Talking to young men and boys about the manosphere

In this section, find a summary of the key issues and some good practice suggestions to get you started.

Explore the following sections for more detail and practical guidance.

To understand why manosphere content can be influential, it helps to understand boys’ wider experiences.

As they grow up, boys receive powerful and influential messages about what it means to be a man. These messages come from many sources, including peers, media, family expectations and social media. Many boys encounter narrow ideas of masculinity: being emotionally stoic, dominant, self-reliant, heterosexual, muscular and always in control. Some researchers call this the '‘Man Box'.

These rigid masculine norms can be harmful for boys and men themselves. Pressure to appear strong, self-sufficient and emotionally controlled can make it difficult for boys to express vulnerability or seek support when they are struggling. Equimundo and Beyond Equality’s 2025 State of UK Men report found men are less likely than women to seek help for physical or mental health concerns, while Movember's Real Faces report found many men experience gender bias in healthcare settings that discourages future help-seeking.

For some boys, these pressures can contribute to loneliness, anxiety, low self-esteem and a sense of disconnection. At the same time, rigid expectations around dominance and control can make boys vulnerable to online narratives that frame masculinity as being "under threat" and offer simplistic explanations for their frustrations.

However, these same masculine norms can also have serious consequences for women and girls. Ideas that men must be dominant and that femininity is weak or inferior can contribute to sexist attitudes, harassment and misogynistic behaviour. Ofsted reports that 92% of girls experience sexist name-calling at school, while Girlguiding found that more than half of girls experienced sexual harassment in the previous year.

Research from Ofsted and the National Education Union also shows rising misogynistic behaviour in schools, including harassment of girls and women staff.

Boys' online lives

Today's young people spend more time online than preceding generations. As well as going online to complete schoolwork, many young people use the internet to chat to friends, explore who they are, get advice about dating and relationships, and find answers to their questions about the world.

The internet can be a valuable source of connection and support for young people – but online life is not without risk. Boys who feel isolated, insecure or uncertain about their identity may be particularly drawn to online communities that promise confidence, belonging or self-improvement.

Research by the Association of School and College Leaders and University College London has shown that vulnerable boys – including neurodivergent boys and those experiencing social isolation – are particularly likely to be exposed to manosphere content by social media algorithms when searching for self-improvement content online.

Absorbing messages that it is "unmanly" to show emotion may make boys more likely to hide their problems and less likely to ask for help. In this context, loneliness or anxiety may sometimes be externalised as resentment or grievance, making boys more susceptible to manosphere messaging.

At the same time, studies from Movember, University College London and the University of Kent show increasing exposure to misogynistic online content, with boys who consume it more likely to view controlling or violent behaviour as acceptable (Women's Aid). This highlights how harmful gender norms can negatively affect boys themselves while also contributing to harm against women and girls.

The manosphere isn't a single website or organisation. It's a label for a variety of online spaces – including forums, video channels and social media groups – and has two features (Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Internet Matters):

• it is targeted at and mostly populated by men and boys
• it shows hostility towards women and women's rights.

It also often encourages boys and men to believe there's only one right way to be a man, and that involves being rich, being physically muscular and fitting a narrow standard of 'good looking', and controlling or dominating other people to prove that you're the best.

Common ideas of concern within manosphere spaces

The following ideas and talking points are often discussed within manosphere spaces:

• Women's rights disadvantage men.
• Men are entitled to women’s attention or sex.
• Society unfairly favours women.
• People can be ranked according to attractiveness or status.
• Successful men must be dominant, wealthy and physically powerful.

Key groups in the manosphere

These groups may:

• criticise women's rights
• promote 'alpha', 'beta' or 'sigma' hierarchies
• present dominance as essential to masculinity
• encourage manipulative approaches to relationships.

Because this content often appears motivational or aspirational, harmful messages can be difficult to recognise.

How young people encounter this content

Young people may encounter misogynistic content without searching for it. Algorithms on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram often promote content that triggers strong emotional reactions and therefore attracts lots of engagement from social media users. This makes it more likely that content from within the manosphere will be boosted by algorithms.

