What is the manosphere and why should I care?

The manosphere is a loose network of connected groups and influencers that promote antifeminist beliefs and narrow definitions of what it means to be a man. Young people are increasingly being exposed to these narratives through online content such as short form videos that are amplified through social media algorithms.

Its impacts are wide-ranging: women and girls face gender-based harassment and violence, while boys and young men can experience worsening mental health, social isolation, and risk being radicalised. Much of the hate in the manosphere is misogynistic; however, it also spreads queerphobic and racist ideas and is used to recruit young people into far-right groups. The overlap between extremism, misogyny, racism and anti-LGBTQIA+ hate is complex and has led to real-world violence.

Public discussion often slips into blaming young people for consuming (and regurgitating) harmful ideas, but this framing misses an important question: What might happen if, instead of treating young people as the problem, we saw them as partners capable of developing a solution. This project uses international evidence and best practice in its efforts to build positive solutions, led by and for young people, to the problem.