Male Grievance, Victimhood, and the Misogynist Pipeline towards Extremism

How anger towards women and feminism radicalizes young men

If you spend any amount of time in far right chat rooms or observing the rhetoric that members of the far right use, one thing will become very clear very quickly: members of these groups that find themselves superior or manly constantly feel like they are being bullied, often by feminism and the cultural environment it has created. Their members share a central feeling that feminism has “corrupted western women” and that it has created an environment where men can no longer “be men.”

This phenomenon is often referred to as Male Grievance. It is a type of victimhood that is common among far right groups and it is a central recruiting tactic used by groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Front, as well as violent online groups like incels and other subgroups within the Manosphere. It is by no means the only pipeline towards radicalization, but it is among the most common radicalizing vectors in the US. Because of that it is important that we understand how it connects vulnerable young men to violent movements.

How do groups use misogyny to recruit members?

The far right has general consensus that there are two genders, and that those genders are defined by rigid rules of behavior and presentation. Far right groups and celebrities might talk about how men are “no longer manly,” or that women would be “happier” if they were stay at home moms. These attitudes create fertile ground for drawing men from the Manosphere into the broader far right community.

In addition to this there are men who feel a sense of grievance or victimhood. These men often feel that they can’t express themselves as men, or that they might face social consequences for behaving or presenting as “manly.” In her ethnography of the Proud Boys, Samantha Kutner paints a picture of men who feel a deep sense of victimhood and grievance towards a world that is changing. The men often feel left behind, or “unable to express themselves.”

In Kutners analysis, members of the Proud Boys reported that part of the draw towards the group was that the other members had “a great sense of humor.” They felt safe enough to express themselves (ie: express their misogynist beliefs or racism as irony or humor) among these members to the point that they chose to join them. Everytown (https://everytownresearch.org/report/misogyny-extremism-and-gun-violence/) also conducted a study of misogyny and how it leads young men towards radicalization. In their study misogyny is identified as a major entry point for aggrieved young men who feel victimized by feminism. Once they find far right groups online or in person that share these beliefs, they are introduced to more radical forms of racism and antisemitism. In their study Everytown accurately identifies the Manosphere as major driver of this and lay out a pathway to radicalization that looks like this:

Misogyny and recent attacks by extremists

When we think about misogyny and extremist attacks we can fit attacks into two different categories: extremist attacks where misogyny was either a primary motivator, or a secondary motivator. Attacks where misogyny was a primary motivator are typified by the attackers beliefs being explicitly anti-feminist or anti-women and their victims being women. Attacks where misogyny was a secondary motivator can be thought of as attacks where the attacker held misogynist views and may have been pushed towards the far right because of those views, but ended up carrying out an attack against a range of groups for a variety of different reasons. Both of these categories are abhorrent, neither is more valid than the other, this is merely a way of conceptualizing and categorizing how these beliefs impact the lives of others.

Attacks where misogyny was a primary motivator are numerous; from the rampage in Isla Vista, California in 2014 to the anti-feminist attack on Judge Esther Salas and her family in 2020, misogynists have made their anger and sense of grievance known through violence. Secondary attacks also bear the same marks and warning signs, such as the 2019 attack in Dayton, Ohio where a man who had expressed misogynist views for years shot 26 people outside of a bar. In 2015 a man shot 11 people at a movie theatre in Lafeyette, Lousiana. He too had expressed anti-feminist, as well as antisemitic and racist views, for years.

What can be done?

Much like other systems of oppression, misogyny is baked into the fabric of our global world. While that misogyny can often fester, it is being challenged by brave activists, scholars, and professionals across the world. The Institute for Research on Male Supremacy is one such group that is working to advance scholarship around the issue of misogyny and male supremacy so that we can understand it and more effectively challenge it. Men Stopping Violence is another organization that operates in Dekalb County, Georgia and works with men to build healthier models of masculinity and prevent violence against women. Both of these organizations are doing excellent work to combat misogyny and create a world where women are safe and men can express themselves in healthy ways, and they are both deserving of your support.