According to Association of School and College Leaders and University College London's Safer Scrolling report (2023):

• Manosphere content is often framed as entertainment or self-help on social media, making it difficult for boys to spot potential harms.
• Boys experiencing loneliness or exclusion are particularly likely to find these types of content pushed to the top of their social media feed by recommender algorithms.
• Misogynistic attitudes online can shape offline behaviour and relationships.

The appeal of manosphere content

This content can offer boys:

• feelings of belonging and connection
• a sense of direction and instructions about self-improvement that appear to ease insecurity and anxiety about the future
• simple explanations for difficult emotions
• someone to blame for painful experiences.

This is how some boys get drawn in.

Harms to men and boys

Exposure to this content also has a negative impact for boys. Boys who consume this type of content regularly may experience:

• reinforcing of insecurity and increased pressure to look and act a certain way, including pressure to spend money, exercise excessively, ignore injuries and take physical risks in an attempt to meet restrictive standards about how they should look
• limiting of emotional expression by encouraging them to keep their problems to themselves and ridiculing men who show vulnerability
• difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships, including friendships – this can happen as a result of harmful attitudes toward women and girls, as well as being encouraged to treat other boys and men as competition
• negative impacts on mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Harms to women and girls

The ways in which manosphere content shapes boys' attitudes and relationship behaviours has real consequences for women and girls, including:

• normalisation of sexism and misogyny 
• impact on relationships and peer culture
• restriction of freedom and safety as women and girls are forced to edit their own behaviour out of fear.

The manosphere is also connected to a wider online ecosystem that adults should be aware of. Alongside misogynistic messaging, some influencers and content creators promote harmful or exploitative content that can expose boys and young men to a range of harms.

Some influencers post content that may encourage boys to take risks in order to build muscle and "improve" their physique. This can include taking unregulated supplements and appearance-enhancing drugs such as steroids, as well as exercising excessively and ignoring injuries. These messages are often packaged as advice about "success", "self-improvement" or becoming a "high-value man", and can be particularly appealing to boys who feel insecure, isolated or under pressure to prove themselves.

In some online spaces, gambling and high-risk financial behaviour such as risky investing are framed as markers of masculinity, status or ambition. Boys may be encouraged to see sports betting, cryptocurrency speculation, "get rich quick" schemes or aggressive investing as a route to power, independence or social validation. This can expose young people to significant financial harms, including debt, exploitation, addiction and scams, while also reinforcing unhealthy ideas that self-worth is tied to wealth, dominance or material success.

Some manosphere spaces also overlap with extremist or conspiratorial content, including narratives that blame feminism, minority groups or "elites" for men’s frustrations. Some of these narratives can be antisemitic, spreading harmful and false ideas about Jewish people "controlling" society and hoarding wealth.

While not every boy exposed to manosphere content will engage with these ideas, adults should understand that these online pathways can normalise harmful beliefs and risky behaviours alongside misogyny.

Early intervention can help prevent harmful ideas becoming entrenched. Look out for the following signs that a boy may be engaging with manosphere content – and use our guidance below to intervene sensitively. 

What you might hear

Examples include:

• "Men have it harder than women now"
• "Women only care about money or looks"
• "Nice guys always finish last"
• "Feminism has gone too far"
• "You have to be dominant"

These comments may reflect:

• repetition of online content
• testing reactions
• attempts to understand rejection, loneliness or confusion.

What you might see

Examples include:

• increased engagement with dominance-focused influencers
• content shifting from self-improvement to misogyny
• posts mocking women or girls
• viewing relationships as competitive or transactional.

What you might notice

Examples include:

• more dismissive language about women
• increased rigidity around gender roles
• strong reactions to rejection
• withdrawal or isolation
• reduced empathy.

It's important to remember that seeing one of these signs doesn’t necessarily mean a young person is engaging with harmful content online. There can be lots of reasons for behaviour changes in young people. Look for patterns of behaviour over time, and approach with curiosity, not accusations.

If something concerns you, begin with a calm check-in that opens up space for the young person to tell you more about what’s going on for them, rather than jumping right in with an accusation or an assumption. The most important thing is to support the young person, including by identifying any unmet needs that might inform their online behaviour.

