(Main)streaming Misogyny: An analysis of the Manosphere on TikTok

• In Event: WCCJ Panel 4 – Expressions of Masculinities

Abstract

This presentation investigates how misogyny is increasingly mainstreamed on TikTok by members of ‘manosphere’ groups contributing to the diffusion and normalisation of misogynistic, male supremacist ideologies and discourse. Misogynistic men's groups responsible for a rise in toxic masculine discourse and the spread of harmful antifeminist ideology have been mobilising. With the proliferation of the internet, male supremacist groups such as incels (involuntary celibates) have new ways to reproduce real-world harm and gender-based violence (GBV) against women. Once mostly contained on niche men’s forums, redpilled and blackpilled communities and ideologies are gaining prominence on mainstream social media platforms. This talk based on empirical research, will assess the generative harms resulting from the mainstreaming of these ideologies. It examines the incel presence on TikTok to understand the role mainstream social media platforms play in the diffusion and normalisation of incel ideology, discourse, and gendered-directed hateful speech. Analysis of visual and textual data found that the presumed nefarious nature of women and perceived male oppression converge to explain, excuse, and legitimise violence against women, confirming the ideological overlap between incel and wider manosphere communities. The discourse surrounding masculinity and male supremacy purported by red pilled, manosphere figures not only aids the normalisation and popularisation of misogyny but conversely plays a role in heightening incels’ sense of victimhood and aggrieved entitlement through their exclusion from the manosphere group membership and imposed inferior masculine identity. Our research demonstrates that manosphere ideologies and tropes protrude mainstream discourse, reinforce incel beliefs, align with and expose wider structural misogyny and sexist beliefs extending beyond fringe online communities, and are responsible for the production of generative harms.

Authors

• Anda Iulia Solea, University of Portsmouth

• Lisa Sugiura, University of Portsmouth