Why Feminism Scares Men

As of July 2024 Andrew Tate, self-proclaimed “alpha male” and “king of toxic masculinity”, awaits trial on human trafficking, organised crime, and rape charges. He is banned from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for violating their “hate speech” rules, has publicly talked about hitting and choking women and has said he is “absolutely a misogynist”. Yet, for millions of men, and especially teenage boys, he has become an idol. He is the face of the manosphere, an online community that has emerged as a response to feminism and female empowerment, and that promotes toxic masculinity and misogyny. This community of men with deeply concerning perspectives on women perpetuates anti-feminist views, that have increasingly gained popularity over the last few years, as the Survey Center on American Life finds.

The HOPE not hate Charitable Trust survey finds that 50 percent of British young men believe that feminism “has gone too far and makes it harder for men to succeed. This feels like a slap in the face, when, worldwide, one in three women still experience physical and sexual violence and women in the EU earn, on average, 13 percent less per hour than men. Yet, I do not believe that most men sharing this sentiment, with members of the manosphere at the extreme end, are genuinely misogynistic or truly believe in male dominance. Rather, they use this stance as a psychological defence mechanism against feeling threatened by increasingly powerful and independent women. Thought leaders like Andrew Tate exploit these fears and insecurities, profiting from them while further fuelling hate and division.

The psychology behind it: identity threat and reaction formation

Feminism advocates for gender equality and challenges traditional masculinity, which can lead to feelings of undermined traditional roles and social status among men who strongly identify with these norms. This is known as identity threat - a psychological phenomenon where people perceive a risk to a cherished part of their identity, leading to stress and defensive behaviours. Men feeling threatened in their social identity might react by engaging in hyper-masculine behaviours, displaying aggression and competitiveness – essentially behaviour the manosphere praises – to reassert dominance and mask insecurities. Psychologists call this defence mechanism reaction formation, where individuals respond to identity threats by adopting exaggerated or showy behaviours and attitudes that are the opposite of their true feelings. Someone defending their ego this way can be extremely passionate about the views and preferences they outwardly express to protect their ego against thoughts or feelings deemed unacceptable by personal, familial, community, or societal standards.

Rigid societal and cultural structures don’t help

Patriarchal norms have long placed men in dominant roles and women in subordinate ones, a status quo that feminism disrupts. This disruption causes some individuals, both men and women, to feel like their traditional privileges or values are slipping away. Many women, often due to socialisation in patriarchal structures, also view feminism critically, fearing it challenges their chosen roles or values. Movements like the “tradwives” illustrate how traditional gender roles are embraced by some women who see feminism as a threat. Conversely, men may reject feminist principles and embrace misogynistic dominance as a way to align with the societal ideal of masculinity. Especially in times of economic, political, and social uncertainty and instability some cling to old ideas. In such environments traditional gender roles are emphasised as a source of stability and predictability.

Research finds that young men are more likely to exhibit sexist attitudes when they perceive competition between men and women for societal resources. This perception increases with economic instability, when unemployment rises, and public institutions are viewed as unfair. Men see advancements in women’s rights as a threat to their opportunities and resort to modern sexism and misogynistic behaviour as a defensive reaction. This fuels, and is fuelled, by anti-gender campaigns, which have gained popularity across Europe in the last few years. These movements oppose what they label “gender ideology,” a term encompassing not just gender equality but also LGBTQIA+ rights and the rejection of traditional gender binaries. “Gender ideology” is portrayed as an external threat imposed by feminist and LGBTQIA+ activists, wanting to destabilise traditional values and families and denying “the natural differences between men and women“. Such narratives create a moral panic, suggesting that gender equality movements lead to societal decay. This fear is rooted in the belief that women and girls are less valuable than men and boys, and female independence and equality would result in the downfall of society. While this fear is far from reasonable, it does result in sexism, misogynistic behaviour, and sexual violence.

Feminism or misandry?

Anti-feminist narratives within the manosphere fuel a growing perception among young men that society has become hostile towards them. Viewing feminism as harmful to men and fearing loss of societal privileges or being discriminated against fosters resentment and misogynistic behaviours to resist changes. There is a common misconception of feminism as a quest for female dominance rather than gender equality, leading to the belief that feminists seek to reverse power dynamics. Speaking from personal experience, the movement is often mistakenly equated with misandry, creating the false stereotype of men-hating feminists. However, contrary to popular belief, feminists report lower levels of hostility toward men than did non-feminists, as Kristin Anderson, Melinda Kanner, and Nisreen Elsayeg find. Still, the term “feminism” is often incorrectly assumed to exclude men, causing resistance from those who see it as a threat to masculinity, aka the manosphere. What these communities don’t like to talk about is how the traditional ideals of masculinity, often referred to as hegemonic masculinity, harm men as well, as they are really only achievable for a very few and limit the potential of most, which translates into poor mental health and high male suicide rates. Instead, the manosphere puts people that seemingly adhere to these ideals, like Andrew Tate (who portrays himself as successful, rich, and strong), on a pedestal, making him a role model.

Men should be feminists

Many men feel excluded from the feminist discourse, viewing it as primarily benefiting women and not addressing their concerns. Believing that feminism is only for women and viewing it through negative stereotypes alienates men, causing them to turn to anti-feminist spaces – the manosphere – and reinforcing misogynistic views.

However, gender equality is not just a women’s issue. When women have equal rights to men, societies are healthier, wealthier, and better educated. These societies promote greater healthcare access, leading to longer life expectancy and improved mental health. Economically, they are stronger: Research suggests that, by 2050, improving gender equality in the EU would lead to an increase in GDP per capita by 6.1 percent to 9.6 percent. Misogyny not only harms women, but it also harms men by enforcing harmful stereotypes and behaviours. Feminism questions these norms, which helps free men from the pressure to conform to the rigid masculine ideals the manosphere values.