Many young men today are facing a crisis of masculinity, which has prompted many to turn to the internet as a source of escape, validation and community. These keyboard warriors have spawned across all social media platforms, from Reddit to TikTok, and have established movements that decry feminism and validate sexist opinions. Dubbed the “manosphere,” this online world blames women for the challenges men face and is a cesspool of toxic masculinity, victim complexes and overall dehumanization of women and non-cisgendered-heterosexual men. 

These strange, disturbing subcommunities include all types of misogynist rhetoric, all of which share the sentiment of male victimhood. Many of these communities, such as incels and self-proclaimed “men’s rights activists,” criticize modern feminism as an institution that has decreased male power within society and thereby victimizes men. 

These videos by manosphere influencers, such as Andrew Tate, are almost humorous in their over-the-top rhetoric and content, but it’s also shockingly scary that these influencers are shaping young boys and men. The impact goes beyond just spreading offensive misogynist ideas. There is a link between the “manosphere” and right-wing extremism. There are several instances in which young men who were radicalized by online rhetoric inflicted real-world violence upon victims, often women. In 2020, a San Bernadino man, who was a prominent men’s rights activist online, murdered two people when targeting a female judge.

Podcasting has become a popular medium for men’s rights activists to spread superficial “hustle” culture and misogynist ideas. If you tune into these podcasts, such as “Fresh and Fit,” hosted by Walter “Fresh” Weeks and Myron “Fit” Gaines, you can get generic financial and fitness tips— with a side of sexism. “Fresh and Fit” often invite female guests, many of whom are models and sex workers, to humiliate them and insist that they “deserve less” because of their work. They even published a book, “Why Women Deserve Less,” which, if you couldn’t tell from the title, is about why women should earn less and are using men for money. 

Even one of the most popular shows on the podcast charts, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” is part of this manosphere. Although Joe Rogan’s podcast is more tame than the constant barrage of sexism spewed by other podcasts, he has made several sexist and racist remarks in the past, comparing a Black neighborhood to “Planet of the Apes,” lamenting about white male victimhood and laughing as a guest bragged about conducting quid pro quo sexual assault. He has also invited problematic guests, such as the leader of the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist hate group that participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, who claimed that his feature on “The Joe Rogan Experience” boosted recruitment numbers. Joe Rogan has been rewarded for his problematic behavior, attracting a mostly white, male audience with a $100 million deal with Spotify.

As an avid podcast listener and feminist, I know the absurdity of these types of podcasts is ridiculous but also harmful. Of course, it is nothing new that extremist and harmful ideas are present on social media; however, it is frustrating when they enter the mainstream. If you want to protest the popularity of manosphere podcasts, there are plenty of other good listening options to support. Here are some of my favorite podcasts that celebrate female empowerment and gender inclusivity to help you escape the nastiness of the manosphere.

Stuff Mom Never Told You

I’ve been a longtime listener of this podcast, and the hosts Anney Reese and Samantha McVey use intersectional feminism to examine culture, history and science. This podcast highlights the experiences and stories of women and other marginalized groups. One of my favorite things about this podcast is that it features stories I’ve never heard about, such as the story of Sissiertta Jones, the first Black woman to headline a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Call Her Daddy

This is another podcast that I’ve been a fan of for a long time . The show has faced controversy in the past for perpetuating sexist stereotypes and offensive comments, but it has undergone a transformation for the better and its new content is much more inclusive. “Call Her Daddy” is the most listened-to podcast by women, and the host, Alex Cooper, has shattered the glass ceiling in podcasting by signing a $60 million 3-year deal with Spotify. Cooper interviews female celebrities and shares her own experiences regarding dating, navigating female friendships and the overall experiences of being a woman in her 20s. This podcast uses comedy to break down the stigma around sexuality and mental health. Cooper has also tackled serious topics such as sexual harassment, homophobia and online bullying through her interviews and personal stories.

The Mel Robbins Podcast 

The host, Mel Robbins, is a famous and accomplished writer whose advice and self-help books, “The Five Second Rule”’ and “The High Five Habit,” have led her to become a New York Times bestseller and have one of the most watched TED Talks ever. Robbins interviews a variety of guests spanning from medical professionals to psychologists to discuss relatable topics such as relationships, mental health and procrastination in an honest way and gives science-backed tips to her listeners. Robbins’s honesty and vulnerability in sharing her experiences is refreshing. Her wisdom on overcoming imposter syndrome, navigating your 20s and healing have helped me immensely.

