“From Mancaves to Mainstream: The Evolution of the Manosphere”

The manosphere – a term for the network of blogs and forums which focused on masculinity, men’s rights, and antifeminism – used to regard itself as a niche community. Users considered themselves to be part of a select few who were willing to “take the red pill” and open their eyes to the ugly truth about female nature. For many, this would be the first step to engaging with further forbidden knowledge – about religion, race, and modernity itself.

As the network moved to social media, however, influencers espousing certain “red pill truths” began to amass followings that their predecessors could never have dreamed of. Manosphere terms like “alpha”, “Chad”, and “red pill” became casual internet slang. The manosphere has undoubtedly gone mainstream, to the point that even talking about it as a separate sphere to the wider internet feels archaic. But what effect has this had on the subculture itself, and its relationship with the online far right?

Annie Kelly is a journalist and researcher specializing in anti-feminist and far-right digital cultures. She is the UK correspondent for the QAA Podcast.

Please reach out to Hazel Velasco Palacios hgv5008@psu.edu if you have any questions about the event or need accommodations.

This event is supported by the Mellon Foundation’s Sawyer Seminar Program and cosponsored by the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and the Humanities Institute.