In 2024, after the breakdown of my marriage, I came dangerously close to falling down the manosphere pipeline. As someone who has become something of a public advocate for healthy masculinities and inclusion, this is not something I find easy to admit or write about. I struggle to reconcile that version of myself, as recent as two years ago, with the man I am today and the values I so strongly believe in. But I also believe it’s important we tell these stories, both to examine how men can find their way into these spaces and how they can find their way out.
The term “manosphere” might seem like a bit of a buzzword, a fringe ideology that exists in dark corners of the internet. We need to recognise that it is far more widespread than that. A 2022 survey by The Man Cave found that a quarter of young Australian men saw Andrew Tate as a role model and 36% found him relatable. Subsequent studies have found the movement is on the rise, both here and overseas.