Binchtopia

Hosts Eliza McLamb and Julia Hava are both young podcast hosts who are hilarious and have really insightful views on culture, politics and society. They use sociological and psychological perspectives on a variety of topics ranging from serious ones, such as reproductive rights and diet culture, to much lighter ones, such as horse girls and furries. This podcast is one of my recent favorites, and I find their commentary both hilarious and educational. Their discussion about the Manosphere inspired this article, so you should definitely check it out! 

Why Won’t You Date Me

Nicole Byer is the host of this podcast and a self-professed “perpetual singleton.” Byer’s podcast is refreshingly sex-positive and invites her friends and fellow comedians to share their crazy dating stories. I was introduced to “Why Won’t You Date Me” through her interview on “Call Her Daddy,” and I was drawn to Byer’s wit and personality. Women of color are underrepresented in the podcasting sphere, and this podcast is breaking old norms by openly talking about dating as a Black woman.

I hope this list of podcasts inspires you to give them a listen and boost female-led podcasting. There are so many great options to escape the podcast manosphere – and expand your worldview in the process! 

Established in 2020, the Gender Inclusivity and Feminism Team (GIFT) at William Jewell College is a student-led organization that aims to promote a safe and positive culture pertaining to gender identity and related issues.

The organization focuses its efforts and funds into providing physical resources as well as a space for serious discussion about equality. Although GIFT specifies itself to be an organization inspired by traditional feminism, they aspire to expand this definition to support all gender identities through their events and advocacy.

“Jewell prides itself in being an inclusive and diverse campus; however, that does not mean that the community is without issues. It is for this reason that it is so important to have organizations like GIFT on campus. We want to help students feel comfortable with discussing and pursuing their gender identities, but first, we have to offer them a safe, [and] even encouraging, space for that,” junior Alexis Harper, who serves as GIFT’s Events Chair, said.

As one of the organization’s largest tasks, the leadership works with students, staff and faculty to distribute free menstrual products in all the campus’ restrooms and emergency condoms in all the dorms. New this year, GIFT is hoping to partner with the Student Senate and Student Health Center to ensure that a consistent supply of products are available to the community, rather than relying on donations alone.

GIFT also hosts regular events — snacks included — to discuss topics like gender identity portrayal in the media and family dynamics surrounding traditional gender roles. As an example, GIFT holds a Halloween movie night every year in late-October, raffling out sex-positive “Sweet & Spicy” gift bags following the post-movie discussion.

“The Halloween movie night is one of our most popular discussion events, especially because of the items we give out,” Harper said. “The importance of this event is to not only create interest in GIFT and discuss these important issues, but to also destigmatize taboo ideas that are associated with sex and intimacy especially in the case of non-heteronormative relations. Of course, we keep everything in the raffle anonymous to protect the winners’ privacy; [however,] we hope that giving students the opportunity to win sex toys will pave the way for future sex-positive conversations, perhaps with a partner or trusted friend.”

GIFT — like other student organizations and clubs — experienced a low-point during the 2021-22 academic year as the COVID-19 pandemic peaked. However, with the ability to host more social and promotional events, the organization is seeing a steady increase in student interest this year, according to Harper. For students looking to participate in GIFT’s events or services, there are no official membership requirements or commitments to follow.

The organization’s cabinet consists of five equally important roles with Azadeh Rafizadeh, professor of mathematics, designated as their faculty sponsor. This year, the following students are serving at GIFT’s leadership:

• junior Alexis Harper as Events Chair;
• sophomore Kaelyn Cox as Project Management Chair;
• junior Jolia Bernal as Engagement Chair;
• first-year Koda Payton as Communications Chair; and 
• junior Liz Payton as Finance Chair.

Students can get involved in GIFT by reaching out to the clubs leadership by sending an email to giftcabinet@wjclan.jewell.edu, following @wjc.gift on Instagram, or by attending any of the upcoming events.

Every guy loves sports, because sports are something only men can enjoy. Women don’t like them because they’re not related to fashion or shopping, so they’re either bored or they hurt themselves because they’re too delicate. But sometimes, there’s always that one girl that claims she loves sports.

It is of general knowledge that no woman actually likes sports, it’s not in their nature. They only say that to get a guy’s attention – everyone knows that. Girls try to trick guys all the time, and pretending to understand sports it’s just one of them.

“Yeah, I’ve met one of those before. She wasn’t that cute, but she was okay, that’s why I talked to her. At first, when I asked her the players’ names and positions she knew the answers. But I knew that she was just trying to impress me when I asked her the blood type of the dog of the second cousin of the Chiefs quarterback from 1975 and she didn’t know the answer. You just can’t trust women, dude” shared anonymous frat guy with the Monitor.

