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Scroll, Click, Repeat: How the Manosphere is Influencing Teenagers' Minds in 2025
Can you imagine a world of Andrew Tate?
Videos tagged #AndrewTate have surged past 12 billion views on TikTok—proof that the online Manosphere is no fringe fad.
What happens when that never-ending drip of macho outrage becomes the handbook for teenage boys?
The Manosphere
The Manosphere
Overview of the Manosphere and this Article
Rough Overview on the Issue
The manosphere’s influence on teenage boys in 2025 is a multifaceted issue shaped by global internet communities. While some groups offer support and discussion on masculinity, others propagate harmful stereotypes and misogynistic ideologies. Its complexity arises from the diversity of perspectives within the manosphere, the global spread through online platforms, and the difficulty of regulating decentralised content. Understanding its impact requires considering both the positive and negative aspects of these communities.
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This article will provide an in-depth explanation on the manosphere, outlining the key ideas regarding it. This article will also consider the experiences of groups affected by the manosphere.
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The Manosphere
Introduction and Background Information
“I’m not sexist, I’m just telling the truth.”
When 14-year-old teenage boy repeated internet celebrity Andrew Tate in his Year 9 English class, his teacher froze. Only minutes earlier, Liam had watched a 30-second TikTok clip served up by the app’s algorithm. He is one of thousands of Australian teens who meet the “manosphere” before breakfast. A recent global study found that 60% of all Gen Z males believe men are now asked to do too much to support gender equality. This article explores why the manosphere’s mix of self-help tips, fast-cash promises and simmering anger hooks boys—and why it matters in 2025.
A loose web of YouTube channels, podcasts, forums, and TikHub accounts supporting anti-feminist ideals and inflexible conceptions of masculinity, the manosphere is originally used in the 2010s, the word grew popular during COVID-19 lockdowns when teenagers spent more hours online and felt more isolated. Algorithms drive this expansion; see one short and the platform gives teenagers hundreds more. This concept is passive radicalisation.
The Manosphere
What is the Manosphere?
The manosphere is a loose network of blogs, forums, podcasts and social-media accounts that discuss masculinity from a strongly anti-feminist angle. Content ranges from self-improvement tips and dating advice to claims that feminism harms men, often blaming women for men’s problems. Influential figures—such as Andrew Tate or certain “red-pill” YouTubers—use provocative language and controversial opinions to attract clicks and followers. Although not all members are openly hateful, the community’s most visible voices frequently promote sexism, rigid gender roles and, at times, conspiracy-style ideas about a “war on men.” Because its messages are amplified by recommendation algorithms, teenagers can encounter manosphere content even if they’re not actively looking for it.
The Manosphere
Perspectives on the Issue
Exploring Perspectives
Perspective One
Women
Women are affected when hypermasculine views become misogynistic and put them down, harming their mental health and social wellbeing.
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​Women feel like an outcast in society when men become discriminatory influential figures. They respond by retreating and becoming less engaging.
Perspective Two
Men
Men become “brainwashed” by the internet celebrities like Andrew Tate, becoming miniature versions of these influencers.
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Boys will grow into men that have these toxic, discriminatory mindset’s and perpetuate these views onto next generations. This can result in an unfulfilling life.
Perspective Three
Families
Masculine Extremism involves being independent, and does not fit into the concept of a traditional western family.
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They may detract from the male and grow apart. This further isolates the men and spirals them down the extremist manosphere influences.
The Manosphere
The Manosphere
Perspective Four
Teenage Boys
boys growing into men become “brainwashed” by the internet celebrities like Andrew Tate, becoming miniature versions of these influencers.
Boys will grow into men that have these toxic, discriminatory mindset’s and perpetuate these views onto next generations. This can result in an unfulfilling life which involves seeking power and external validation for gratification.
Perspective Five
Teachers
Teacher’s have a greater responsibility to teach and set straight these misguided youths. These boys are often oppositional and defiant, and thus are difficult to teach in the context of classrooms.
This causes teachers to have their lessons disrupted and makes them angry making them seem like bad people.
Perspective Six
Influencers
They believe in self gain and need to make as many inflammatory and view-ganing opinions as possible. This involves getting attention, even negative ones, from females. For males, they may gain their curiosity or even some admiration.
