About
This article explores how the manosphere, a growing online movement rooted in anti-feminist and misogynistic discourse, is shaping the attitudes of adolescents. With children gaining access to internet-connected devices from as young as ten, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are increasingly influencing how gender roles and relationships are perceived. The piece sheds light on how these narratives are internalised by youth, contributing to the denial and normalisation of gender-based violence. It calls for urgent, multi-level action to counteract these harmful messages through education, emotional support, platform accountability, and positive role modelling, ensuring a future grounded in equality and respect.
Written by
Nicol Vanessa Rocha Ceballos, Federation of Women’s Associations Arena y Laurisilva1
In Spain, it is estimated that minors begin to have free access to internet-connected devices around the age of 10. This early exposure, combined with scarce or nonexistent parental supervision, leaves many minors vulnerable to the influence of the so-called manosphere — a digital space where anti-feminist discourse thrives, especially on platforms like TikTok or Instagram. These spaces promote a traditionalist model of gender roles, where men are portrayed as providers and women as responsible for home and family care.
Expressions such as “high-value woman” are frequently used to describe women who do not go partying, avoid male friendships, and above all, embody strong “feminine energy”. In contrast, the ideal man is portrayed as someone who radiates “dominant masculine energy”, whose value is measured by the type of woman he can attract, usually one expected to be submissive or dependent. According to this narrative, successful and independent women have “too much masculine energy”, which makes them undesirable.
This article aims to make visible the different discourses and models circulating on social media, which stem from deeply rooted misogyny and a rejection of gender equality, increasingly presented as outdated or unnecessary. It also seeks to raise awareness about how these messages are being internalised by boys, girls, and adolescents, who begin to replicate and normalise these discourses in their own environments, a trend that carries serious consequences for their development and the future of equality.
These movements not only perpetuate stereotypes and hate speech but are also gaining more ground, particularly among young people. According to data collected by Agencia EFE (2024), 15% of boys and young men between 16 and 21 years old do not consider hitting, pushing, or threatening their partner after an argument to be gender-based violence, and 25% do not recognise insults or contempt as forms of abuse.
Denying or minimising gender-based violence is not harmless. It has a real impact on the lives of thousands of women and girls. This denialism hinders public policies, complicates legislative reforms, and weakens institutional protection systems. That is why it is crucial to call things by their name. Naming gender-based violence is not a symbolic gesture: it is a fundamental tool to reveal its structural root, raise social awareness, and advance towards its eradication. Only by recognising it can we fight one of the most entrenched forms of inequality in our societies.
In the face of these growing discourses among adolescents and young adults, it is crucial to address the problem from educational, emotional, technological, and social perspectives.
How to reduce the spread of the manosphere among youth?
To counteract the growing influence of the manosphere, action is needed on multiple fronts:
- Education in critical thinking and digital literacy
The manosphere’s discourses often rely on simplistic arguments and emotional manipulations. Teaching young people to critically analyse the content they consume, identify fallacies, and understand how algorithms reinforce these discourses is essential. - Promotion of emotional intelligence and social skills
Many young people are attracted to these messages due to feelings of frustration, insecurity, or isolation. Providing them with tools to manage their emotions, build self-esteem, and establish healthy relationships helps reduce their vulnerability. - Visibility of positive male role models
It is urgent to promote male role models who represent diverse, empathetic, and respectful masculinity. These models must counteract the hypermasculine images promoted by manosphere figures. - Intervention on digital platforms
Social media must take an active role in moderating misogynistic content. It is vital to review algorithms that amplify hate speech and offer effective mechanisms for reporting and education. - Denormalisation of manosphere discourse
Schools and community environments must openly reject discourses that naturalise inequality or justify violence. Naming and dismantling these messages is fundamental to generating lasting cultural change.
Conclusions
The question is not whether our youth is exposed to manosphere discourses, but what response we give as a society to offer them different paths.
Because the narrative they choose today will determine the type of coexistence, equality, and respect that will define our future. Faced with messages that promote division and rejection, we must be those who build solid alternatives based on empathy, diversity, and equity. Only then can we guarantee that new generations grow up in an environment that values the dignity of all people, regardless of gender.
Bibliography
EFE. (2024, 25 de noviembre). Los varones jóvenes banalizan la violencia de género. EFE. https://efe.com/espana/2024-11-25/jovenes-violencia-genero-estudio/
Featured image (cover) via Canva
