While communities in the manosphere function like self-help groups for men, they also contain very toxic discussions of misogyny and sexism. Photo: Freepik
Toxic masculinity peddled by online influencers is becoming increasingly prominent, experts say, buoyed by the resurgence of far-right ideology and a virulent backlash against feminism.
In March, a 26-year-old man was jailed in Britain for killing his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her mother with a crossbow and knife in 2024.
Kyle Clifford’s trial heard that he had watched videos by self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate hours before the horrific murders.
Tate has more than 10 million followers on X and is popular with young men on the platform, where he shares his violent vision of masculinity.
While Tate was banned on Instagram and TikTok for his misogynistic tirades, his X account was restored by Elon Musk when the billionaire bought the platform in 2022.
Now, the British-American figurehead of the online masculinist movement has left Romania for the United States with his brother Tristan, despite facing rape and human trafficking charges in Bucharest.
The two brothers are now in Florida, where a criminal investigation has been opened against them.
According to Jacob Johanssen, associate professor of communications at St Mary’s University in London, there has been “a normalisation of misogyny, rape culture and violence against women and girls”.
The rise of the so-called “manosphere” – made up of online forums and communities that promote masculinism and misogyny – is “intrinsically linked to the growth of right-wing populism across many parts of the world”, Johanssen said.
Men ‘alienated’
With some policies against diversity and inclusion hailed by hard-right politicians in several countries, the “anti-woke” rhetoric is gaining ground.
“What we’re seeing is a new dynamic,” said Joshua Thorburn, a doctoral candidate at Australia’s Monash University researching online misogyny, adding that there is now “more visibility” for such ideas.
While some feminist researchers have long warned of an impending conservative backlash against advances in women’s rights, experts point to a crisis in masculinity.
“We live in an unstable and precarious world and men, as well as everyone else, face many problems today. They feel alienated,” according to Johanssen.
This, experts say, is where the manosphere comes in, with its online forums and YouTube channels.
“The different communities in the manosphere function like self-help groups for men where they can discuss issues such as mental health, vulnerability or loneliness,” Johanssen said.
“But at the same time, those spaces also contain very toxic discussions of misogyny and sexism.”
Understanding boys and young men
According to Thorburn, a large section of manosphere content also “relates to things a lot of young men may be looking for online, such as dating advice, health, fitness advice and financial advice”.
“A young man or teenager may not be explicitly searching for misogynistic content when they first encounter a manosphere influencer’s content or a manosphere community,” he said.
A 15-year-old Londoner called Alistair said he enjoys this kind of content. He is a fan of the YouTube channel and podcast FreshandFit, which describes itself as dedicated to “men’s self-improvement”.
However, in addition to videos on how to achieve dream muscles, other segments discuss why “women are so hypocritical” or why men and women “could never be equal”.
Alistair, who is also a fan of Andrew Tate, does not see any issue. “It’s about sport and how to make it in life,” the secondary school pupil said. “Where’s the harm?”
The British television series Adolescence has won praise recently for its exploration of the subject through the story of a 13-year-old boy who murders a schoolgirl, influenced by online misogyny.
The screenwriters said they were inspired by several real-life events and hoped the show could help audiences understand how boys and young men are influenced by the manosphere. – AFP Relaxnews
