Look what he has done to our lads: Beyond Cis-male trolling

• In Event: 21058 - Masculinities

Abstract

Despite feminist research into how cis-men use extremely violent forms of trolling to reinforce patriarchy, rape culture, and hegemonic masculinity, how trolls of other online gender identities and milder forms of trolling circulate hegemonic masculinities and uphold patriarchy is undertheorized. Using content analysis of news articles' comments section discussing a high-profile male-on-male rape case, we ask how users of all online gender identities engage in trollish behavior and how such behaviors legitimize hegemonic masculinity, reify rape culture, and promote the heteronormative masculinization of digital spaces. When we reconceptualize trolling as a continuum of trollish behavior, we find that users of all online gender identities engage in mid-range trollish behavior where trolls and respondents debate, providing them discursive opportunities to co-construct and legitimize hegemonic masculinity. They identify unpoliced homosexuality and effeminacy as the biggest threats to hegemonic masculinity, use rape myths and homophobia to foster expectations of 'proper' masculinity and dominant femininity, and suggest 'solutions' to re-establish hegemonic masculinity's legitimacy, which become increasingly aggressive, violent the closer to the 'threat' they are. We argue that cis-male-generated "gendertrolling" is a violent enforcement tool of hegemony, and mid-range trollish behavior created by users of all online gender identities is a legitimation tool of hegemony. These findings contribute to our understanding of how subordinate groups' trollish behaviors are consequential for circulating hegemonic masculinity and upholding patriarchy in digital spaces.

Authors

• Gina Marie Longo, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Frankie Mastrangelo, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Janus Chidester, Virginia Commonwealth University