Glossary: The manosphere
Online violence stemming from the manosphere spreads through coded language. Familiarize yourself with some key terms so that you can spot subversive and harmful content in your feed.
Online violence is real violence. The manosphere – an umbrella term for communities that promote harmful definitions of masculinity – serves as its nursery.
As UN Women, we are taking action against digital abuse, one of the fastest growing forms of gender-based violence, and countering the spread of the manosphere’s toxic influence.
The manosphere targets male audiences in all digital spaces, including social media, podcasts, gamer communities, and even dating apps. Many men and boys engage with the content in search of forums to learn about men’s issues. But the solutions and discussions veer far from healthy advice, promoting instead ideas of harsh self-discipline, emotional control and physical dominance over others, especially women and girls.
Like many communities, the manosphere spreads its ideas with its own unique terminology and cultural references. This includes coded language for gendered hate speech, pseudoscience and other harmful lies – even certain phrases that might be considered harmless outside of these online communities.
While internet slang and the manosphere’s glossary are always expanding, familiarizing yourself with some of these common terms can help you spot misogynist content in your feed.
Online Safety 101
What every woman and girl should know to spot the early signs of online abuse, take action, and reclaim their digital space.
AWALT
“All women are like that;” used to stereotype women.
Alpha male/Beta male
The hierarchy in the manosphere culture: “alphas” are dominant and desirable, while “betas” are weak and unsuccessful.
Becky
Used to describe a woman who is less desirable than a “Stacy;” sometimes racialized or class coded. See also Stacy and Chad.
Black pill
Nihilistic world view among incels that one’s romantic prospects are biologically determined; that “inferior” men have no chance of ever having sexual relationships with women. See also red pill/blue pill and incel.
Briffault’s Law
A conspiracy theory that women use men for their personal gain. It is used to suggest women are selfish and deceptive beings and to justify anti-feminist attitudes.
Chad
The archetype of an alpha male: a muscular, sexually successful man and the opposite of “incel” or “beta male.” Often depicted in memes and used in racist contexts. See also alpha male and Stacy.
Cope
Used to suggest someone “deal with it” or “cry about it.” Another example of a common word taking on a negative connotation in certain contexts, including some online communities.
Cuck
An insult that implies a man is weak or feminized; suggests a man has been sexually humiliated.
E-Girl/OnlyFans girl
Used to refer to women who earn income or attract attention through digital platforms; derogatory; reflects resentment of women’s presence online.
False allegations myth
The idea that women’s claims of sexual assault are often fabricated.
Femoid/FHO
“Female humanoid organism” is an insulting term meant to suggest women are not only less than men, but less than human.
Feminist agenda
While “feminist agenda” may refer to different or progressive ideas in other contexts, in the manosphere, the term is in reference to a conspiracy theory that feminists control media, education, and politics to oppress men.
What is the manosphere and why should we care?
Online misogyny is making its way into schoolyards, workplaces, and intimate relationships. Learn more about where it comes from and how it spreads.
Frame/Maintaining frame
Emotional control and dominance over women; a popular concept in PUA and red pill communities.
Gymcel
A subset of the incel movement that promotes bodybuilding to attract women and overcome celibacy. See also incel.
Gynocentrism
The claim that society is dominated by women’s interests.
Hamster (rationalization hamster)
Derogatory metaphor describing women as irrational.
High-value male/man
See SMV. A reference to someone with superficial markers of “value,” including fitness and wealth.
Hyperagency
The idea that women possess excessive social or sexual power in society and over men.
Hypergamy/Hypergamous
Used derogatorily to refer to women being obsessed with marrying “up” with men who are physically attractive and financially successful.
Incel (involuntary celibate)
A person who believes that men are entitled to sex and that women purposefully deprive them of it; a core manosphere ideology. Extremist incel culture promotes rape and assault and brings together other ideologies, including racism and homophobia. Incels have been linked to acts of mass violence.
Looksmaxxing/Statusmaxxing
Attempting to increase sexual attractiveness, including through exercise and surgery. Looksmaxxing communities often subject men and boy’s photos to brutal comments.
Male supremacism
Ideology asserting men’s superiority over women; extremist misogyny.
Manosphere
A loose network of communities that claim to address men’s struggles – dating, fitness or fatherhood, for example – but often promote harmful advice and attitudes
Men going their own way (MGTOW)
Movement that suggests society is rigged against men – and that it is best to avoid women, and even mainstream society, altogether.
Men’s rights activist (MRA)/Men’s rights movement (MRM)
Individuals and the broader umbrella term for a main manosphere ideology that often takes an academic tone to claim that feminism and women’s rights – to vote, to education, to leadership positions – have disadvantaged men. This claim that society is leaving men behind predates the manosphere.
Mewing
An example of a medically unproven exercise promoted as a type of looksmaxing, in this case with the intention of building a more defined jawline.
Normie
A “normal” person outside of the manosphere community; considered ignorant or conformist.
How to counter the manosphere’s toxic influence
Explore real actions that individuals, policymakers and influential tech companies can take to stop the manosphere’s creep.
Patriarchy denialism
The belief that men are the oppressed gender and that patriarchy does not exist.
Pick-up artist (PUA)
Refers to individuals within a core manosphere ideology that teaches members how to coerce women into sex, as if a game, and mocks the idea of sexual consent.
Rage bait
Online content deliberately designed to be frustrating, provocative or offensive in order to increase traffic and engagement.
Red pill/Blue pill
Red pill ideology, or to be redpilled, means to wake up to a reality that the world favors women over men. In reference to the movie The Matrix, it suggests that people who disagree have taken the blue pill. See also black pill.
Red pill rage/Blue pill rage
The feelings of anger and resentment that set in upon “waking up” to manosphere ideologies and injustices against men.
Reverse discrimination
The claim that feminism and gender equality efforts unfairly disadvantage men; similar to the claim that society is “misandrist,” or prejudiced against men.
SA
An acronym for “sexual assault” used to get around content guidelines on digital platforms.
Sigma male
The “lone wolf” archetype who embodies independence and dominance.
Simp
An insult targeting men viewed as excessively kind, deferential or supportive of women.
SMV (sexual market value)
Ranking of individuals’ worth based on their attractiveness in terms of physical appearance and status.
Soy boy
A derogatory label for men seen as effeminate or progressive.
Stacy
An idealized, highly attractive woman that is considered unattainable. The female counterpart to “Chad.” See also Becky and Chad.
Unalive
Used in reference to death, including murder or suicide, used to get around content guidelines on digital platforms.
Wagecuck/Corporate slave
A slur mocking men with conventional jobs; used to glorify “alpha” independence or entrepreneurship.
White knighting
A disparaging term for men who defend women’s rights or oppose misogyny.
These definitions were prepared as part of UN Women’s educational materials on online violence. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the United Nations.
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