UN Women says online misogyny is pressing challenge
Online misogyny is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing challenges to gender equality in the digital age, UN Women says in a statement urging the media to expose the roots of online misogyny and prevent it from becoming normalised. “In the manosphere, influencers are spreading – and profiting from – controversial content that fuels misogyny, promotes unhealthy definitions of masculinity, and normalises violence against women and girls.”
“Social media platforms and digital communities are increasingly being used to spread anti-women rhetoric, reinforce discriminatory gender roles, and normalise real-world harm.”
“At the centre of this growing threat is the manosphere, an informal and burgeoning network of online spaces where groups such as men’s rights activists, pick-up artists, and incels promote deeply misogynistic content.
The organisation stresses that these communities do not all speak with one voice, but are united in portraying feminism as dangerous, women as manipulative, and men as victims of social change.
“Their ideas are gaining ground, particularly among boys and young men, amplified by algorithms that prioritise sensational and extreme content. The manosphere’s narratives are no longer confined to niche corners of the internet. They are shaping how people think, how they vote, and how they treat others.”
“This is not just a digital trend. The language, tactics, and beliefs circulating in these online spaces are seeping into mainstream culture, contributing to backlash against women’s rights and fostering conditions where gender-based violence is trivialised or excused. In some cases, they align with broader extremist ideologies, including racism, homophobia, and authoritarianism.”
UN Women says that journalists and media outlets have a vital role to play.
“How this issue is covered, and whose voices are elevated, shapes public understanding and response. We urge media professionals to use their platforms to expose the roots of online misogyny, report on its real-world impacts, and centre the voices of those working to end it.”
A UN Secretary General’s report argues that the expansion of the manosphere coincides with growing conservatism among young men, which sees efforts to achieve women’s equality as discriminating against men.
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