Weekend listen: The shocking pipeline to the "red pill" manosphere
The Big Story
Navigating the Dangerous Pathways of Misogyny and Male Discontent
This chapter examines the rising access of young boys and men to misogynistic content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. It uncovers how cultural trends around beauty and self-worth contribute to harmful ideologies and male dissatisfaction linked to societal pressures.
In today’s episode of Bite Back with Abbey Sharp, I will be talking to Dr Emily Contois, an Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa specializing in how identities are formed at the vital intersection of food, the body, and ideas about health. She is the author of “Diners, Dudes, and Diets: How Gender and Power Collide in Food Media and Culture” and co-editor of “Food Instagram: Identity, Influence, and Negotiation”. Today we will be riding on the heels of the popular Netflix show Adolescence, we are exploring the very scary effect of the manosphere, incel and “red pill” subcultures on young boys. Today we’re going to chat about how the patriarchy harms not just women, but men as well. We discuss the dangerous teachings of the manosphere and leading influencers like Andrew Tate. We also talk about the pipeline that young men are finding themselves going down starting with innocuous places (ie. self improvement, dating, fitness, dieting) that lures them into incel culture. We talk in detail about the intersection between diet culture and the manosphere and the lack of body positivity movements for men. We talk about the role of bullying, social isolation, AI, p0rn, types of school, and gender roles modelled at home. I finish with a list of potential actionable tips to help you start to build emotional resilience, media literacy and tolerance to different expressions of gender to help set the stage to allow your kids to reject these manosphere ideologies.
Be sure to check out my first episode with Emily: “Ladies eat salad, men eat steak & burgers”.
References:
https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/primary/read
https://aibm.org/research/male-suicide-data/?
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html?
https://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-us/news/children-see-pornography-as-young-as-seven-new-report-finds
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39907845/
https://cyberbullying.org/cyberbullying-continues-to-rise-among-youth-in-the-united-states-2023?
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2536330/netflix-drama-adolescence-prompts-anti-misogyny-curriculum-shift-in-uk-schools
https://unpluggedcanada.com/
Check in with today’s amazing guest: Dr Emily Contois, Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa.
Follow at @emilycontois
Website: www.emilycontois.com
Books: - Diners Dudes and Diets
- Food Instagram
Disclaimer: The content in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is never a substitute for medical advice. If you’re struggling with with your mental or physical health, please work one on one with a health care provider.
If you have heard yourself in our discussion today, and are looking for support, contact the free NEDIC helpline at 1-866-NEDIC-20 or go to eatingdisorderhope.com.
🥤 Check out my 2-in-1 Plant Based Probiotic Protein Powder, neue theory at www.neuetheory.com or @neuetheory and use my promo code BITEBACK20 to get 20% off your order!
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