About the Show

Battle of the Sexes is a groundbreaking two-part series presented by Miriam O Callaghan and Ray D'Arcy exploring the state of the modern Irish man, the modern Irish woman and their relationships with one another.

In the past four decades, Irish society has changed fundamentally and the clear lines that once set apart traditional male and female roles have blurred significantly. The big questions are whether these changes have been entirely positive for both sexes or if Irish men and women are now struggling to make sense of their evolving roles in an even more rapidly changing world.

To try and understand this better, RTÉ commissioned a survey of over 1,000 men and women nationwide, asking them about everything from how they rate the opposite sex in bed to whether the sexes will ever be truly equal in the home and the workplace.

In the first programme, Mná na hÉireann join Miriam O Callaghan to analyse their men: Is the modern Irish male struggling for a role? For purpose? Is masculinity in crisis or are Irish men still enjoying unequal power and privilege? How are they performing as parents, lovers, partners? And exactly how attractive is an Irishman in a county jersey?

In the second programme, the men of Ireland join Ray D'Arcy to have their say: asking whether women demand too much? Are they ever happy? Do they focus too much on irrelevant details like housework and celebrity gossip? The men speak frankly about sex and love and about whether it is time to let go the reins of power and try to create a society that is really equal.

Battle of the Sexes is a fun, entertaining, lively and relevant debate about the state of play between the sexes in modern Ireland. In each programme, 15 invited guests, a mix of fresh, incisive commentators and ordinary people from around the country lead the charge.

Both programmes are driven by a national survey conducted by RTÉ/RedC, which asked the big questions about what, going back to Adam and Eve, remains the most enduring relationship there is. Short VT documentary packages focus on the stories behind the survey and include a mixture of pure comedy, serious polemic and personal, human stories. Meanwhile, in studio, the invited panellists react to the RTÉ/REDC survey results and the documentary packages.

For further information contact: Tyrone Productions, 01 6627200.

 

Here are the contact details of some of the organisations that can help if you are interested in any of the issues that have been raised in the programmes:

OPEN – Representing Lone Parent Groups in Ireland
Tel: 01-8148860
enquiries@oneparent.ie
www.oneparent.ie

Aware
Tel: 1890-303302
info@aware.ie
www.aware.ie

Men’s Development Network
Tel: 051-844260/1
men@mens-network.net
www.mens-network.net

Retrouvaille
Tel: 01-4953536 / 087-7920101
www.retrouvaille.ie

UCD Women’s Studies / School of Social Justice
Tel: 017167104
www.ucd.ie/werrc; www.ucd.ie/socialjustice

Family Support Agency
Tel: 01-6114100
info@fsa.ie
www.fsa.ie

Women’s Aid
National Freephone Helpline
Tel: 1800-341900 (10am – 10pm, 7 days)
www.womensaid.ie

National Women’s Council Of Ireland
Tel: 01-8787248
info@nwci.ie

National Counseling Institute Of Ireland
Tel: 061-216288
www.ncii.ie

Centre for Social and Family Research
Tel: 051-845672
fhogan@wit.ie
www.wit.ie/research/researchgroupscentres/groups/csfr/publications 

One Family
Tel: 1890-662212
info@onefamily.ie
www.onefamily.ie