Power, Politics, And The New Culture War

As the Olympic flame dims, the culture war burns brighter. So what, exactly, did we learn about men and women this week?To help me unpack it, I sat down with Jess Britvich — a former social worker turned razor-sharp content creator who covers the intersection of internet culture, trends, and politics.Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, HuffPost, and BuzzFeed. She studied journalism and political science at Rutgers and earned her MSW from Fordham. Now she’s in Pittsburgh, decoding the chaos for the rest of us, usually with receipts.Here’s what we couldn’t ignore.1. The Locker Room OpticsThe director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, is facing scrutiny after appearing at a celebration for the U.S. men’s hockey team, including time in the locker room.On its face? A sports moment.In context? A reminder that proximity to male athletic spaces still carries power, symbolism, and access.To put it bluntly: When men celebrate, it’s patriotism. When women win, it’s politics.2. Flava Flav’s Feminist EraAfter the U.S. women’s hockey team reportedly declined an invitation from Donald Trump, they got a different one — from Flava Flav.Yes, that Flava Flav.He invited them to Las Vegas to celebrate properly. Internet reaction? A mix of delight, disbelief, and a deeper question: Why does recognition for women athletes so often arrive sideways?3. “Violence Porn” PoliticsMeanwhile, Rachel Maddow accused Trump of turning his State of the Union into “violence porn.”The phrase stuck because it captured something visceral: Dominance as messaging. Aggression as aesthetic. And helping people connect the dots between sadism and an insatiable thirst for power.4. The Surgeon General PickThen came the nomination of Dr. Casey Means for U.S. Surgeon General.Means, a wellness influencer-physician with a massive online following, represents a shift: medicine meets branding meets politics.The cultural authority once reserved for institutions now flows through personality. Credentials matter — but not the kind you think of. Dr. Means does not have a current medical license and does not practice medicine. So why is she about to become the nation’s doctor? We dig in.5. Christian Nationalism Meets 5GAnd just when you thought it couldn’t get more 2026 than that — enter Radiant Mobile.A self-described “Christian wireless service,” launching on the T-Mobile 5G network, promising network-level filtering of pornography, gambling, and “harmful digital influences,” alongside a steady stream of Jesus-centered content.Faith. Telecom infrastructure. Content moderation. Easter launch.The fight isn’t just over what we watch. It’s over what’s even allowed through the pipes.So…What Did We Learn?We learned that men’s spaces are still default power centers.We learned that women’s victories still require translation.We learned that politics is now aesthetic warfare.We learned that health, faith, sports, and telecom are no longer separate conversations.Most of all, we learned that the gender debate isn’t happening in op-eds anymore.It’s happening in locker rooms. On hockey rinks. On cable news. Inside Senate hearings. And apparently on your mobile plan.The Olympics may have ended. But the performance of masculinity and the renegotiation of womanhood? That’s going into overtime.FOLLOW NATALIEsubstack: https://substack.com/@factsoverfearnataliebinstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@nataliebencivenga/#tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nataliebencivengathreads: https://www.threads.com/@nataliebencivengapodcast via spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/47JYsn9LQchErS3cnHP2YFpodcast via apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/facts-over-fear/id1855901950FACTS OVER FEARLet's dismantle the fear that is used to divide us surrounding the issues impacting the people and talk facts.