For the first time in history, will it be better to be a woman than a man in the upcoming century? The twelfth semi-annual Munk Debate pits Hanna Rosin and Maureen Dowd against Caitlin Moran and Camille Paglia to debate one of the biggest socio-economic phenomena of our time — the relative decline of the power and status of men in the workplace, in the family, and society at large.

Men have traditionally been the dominant sex. But now, for the first time, a host of indicators suggests that women not only are achieving equality with men, but are fast emerging as the more successful sex of the species. Whether in education, employment, personal health, or child rearing, statistics point to a rise in the status and power of women at home, in the workplace, and in traditional male bastions such as politics. But are men, and the age-old power structures associated with “maleness,” permanently in decline?

In this edition of the Munk Debates — Canada’s premier debate series — renowned author and editor Hanna Rosin and Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist Maureen Dowd square off against New York Times–bestselling author Caitlin Moran and academic trailblazer Camille Paglia to debate the future of men.

With women increasingly demonstrating their ability to “have it all” while men lag behind, the Munk Debate on gender tackles the essential socio-economic question: Are men obsolete?

HANNA ROSIN is the author of the definitive book on the decline of men and maleness in modern society, The End of Men. She is a senior editor at The Atlantic and a founder and editor of DoubleX, Slate’s site for women. She has written for The New Yorker, the New York Times, GQ, The New Republic, and the Washington Post, and was the recipient of the 2010 National Magazine Award.

Hanna Rosin's profile page

MAUREEN DOWD is the author of a hard-hitting New York Times weekly column on politics and culture. She has received the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary and is the author of the bestselling book, Are Men Necessary? Dowd has also served as a correspondent in the New York Times Washington bureau and has covered four presidential campaigns for the paper. She is regularly ranked among the top one hundred public intellectuals in America.

Maureen Dowd's profile page

CAITLIN MORAN is a British broadcaster, TV critic, and writer for the Times of London. Named Columnist of the Year in 2010 and both Critic and Interviewer of the Year in 2011 by the British Awards, she is the author of the international bestseller How to Be a Woman. The New York Times called the book a “glorious, timely stand against sexism so ingrained we barely notice it . . . a book that needs to be written.” It has sold over 400,000 copies and has been published in twenty-three languages.

Caitlin Moran's profile page

CAMILLE PAGLIA is recognized as one of the world’s top one hundred public intellectuals by Foreign Policy and Prospect. She is currently a Professor of Humanities and Media Studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her book Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson is considered an iconic work of literary criticism. Her other books include Sex, Art, and American Culture; Break, Blow, Burn; and Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art from Egypt to Star Wars.

Camille Paglia's profile page