Podcast Summary: Louder with Crowder
Episode: Timothy Gordon Explains: What Womanly Submission Really Means
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Steven Crowder (B)
Guest: Timothy J. Gordon (A), Catholic apologist, author, and host of Rules for Retrogrades
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode delves into the meaning of "womanly submission" from a biblical and traditional Christian perspective. Steven Crowder and Timothy J. Gordon discuss the historical impact of feminism, the nature and role of women according to Scripture and the Catholic tradition, and confront both secular and religious distortions of patriarchy. The conversation critiques both feminist and “red pill” (online masculinity) movements, advocating instead for a return to a Bible-based patriarchy in the family and society.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Crowder’s “Simple Prescription” and Cultural Backlash
[01:32–04:03]
- Crowder reiterates his stance: “Women stop being whores. Start prioritizing motherhood and start listening to your husbands...it’s actually a very simple prescription and it turns out that it's biblical.”
- He expresses surprise at how controversial these ideas are in contemporary society, labeling the pushback as a product of modern feminism.
2. Introducing Timothy J. Gordon and His Work
[04:03–06:45]
- Gordon’s background: JD, Thomistic philosopher, former debate coach, Catholic apologist.
- His primary roles include debating on topics like feminism within both Catholic and Protestant spheres.
- Gordon discusses his show, Rules for Retrogrades, and his advocacy for homeschooling and adult Christian education.
3. The Problem with Red Pill and Feminist Movements
[10:45–18:03]
- Gordon differentiates biblical patriarchy from the red pill movement.
- Key analysis: Red pill and feminism both misdiagnose or mis-prescribe solutions to issues in male-female relationships.
- Red pill is critiqued for promoting immoral, non-biblical answers (e.g., “be a vile man slut”), while feminism upends natural and scriptural roles.
Notable Quote:
“All [red pill] did is [say] I have a raging headache... [Their] prescription is terrible. What are they saying to do? They're saying to be vile man sluts and... MGTOW... a gay cruiser lifestyle for men... all population control advocacy... Red pill and feminism when you look at it, is some combination of Judeo Muslim, basically.” – Gordon [24:40]
4. Defining a Woman: The Documentary “What a Woman Is”
[11:43–18:03; 56:35–59:13]
- Gordon and his team produced What a Woman Is as a follow-up to Matt Walsh’s documentary, intending to fill the gap left by the latter.
- Focus: Rather than just “what a woman isn’t,” Gordon sets out to robustly define what a woman is according to Scripture, philosophy, and tradition.
- Preview of film affirms patriarchy as normative in Christianity and discusses the natural law basis for sex roles.
Notable Quote:
“Patriarchy is a synonym for Christianity... Christianity is patriarchy. It is male leadership. And women, what are they? How do you answer what a woman is from a Christian perspective? Well, they're fundamentally a help meet.” – Gordon [29:05]
5. The Pervasiveness and Impact of Feminism
[18:03–24:38; 35:05–36:08; 67:46–70:51]
- Gordon describes modern Christianity as deeply influenced by feminist values—even among those who don’t self-identify as feminists.
- He asserts that functional gender “dysphoria” afflicts the majority of households due to the normalization of feminism within society and the church.
- Points out negative social impacts of women leaving the home (unhappiness, declining birth rates, lack of fulfillment).
6. The Scriptural and Traditional Basis for Patriarchy
[27:55–31:48; 35:05–39:39; 47:58–51:52]
- Gordon emphasizes that Scripture requires women to obey their husbands, be keepers at home, and to teach only younger women and children.
- Argues that biblical patriarchy confers dignity but not equality in rank or function for women compared to men.
- Detractors who claim the arrangement is “overbearing” are countered by reference to Scripture and church tradition, and by contrasting the Christian teaching with caricatures promoted by the red pill or by feminism.
Notable Quotes:
“Patriarchy means power to fathers. So because it means power to fathers, you have to advocate for siring children within a Christian family. And [the red pill] don’t.” – Gordon [27:55]
“Wives must obey their husbands in all things. Women are not allowed to teach. The only thing that they're allowed to teach are younger married women to follow and obey their husbands.” – Gordon [47:58]
7. Addressing Detractors and Tough Questions
[34:05–35:05; 42:11–51:52; 91:27–98:56]
- Responding to concerns about women’s agency: Gordon insists these are not matters of equality of worth, but of different roles, responsibilities, and rankings, grounded both in natural law and divine command.
