Teen boys are falling behind in school, young men are checking out at work, and a lot of them don’t know why. In this first of two episodes, Leslie talks with Dr. Leonard Sax, family physician, psychologist, and author of the newly updated Boys Adrift, about the factors he’s now seeing as significant contributing factors: pornography, AI girlfriends, and apps that let teens create their own explicit images. They also dig into the Cornell sexual assault case in the news, what consent really means, and how to break free from compulsive porn use.
If you’re a guy, you’ll hear what’s going on and what actually helps. If you’re a young woman or a parent, you’ll understand what you’re seeing and what you can do. Listen now, then catch part 2 next week on video games and the Manosphere.
Content note: this episode discusses pornography, sexual assault, and other mature topics. It may not be the right fit for every listener.
Why Teen Boys and Young Men Are Falling Behind: Porn, AI Girlfriends, and How to Break Free
In this episode:
Why Dr. Sax added a sixth factor to Boys Adrift: porn, AI girlfriends, and the manosphere
How AI apps have changed what teens can access and create, and why most parents have no idea
What porn teaches boys about women and sex, and what it leaves out
Why many young women are losing hope in dating and long-term relationships
What the Cornell case reveals about what boys are (and aren’t) being taught
Why “consent” alone isn’t enough, and what Dr. Sax says to teach instead
How to break free from compulsive porn use, and why a counselor or mentor makes a difference
The risk of AI girlfriends, and why the real world beats the virtual one
Why creating AI porn of a real person can be a serious (federal) crime
Chapters:
[00:00] Why young men are falling behind (and a content heads-up)
[01:10] Why this is a two-part series
[01:56] Meet Dr. Leonard Sax
[02:28] Welcome to Healthy Teen Life
[03:03] What the new research revealed
[03:56] AI porn apps and what parents don't know
[05:23] How porn has changed and what it teaches about sex
[06:41] Why many young women are giving up on dating
[08:05] What boys are never told about porn
[10:13] The Cornell case and what's missing from the conversation
[14:07] What every young man should know about consent
[25:58] Why consent alone isn't enough: teaching caring
[28:15] How to break free from porn
[31:16] Valuing the real world over the virtual one
[32:06] AI girlfriends and one college student's story
[34:57] Gooning, deepfake porn, and why parents can't stay clueless
[37:24] Coming next week: video games and the manosphereAbout the guest:
Dr. Leonard Sax is a board-certified family physician, psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author of Why Gender Matters, Girls on the Edge, The Collapse of Parenting, and Boys Adrift. He has visited more than 500 schools worldwide and has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, PBS, Fox News, The Megan Kelly Show, BBC, and NPR’s Weekend Edition. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. The third edition of Boys Adrift is out now.
Resources mentioned:
Boys Adrift (3rd edition) 2026 by Dr. Leonard Sax
College Countdown Roadmap - A free phase-by-phase guide to getting your high school senior to college and ready for life once they’re there — from applications to move-in day.
Parent Masterclass - for parents of high school students planning to attend college or college freshman already on campus
Free Clarity Call with Leslie
Struggling with compulsive porn use? A counselor or therapist experienced with addiction can help, and an accountable mentor can too.