The manosphere is growing and so is the debate about what draws young men towards it.
In the latest UNFILTERED Podcast, we welcomed Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle MEP (D66, NL) to explore these growing online communities centred around masculinity, gender roles and dating.
From loneliness and online radicalisation to women’s safety and the power of algorithms, we ask why some young men are being drawn into these spaces and how liberals can offer a better alternative.
What is the manosphere?
The manosphere is a broad collection of online communities focused on archaic gender stereotypes and hyper-masculinity. Its growth comes amid a wider loneliness epidemic that has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, should liberals also be confronting the insecurity, frustration and search for belonging that can make these communities appealing?
Hermida-van der Walle, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, discusses this while examining the urgency of EU regulation and women’s safety.
Female politicians in particular are targeted with deepfakes and online abuse. According to Eurostat, 57% of young women aged 16–24 in the EU reported experiencing hostile or degrading online messages.
How can we win back our young men?
Understanding these frustrations does not mean compromising on equality. Women’s rights are non-negotiable. The rise of misogyny, racism, homophobia and transphobia cannot be normalised or excused.
Feminism is increasingly framed as disadvantaging men, while AI-generated content and disinformation can amplify these narratives. Culture wars can weaponise equality movements and minority empowerment into convenient scapegoats for wider social problems.
Research has also highlighted a gender divide in support for far-right groups among young voters in Europe – an important challenge for the next generation. We should not allow algorithms and online communities to exploit young men’s loneliness and frustration by directing them towards hatred.
In this episode, we discuss how community groups, socialising and meaningful connections can offer alternatives to online echo chambers and radicalisation - without compromising the rights and dignity of others.
Equality is not something to lose from. It is a way to ensure everyone wins. Listen to the latest UNFILTERED Podcast to hear the full discussion.
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