We all agree that it is a horrible place and that it must be dismantled – but that dismantling it will not happen through outrage alone. It requires something more deliberate: better stories, better role models and more open conversations about what masculinity might look like now. Here are six ways to begin shifting the narrative.
Through Poetry
Daragh Fleming
Sometimes the most effective antidote is not argument but art. Not All Men, the widely shared work by Instagram poet Daragh Fleming, alongside his moving poem-come-manifesto, If I Ever Have Boys, dismantles the idea that masculinity must be hard-edged and emotionally closed. Instead, it offers a version that is tender, self-aware and expansive. This, surely, is the key: showing boys what they could be instead. Follow him.
Through Clear-Eyed Journalism
Inside the Manosphere by Louis Theroux
Louis Theroux's Netflix documentary Inside the Manosphere does something vital. It looks at the topic without flinching but also without caricature. By sitting with the men who inhabit the manosphere, Theroux reveals the vulnerability beneath their rhetoric. Understanding the emotional root is key to banishing this ideology. Watch it.
Through Fiction That Holds Up A Mirror
Adolescence
The multi-award-winning Netflix drama Adolescence agonisingly explores the pressures facing teenage boys today. Fiction can reach where facts sometimes can't, inviting empathy, opening conversation and making visible the pathways that lead young men towards more misogynistic views. This is preventative storytelling at its best. Watch it.
Through Language That Invites, Not Alienates
What About Men by Caitlin Moran
In this excellent book, Caitlin Moran argues that boys and men are underserved by modern education, culture and role models. With her straight-talking humour, she calls for feminism actively to include men so that we can create clearer, healthier scripts for the male identity in a rapidly changing world. Buy it.
Through More Visible, More Varied Role Models
Jordan Stephens
The manosphere offers a narrow script: dominance, wealth, control. It is compelling partly because it is clear. The counter must be just as visible. From teachers and coaches to public figures like the musician Jordan Stephens, boys need to see men who are successful in healthier ways. They need to see that men can be kind, collaborative, emotionally literate and still entirely themselves. Follow him.
Through Conversations That Start At Home
The Children's Society's Advice
Perhaps the most powerful intervention is also the simplest: talk. We don't mean lectures here but open-ended conversations about respect, rejection and self-worth. When boys feel able to articulate confusion or hurt, they are less likely to seek answers in the dark corners of the internet. These chats need to begin around the kitchen table – and The Children's Society has plenty of ideas to get you started. Follow The Children's Society.
FAQs: Dismantling The Manosphere
What is the manosphere?
The manosphere is a loose network of online communities, influencers and forums that promote a particular – often rigid and adversarial – view of masculinity, gender roles and power. Content ranges from self-improvement advice to more extreme, misogynistic ideologies.
Why is the manosphere appealing to young men?
It offers clarity in a confusing landscape. For boys and young men navigating identity, rejection or lack of direction, its messages around status, control and success can feel straightforward and validating, even if they are ultimately limiting.
Is all masculinity content online harmful?
Not at all. There is a growing body of thoughtful, constructive content that explores masculinity in a more open, emotionally literate way. The distinction lies in whether it encourages empathy and growth, or division and blame.
How can parents talk to boys about toxic masculinity?
Start with conversation, not correction. Ask open questions, listen without judgement and create space for boys to express uncertainty or frustration. Regular, low-pressure dialogue is far more effective than one-off lectures.
What are the signs a young person is being influenced by the manosphere?
A noticeable shift towards rigid views on gender roles, increased hostility towards women, or language that centres dominance, hierarchy and entitlement can all be indicators. Early, calm engagement is key.
