The term ‘manel,’ is a relatively recent one, of course. To prepare for this show we checked out  a poll on whether it should be recognised as a word on the Cambridge Dictionary website, and found out that 22.4% of respondents think it should be, while 34.7% think it should not be. The others, well they want to wait and watch! It is clearly a divisive word (in the making.)

We voted for its addition to the dictionary, because I think the portmanteau of ‘man’ and ‘panel’ is rather relevant given how public conversation has been undoubtedly dominated by men. That gender frames how we relate to the world is  beyond argument. Therefore around fifty percent of the population being un-represented in public conversation is not acceptable, and so the word matters. If it is a podcast about, say, The Irish Potato Famine and they have no women in the panel, we would protest, but we are talking about men’s experience of sex, so the question is not as open and shut as one might think.

Given the question, this particular episode could not possibly be a manel, of course. (It is all getting a bit meta now.) So we have four women friends of the show, who have listened in patiently to these men go on for a while, and help us figure the way forward on this one. Play on!