The most important thing is to support the young person, including by identifying any unmet needs that might inform their online behaviour.

Why regular conversations matter

Strong, trusting relationships with adults they can talk to are the best protection against the harms of the manosphere for all young people.

When young people feel able to talk about their online lives without fear of judgment, they are:

• more likely to ask for help when they need it
• less likely to feel lonely
• better able to develop critical thinking skills 
• better supported to develop their communication skills over time.

For young men and boys, who may face additional challenges in opening up, knowing they can talk to adults they trust is especially important.

It can be difficult to know where to start when approaching these conversations – the following tips can help you build up your communication skills and habits over time.

The N.O.I.S.E. check is a simple conversation tool that helps young people think critically about online content. You can use it together with the young men and boys in your life, or share it so they can use it independently.

• Learn how to use the tool as parent, carer or trusted adult
• Share the tool with young men and boys

Below, we've outlined some of the common points of view platformed in the manosphere, along with some phrases that you might hear from a young person who is being influenced by this type of content. These are not an exhaustive list - you may hear variations on these.

The 'what you could say' sections below give you some ideas for what you could say to counter some of these talking points.

Gender roles and "who has it harder"

What the manosphere typically says: Men and women should occupy specific, fixed roles in society. Society is set up in favour of women and deliberately excludes, punishes and demonises men.

Your goal: Widen their perspective without dismissing their feelings.

Dating and relationships

What the manosphere typically says: Women are shallow and only interested in dating the most ‘high status’ men. Only men who are conventionally attractive, ripped and rich will be able to ‘get’ women. Women are naturally deceptive and will leave their partners for a higher status man if they get a chance to.

Your goal: Move from stereotypes to real, respectful relationships; counter exaggerated or distorted online talking points by shifting their attention to their real, day to day lives.

Power, dominance and success

What the manosphere typically says: Society is hierarchical and only 'alpha' men are going to be successful and get what they want. Being 'alpha' means being ripped, dominating or controlling others and getting as rich as possible. Men should choose their friends and partners according to who makes them look good and guarantees them success. 

Your goal: Expand their idea of strength and respect. Help them think about real-world relationship impacts. Redirect their focus toward positive or constructive experiences and talking points.

Critiques of feminism

What the manosphere typically says:  Feminism stigmatises and harms men. Feminism is about putting men down for the benefit of women. Feminism is a threat to men. 

Your goal: Build understanding and offer alternative perspectives, not shut them down.

When language becomes harmful

If a young person uses abusive or discriminatory language, it’s important to be clear and calm.

Your goal: Set boundaries without rejecting the young person or shutting the conversation down entirely.

Understanding and responding to the harms of the manosphere is a crucial part of being there for today's boys as a trusted adult. But many boys are drawn towards this type of content because of underlying needs that have gone unaddressed for too long.

Boys deserve better than the empty promises of online misogynists. How else can adults support boys, offline as well as online, to reduce the appeal of the manosphere?

The following top tips can help get you started.

Younger children

For younger children, focus on:

• using simple language
• identifying feelings, recognising discomfort or unease and responding by finding a trusted grown up
• treating people with fairness, kindness and respect.

Younger children may come across harmful content accidentally while gaming, watching videos or using shared devices. They often need support to understand what they are seeing and how it makes them feel.

Practical tips for younger children

Practical tips for culturally aware conversations

Recognising more serious concerns

Many young people will experiment with ideas, repeat things they have heard online or test boundaries as part of growing up. More serious concern usually comes from a pattern of escalating behaviour, increasing rigidity in beliefs, or signs that harmful ideas are beginning to shape how a young person treats themselves or others.

Where to go for help

If you're worried about a young person, consider the following:

• If you're based in a school, a youth centre or another organisation, follow your organisation's safeguarding procedures.
• If you're a parent or carer, access specialist services and helplines such as:
  • Childline
  • NSPCC
  • Internet Matters
  • CEOP Safety Centre

Young people are navigating a complex online world where harmful ideas can spread easily.

But with strong relationships, open conversations and consistent support, trusted adults can help boys and young men:

• think critically
• build healthy relationships
• develop confidence without harm.

You don't need to get it perfect. Staying present, curious and supportive is what matters most.