The manosphere is a broad term for a growing community based on shared far-right misogynistic ideologies. Hyper-masculinity, false definitions of feminism, and ways to harm women are just a few of the topics promoted to followers. Manosphere influencers have been banned from many social media platforms, but are gaining serious attention on X and far-right political platforms like Truth Social. Manosphere influencers preach that men are victims of feminism, that the gains of women’s rights come at costs to men.
The Radicalization of Young Men is a Global Trend
This zero-sum myth perception hurts the truth of the feminist cause that supports fighting for men’s rights as well. The growing popularity of these manosphere conspiracies also speaks to the growing polarization of men and women across the globe. In the U.S., the share of young women identifying with liberal causes has grown to 40%, but the share of young men identifying as such has stayed stagnant at 25%. Similarly in South Korea, the political views of young men and women were divided by 25 points.
Violence Against Women Framed as a Birthright
Since the 2000s, the manosphere has progressed from conspiracies about feminism secretly oppressing men, to influencers offering “solutions” to these problems in paid courses. “How to become a man” subscription courses involve lessons prioritizing material wealth and promoting the physical, financial, and sexual oppression of women.
At the most extreme level of the manosphere, even the murder of women is justified and encouraged. In 2020, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service charged a man with terrorism for violently targeting women. This was the first time that a gender-based hate crime has received that classification. In 2022, Andrew Tate, a major manosphere influencer, was arrested in Romania on charges of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors. Other influencers continue to call him innocent, and he continues to preach violence against women to his 10 million followers on X to this day.
63% of males globally watch men and masculinity influencers
Credit: Dr. Krista Fisher, Professor Simon Rice, Associate Professor Zac Seidler via Movember Institute of Men’s Health
Without Positive Role Models, Toxic Ones Move In
According to the Movember Foundation, an estimated 66% of young men worldwide engage with manosphere influencer content regularly. The manosphere is able to lure vulnerable men in because they draw on the realities of the growing rates of male loneliness, depression, and suicide. In 2023, there were nearly 50,000 suicides, 4 out of 5 committed by men. Younger susceptible boys become target demographics of influencers who market themselves as teaching structure and responsibility, almost like a role model. However, this is just a gateway into professing hatred towards others, inciting violence, and taking away women’s rights.
Banning influencers or banning kids from social media does not prove to be an effective strategy. Instead, access to education and mental health resources should be prioritized. Informing others about the harms of malinformation and conspiracy theories can make young men less likely to have their insecurities preyed upon by predatory manosphere influencers peddling the zero-sum myth. Even more, it can create allyship between men and women to work towards a common goal of equal and universal rights.
Resources and local spaces that were once commonly available for young kids like youth clubs, mentoring programs, and recreational areas are fading. As a result, children are increasingly joining online environments to find community, and unfortunately, many are like the manosphere: toxic and reactionary. If we wish to raise emotionally literate children, we must rebuild and support community spaces where children can develop healthy social and emotional skills with their peers. We must teach children how to express themselves without resorting to abusive, attention-seeking behavior promoted by online influencers. This is the only way to protect our children from falling prey to the manosphere.
This article was written by a guest contributor, S. Jarvis.
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