Manosphere
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The manosphere (portmanteau of man and blogosphere) is a name given to an informal network of blogs, websites, and internet commentators that focus on issues relating to men and masculinity. The content of these online forums varies from self-improvement and bodybuilding to advice for pick-up artists [1] and men's rights forums. They have been described by various news outlets and civil rights groups as promoting a misogynistic worldview, particularly concerning issues relating to sexual abuse and domestic violence.[2][3]
Notable examples of manosphere sites include the Red Pill Room, A Voice for Men and Roosh V's website Return Of Kings.[1]
Vocabulary
The manosphere has its own distinct jargon. Manosphere websites commonly use red pill and blue pill imagery as an analogy; accepting the manosphere's ideology is equated with "taking the red pill". Pickup artistry is referred to as "game". The terms "alpha male" and "beta male" are commonly used, with similar meanings as in animal biology.[1]
Criticism
The manosphere has been criticized by both conservatives and liberals. Rod Dreher has said that the discourse on these sites "dehumanizes both men and women".[4] Mark Potok, a spokesman of the Southern Poverty Law Center, has drawn parallels between the manosphere and white supremacist websites.[5] In addition, they have been criticised for harbouring anti-gay sentiments.[5][1]