The ‘toxic’ manosphere terms every parent should know
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This week, Louis Theroux’s latest documentary, Inside the Manosphere,was released on Netflix, with reviewers calling it his ‘most chilling yet’
While the streaming service’s hit 2025 show, Adolescence, was based on part of the same movement, this gives us a glimpse into its real-life champions — and the fact it’s not dramatised makes it even more terrifying.
Louis’ subjects are among the biggest names on the ‘alpha male’ influencer scene, with 23-year-old Harrison Sullivan, known as hstikkytokky, and Amrou Fudl, aka Myron Gaines of the Fit and Fresh podcast, featuring heavily.
Following on from the likes of Andrew Tate, these men collectively boast millions of social media followers, who tune in to hear them muse about ‘why women deserve less’ (also the title of Fudl’s book) or how to be a be more ‘dominant’ in relationships.
hough their content is tagged as fitness, dating or moneymaking — with some selling life coaching programmes or advertising multi-level marketing opportunities to become as ‘successful’ as them — it often veers into misogyny, antisemitism and homophobia.
Dan Guinness, managing director of Beyond Equality, previously told Metro: ‘These communities present themselves as spaces of support but often deepen feelings of self-hatred and resentment towards women… Online algorithms can pull vulnerable young people further into extreme content, reinforcing harmful beliefs.’
And despite the fact this is such an easy rabbit hole to fall into, Dan says the dangers are ‘significant’, as ‘many young men caught in these spaces experience declining mental health, and some become desensitised to violent or dehumanising ideas about women.’
While you may assume this is a fringe issue that could never impact your own child, the manosphere and its proponents have a wide reach.
‘Social media platforms play a huge role in this,’ said Chiara Capraro, Amnesty International UK’s gender justice programme director. ‘Boys and young men are being actively pulled into these toxic spaces by algorithms that reward extreme, divisive, and inflammatory content.’
Dan adds: ‘Vulnerable boys, particularly those who are socially excluded and searching for answers, may be especially susceptible to this pipeline.’
The fact is, prevention is better than cure, so maintaining open communication and modelling healthy relationships before you encounter issues is key.
If you start to notice your child using these words and phrases however, it may show they’re absorbing the movement’s main talking points — and therefore that it’s time for a bigger conversation.
Read more https://metro.co.uk/2026/03/13/toxic-manosphere-terms-every-parent-know-27383613/
Content retrieved from: https://metro.co.uk/2026/03/13/toxic-manosphere-terms-every-parent-know-27383613/.