Some women dare to try to be like men and play sports too. But it is a known fact that they will never be as good as men – they’re too emotional and don’t know how to play as a team, because that’s just how women are. No one would rather watch a female team play than a male team. Women should stick to what they were made for, which is not sports.

Most men would agree with the statement, but for some reason, a few guys disagree.

“This one time I was watching TV and they had women’s soccer on. First I was surprised to see that women knew what soccer was. Then, I was confused on how they the game came to be aired on TV. You can imagine how I felt when I realized that that game was their World Cup. After seeing that I thought, maybe girls like sports too?” said another anonymous source.

Some sources have seen the same pattern going on the video games world. It is quite understandable for women to go after athletes, but there is no rational explanation to why they were pretending to like video games to impress nerds.   

“It is obvious they’re only doing it for attention. They know they will be the only girl online, so they’ll will be the center of attention. They’re are usually ugly, for sure. That’s why they’re online, so no one knows how they actually look like” shared a confidential source, that lives in his mom’s basement.  

Overall, it is still not a confirmed fact if females are capable of liking sports or not. Most of the male population claims that it’s impossible, but there are studies in progress right now to determine if women are capable of doing something such as liking and playing sports for self pleasure, and not to impress guys.

Hopefully, with the conclusions of those studies, it will be clear that women don’t have the capacity to do anything without the intent of getting male attention.

Seki Anderson, Vice President of Feminist Club and junior biochemistry major, described how the organization donated 50 percent of the funds raised through the shirt sales to an organization of the club’s choosing, Planned Parenthood. The shirts were printed with the phrase “Feminist with a to-do list,” with an intersectional symbol in the place of one of the letters in the word “feminist.” Anderson stated that Feminist Club sold more than twice the number of shirts during this year’s Feminist Week than last year. The shirts were sold through a table in Yates-Gill College Union which showcased a different feminist topic each day. Ayana Curran-Howes, President of Feminist Club and senior biology major, said this was to educate students about issues relating to feminism, such as the use of feminism to combat rape culture on college campuses and ecofeminism.

The other event that contributed to Feminist Week was the showing of “Trapped,” a documentary investigating ongoing legislation on abortion and birth control in the United States of America. The film addressed how these laws impact doctors, patients and women’s health clinics.

“We wanted to show this documentary because it was one of the most updated documentaries, and we believe it’s important for a college campus to know where our country currently stands on this subject,” Anderson said.

The importance of feminism on Jewell’s campus is just as relevant today as it was when the organization was founded, stated Sam Buhlig, secretary of Feminist Club and senior english and philosophy major. Both Anderson and Buhlig agree that the presence of feminism at WJC allows inclusive messages to be enforced and that the club creates a space for students’ voices to be heard. Intersectionality has also been a main influence within Feminist Club. The concept of intersectional feminism involves addressing the ways in which various types of oppression are interconnected. For Anderson, intersectional feminism, as a focus of Feminist Club, allows WJC students to recognize the issues within different communities on and off campus.

In the process of becoming more involved with Feminist Club, Anderson was surprised to discover that many college campuses do not have equivalent organizations. Becoming aware that her high school was beginning its own feminist organization inspired her more to make the Feminist Club a lasting presence on the WJC campus.

“It’s important to know we don’t know the answer of how to ‘do away’ with oppression; it’s ingrained in our society from the very beginning,” Anderson said. “We’ve had leaps and jumps of improvement throughout history, so it’s our obligation to continue that momentum.”

The Feminist Club was created in 2014 and is currently working with Student Life to aid in improving inclusion initiatives at WJC. Anderson, along with Hannah Payne, senior psychology and religion and culture major, and Luce-Virlynn Apollon, junior nursing major, worked with Student Life to redesign the Diversity and Inclusion segment of First-Year Orientation. The group focused this part of Orientation on the multicultural organizations of WJC, including the Black Student Association (BSA) and QUILTBAG. Anderson and her peers in Feminist Club, BSA and QUILTBAG are now communicating with Student Life about improved Title IX training.

Looking at this past semester, Buhlig has seen many of the issues discussed within Feminist Club intersect with discussions within BSA and QUILTBAG. He stated that intersectionality of issues relating to multicultural organizations can be the foundation for group discussions among these groups.

Anderson envisions Feminist Club becoming more action-driven in the future. She hopes that a continuation of meaningful dialogue and more time spent volunteering will work as a pathway to increased awareness and improved diversity inclusion. Anderson also stated that engaging with those who don’t promote an inclusionary environment is another integral step to take to promote more acceptance on the WJC campus.