New risks to gender justice? Social media, masculinity and gender norms among adolescent boys and young men

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

In many countries, adolescents and young people today have grown up with social media and often spend hours each day in these virtual communities. With social media playing such a central role in youth and adolescence - a critical stage in identity development – educators, families, researchers and practitioners are increasingly asking what impacts the use of social media may have on the development of this new generation - including on their perceptions of gender norms and relations. Growing awareness of highly misogynistic, potentially harmful messages circulating online has increased concerns that social media can fuel sexist attitudes in youth and adolescence and thereby undermine opportunities for gender justice today and for generations to come. While social media may shape gender norms among both boys and girls, discussion and analysis have previously tended to focus on such effects among women and girls. The potential influence on boys and young men has, however, become a growing concern in public debate (certainly in Europe and North America), not least because of increasing awareness of ‘manosphere’ communities promoting anti-feminism, misogyny and gender-based violence and the popularity of misogynistic influencers such as Andrew Tate, whose videos have been watched billions of times. Yet, until recently, evidence, primarily from schools, on the role and effects of these and other social media dynamics in the emergence of masculinity norms and sexist attitudes among boys and young men remained largely anecdotal. However, a range of researchers are currently addressing these knowledge gaps with new studies from diverse contexts. This panel will bring together new studies and key researchers to discuss emerging evidence in this field across three continents, across academia and practice, a range of disciplines and methodological approaches. It will explore what we know and what we still need to learn about the role of social media, misogynistic content, communities and influencers in the development of gender norms and sexist attitudes among adolescent boys and young men as well as entry points to address these challenges through education. What are the risks to gender justice - and are there opportunities? Do dynamics differ between different communities and geographical regions? Which theories and methodologies are most useful in capturing these? What roles do offline influences, particularly those in educational settings, play in mediating the effects of social media? And what are the implications for practitioners, schools and educators?

Sub Unit

• Gender Justice SIG

Chair

• Diana Koester, ODI Global

Individual Presentations

• Gaming, YouTube, and celebrities: Associations with male adolescents’ conceptions of masculine gender roles and norms - Erica Scharrer, The University of Massachusetts Amherst

• Young men navigating online gendered harms: fostering a feminist-informed critical digital literacy - Amanda Keddie, Deakin University

• Maya Adolescents’ Gender Ideologies Before and After the Advent of Digital Communication in their Indigenous Community in Mexico - Adriana Manago, UC Santa Cruz

• Manosphere influences on young men’s masculine identities, interpersonal relationships and health: Insights from the United Kingdom, United States and Australia - Krista Fisher, Movember

• Gender norms and masculinity in social media: The experience of Mexican adolescents - Patricia Cala Barranco, Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar A.C.; Paola Flores, Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar A. c.