Helen Lewis
@helenlewis.bsky.social
Staff writer, The Atlantic | Author, Difficult Women (2020) and The Genius Myth (2025) | Podcaster, Page 94 | Doom scroller, the internet | uk.bookshop.org/shop/helenlewis
Yeah, I really went easy on Louis CK here. There’s no way you actually read the piece, is there? (Or, I’m guessing, any of my articles on the Epstein case.)
October 17, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Yeah, I really went easy on Louis CK here. There’s no way you actually read the piece, is there? (Or, I’m guessing, any of my articles on the Epstein case.)
I was initially resistant to this — a panto! Groundbreaking! — but its sheer demented energy is incredibly appealing. I hope Cole Escola plays Mary when it transfers to London. Jinkx Monsoon was good but a bit bellowing.
September 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I was initially resistant to this — a panto! Groundbreaking! — but its sheer demented energy is incredibly appealing. I hope Cole Escola plays Mary when it transfers to London. Jinkx Monsoon was good but a bit bellowing.
Believing that women deserve single sex sports and spaces is not a “right wing thought”, nor is skepticism of puberty blockers. It’s the majority belief in the British population. Telling 80% of the population they’re far right is a poor political argument.
September 14, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Believing that women deserve single sex sports and spaces is not a “right wing thought”, nor is skepticism of puberty blockers. It’s the majority belief in the British population. Telling 80% of the population they’re far right is a poor political argument.
Some of these people *are* trans. They just don’t agree with the prevailing orthodoxy. One of the most blocked people on Bluesky is Brianna Wu, a trans woman with mainstream Dem voter opinions.
September 14, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Some of these people *are* trans. They just don’t agree with the prevailing orthodoxy. One of the most blocked people on Bluesky is Brianna Wu, a trans woman with mainstream Dem voter opinions.
This is the NYT article I was quoting on Giorgia Meloni's hobbit cosplay:
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/w...
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/w...
September 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
This is the NYT article I was quoting on Giorgia Meloni's hobbit cosplay:
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/w...
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/w...
I would probably rethink this.
September 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I would probably rethink this.
Celebrated the UK launch of The Genius Myth by talking about Milton, Mahler & Musk with @aiannucci.bsky.social - probably the best set of audience Qs I've ever had, too. (My rule when picking a book topic is "what will be interesting to talk about for weeks on end?")
uk.bookshop.org/a/6497/97817...
uk.bookshop.org/a/6497/97817...
June 20, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Celebrated the UK launch of The Genius Myth by talking about Milton, Mahler & Musk with @aiannucci.bsky.social - probably the best set of audience Qs I've ever had, too. (My rule when picking a book topic is "what will be interesting to talk about for weeks on end?")
uk.bookshop.org/a/6497/97817...
uk.bookshop.org/a/6497/97817...
It literally was the bisexual flag the Conservatives complained about, not the Pride flag. Do some research before being a self-righteous pillock on the internet next time. Here's the press release:
June 18, 2025 at 10:56 AM
It literally was the bisexual flag the Conservatives complained about, not the Pride flag. Do some research before being a self-righteous pillock on the internet next time. Here's the press release:
It was SO far away from what I actually wrote I went back and looked at the text to check my Tyler Durden-esque alter ego hadn't secretly slipped in a bit about Shakespeare being shit and also not Shakespeare.
June 15, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It was SO far away from what I actually wrote I went back and looked at the text to check my Tyler Durden-esque alter ego hadn't secretly slipped in a bit about Shakespeare being shit and also not Shakespeare.
Here is a tiny sample of the response I got this week for writing an article arguing that the Trump administration's trans policies were cruel. Go look under the post if you want the full experience.
June 11, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Here is a tiny sample of the response I got this week for writing an article arguing that the Trump administration's trans policies were cruel. Go look under the post if you want the full experience.
Are you in Bath or near Bath? It's the first stop on my book tour for The Genius Myth, so you can catch me before I become dissolute and jaded:
www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
June 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Are you in Bath or near Bath? It's the first stop on my book tour for The Genius Myth, so you can catch me before I become dissolute and jaded:
www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
"Everything written in 1641 will agree with everything else written in 1641, that's just science"
June 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM
"Everything written in 1641 will agree with everything else written in 1641, that's just science"
You think I'm being mean? Hang on until he explains his plan to replace democracy with city-state dictators, kept in check by a committee of airline pilots with keys to the nukes
June 4, 2025 at 9:58 AM
You think I'm being mean? Hang on until he explains his plan to replace democracy with city-state dictators, kept in check by a committee of airline pilots with keys to the nukes
Fans of Maurice Glasman not being allowed to have sex with his wife will enjoy his cameo:
June 4, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Fans of Maurice Glasman not being allowed to have sex with his wife will enjoy his cameo:
From 2023 onwards, Alex Thompson of Axios (one of the book's co-authors) wrote a series of stories about all the accommodations the Biden team were making: sneakers, shorter walks, limited schedule from 10am-4pm.
May 31, 2025 at 10:22 AM
From 2023 onwards, Alex Thompson of Axios (one of the book's co-authors) wrote a series of stories about all the accommodations the Biden team were making: sneakers, shorter walks, limited schedule from 10am-4pm.