- For women who don’t desire the traditional model: Gordon suggests that virtue is cultivated as a habit, and cultural nurture can be overcome as women realign with their true natures and biblical prescriptions.
- On practical logistics (“when does a wife get time off?”): Gordon argues home life for wives is not comparable to men's hard labor; the home is a site of vocation, beauty, and rest, not a profession requiring “breaks”.
Memorable Exchange:
“When does my wife get time off? Because I go to a job from, say, nine to five... But she never gets to go home from that. How do you answer that?” – Host [92:27]
“If she needs all alone time, which is kind of rare, that's why men, you know, take the kids out... but my wife doesn't really like that anyway. She likes to come with us. ... It's not a job, it's your vocation.” – Gordon [95:44]
8. The Roots of Feminism and Its Scriptural Antagonism
[47:47–53:55; 100:36–103:57]
- Gordon and Crowder argue that feminism is fundamentally a rejection of God’s ordering of the sexes, rooted in the model of Eve (the disobedience) and Lilith (apocryphal rebel) as feminist icons.
- The Christian tradition is, by its nature, patriarchal; the feminist project is characterized as “warfare” against both God and man.
Notable Quote:
“What feminists want is to defy God and to defy our husbands, Adam, and get away with it. So it's the center of all leftism. ... It's right versus wrong.” – Gordon [102:19]
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On the Red Pill Movement:
“All they're doing ... is diagnosing: I have a raging headache. That's all Red Pill did. ... The prescription is terrible... Both feminism and red pill, when you look at it, is some combination of Judeo Muslim, basically.” – Gordon [24:40] -
On Scriptural Roles:
“Scripture is really affirmative: Yep, that was right, what you thought a man was and what he ought to spend most of his time doing... Same thing, what the naturalists thought a woman is and should do, got it right as well.” – Gordon [16:41] -
On Virtue and Female Happiness:
“In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle distinguishes that pleasure is still useful ... in the virtuous life, as a test… When you try the virtuous thing on day one ... you hate it, stick with it every day... Then I start liking it.” – Gordon [64:54] -
On Marriage Practicalities:
“You can't be a dipshit at home... If he's a good man, he's going to take off from there and not just do the greatest gen thing... he needs to play and pray with the kids.” – Gordon [98:56] -
On Christianity and Patriarchy:
“Christianity is the patriarchy. It is male leadership. ... What are they [women]? How do you answer what a woman is from a Christian perspective? Well, they're fundamentally a help meet.” – Gordon [29:05]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:32] Crowder's "prescription" to women and controversy
- [04:03] Introduction of Timothy J. Gordon and his credentials
- [11:43] Documentary “What a Woman Is” and its purpose
- [18:03] Feminism’s infiltration into churches and homes
- [27:55] Biblical patriarchy vs. red pill and feminism
- [34:05] Addressing criticism: agency, oppression, and roles
- [42:11] Societal reversal: how to make traditional roles appealing again
- [56:35] Trailer and discussion of the documentary
- [64:13] Cultivating virtue, addressing “uphill battle” for traditional roles
- [91:27] Practical home management: duties and time-off debate
- [100:36] Roots of feminism, Lilith and Eve as icons
Conclusion and Tone
The conversation is frank, unapologetic, and confrontational regarding modern progressive beliefs but earnest and didactic in presenting a return to Christian norms. The tone includes humor, directness, and occasional banter, yet both host and guest repeatedly emphasize that their promotion of patriarchy is rooted in love for family, faith, and societal health—not in domination or misogyny.
Both stress the importance of understanding the "why" behind beliefs and encourage listeners to explore these issues further through debate, tradition, and (especially) reference to Scripture.
How to Watch/Support
- Documentary: What a Woman Is—Hosted by Candace Owens, available at CandaceOwens.com (free on Feb 4–5, $1.99 after)
- Timothy Gordon: Books, debates, and content at TimothyJGordon.com; YouTube “Rules for Retrogrades”; Locals community
For listeners new to these debates, the episode provides a comprehensive, unfiltered summary of the case for patriarchy, critiques of feminism and the red pill, and practical advice on building biblical family structures.