We’ve all come to know the name Andrew Tate: the men’s rights activist peddling extremist and blatantly misogynistic views to millions of impressionable young men. Despite his extremely large audience, Tate’s ideologies can be easy to dismiss as radicalised ramblings reserved for those within fringe subcultures (like incels). However, with the rise of masculinity influencers and “manosphere” content hitting the mainstream, sexism is becoming a whole lot more palatable. Well, at least for those engaging with masculinity-based content online.
According to a report released by Movember in April, 68 per cent of young Australian men view social media content about men and masculinity on a regular basis.
Masculinity influencers focus on content about what it means to be a man today, and how to maximise your potential. For many, it’s about creating an online community of like-minded blokes who can freely talk about perceptions of masculinity, personal growth and finding a place to belong. And, with the growing levels of loneliness amongst young men, it can be a good thing. After all, who doesn’t want to feel like they belong?
But when you combine the rise of masculinity content with an algorithm which prefers hot takes and clicky material, it can be hard not to fall prey to social media echo chambers peddling subtly misogynistic messaging. Or, come across content that seems well-meaning, but really supports rigid ideals of masculinity and gender roles.
Recently, the manosphere conversation was reignited when media personality and KIC CEO Laura Henshaw called out podcaster Chris Griffin for what she believed to be regressive views. A key part of Laura’s concern over the podcast — in which Chris said he didn’t want his partner to work unless she wanted to — was that it was shared in a video that had all the hallmarks of motivational content. (Chris disagreed that his take was promoting “toxic masculinity”, saying traditional male roles of “wanting to provide, protect and lead with strength doesn’t make a man toxic … it makes him grounded in his role.”)
Writer and women’s rights activist Tarang Chawla calls this kind of content “diet sexism”.
“It might sound palatable, even well-intentioned, but it still reinforces the same tired gender roles that ultimately harm everyone,” Tarang told PEDESTRIAN.TV.
“When men act like they need to be protectors or teachers instead of partners or equals to women or gender diverse people, it can open the door to more overt forms of control. That doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to happen, but it makes those ideas much more palatable. What seems ‘not that bad’ is often just the first step down a path paved with entitlement.”
And that’s where the slippery slope to the mansophere begins.
What is the manosphere?
According to UN Women, the manosphere refers to a corner of online content and communities which “address men’s struggles — dating, fitness or fatherhood, for example — but often promote harmful advice and attitudes”.
As per the United Nations Secretary General’s report on violence against women and girls, these groups are united in “opposing feminism” and “misrepresenting men as victims of the current social and political climate”.
In the past, this kind of content has been reduced to subcultures on the internet. Anonymous men would gather in communities on platforms like Reddit to discuss things like men’s rights and “red pill” ideologies — a conspiratorial way of thinking derived from The Matrix in which “taking the red pill” refers to the belief that feminism has gone ‘too far’ and men need to reclaim their (apparently lost) power in society.”
With the rise of social media algorithms, mansophere content has slowly trickled its way into mainstream media by starting off in small, palatable doses until audiences become acclimatised.
How does the algorithm play a role in perpetuating this content?
A study into online hate and misogyny on social media conducted by the University of London and the University of Kent found that originally harmful content is just presented as entertainment. However, the more it’s pushed out to users, the more susceptible they become to its messages.
Over time, videos like “The 4am Morning Routine You Need To Be An Alpha Male“, “Here’s Why Girls Aren’t Dating You” and “How To Get Alpha Male Hunter Eyes” dominate the algorithm. In 2025, outrage equals eyeballs — and some of those eyeballs are going to go down a dangerous rabbit hole.
“Algorithmic processes on TikTok and other social media sites target people’s vulnerabilities — such as loneliness or feelings of loss of control — and gamify harmful content,” said principal investigator Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, per Guardian Australia.
“As young people microdose on topics like self-harm or extremism, to them, it feels like entertainment.”
With the way Instagram Reels and TikTok’s For You Page work, the more a user engages with a certain type of content, the more that content pops up on their feed. For vulnerable people engaging with manosphere content, this can open the pathway to some harmful ways of thinking.
“Algorithms are feeding young people, particularly boys and men, this steady diet of ‘traditional masculinity’ as if it’s comfort food,” said Tarang.
“It’s this blueprint that includes simple roles, a clear hierarchy, and someone to blame when things don’t go their way. But it’s a false narrative. This is less about values and more about validation. Young men are being sold this idea that they are victims of progress, rather than participants in building something better.”
Can any masculinity content be positive?
While the pipeline to damaging mansophere content is very real, masculinity content can be positive and beneficial.
According to Tarang, there are some things to watch out for to make sure you’re engaging with creators who promote positive masculinity.
“If the content sounds like it’s blaming women for your problems, that’s your red flag. Good content doesn’t hype up victimhood. Instead, it helps you grow,” he said.
“Follow creators who talk with men and dig below the surface, not just creators who talk at or about women. A good way to know you’re engaging in content that promotes positive masculinity is engaging with one that supports men to be accountable, rather than encouraging women to change or act in a specific way because it’s what men need in order to be better or succeed.
“I often ask myself: Does this content make me feel more connected, more understood and more inquisitive, or does it make me more angry and project blame?
“Do I feel more empowered, or more entitled? Positive masculinity is about accountability, self-worth, and care. It’s not about control or clout.”
What can we do if a friend or partner is engaging in red-pill content?
“I think we often go about this incorrectly, from a place of blame or judgment rather than understanding and empathy,” Tarang explained.
“We have to hold space for accountability but also not shame or embarrass our friends or partners. I suggest trying to start from a place of care, not confrontation.
“Ask questions like, ‘What drew you to that?’ or ‘Do you think that advice helps in real life?’ and then giving time for them to come to terms with it.”
Tarang believes it’s important to come from an understanding perspective.
“Ultimately, you’re not trying to win an argument, you’re trying to reintroduce empathy,” he continued.
“This is also something they are experiencing in real-time as they understand the damage this content is doing to their lives. When a guy is deep in red-pill territory, it’s usually not just about women, but it’s about pain, power, or fear. Women bear the brunt of it.
“That doesn’t excuse it, but it helps explain it. You can’t ‘logic’ them out of it, but you can show there’s a different way to be a man that doesn’t rely on putting others down.”
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