“I felt as though I wasn't alone” Gen-Z Males and the “Manosphere”: A Qualitative IPA Study.

The Manosphere, a collection of male-centric online communities has seen an increase in virality in recent years, the Manosphere has also been criticised for promoting misogyny, and promoting violence and sexism. However, communities within and adjacent to display diverse ideologies resulting in polarisation between the communities and their public perception. Certain elements are deemed harmful content by governing bodies, yet community growth continues. As of writing no effort has been made to explore individual experiences of those involved, even less so in the younger population, a prime target for engagement.

We spoke to three participants who were Gen-Z, and identified as male aged between 18 and 24 (M age = 21).

Participants engaged in semi-structured interviews, analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Resulting in group experiential themes.

1. The manosphere serves as a tool for self improvement, advice and purpose
2. The content serves a community of disenfranchised men
3. The manosphere can be divisive and difficult to navigate
4. There is a negative perception of modern feminism.

These evoked how the Manosphere was life changing, misunderstood and nuanced. The findings warrant further qualitative study into the lived experience of those who engage with the Manosphere.