Counter the Manosphere

Scrolling through your feed, you might see posts mentioning “feminism” or “gender,” only to find the comment section quickly filled with hateful, off-topic attacks. Women in public spaces face harassment, threats, and even violence, including femicide, which in Germany is often dismissed as a “family drama.”

 

In 2019, a lone attacker in Halle committed a live-streamed attack, blending memes and video game references in what has been called “gamification of terror.” Less discussed is the antifeminist ideology behind it, linked to the Incel movement.

 

The manosphere is a male-dominated corner of the internet where groups like Incels, Pick-Up Artists, and MGTOW share extreme misogynistic views. They exploit fears to spread ideology, attack minorities, and leverage technology to amplify their reach.

 

It’s time to address this problem. If left unchecked, the manosphere threatens not only social progress but also our information systems and democratic processes.

 

This content is based on research from Veronika Krachers’ Incels, Julia Ebner’s Radicalization Machines, Dirk von Gehlen’s Memes, and Susanne Kaiser’s Political Masculinity. These works are highly recommended for deeper insight.