“Is Masculinity a Prison?” Mike Pesca and Lux Alptraum Debate

Are men okay? New data is coming out showing that a gender gap is growing, and young men and boys are falling behind in several key areas, including education, employment, and mental health. Many young men have turned to influencers like Andrew Tate and Joe Rogan for guidance. On Wednesday, September 10, Open to Debate returns to the Village Underground to debate the following question: “Is Masculinity A Prison?” Press are invited to attend (media drinks comped).

Two journalists and podcasters hash it out. Arguing “YES” is writer and sex educator Lux Alptraum, former editor-in-chief of Fleshbot and host of the podcasts Tabloid and Say You’re Sorry. Arguing “NO” is journalist Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, the longest-running daily news podcast in history.

The “Is Masculinity A Prison?” debate will be held on Wednesday, September 10 at 6:00 PM ET (5:30 PM doors) at The Comedy Cellar at The Village Underground (130 W 3rd St. btw 6th Avenue and MacDougal Street), then air soon after on the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Open to Debate.” Journalist Nayeema Raza will serve as moderator. Media can email raypadgett@shorefire.com to RSVP.

DEBATER BIOS

* Lux Alptraum: Writer, Journalist, and Sex Educator
Lux Alptraum is a writer, sex educator, and consultant whose byline has appeared in a range of publications, including The New York Times, WIRED, New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was also the editor-in-chief of Fleshbot, a blog about sex and adult entertainment, and the author of “Faking It: The Lies Women Tell about Sex--And the Truths They Reveal.” Alptraum has appeared on numerous radio and television shows and has spoken at SXSW and various universities and colleges. She is also a cofounder of the nonprofit behind the annual professional development conference BinderCon and was the host of the second season of “Tabloid,” a podcast from New York Magazine and Luminary, and created the “Say You’re Sorry” podcast.

* Mike Pesca: Host of "The Gist" Podcast 
Mike Pesca is a journalist and the host of “The Gist,” the longest-running daily news podcast in history, which is consistently ranked in Apple's Top 20 Daily News charts. He spent a decade as a correspondent for NPR, and in addition to guest-hosting the NPR programs “All Things Considered” and the news quiz “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” his work has been featured on “This American Life,” “Radiolab,” and Planet Money. He has frequently appeared on MSNBC, CNN, and the PBS Newshour, and written for The Washington Post, The Guardian, GQ, Slate, and Baseball Prospectus. He is the winner of two Edward R. Murrow awards, one for his coverage of high school football, another for his analysis of the monetary value of Crackerjacks being mentioned in the lyrics to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

ABOUT OPEN TO DEBATE
Open to Debate addresses a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. We are the nation's only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. We know debate works to find common ground: On average, 32% of the Open to Debate audience changes their mind on contentious topics after hearing a debate. That’s the power of debate done right, and at scale, it can change the direction we’re headed in America. Open to Debate is broadcast as a weekly public radio program, carried on NPR stations including WNYC (#1 in the nation). Open to Debate is made available as a podcast, video series, and digital platform, and records episodes with live audiences nationwide. Visit opentodebate.org to become a member, access an archive of more than 220 debates, and attend live events.

Go here for photos, links and more info: https://shorefire.com/roster/open-to-debate

ABOUT NAYEEMA RAZA
Nayeema Raza is a journalist and filmmaker whose work has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, and the Tribeca Film Festival. She frequently guest moderates “Open to Debate,” for which she won a 2025 Gracie Award. Nayeema hosts “Smart Girl Dumb Questions,” a new podcast which seeks to invite curiosity back into our broader dialogue through sharp and entertaining conversations with guests like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cleo Abram and Mark Cuban. She is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where she teaches a course on technology, media, and the end of trust.

Nayeema was previously the co-host of the podcast “Mixed Signals” and the on-air Executive Producer of the Vox Media podcast, “On with Kara Swisher.” Prior to that, she was a Senior Editor at The New York Times where she launched and ran the podcast “Sway,” was a video journalist in the Opinion section, and contributed essays on modern culture.

Nayeema came to journalism with a background in documentary filmmaking and international development, spending her early career advising foreign governments in places like Libya, Vietnam, and South Africa on major policy reform. She is on the Board of Advisors of Open to Debate and on the Young Patrons Leadership Committee of PEN America. She is also a member of the Writers Guild of America, a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a 2024 Henry Crown Fellow within the Aspen Institute.

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For more information on Open to Debate, contact Ray Padgett (raypadgett@shorefire.com) or Mark Satlof (msatlof@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media.