Influencers promoting mental health, self-love, and parenting are reclaiming the space from Andrew Tate and similar individuals
Influencers like Andrew Tate epitomize “toxic masculinity,” drawing large audiences of young men and boys with a blend of quasi-motivational speeches, flashy cars, and displays of sexual prowess.
However, what about the flip side? Are there creators producing content for the same demographic with more positive messages, or is there simply no demand for it among men and boys?
Jago Sherman, head of strategy at Goat Agency, the influencer arm of marketing giant WPP, explains, “There are numerous male influencers and content creators advocating for and producing content on a wide range of topics including mental health, fitness, wellness, parenting, self-love, self-expression, anti-knife crime, and education, but they often don’t grab the headlines.”
Andrew Tate and similar figures exploit social media to make sweeping, unfounded claims that offer seemingly simple solutions to complex issues. However, these statements are often inaccurate or merely opinions presented as facts.
“In a social media landscape where creators compete for attention, this ‘shock factor’ content, which can be quickly consumed and understood, sometimes outperforms longer, more thoughtful, and neutral content.”
In response to this, last week Labour unveiled a plan to promote more positive interpretations of masculinity. The proposal includes assisting schools in cultivating student mentors to counter the misogynistic views propagated by Tate and others. Additionally, it aims to teach students skills to critically analyze media content in the classroom.
Several men promoting positive masculinity have gained widespread recognition, some even becoming household names. Fitness influencers like Joe Wicks, whose career took off thanks to his Instagram content as The Body Coach, might not captivate teenage boys with sensational material. Nonetheless, offering straightforward advice with a friendly, almost unfailingly upbeat attitude has allowed them to amass millions of followers.
A significant indicator of a more positive approach to masculinity is the charity endeavor, as exemplified by Russ Cook, known on Instagram as the toughest guy around. His year-long endeavor to run the length of Africa, from top to bottom, is set to conclude in April if all goes according to plan. Cook has raised nearly £200,000 for the Running Charity and Sandblast and has garnered almost a million followers across his various social media platforms. This stunt has definitively underscored the appropriateness of his username.
However, Saul Parker, founder of The Good Side, which collaborates with charities and brands to promote positive objectives, notes an imbalance in discussions about toxic influencers. While young women are encouraged to seek positive role models for their own benefit, young men are often urged to do so to improve their treatment of women. This approach risks overlooking the harm that toxic influencers can cause to boys and young men themselves and hampers efforts to encourage them to seek better role models.
Parker explains, “We have a generation of young men growing up amid challenging discussions about patriarchy and its effects on women’s lives. Consequently, many of them feel like they are considered third-class citizens. It’s particularly difficult, especially within left-leaning circles, to acknowledge that young men are facing challenges and may require assistance.”
This is significant because solely focusing on the misogyny, rather than the broader messages of traditional masculine norms that the “manosphere” thrives on, risks allowing a second generation of toxic influencers, following in the footsteps of figures like Tate, to slip by unnoticed. Boys have learned through repetition that the casual misogyny exhibited by individuals like Tate is not socially acceptable to repeat in public. When questioned, they often claim they do not agree with how he talks about women but listen to him for other reasons.
Parker explains, “We’re currently dealing with individuals like David Goggins: a former Navy SEAL who has a massive presence on social media. His content focuses on themes like ‘self-discipline,’ ‘self-motivation,’ ‘early morning routines,’ ‘going to the gym,’ ‘taking cold showers’ – essentially, what it means to ‘be a man.’ However, he does not discuss women or sex at all.”
Removing women from the equation doesn’t diminish the problem; it simply makes it difficult to pinpoint any specific harmful aspects, as he doesn’t express overt hatred toward women.
In other words, persuading boys to adopt a more positive view of masculinity won’t happen automatically. However, all hope is not lost. There is nothing inherent in the experience of boyhood that dictates toxic messages must prevail. With a gentle push, a healthier role model could flourish.