Understanding the manosphere, incels and Andrew Tate

The manosphere isn’t a single website or group—it’s a loose collection of forums, influencers, and content creators who share overlapping beliefs.

Core themes include:

• The idea that men are oppressed by modern society
• Hostility toward feminism and gender equality
• Promotion of rigid gender roles and male dominance”

Several subgroups exist within the manosphere, each with distinct but often overlapping ideologies:

• Incels: Involuntary celibates who blame women for their lack of romantic success, often expressing extreme misogyny.
• MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way): Men who reject relationships with women entirely, claiming society is biased against them.
• MRA (Men’s Rights Activists): Focus on perceived injustices against men, sometimes using legitimate issues to justify broader anti-women narratives.
• PUA (Pick-Up Artists): Promote manipulative tactics to attract women, often reducing relationships to power and control.
• Tradwife Influencers: Women who promote traditional gender roles, domesticity, and submission as ideal traits. While often framed as lifestyle content, this trend can reinforce anti-feminist narratives and overlaps with manosphere ideologies by idealising rigid, binary roles for men and women.

These groups often reinforce each other’s views through shared content, cross-posting, and algorithm-driven recommendations.

Young people may be drawn in gradually—starting with self-help or dating advice, and then exposed to more extreme content.

Internet Matters’ research also showed how pornography can reinforce misogynistic attitudes, especially when children are exposed to it early and without context. The concern isn’t just about explicit content—it’s about the messages it sends about power, consent, and gender roles.

Early exposure:

• The report shows that over a quarter of children encounter porn by age 11, and nearly 80% of young adults have seen violent porn before turning 18. Often children are discovering porn on mainstream social media rather than porn platforms.
• This means many children are forming ideas about sex and relationships from content that often depicts women as submissive or degraded.

Normalisation of misogyny:

• Even when porn doesn’t use overtly hateful language, it can still promote harmful gender stereotypes.
• Children may internalise these messages without realising it, especially if they don’t have trusted adults to talk to.

Strangulation

Research in Australia has found that an increasing number of young people are engaging in sexual strangulation learned from porn and it is becoming normalised during sex. The organisation Breathless is raising awareness of this and has a growing number of resources.

Our role:

• We don’t need to be experts in porn—but we do need to be confident in talking about healthy relationships, consent, and respect.
• It’s okay to feel uncomfortable—many of us do. But silence leaves children to figure it out alone, often with harmful consequences.
• Age-appropriate, honest conversations can help children critically assess what they see and know they can come to us if something feels wrong.

Andrew Tate is a highly visible and controversial figure whose influence is particularly strong among teenage boys and young men. He presents himself as a self-made success story, but his messaging often promotes misogyny, dominance, and control. This video gives an indication of his content.

Background:

• American-British professional kickboxer turned internet personality
• Gained fame after Big Brother(2016); removed for controversial views
• Promotes “alpha male” lifestyle through online businesses and social media
• Convicted in Romania for human trafficking, rape and organised crime, facing UK extradition for sexual assaults, plus other investigations and civil lawsuits.

Influence on young people:

• Mixes motivational content with harmful gender ideologies and promotes gendered violence and misogyny
• 8 in 10 British boys aged 16–17 have seen his content
• 45% of British men aged 16–24 view him positively (Hope Not Hate, 2023)
• Red flags: glamorisation of wealth, control, and dominance

Key Concerns:

• Promotes gendered violence and toxic masculinity
• Uses derogatory language about women
• Facing legal investigations (e.g., human trafficking, exploitation)

Your response is crucial!

While much of Andrew Tate’s content is rightly criticised for promoting misogyny and harmful gender stereotypes, it’s important to acknowledge that not all of his messaging is inherently negative. Some young people—particularly boys—are drawn to his emphasis on self-discipline, fitness, financial independence, and personal responsibility. These themes can resonate with those seeking structure, motivation, or a sense of belonging.

One practitioner from the YES service shared a valuable example. When working with a young person who followed Andrew Tate, rather than immediately condemning the influencer, the practitioner took a curious and non-judgemental approach. She asked the young person what aspects of Tate’s content appealed to him. She also explored his views on women and whether he had female friends. His responses indicated that, while he was influenced by some of Tate’s messaging, he had not fully internalised the more extreme or harmful ideologies.

This approach helped open a dialogue rather than shut it down. It demonstrated that the young person was not deeply entrenched in misogynistic beliefs and allowed space for critical reflection. The practitioner’s strategy highlights a key principle: being overly negative or dismissive about influencers like Tate can backfire, potentially pushing young people further into echo chambers where these views are reinforced.

Instead, we must meet young people where they are—acknowledging the appeal of certain messages while gently challenging harmful narratives. This balanced, trauma-informed approach fosters trust and encourages open, reflective conversations.

Definition: Involuntary celibates who believe they are unable to form sexual relationships with women.

Key concepts

• Black Pill: Belief that the social system is irreparably broken and personal change is futile.
• Fatalism and misogyny: Belief that women are hypergamous (date/marry above their social status) and society is rigged against average or unattractive men.
• Neurodiversity and vulnerability: Some neurodiverse young people may be more susceptible due to social isolation, challenges with relationships, and hyperfixation on online content.
• Violence and radicalisation: Black pill ideology can lead to real-world violence
• Online echo chambers: Incels congregate in online spaces where their beliefs are reinforced.

“Predicting Harm Among Incels: The Roles of Mental Health, Ideological Belief and Social Networking” 2023 report

This report for the Commission for Counter Terrorism found:

Mental health and isolation:

• 62% of incel forum users reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
• 55% reported symptoms of anxiety.
• Many users described feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and social rejection.