Influencers maintain their social power and income through engagement, regardless if it is good or bad. Here, they follow the mantra, no such thing as publicity.
The Manosphere
Groups involved in the Manosphere
Men's Rights Activists
Men's Rights Activists push for political changes that benefit males. However, most of their activism consists of harassment and abuse of feminists and other female public figures.
Men Going Their Own Way
Men Going Their Own Way contend that women are so toxic that men should avoid them entirely. Some MGTOW will date women but avoid serious commitments such as marriage, while others would not even befriend women
Pick-up artists
They educate males seduction techniques to increase their chances of attracting women. Many of these approaches entail misleading and mistreating women, such as insulting or ignoring consent
The Manosphere
Harms of the Manosphere on Young People
For teenage boys, their understanding and view of the world is flexible and ever changing. The manosphere therefore has a role in promoting masculinity, but often goes beyond this, resulting in hypermasculinity at the expense of misogynism. This is harmful and causes negative effects to their mental health, behaviour, and views, thus leaving their lives worse off. Fundamentally, the manosphere supports sexist attitudes. Men in this field are encouraged by influencers to view women as untrustworthy, deceptive, or simply aesthetically pleasing. These attitudes normalise sexism and undermine teenage and adolescent boy’s capacity to create polite, equal interactions with other females, as well as men.
The Manosphere encourages a limited and poisonous form of masculinity. This influence causes boys who want to be "real men" to pursue dominating others, chase power, and exhibit hostility. Boys under this strain may lose their sense of who they are and engage in dangerous behaviour, bullying, or violence to show their might. This antisocial behaviour results in trouble the law and a life of crime.
Most concerningly, the manosphere can be a conduit for extreme ideas. Men who feel misinterpreted or enraged may find themselves in more extreme online corners, such far-right hate groups or the incel subculture. These surroundings foster negativity and occasionally even support aggressive behaviour, therefore guiding young brains towards a perilous road.
Practically, too much time spent in the manosphere can impact relationships and education. Boys could lose interest in education, treat female and “unmasculine” male teachers disrespectfully, or fight with parents about ideas they absorb online. This social disengagement deepens the isolation cycle and further perpetuates toxic males.
Also, the manosphere sometimes feeds opposition against gender equality. Teenagers swayed by these concepts often develop to reject initiatives aiming at empowering women and minorities or even learn to mistrust them. Along with dividing peers, this shapes their conception of justice, fairness, and common humanity.
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The Manosphere
Benefits of the Manosphere on Young People
The manosphere is attractive to teenagers because it provides a feeling of structure, identity and support in an environment that sometimes seems complicated. Many online influencers openly address the difficulties young men experience—such as feeling left out, misinterpreted, or uncertain of what it means to "be a man." Some males find comfort and less loneliness in this environment.
The emphasis on self-improvement of the manosphere is one of the main attractions that attracts boys. Popular personalities sometimes advocate discipline, personal responsibility, financial independence, and exercise. These comments might inspire goal setting and confidence-building for young men searching for direction or a regimen to follow. Some youths find inspiration here at a time when social media and schools sometimes lack solid role models.
For teenage boys, the manosphere also provides a forum for expression of uncertainty and frustration free from fear of judgement. Some guys believe that in discussions on gender equality, their voices go unheard. Particularly if they feel mainstream society ignores the stresses men experience, they feel seen and heard in these online forums.
Apart from that, the manosphere promotes belonging. Online forums, podcasts, and influencers provide teenage boys a community where they feel encouraged and accepted. For those who experience social isolation, this feeling of connectedness can be rather strong and consoling.
The Manosphere
How can we make young people less perceptible to these harms?
Many manosphere beliefs are consistent with conventional gender and sexuality views, which may have an impact on mental health. Many teenage boys are ashamed of not having a partner, but this does not imply that they would identify as an incel.
As a result, early discussions on healthy relationships and gender relations are critical to preventing young people from becoming entrapped in the manosphere's black-and-white, frequently defeatist mindset. Tools like “The Online Together Project” are intended to facilitate these interactions. Constructive assistance for tough feelings about females, sexuality, and masculinity is also necessary.
The Manosphere
