Where networked misogyny becomes networked misandry Exploring the misogynistic discussion on #MeToo in the manosphere

Due to their network characteristics, social media facilitate the organization and communication between members of social and political movements. With the rise of #MeToo, feminist issues and particularly sexual harassment have gained new awareness in the public sphere. However, the visibility of popular feminism in media and marketing also generates countermovements. The manosphere represents a male-dominated, detached network of different subgroups and platforms united by the belief that they are oppressed victims in a feminist society. Because of the manosphere’s close association with the alt-right and its open misogynist stance, it should not be reduced to a few misguided individuals but considered an active social threat. Thus, this study examines the discussion on #MeToo in the manosphere to contribute to a better understanding of misogynistic ideologies in an understudied context and raise awareness towards the hostility against women online. Hence, the research is guided by the following research question: How is the #MeToo debate framed and discussed in the manosphere? To provide an answer, qualitative thematic analysis was applied to 12 articles and 641 comments on two prominent websites in the manosphere, A Voice for Men and Return of Kings. By investigating two distinct platforms and studying the influence of articles on the interplay between users, it offers a nuanced perspective on networked misogyny and the degrees of hate speech. The results suggest that #MeToo is perceived as a ploy of women to destroy white men and claim power for themselves. Whereas many sexual harassment allegations are rendered as lies of attention-seeking women, causes of rape are further linked to ambiguous definitions and the inferior nature of women; feminist brainwashing is identified as the reason why women act against their allegedly hidden desires of being dominated. Additionally, a supposed double standard allows women to exploit public institutions and abuse men and children without repercussions. It suggests that men apply misogyny to criticize the allegedly hidden misandry in societies instead. Accordingly, networked misogyny is twisted into networked misandry. Therefore, hate speech serves to portray women as threats to Western cultures. Taking on the victim role and connecting with like-minded individuals enables men to avoid the acknowledgment of their advantaged position. Considering that hate speech and misogyny occur along a continuum and are also linked to racism and homophobia, this study makes the case for a more refined definition of the manosphere. Instead of seeing it as one confined network, it should be understood as a cluster. Consequently, online misogyny cannot be traced back to one source but needs to be examined individually as well as collectively.