Navigating the risks of toxic online masculinity
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks
Maybe you’ve heard the arguments in recent years seeping out of some corners of the internet: Women are taking over, becoming more powerful and demanding. They’re emasculating men; they’re pushing them out of their roles as heads of households and business leaders.
That false narrative puts women at fault for everything that ails men. Social historians say this cultural mindset has existed for ages, but the rise of men’s rights groups and the internet has given the narrative a larger platform.
And in the social media age, these messages have found a wider, potentially more vulnerable target: young, impressionable boys.
These messages are taking shape and taking off in the manosphere — a loose network of websites, podcasts, influencers, and online forums centered on men’s issues. The manosphere (a play on “blogosphere”) includes everything from communities that promote positive models of masculinity to those that spread misogynistic views, gender resentment, and rigid ideas about male identity. Mental health experts warn that vulnerable teens may struggle to tell the difference.
Jenna Valentine, executive director of Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center in Northbrook, says teenagers’ interest in social media and the manosphere can become a serious concern.
The manosphere has a track record of radicalizing men against women and others who don’t share their views, holding men to rigid community standards linked with aggression and control, worsening depression and self-harm, and leading to bullying at school and violence against women, Valentine says.
Violence against women remains a significant public health issue. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 32% of women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. Adolescent girls are at particularly high risk. More than one in five girls ages 15 to 19 who have been in a relationship have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
Many manosphere influencers promote ideals of extreme masculinity, dominance, and sexual prowess. Vulnerable teens may seek validation and belonging in these communities, especially if they feel rejected or isolated. “It can start with simple curiosity and escalate to unhealthy ways of thinking,” Valentine says.
Misleading messaging
While some online communities promote positive male role models, others are fraught with dangerous messaging.
“Not all of what’s being presented promotes the marginalization of women,” says John Dominguez, PhD, a clinical psychologist with Meridian Psychiatric Partners in Chicago. “The manosphere is a space that can support the healthy development of young men, too.”
Positive online communities like The Good Men Project and Art of Manliness promote healthy masculinity. Others, including Return of Kings and A Voice for Men, promote misogynistic views of women.
“They’re consuming a lot of content in isolation and have no one to talk to about it.”
A 2025 report from the nonprofit Movember Institute of Men’s Health found that nearly two-thirds of young men ages 16 to 25 in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom regularly engage with content from websites promoting men’s rights and masculinity, and 43% say they find the content “motivating.” The report did not distinguish between communities that promote healthy masculinity and those that promote misogynistic views.
Like other online communities, the manosphere has its own influencers and vocabulary. Among its best-known figures are Andrew Tate and Hamza Ahmed. Terms such as the “red pill” stem from The Matrix films and describe the belief that society favors women over men.
Therapists hesitate to describe involvement in the manosphere as a mental illness. “It’s not as specific as that,” Valentine says. “But what it can cause are specific mental health issues.”
Research shows that spending too much time consuming social media content can leave teens feeling isolated and confused. They may experience anxiety, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite.
“They’re consuming a lot of content in isolation and have no one to talk to about it,” Valentine says.
Sorting through the noise
Experts encourage parents, teachers, and counselors to talk with young people about the content they consume online.
Chuka Nestor Emezue, PhD, assistant professor in Rush University’s Department of Women, Children, and Family Nursing, counsels parents to “latch on to your child’s curiosity. Figure out what it is about the [content they’re consuming] that’s appealing. Validate the child’s concerns.” Then, explore those issues together.
He also advises parents to watch the content with their child, discuss what they see, and offer healthier alternatives.
“If these young men are not seeing positive messaging, they will gravitate toward the negative,” Emezue says.
According to Dominguez, strict parental controls are generally not the answer. Parents have the right to monitor what their children watch, but how they do it matters. He recommends asking thoughtful questions, such as: What did you learn? How do you feel about it? Do you think other people feel differently? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating regular screen-free time to make room for sleep, exercise, homework, and in-person relationships.
But what if the efforts don’t help? What if parents worry that their teenager is falling further into the manosphere and espousing negative views?
“Then something deeper is going on, which may require professional support,” Valentine says.
Counselor Anuj Ansal has treated teens influenced by the manosphere. Kevin, a 17-year-old, sought counseling after months of consuming manosphere content.
“He didn’t present with complaints about it. He came in frustrated over not being good enough,” says Ansal, who runs Chicago Integrative Psychotherapy. Many of these boys are obsessed with meeting unrealistic expectations, he says.
Through months of counseling, Ansal helped Kevin identify his insecurities, find positive role models, and reject the perfectionism that the manosphere promotes. He also encouraged him to spend less time online and become more engaged with people and activities. Just as importantly, he provided Kevin with consistent mentorship.
Many of the kids, especially the young ones, need a positive male role model, Ansal says.
Experts say a positive role model is one of the most effective antidotes to harmful online messaging. Parents and other trusted adults can help teens build critical thinking skills, form healthy relationships, and find role models who promote empathy, respect, and emotional resilience. Those conversations, they say, help young men define masculinity for themselves — without the temptation of toxic online communities.
Originally published in the Fall 2026/Winter 2027 print issue.
As a longtime journalist and lifelong learner, Howard Kim has covered a wide range of topics and authored two crime novels. He’s been happily married for many years and couldn’t live without his son and grandson.
