It is instead a collection of thoughts and statements in a male-focused community, commonly intertwined with toxic masculinity and misogyny that has the potential to influence behaviour and mindsets as well as cause significant harm to relationships.

The Manosphere has become quite prominent within the last decade, moving from discreet forums on the internet to now being featured on mainstream online platforms. Videos, blogs, podcasts, as well as imagery and music are all methods of how this information is being communicated and received by anyone that has the ability to access the world wide web. This includes children and young people, who are without a doubt more adept in navigating the internet.

Curiosity is a natural trait for a human, so naturally, controversial content that differs from the views of everybody else increases the likelihood of having it viewed and taken in. When such strong views are provided about empowering men, it speaks to young males who want to be recognised as a man, however, when it is done so at the cost of adverse perceptions and treatment of others, this is when it becomes harmful to their development and their relationships.

One of the most prominent figures associated with the manosphere is Andrew Tate. With more than 10 million followers on X, his content has been viewed millions of times, and there are even clips of him talking that have been utilised in music with the intent to motivate. He often speaks to themes of wealth, dominance and status, but this is often at the cost of portraying women as worthless and reducing them to their physical attractiveness, as well as labelling other men as being inferior. It is this gateway that distorts views on healthy relationships and damages how young males relate to those around them.

To give a sample of Andrew Tate, one quote is “Women are like cars. You can get a new one whenever you want, but you always want to keep the old one in good condition in case you need it again”, and another is, “A woman’s value is directly proportional to her beauty and femininity”.

Young people are constantly absorbing what they are seeing and hearing around them, using it to shape their sense of identity. At an age where they are figuring out who they are, influences from people like Andrew Tate can have significant impact on how they perceive and behave around both the females and males around them, often seeing them as opponents rather than friends or partners and resulting in the internalizing of punitive ideas about gender.

There is no doubt that the manosphere has influenced behaviour towards others that is often quite sexualised in nature and demeaning of their worth in society. This might be evident in the comments that are being made, disrespect and gaslighting, the sounds such as sexualised moaning and barking, a dismissive culture, as well as physical touch that may be non-consensual or intimidatory.

To understand how much of an issue the manosphere in Australia is can be seen through how it is being tackled in society as well as hearing from young people and the schools they are a part of. $3.5 million was allocated by the government in October of 2023 in response to harmful and misogynistic views, expressed both online and at school by young fans of Andrew Tate. A survey completed in January of 2023 of more than 500 boys found that 28 per cent of them agreed or strongly agreed that they looked up to Andrew Tate, and 36 percent identified they could relate to him. A 2025 survey identified that 68 percent of young men engage with masculinity influencers.

This behaviour always requires a response to safeguard our young people. They will often not report this themselves, but they are watching to see how it is being responded to, again taking on influence where they are exposed to it. Without attention or action, the manosphere’s reach may continue to shape a generation’s views on relationships and respect for one another.

When there are boundaries in place, when harmful ideas are challenged, and there is the modelling of positive behaviours, this creates a more respectful culture where misogynism starts to lose its grip and where young people will feel more supported, understood and valued.

This article has been compiled from the below resources:

• Can we talk about Tate? The ‘manosphere’ in Australian schools | Women’s Rights News | Al Jazeera
• Research exposes alarming impact of ‘manfluencer’ culture on Australian schools – Monash University
• Tackling ‘toxic masculinity’ in Australia: We can’t get this wrong – Monash Lens
• Teenage boys are being ‘bombarded’ with misogynist content online. It’s making its way into the classroom – ABC News
• Most young Aussie men are turning to masculinity influencers, and it’s impacting their mental health – ABC News
• eSafety Commissioner – Being a young man online
• Navigating the Manosphere – what educators need to know – Monash Education