The manosphere is no joke. UN Women explains why.
UN Women unpacks the rise of the manosphere and calls for stronger media engagement to counter online hate.
Online misogyny is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing challenges to gender equality in the digital age. Social media platforms and digital communities are increasingly being used to spread anti-women rhetoric, reinforce discriminatory gender roles, and normalize real-world harm. At the center of this growing threat is the manosphere, an informal and burgeoning network of online spaces where groups such as men’s rights activists, pick-up artists, and incels promote deeply misogynistic content.
These communities do not all speak with one voice, but they are united in portraying feminism as dangerous, women as manipulative, and men as victims of social change. Their ideas are gaining ground, particularly among boys and young men, amplified by algorithms that prioritize sensational and extreme content. The manosphere’s narratives are no longer confined to niche corners of the internet. They are shaping how people think, how they vote, and how they treat others.
This is not just a digital trend. The language, tactics, and beliefs circulating in these online spaces are seeping into mainstream culture, contributing to backlash against women’s rights and fostering conditions where gender-based violence is trivialized or excused. In some cases, they align with broader extremist ideologies, including racism, homophobia, and authoritarianism.
As the global community marks 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the spread of digital misogyny poses a direct and urgent threat to progress on gender equality.
UN Women is responding
Alongside our partners, we are working to challenge online misogyny and digital abuse through research, policy advocacy, survivor support, education programming, and campaigns that push back against toxic masculinity and harmful online behaviours. Our goal is clear: to make digital spaces safer, more respectful, and more equal for all.
A call to the media
Journalists and media outlets have a vital role to play. How this issue is covered, and whose voices are elevated, shapes public understanding and response. We urge media professionals to use their platforms to expose the roots of online misogyny, report on its real-world impacts, and center the voices of those working to end it. Rigorous, responsible reporting is essential to challenge harmful narratives and prevent them from becoming normalized.
To support greater understanding and action, UN Women has released a new set of explainers:
- What is the manosphere and why should we care?
- How to counter the manosphere’s toxic influence
- How to talk to kids about gender equality and stereotypes
UN Women is here to support media coverage of the manosphere, online misogyny, and digital safety. Our specialists bring global, evidence-based insights into how harmful gender narratives take hold and what it takes to dismantle them. Grounded in a human rights-based approach, they can help unpack the links between digital hate and real-world harm, and offer practical framing for stories across youth culture, technology, politics, and gender-based violence.
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