‘Not a fringe phenomenon’: manosphere targeted in new resource for schools

Research has shown that Australian boys are falling prey to a ‘regressive masculinist supremacy’ espoused by notorious male figures such as Andrew Tate, with teachers reporting disturbing shifts in their behaviour and attitudes towards women. 

Interviews with teachers have revealed a horrifying spread of brazen misogyny and sexism amongst young boys, with female teachers reportedly the target of blatant sexual harassment and frequent intimidation tactics. 

Some school leaders have also been found to be engaging in ‘institutional gaslighting’, effectively silencing and victim-blaming women teachers who report instances of sexual harassment by students.

Developed by researchers from Monash University alongside Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the resource offers an overview of the destructive impacts of the manosphere on young people, teachers and school communities.

It canvasses the key beliefs shared in toxic online spaces, the links to violence, and explains how boys and young men are recruited into the manosphere.

The role of social media in fuelling the radicalisation of boys via targeted misogynistic content is also unpacked, with advice about how schools can intervene and respond to these issues.

Co‑author Dr Stephanie Wescott from Monash University says the influence of the manosphere is now part of the everyday experience in schools. 

“The manosphere is not a fringe phenomenon – it is shaping the attitudes and behaviours of young people in very real ways,” Wescott says. 

“Our work shows that educators are seeking practical resources that help them navigate these conversations safely and constructively. This guide is designed to meet that need and to support schools to foster respectful, inclusive learning environments.”

Groups commonly linked to the manosphere include men’s rights activists (MRAs), pick-up artists (PUAs), incels (people who identify as ‘involuntarily celibate’), Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW) and self-improvement gurus, the guide notes.

Their key beliefs and messages range from less to more extreme promotion of traditional masculinity, male supremacy, misogyny, violence and conservative or far-right politics.

Influencers in the manosphere prey on boys’ feelings of uncertainty and insecurity, encouraging them to blame their anxieties on girls, women and the woke agenda, and offering ‘solutions’ based in male supremacy, self-improvement and ‘the grind’ mindset, the researchers say. 

“Some influencers and networks in the manosphere promote the idea that schools, universities and the mainstream media are indoctrinating young people into the woke agenda,” the resource flags.

“They argue that men and boys are being unfairly portrayed as oppressors when they should be seen as victims neglected by the education system.

“These manosphere influencers and communities encourage their audiences to challenge and reject the authority of teachers, and see school and university as a waste of time.”

The guide warns that manosphere influencers and groups have now infiltrated more mainstream platforms, the likes of Reddit, Discord and Twitch, and are very common across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

Instant messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram also host dedicated communities and channels for manosphere influencers and networks to communicate, and with a notable degree of anonymity.

And while boys’ initial engagement might start with benign, harmless and inoffensive content, algorithms can quickly funnel them along a more extreme pathway.

“Several studies have also found that where a social media platform assumes the viewer is a man or boy, the algorithm will quickly start recommending increasingly more extreme content from manosphere influencers.

“In these ways, technology can contribute to radicalisation among boys and men as more extreme and misogynistic content is normalised by how often they see it,” the guide says.

Dr Naomi Pfitzner, lead researcher and director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Hub, says the new resource is designed to equip teachers with the information they need to have critical conversations.

“Students and teachers are telling us they are seeing these harmful ideologies and behaviours show up in classrooms every day,” Pfitzner said. 

“This guide gives schools a clear, evidence‑based starting point to understand what the manosphere is, why it matters, and how to help their students navigate these harmful narratives.”

Critical digital media literacy is crucial to help young people distinguish between misogynistic content and influencers, and to recognise the possible dangers for themselves and others, the researchers say.

At the school leadership level, clear and consistent responses to incidents of sexism and misogyny are essential for setting behavioural expectations and building a safe and respectful culture, they note.

“Strong leadership and fully resourced, whole school responses are crucial in making sure teachers and students who have experienced sexism and misogyny feel supported, and that boys and men who have caused harm are held accountable.”