Heterofatalism | All About Women 2026

The term “heterofatalism” has gone mainstream, capturing a growing pessimism around straight romance, and it’s influencing everything from dating app use to the quiet rise of celibacy.Straight women are exhausted by underwhelming dates, constant safety calculations and endless emotional labour. As disappointing swipes, draining dates and “embarrassing” boyfriends multiply, a new mood is taking hold — a rising belief that heterosexual relationships are inherently flawed.Chanté Joseph, Dr Lisa Portolan and moderator, Lucy Smith unpack this cultural moment with humour, sharp analysis and hard truths. Chanté, who blew the lid off the embarrassment of boyfriends in British Vogue, brings her insider lens on contemporary dating culture, while Lisa, an academic, researcher and author shine a light on how gender, power and emotional labour shape modern digital romance. Together, they explore how women and gender diverse people are reshaping their romantic lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.