Men’s Rights Activism and the Manosphere

Abstract

The Men’s Rights Activism (MRA) movement holds intrinsic ties to the Gamergate movement; MRAs appropriated the Gamergate movement as a vehicle for their own socio-political beliefs, which was easily done, as much of Gamergate’s rhetoric already aligned with MRA’s beliefs. Because of this appropriation, Gamergate was deeply influenced by MRA politics and ideologies, and became as much an MRA movement as a gaming movement. This chapter looks at the symbiotic relationship between the two groups, as well as the relationship between MRAs and the ‘manosphere’: a collective of groups and websites from which MRA hails. The purpose here is to critically examine the dominant ideologies and goals of key groups within the manosphere (including Red Pill, Incels, Pickup Artists, FeMRA, and Men Going Their Own Way). This includes, for example, examining the MRA assertion that women hold power over men, and that men are disproportionately oppressed in comparison to women. Finally, the chapter delves into the escalating patterns of MRA violence (including multiple mass murders) and the subsequent media coverage, which preceded and fed into the Gamergate movement.