Pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor has said she discussed toxic masculinity at length with her sons prior to the release of the hite series Adolescence.
The four-part drama traces the disturbing journey of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, whose exposure to misogynistic online communities may have contributed to him killing a female classmate.
The singer, 46, has five boys, aged 19, 14, 11, seven, and four, with her husband Richard Jones. The couple first met when Jones auditioned to be in Ellis-Bextor’s tour band in 2002, and have been married since 2005.
Speaking to Good Housekeeping, Ellis-Bextor said of Adolescence: “Aspects of it were brilliant to bring into the discussion, but I’ve always had a lot of faith in my boys.
“We’ve openly chatted about toxic masculinity for a long time. My eldest is very articulate about these things, so none of it was new to my house.”
She continued: “Sometimes people have an idea of what boys are like, as if they’re a different species. As far as I’m concerned, I’m raising five people who happen to be boys.”
Adolescence became an instant success and the centre of a national conversation on incel culture, misogyny and the online “manosphere”, and there were even calls for the programme to become mandatory viewing in schools.
Elsewhere in the interview, Ellis-Bextor admitted she does “keep an eye” on her sons’ screen time but doesn’t “demonise” online activity because it’ll “shut down communication” about the issue.
“Then you’re like those parents in the 1950s who made kids burn their rock ’n’ roll albums,” she said.
When asked whether her sons undertake household chores Ellis-Bextor replied: “My intention is that they should all leave home being able to cook and dance. The key skills.”
Ellis-Bextor has previously revealed her sons have had a hard time at school because hey’ve inherited her husband’s red hair. “It’s extraordinary how you have this desire at that age group just to blend in, to be part of the pack,” she said. “It’s a really strong instinct.”
