More than half (56%) of young men voters in the U.S. (ages 18-29) voted for Trump in 2024. This came as a surprise to a lot of people, especially as many young people are increasingly adopting liberal political views. So what happened, and what can we do about it? Pleasure Pie: What is the manosphere? How does it impact young men? Caroline Hayes: The manosphere is an umbrella term often used to describe a diverse collection of websites, content creators, public figures, blogs, and online forums that promote masculinity, misogyny, and opposition to feminism. The ideology ranges from extreme misogyny on incel forums to more mainstream biological essentialism in dating advice TikToks. The throughline in manosphere content is the notion that men are the new oppressed class, and that women and feminism are to blame. These messages impact mental health, violence (against oneself and others), and anti-democratic trends. PP: Why are young men drawn to this? CH: Men’s crisis of connection is the subject of countless headlines. According to our State of American Men 2023 report, two-thirds of young men ages 18-23 feel that “no one really knows” them, revealing a stark fragility of their relationships. As the world is experiencing rapid social, political, and economic changes, young men are turning to the internet. They are finding online community that speaks to their unique identities, interests, and fears. A lot of manosphere content blends topics many men are interested in, including fitness, dating, and financial skill-building, with harmful messages about gender (e.g. "hypergamy" and "negging"). It can be difficult for young people to sift out what ideas are healthy and serve them versus what is actually harmful. PP: How much of an impact did the manosphere have on Trump's reelection? CH: Throughout the presidential race, Trump’s campaign leaned on conservative podcasts and tailored messaging toward disaffected young men. Some manosphere content creators were central in platforming his campaign messages that intertwined extreme gender politics with right-wing politics. As Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention over the summer, the song “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown blared from the speakers. For some men feeling discouraged about future economic or relationship prospects, Trump’s victory represents a chance to reclaim a place in society that they think they are losing. PP: What do racism and classism have to do with the manosphere? CH: Data from our State of American Men report shows that across the political spectrum, large percentages of men said feminism has “gone too far." The majority feel that their reputations can be destroyed with a single comment or complaint from a woman. Men who reported the highest level of economic stress were more likely to oppose gender equality. More and more young men are feeling discouraged about their economic futures, as changes in the labor market have led to a decline of many male-dominated industries. This leaves many men vulnerable to manosphere figures that attempt to exploit this for their personal gain. Manosphere creators are using men's economic anxieties to make the case that women have taken men's place as breadwinners in society, leading to a destabilization of the "natural order" of things. Much of this rhetoric overlaps with anti-DEI narratives, which argue that initiatives to uplift historically marginalized individuals are to blame for White men's struggles. PP: Is there anything that feminists are getting wrong in how we think about young men? CH: Growing isolation among young men means fewer opportunities for developing social skills and confidence. Technological advances, including AI relationships, as well as men's socialization to be self-sufficient and emotionally constricted, contribute to this. Rather than making jokes about men having no friends, feminists could acknowledge the real difficulties that men face. This could help make men feel seen and understood, lowering the barrier of entry to feminist spaces. PP: How can progressive movements like feminism, comprehensive sex education, and queer and trans liberation better reach young men? CH: Young men are spending the majority of their time online, especially in gaming spaces. There is a widely accepted narrative that young people's online lives, including gaming, are sources of risk, harm, misogyny, racism, and violence. Our research—and that of many others—affirm that there is no shortage of that. But in listening to young men, we see that the story is more complicated. They repeatedly told us about feeling connected and finding friendship online. If progressive movements can find ways to integrate messaging and interventions into the places men are drawn to in an organic way that feels relevant to those communities, I'm hopeful that we will see less division across gender and political lines. I'm also encouraged by the way the broader public conversation has developed to address growing isolation among young people, including recognizing the importance of third spaces and the increased social opportunities to meet others, such as dance classes, intramural sports, etc. Learn more about the manosphere and see Equimundo's full report: The Manosphere, Rewired: Understanding Masculinities Online and Pathways for Healthy Connection. Comments are closed.
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