Men Who Hate Women: Inside the Misogynistic World of Incels (And Why It’s as Bad as You Think)
Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Welcome to the delightful cesspool of the internet known as incel forums, where bitterness, blame, and baffling logic collide in a perfect storm of misogyny.
If you’ve ever wondered where humanity's hope goes to die, look no further—these communities are as warm and inviting as a cactus embrace.
But what makes these forums so persistently toxic? A recent study published in New Media & Society offers a window into the murky depths of incel culture, showing just how pervasive—and creatively terrible—misogyny is in these spaces.
Misogyny: The Community Glue
Imagine a party where 82% of conversations involve trashing women. That’s incel forums in a nutshell.
The study, which examined posts from incels.is, found misogynistic language in nearly all threads. And it’s not just garden-variety sexism; this is bespoke hatred. Members have even developed their own charming lexicon, like calling women “foids” (short for “femoids”). If Shakespeare invented 1,700 words, incels may have invented 1,700 ways to insult women. Bravo?
But wait, it gets worse! These guys aren’t casually sprinkling in misogynistic comments like chili flakes on a pizza. Misogynistic language appears 2.4 times more often than neutral terms like “women.” Neutrality? Overrated! Why say “women” when you can say something so offensive it needs its own glossary?
Black Pill Ideology: It’s Not Just About the Looks (But It’s Totally About the Looks)
At the heart of incel ideology is the "black pill," which essentially says, "Hey, life is awful because of your unfortunate face, and there’s no hope for change." It's the pessimistic cousin of red pill ideologies, but with even less charm.
This worldview posits that women reject them because society is rigged with “lookism”—a systemic bias against the unattractive. Incel forums turn this grievance into a group therapy session, but instead of healing, they double down on resentment and call it a personality.
Racist Misogyny: Equal Opportunity Hatred
The incel community may be united in its disdain for women, but even misogyny comes with layers. The study found over 33,000 examples of racist misogyny, targeting women of color with dehumanizing slurs and objectifying language. Think of it as the hatred Olympics, where everyone loses.
And let’s not forget “Stacy” and “Becky,” the incel shorthand for white women who are too attractive or not attractive enough, respectively. These terms appeared 41,000 times, proving that no demographic is safe from the wrath of incels.
Radicalization? Nope, They Were Already Awful
Here’s a twist: contrary to popular belief, incels don’t seem to get worse the longer they stick around. The study revealed no increase in misogynistic language over time. Instead, these guys show up fully formed, dragging their biases behind them like emotional luggage with broken wheels.
So if you’ve been blaming the internet for creating these monsters, think again. The forums are more like a support group for pre-existing hatred—a place to feel validated in their warped worldview.
What Can We Learn?
Beyond the shock value, this study reveals just how ingrained misogyny can be in certain pockets of the internet. It's not just a byproduct of these forums; it’s the foundation. And while it’s tempting to dismiss incels as a fringe group, their rhetoric mirrors broader societal issues around gender inequality and a squalid, resentful masculinity.
The takeaway?
Addressing these attitudes isn’t just about shutting down forums or banning offensive terms—it’s about dismantling the systemic biases that allow such ideologies to flourish. And maybe teaching these guys that rejection happens to everyone, but blaming half the population is not the solution.
Final Thoughts: A Recipe for Change (Or Perhaps Less Cringe?)
While it’s easy to laugh at the absurdity of incel jargon, the underlying misogyny is no joke. Combating these toxic ideologies requires a mix of education, empathy (the healthy kind, not the unearned sympathy), and addressing the societal structures that enable this vitriol.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for a safe internet space where women are respected, you might want to steer clear of incel forums. Or better yet, avoid similar black holes altogether. Trust us—your soul will thank you.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
REFERENCES:
Halpin, M., Richard, N., Preston, K., Gosse, M., & Maguire, F. (2024). Men who hate women: The misogyny of involuntarily celibate men. New Media & Society. [DOI link if available].