Unpacking incel culture on the internet
What the research says & how to help
In this week’s email
What’s on our mind: Unpacking incel culture on the internet
Rewatch webinar & tailored inclusion help for your team
The latest episode of Techish
Free inclusion resources
Unpacking incel culture on the internet
“Incel - meaning involuntarily celibate - a man who has never had a proper conversation with an adult woman other than his mum.”
Benjamin Zand
The Internet can be an amazing resource: it’s shaped how we see society today and has the power to do so much good. In the same breath, however, it’s also a birthing ground for hate. Enter incel activity - an online subculture that’s made of men who self-identify as being unable to form sexual connections with women.
We’re talking lone wolf characters who don’t thrive in social situations and, as a result, blame women for their lack of sexual success. Charming. These romantically deprived young men are just like crabs in a barrel (thanks for the metaphor, The Guardian). Pumped up on testosterone and internal anger at their lack of charisma, incels come together to instil in each other the idea that only gorgeous men have any success with women, pincers snapping as they go.
What do they do when they get together, you ask? This particular part of the manosphere thrives on rape culture, extremism and hurling hostile abuse to women. In fact, more than 1,000 references to misogyny and violent action are recorded each day on dedicated incel forums. The same study also showed that there’s an ever-growing correlation between far right-wing ideology and incel culture. Shocking, we know.
Though a large proportion of incels spend their time hunched over their keyboards, it’s important to acknowledge the representation of incel culture in Hollywood and the mainstream media, too. For example, hit films like Don't Worry Darling and The Batman are littered with exploitative narratives of women, as well as violence towards their female characters. The question is, how do we spot the signs of a budding incel in real life?
Clue up on incel slang: Like any other cult, incels have coined unique slang terms to project hate, both online and in person. It’s important to familiarise yourself with these terms to uncover potential signs of incel activity and potentially intervene – especially if you’re a parent or a teacher. If you notice young boys using incel slang in conversation or online, consider it a warning of what’s to come.
Report, report, report: Lisa Suigi, author of The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women, talks of the responsibility of service providers and says “it’s almost as if misogyny is the last taboo when it comes to tracking discriminatory behaviours [online].” You should always report evidence of incel culture online, no matter what media platform you’re scrolling through. Unfortunately, platforms aren’t as quick to take down hateful language as they are copyrighted songs and images, so it’s important to flag it when you can.
Understand online safety: The incel community mainly exists online. Harmful, misogynistic platforms are just a click away - and young boys are the most susceptible. If you have children, there are certain things you can do to monitor your child's media consumption. Spending time online together can help your children understand what’s appropriate online material and what isn’t. By educating children, teachers and parents about the risk of the online world, they’ll stand more of a chance of recognising the beginnings of incel behaviour in young kids.
Professor Veronika Koller says that “incels are dangerous to women and girls and dangerous to themselves.” We, as a society, must do everything we can to help protect all parties.
For more information visit our Insights page or listen to Techish.
Share our inclusion insights with your team
We’ve been in the business of inclusion education for over seven years! Whatever cultural challenge you’re facing in your team, we have free advice to help. Check out our insights page or book a free consultation call with Hustle Crew Founder & CEO Abadesi.
Watch our webinar 'How to be more inclusive at work' here
Curious about how we’ve helped teams in the past? Check out our testimonials.
Brand new #Techish, listen to the latest episode
Techish is back every Tuesday in your podcast feed and on YouTube. Listen to one of the UK’s Top podcasts — co-hosts Michael and Abadesi dive into the essential stories across tech and pop culture🍿💰🎧.
Are you an iPhone user? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts for a chance to get a shoutout on the show!