Neurodiversity and vulnerability

• Many incel forum users exhibit neurodivergent traits, including autism spectrum conditions, ADHD, and social anxiety. These traits are not causes of incel ideology but may contribute to social isolation, relationship difficulties, and increased susceptibility to online radicalisation.

Ideological beliefs:

• 80% of posts analysed contained misogynistic content.
• Common themes included beliefs that women are shallow, manipulative, or only attracted to high-status men.
• Some users expressed admiration for mass attackers like Elliot Rodger.

Online radicalisation:

• Incel communities often act as echo chambers, reinforcing harmful beliefs.
• Users who spend more time on these forums are more likely to adopt extreme views and express support for violence.

Risk of harm:

• The report identifies a small but significant group of users who express intent to harm themselves or others.
• These users often show a combination of poor mental health, strong ideological commitment, and social isolation.

• Women who identify as involuntarily celibate
• Feel excluded from romantic/sexual relationships despite wanting them.

Key differences from incels:

• Less focused on blaming others(e.g., women or society)
• More emphasis on self-perception, mental health, and social anxiety
• Tend to express sadness and isolation rather than anger or entitlement

Online culture:

• Femcel forums often include dark humour, self-deprecation, and emotional support
• Some overlap with incel spaces, but generally less violent or misogynistic.

Why It Matters:

• Highlights how gendered expectations affect both men and women
• Important to recognise emotional distress without reinforcing harmful ideologies.

Incel (involuntary celibate) memes like “The Chad” and “The Stacy” are not just internet jokes — they are part of a broader online subculture that promotes misogynistic, dehumanising, and often radicalising narratives.

These memes:

• Reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, portraying men as hyper-masculine aggressors and women as shallow, manipulative, or only valued for their appearance.
• Create a binary worldview, where individuals are either “winners” or “losers” in dating and social hierarchies.
• Are often used in online echo chambers to validate feelings of rejection, entitlement, and resentment — particularly toward women and socially successful men.
• Can act as entry points into more extreme ideologies, especially for young people experiencing isolation, mental health challenges, or neurodivergence.

Incels: A Guide to Symbols and Terminology gives more information about this and associated lexicon.

• have low self-esteem
• be victims of bullying/discrimination
• isolated and lonely or wanting to belong
• unhappy about themselves and what others might think of them
• embarrassed or judged about their culture, gender, religion or race
• stressed or depressed
• fed up of being bullied or treated badly by other people or by society
• anger resulting in real or perceived personal grievances
• confused about what they are doing
• pressured to stand up for other people who are being oppressed
• periods of transition or confusion
• having autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) – hyperfixation.

The most effective way to ensure the online safety of children and young people is to have regular, open conversations with them about their online experiences.

By fostering a supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing, show an interest in where they are spending time online, have fun with them.

It is clear from ‘Adolescence’ that the boy’s parents had little to no idea what he was doing online and who he was speaking to.

This guide is based on a number of resources including Durham University’s GEO toolkit and Internet Matters.

1. Start with curiosity, not condemnation

• Ask open-ended questions like: “What do you think about what he says?” “What parts of his message do you agree with?”
• Avoid jumping straight to judgement. This helps avoid defensiveness and keeps the conversation open.

2. Acknowledge the appeal

• Recognise that figures like Andrew Tate often promote messages about; Confidence, Financial success, Physical fitness, Brotherhood and belonging
• These can be attractive to boys who feel uncertain, insecure, or isolated.

3. Separate the positive from the harmful

• Help young people critically examine the difference between:
  • Positive messages (e.g. self-discipline, ambition)
  • Harmful messages (e.g. misogyny, control, violence)
• Ask: “Can someone give good advice in one area but be wrong in another?”

4. Use real-life scenarios

• Use examples from school, social media, or gaming to explore:
• What respectful relationships look like
• How online algorithms can reinforce extreme views
• How to spot manipulation or grooming tactics

5. Promote critical thinking

• Encourage young people to ask:
  • “Who benefits from me believing this?”
  • “What’s the evidence?”
  • “How would I feel if someone said this about my sister/mum/friend?”

6. Offer alternative role models

• Introduce men who model emotional intelligence, respect for others and healthy masculinity
• Use sports figures, musicians, or local mentors who embody these values.

7. Create the right situation

• Sometimes a child may feel more comfortable discussing difficult subjects if they don’t have to look at the adult or if there is something else to occupy them. Some suggestions:
• In the car while driving.
• While watching tv programmes with relevant storylines, such as soaps.
• Ask others for advice on how they’ve created the right situation.
  to have difficult conversations.
• Leave a book which is relevant in their room.
• Send them a website for them to look at and then follow this up with a conversation.

8. Be patient and consistent

• Changing beliefs takes time
• Keep door open for future conversations
• Praise curiosity, empathy, and respectful disagreement.

• What is misogyny? Internet Matters provides information and resources
• Incels – A short guide for those teaching Year 10 and above. A useful resource by Educate.Against.Hate
• Engaging with men and boys about gender norms: engagement toolkit – Toolkit from Durham University which has lots of resources including videos
• How to tackle Andrew Tate’s extreme misogyny and it’s impact on young people – a guide by Hope not Hate with information about Andrew Tate and how to speak to young people about him
• The influence of Andrew Tate poster – a useful resource by Safer Schools NI with top tips on talking to young people
• Beyond Equality has videos and resources to share with young people

Agreeing boundaries

It is good practice for the young person to agree boundaries with their parents, carers and practitioners. There are two tools we recommend:

• Digital Passport for care experienced young people
• ChildNet Family Agreement

These can also be good conversation starters.