As 2025 came to an end, I reflected on trends marking the year and discussions occupying the internet. Political elections stirred up debates on democracy and its values, and military conflicts shaped discourses. My timeline, however, was also blessed by men celebrating their enormous masculinity. Comparing it and sharing their values, superiority and a degrading view on women. Highly popular topics, the legitimacy of the right of abortion and consent.
Barely anyone has been spared by the phenomenon of alpha masculinity spreading online. Not a new trend, but a steadily growing one. What is often referred to as the “manosphere” encompasses online content and communities dealing with men’s problems, promoting degrading and abusive behaviour towards women. Misogyny turns mainstream. The concept of hyper masculinity is often rooted in insecurities being covered up. Therefore, assertive behaviour and traditional masculinity are being excessively embraced. Dominance is central to this mindset, framing the exercise of power over women to be desirable and natural, disregarding their equality and rights. Chauvinism at its finest.
The epidemic spread online is what makes this thinking pattern so popular and thereby dangerous. United by resentment towards women and feminism, these men are led to online radicalisation, normalisation of gender-based violence and abusive behaviour. Preaching online on how to be a “real” and masculine man, infiltrating boys’ thoughts with traditional masculine stereotypes, which should have remained in the past.
Above all, Andrew Tate, self-proclaimed misogynist, made this movement viral, rising quickly in popularity. He influences teenagers in their impressionable years by priding himself on misogyny, shaping their ideologies. He portrays a confident man. A “strong” man. A “real” man. A man accused of human trafficking, violence and rape in several cases is what stands out to me.
In need of guidance, adolescents idolise what they see online. As their feed, and thus the world around them, gets flooded by misogynistic influencers, they adapt. Last year’s Netflix hit Adolescence, inspired by an array of real incidents, highlighted the level of influence misogynist communities online can have on kids growing up. How these condensed extreme ideologies can manipulate, especially young people in their beliefs, shines a light on a dangerous societal evolution.
However, it is not just these extreme men online constituting the problem; the issue is systemic and gender-transcending. King’s College London published a report in 2025 stating that 50% of younger men and 30% of women agree with the statement that the fight for women’s equality went too far, and a stage of discrimination against men was reached.
Recently, more and more women started getting vocal about antifeminism and a return to traditionalism as seen in the tradwife movement. Why would women, who are supposed to profit from gender equality, be so vocal about abandoning the progress made by preceding generations? Working independently, participating politically, and owning the right to decide about your own body.
In November, South Africa experienced multiple large-scale protests, resulting in the government classifying the escalating gender-based violence against women as a “crisis”. This, however, is not a regional exception. Women are still recognised as underrepresented in all decision-making processes around the world, sex offenders are occupying positions of power, femicide rates are persistently high, gender-biased sex selection still takes place, diminishing the female population artificially, and experts estimate every fifth woman to have been a victim of partner or sexual abuse.
Nonetheless, our society records a transition towards traditionalism, conservatism and antifeminism. As political uncertainty and dissatisfaction rise, traditional views get more adherents. Is it mere correlation, or rather actual causation?
People lose trust, aiming to return to the state of the glorified past. When the world gets more complex, political forces struggle, the economy recesses, and people are not able to comprehend the new state, a scapegoat is needed. Who would be a better fit than women? The “weaker sex.” The “subordinate ones.” This pattern reaches all the way back to the witch hunts, where misogyny fueled the systematic killing of women, perceived as threats to male authority. Turning to misogyny to compensate for power loss is therefore a familiar archetype. Women who were too independent or different were accused, socially isolated, and then executed by drowning or burning.
Striving for equality doesn’t align with the ideology of the traditional masculine man, the provider, the protector, the person in power, the superior one. Women’s rights progressed, diminishing the power men held in society. Subordination and, therefore, man’s control declined, while vocalising opinions contrary to the traditional view increased. Therefore, framing women and their rights advancements to be the problem gives an easy way out, reducing life’s complexity again. If men occupy the power to decide about women, their bodies and their lives, they have control, better opportunities in life and can make the women their favourite accessory. Step by step, women are once again getting silenced, reduced to merely an object to show off.
Trends come and go. Some trends we regret, some shape us and influence the rest of our lives. What will we choose? The end of women’s independence, a step back in evolution and the increase of misogyny, or will we recognise the changes happening around us, the undermining of women’s rights? Will we look on, or will we act?
