Inside the New Age of Sexism: Laura Bates on Misogyny, AI, and Everyday Survival

Sexism isn’t just in politics or culture—it’s in our bodies, our health, and the way we move through the world every single day. 

On this episode of Inside the Wellspace, Cathy O’Brien sits down with globally renowned activist, author, and journalist Laura Bates—the force behind the viral Everyday Sexism Project. What started as a simple website sharing women’s daily experiences of harassment became a global movement, collecting more than 200,000 stories from over 25 countries and sparking worldwide conversations about gender inequality. Laura has since written 10 books, spoken at the United Nations, advised governments, and worked directly with schools to confront misogyny at its roots.

Laura unpacks her latest book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny. From deepfake pornography and sex robots to AI healthcare bias and discriminatory algorithms, she exposes how technology is amplifying old inequalities in disturbing new ways. Together, Kathy and Laura explore the public health crisis of everyday sexism, the impact on women’s mental and physical well-being, and the urgent need to reshape the systems that shape our lives.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to Everyday Sexism

07:02 The Birth of the Everyday Sexism Project

14:02 Impact on Education and Awareness

21:59 The Role of AI in Reinventing Misogyny

34:57 The Need for Systemic Change and Regulation