Here's the full list of events for The Genius Myth, with some bonus London dates:
Orwell Festival www.orwellfestival.co.uk/booking/p/be...
Dr Johnson's House
www.drjohnsonshouse.org/post/helen-l...
Sekforde with @jamesomalley.co.uk
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/new-event-...
Orwell Festival www.orwellfestival.co.uk/booking/p/be...
Dr Johnson's House
www.drjohnsonshouse.org/post/helen-l...
Sekforde with @jamesomalley.co.uk
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/new-event-...
May 28, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Here's the full list of events for The Genius Myth, with some bonus London dates:
Orwell Festival www.orwellfestival.co.uk/booking/p/be...
Dr Johnson's House
www.drjohnsonshouse.org/post/helen-l...
Sekforde with @jamesomalley.co.uk
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/new-event-...
Orwell Festival www.orwellfestival.co.uk/booking/p/be...
Dr Johnson's House
www.drjohnsonshouse.org/post/helen-l...
Sekforde with @jamesomalley.co.uk
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/new-event-...
I'm doing some events around the publication of The Genius Myth this summer, each of them alongside someone with different expertise. Starting with . . .
June 17
Conway Hall, London
Intelligence Squared, in conversation with Armando Iannucci
www.intelligencesquared.com/events/the-g...
June 17
Conway Hall, London
Intelligence Squared, in conversation with Armando Iannucci
www.intelligencesquared.com/events/the-g...
May 27, 2025 at 8:29 AM
I'm doing some events around the publication of The Genius Myth this summer, each of them alongside someone with different expertise. Starting with . . .
June 17
Conway Hall, London
Intelligence Squared, in conversation with Armando Iannucci
www.intelligencesquared.com/events/the-g...
June 17
Conway Hall, London
Intelligence Squared, in conversation with Armando Iannucci
www.intelligencesquared.com/events/the-g...
They are the richest, mostly because of housing wealth. See the ONS figures below.
And don't be a prick about my weight. It doesn't help your argument.
And don't be a prick about my weight. It doesn't help your argument.
May 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
They are the richest, mostly because of housing wealth. See the ONS figures below.
And don't be a prick about my weight. It doesn't help your argument.
And don't be a prick about my weight. It doesn't help your argument.
You say "triple whammy savings blow", I say "cor, pensioner incomes are higher than you intuitively expect"
May 22, 2025 at 9:12 AM
You say "triple whammy savings blow", I say "cor, pensioner incomes are higher than you intuitively expect"
The ragging on the media for a "cover up" is pretty unfair, IMO -- Alex Thompson wrote multiple stories on the issue for Axios, and the NYT did too. (I wrote about it for the Atlantic in Feb last year, and Mark Leibovich did for us in *2022*). But this graphic still makes me laugh.
May 13, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The ragging on the media for a "cover up" is pretty unfair, IMO -- Alex Thompson wrote multiple stories on the issue for Axios, and the NYT did too. (I wrote about it for the Atlantic in Feb last year, and Mark Leibovich did for us in *2022*). But this graphic still makes me laugh.
I've just gone and stood in the spot at Kinkakuji (Golden Temple) in Kyoto where you now line up with all the other tourists for a photo.
On the left: me, 2013
On the right: me, 1579
On the left: me, 2013
On the right: me, 1579
April 19, 2025 at 9:45 AM
I've just gone and stood in the spot at Kinkakuji (Golden Temple) in Kyoto where you now line up with all the other tourists for a photo.
On the left: me, 2013
On the right: me, 1579
On the left: me, 2013
On the right: me, 1579
The point about trans men on female wards is not necessarily correct. Para 221 of the judgement explicitly allows service providers to exclude those who present as male from female-only spaces if women might have a "reasonable objection" to their presence.
April 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
The point about trans men on female wards is not necessarily correct. Para 221 of the judgement explicitly allows service providers to exclude those who present as male from female-only spaces if women might have a "reasonable objection" to their presence.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows might be the most beautiful game I've ever played. Blah blah blah stealthily stabbing people yes, but the FOLIAGE? Masterful.
April 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Assassin's Creed: Shadows might be the most beautiful game I've ever played. Blah blah blah stealthily stabbing people yes, but the FOLIAGE? Masterful.
I’m not talking about a rise in GRCs, I’m talking about Stonewall’s move from using “gender reassignment” as the PC to “gender identity” in its advice to companies, and its huge expansion of the “trans umbrella” once it became trans inclusive in 2015.
April 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I’m not talking about a rise in GRCs, I’m talking about Stonewall’s move from using “gender reassignment” as the PC to “gender identity” in its advice to companies, and its huge expansion of the “trans umbrella” once it became trans inclusive in 2015.
I find this unbelievably grotesque. Visually it’s so strongly reminiscent of a concentration camp — the bunks, the lack of clothing, the skinniness of some of these guys. Imagine doing a thumbs-up in front of that.
April 16, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I find this unbelievably grotesque. Visually it’s so strongly reminiscent of a concentration camp — the bunks, the lack of clothing, the skinniness of some of these guys. Imagine doing a thumbs-up in front of that.