Was patriarchy a mistake? And can we, as a society, find a better way forward?

This clear, bold, and unexpectedly hopeful manifesto is for anyone craving a deep, fundamental change to our lives, relationships, and world order. Using the accessible, point-by-point structure of her New York Times bestseller Ejaculate Responsibly, Blair walks us through her concise, darkly funny reasons why men are the actual second sex. With scientific precision, Blair draws on evolutionary examples of how males function across species: interchangeable, often disposable, and happiest in a “drone” role when their basic needs are met. Dismantling cherished myths about male “strength” and “protection,” she makes the radical case that men would thrive in a matriarchal, care-centered world. Because for the vast majority of human history, patriarchy didn’t exist—and after men seized power, our species and planet were brought to the brink of collapse in just 10,000 years. Matriarchies center coalition-building, not the extreme hierarchy that characterizes patriarchy. Instead of a total gender role reversal with women on top, Men Come Second invites readers to imagine and begin to build communities organized around children, caregiving, and long-term survival.