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Return of the alpha male: Why toxic masculinity is gaining prominence

Return of the alpha male: Why toxic masculinity is gaining prominence

The rise of the so-called “manosphere” is “intrinsically linked to the growth of right-wing populism," a communications professor said.
20 Mar, 2025

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 the UK 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, outspoken supporters of US President Donald Trump, 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 told AFP.

Men ‘alienated’

With Trump’s offensive against diversity and inclusion policies, hailed by hard-right politicians in several countries, “anti-woke” rhetoric is gaining ground.

In January, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg called for a return to “masculine energy”.

“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 interviewed by AFP 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.”

‘Tricking’ 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 and 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.

AFP spoke to a 15-year-old Londoner called Alistair who 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 told AFP. “Where’s the harm?”

In recent weeks, the British television series “Adolescence” has won praise 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.

In a speech on Wednesday, former England football manager Gareth Southgate slammed “toxic” influencers who “trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance… and that the world, including women, is against them”.

Comments

Shala Mar 20, 2025 01:28pm
I don't think article is for Pakistani readers. Feminism in the west is toxic and is completely different from feminism in Pakistan.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Mar 20, 2025 01:37pm
Old and bad habits and practices die hard.
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Jam Mar 20, 2025 04:43pm
Feminism in Pakistan limited to rights of the upper class women, as they have all the rights. Thy exploits the lower class and try to divert their attention from real problems on the name of Feminism. Ask your husbands not to exploits lower and middle class.
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Farrukh Mar 20, 2025 04:59pm
Absolutely irrelevant to our society.
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Farrukh Mar 20, 2025 04:59pm
Western feminism is way more toxic than toxic masculinity of our society
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Laila Mar 20, 2025 05:49pm
Not really relevant to Pakistanis, and we certainly don't need more toxic misogyny, patriarchy in Pakistan where masculinity is a rare trait. Here honor is tied to a woman's body/womb and life choices, honor killings/crimes still happening, in society dominated by ignorant,spineless, gossping mummy's boys who think masculinity is about controlling and restricting females while lettings males have a free pass to sin, immorality, with zero accountability or obligations, but only rights (usually limited to 4 wives, absolute obedience and violence against females) by the simply virtue of being born male. Let's leave toxic Andrew Tate and his ilk in the West and let them deal with it. We have our own headaches in Pakistan.
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Laila Mar 20, 2025 05:54pm
@Shala I agree that feminism is not a one sizes fits all. But it is also not homogenous actress the West which covers 2 continents with diverse countries and cultures. Italian feminism is not the same as Swedish feminism. Just like East means different things in Taiwan or Malaysia, or Pakistan. But can you kindly elaborate with some detail what you mean by "feminism in Pakistan" because most will say, we don't have feminism in Pakistan.
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Bilal Mar 20, 2025 06:39pm
The red pill movement is not an issue in Pakistan. This article is not relevant to our youth.
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Mahusd Mar 20, 2025 08:08pm
One cannot blur the sun with one’s thumb.
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Surakh Mar 20, 2025 10:37pm
I think there is no issue regarding manosphere. NO threat for the society.
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Surakh Mar 20, 2025 10:39pm
I think there is no issue regarding this. No threat for society. It's absolutely true that men and women are not equal in certain things. There is well defined gender roles for human since the history of mankind.
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Talha Mar 21, 2025 05:38am
I agree with the other comment that this article does not apply to the Pakistani society.
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Saap Mar 21, 2025 07:21am
I enjoy when liberals cry over some disagreement with their opinions. They call it far-right, threat to democracy, nazi, authoritarianism, etc. Trump crushed them.
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Laila Mar 21, 2025 04:36pm
@Farrukh, Considering how violence against women, refusal of rights and opportunities whether education, employment, marriage, divorce, or other are disproportionately higher in Pakistan for females, than no, toxic feminism is not more dangerous. How often do you hear Pakistani people crying over sons naseeb, treating sons as burden to be married off asap, treating divorced sons as stigma and stained who nobody will marry, tying family honor with the bodies of sons/brothers, honor killings of sons/husbands/brothers, telling boys to have patience, tolerance, and compromise in marriage? Misogyny is rampant in Pakistan. The statistics are alarming. Yet you are worried about distant unrelateable western foreign toxic feminism. Kindly educate yourself on what is happening in Pakistan outside the comfort of your own family and home.
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Laila Mar 21, 2025 04:39pm
@JAM What you described is not feminism, but rather classicism, exploitation and feudalism which is not limited to elite females but males too. Kindly look and read what feminism is.
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Laila Mar 21, 2025 08:38pm
@Surakh Except that the issues raised in the articles ARE threat to society (normalisation of violence against women, rape culture, misogyny).
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