Incels, or involuntary celibates, are members of an online subculture, most often heterosexual men, who believe they have been unconditionally excluded from the dating scene. This has negative implications for their mood and self-esteem, as well as the women and girls they grow to resent.
For this reason, schools in England are now required to address incel communities, among other sources of online misogyny, in relationships, sex and health education. This is a challenging task when many teachers are already overstretched, and schools are increasingly expected to deal with problems that begin beyond the school gates.
