Debunking the #manosphere: an exploratory analysis on patriarchy and ageism within the digital realm

Abstract

Online and offline realms are not detached one from the other but are rather convergent and mutually reinforcing. Over the past decade, as the so-called “digital era” emerged and expanded, expressions of misogynist beliefs started to burgeon within the online realm. On par with male misogynist individualised agency, there has also been a growth of what has been labelled the manosphere. Although mainly revolving around gender identities and roles, the manosphere is profoundly tied to conservative imaginaries of race, nationality, sexuality, religion and, we argue, age. Taking into account the feminist argument the personal is political, that age and gender are intersecting categories, and that the digital is a central realm in collective and connective action, this paper draws an exploratory study on how patriarchy and ageism inform the politics of the #manosphere, exploring at the same time how the digital realm makes this convergence and result prolific concerning manosphere’s agenda and mobilisation.