the morning, whether you're a BB-cream-and-go kind of girl or you're more into a full contour and highlight, do you ever stop to wonder why you're applying makeup?
Is it because you want to look professional at work, feel confident in yourself or highlight your best features?
Or is it to 'trick' men into thinking you are attractive? Because that's what 63 per cent of men seem to think.
A new study by YouGov found that 63 per cent of men think that 'women mainly wear makeup in order to trick people into thinking they’re more attractive.'
As suggested by the survey service, a percentage of men think that women are 'just thirsty for the male gaze,' which is why we apply eyelash extensions, lip liner and contouring kits.
C'mon lads, we did not just spend an hour and a half getting tiny pieces of mink stuck to our eyelids with industrial strength glue just we we can bat them in the direction of a man.
Overall, 43 per cent of people feel that women wear 'too much makeup,' which is reflected in the experiences of women who feel that have been 'makeup shamed' for their full faces.
Famous YouTube makeup artists Nikki Tutorials has actually started a campaign to end makeup shaming among women.
Makeup can give people a confidence boost, which is nothing to be ashamed of, and it definitely doesn't mean women are trying to 'trick' people with their powders and lipliners.
We mean, if a guy really thought we had naturally shimmery eyelids and matte plum lips, then more fool him.
So, while popular culture has painted a picture of the eligible bachelor vs the desperate woman, it turns out quite the opposite is true.
And while we're pretty sure most people are able to see through these inaccurate and downright offensive stereotypes, science is here to debunk the myth once and for all.
A new study conducted by dating website eHarmony found the 71 per cent of single men felt “significant pressure” to find a romantic partner compared to just 58 per cent of single women.
Research also found that men were more likely to feel lonely when they're not in a relationship, with 47 per cent of participants admitted that it was one of the worst things about being single.
Dr Linda Papadopoulos, eHarmony psychologist, said: “Surprising though it may seem, it's single men rather than women who feel under more pressure to find a partner.”
“They also report higher levels of loneliness. This challenges the traditional idea of the happy-go-lucky bachelor who is more suited to single life than his female equivalent,” she added.
What's more, the study also revealed what people miss most about the single life. Answers included things like personal independence, time for new hobbies and the freedom to enjoy new sexual relationships.
Rather surprisingly, just 41 per cent of people said they would rather be with themselves than with the wrong person, while 77 per cent said they suffered from loneliness whilst single.
Romain Bertrand, of eHarmony, said: “ Of course, it's encouraging to see that many people actively enjoy being on their own and have strong ties with family and friends.
“However, we also know that many singles feel burnt out and jaded by casual dating.”
A very high number of women have started to freeze their eggs as they are unable to find an equally intelligent partner.
In a study by researchers at Yale University, it found that fewer men are entering higher education, and therefore, educated women are finding it difficult to find their perfect partner.
According to The Independent, there is an "over-supply" of highly educated females, and the intelligence gap between men and women is becoming wider.
The study examined 150 women in the US and Israel, who have had their eggs frozen throughout eight clinics.
90 per cent of them said that they were "preserving" their eggs because they have not found a partner yet.
81 per cent of the women said they have a college degree.
Author of the study, Professor of Anthropology Marcia Ihorn, said: "There is a major gap – they are literally missing men.
"There are not enough college graduates for them. In simple terms, this is about an over-supply of educated women."
To further that, a fertility doctor who took part in the study explained: "[Straight] women tell us frequently that they are freezing their eggs because the men they meet feel threatened by their success and so are unwilling to commit to starting a family together."
