The new Netflix documentary Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, which premiered on 11th March 2026, has sparked fresh debate about the online communities shaping young men’s views on masculinity.
Dr Rebecca Owens, head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sunderland, says the discussion comes at a time when societies across the West are grappling with a deeper question about male identity.
“The release of a new documentary by Louis Theroux exploring the online world of the Manosphere comes at a moment when societies across the West are struggling with a fundamental question: what does it mean to be a man today?” Dr Owens writes.
An evolutionary psychologist who specialises in male psychology, Dr Owens was named a Men and Boys Champion in the UK by the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys.
Dr Owens argues that public debates about masculinity often focus too narrowly on the concept of “toxic masculinity”. According to Dr Owens, many behaviours labelled as masculine are actually social scripts shaped by particular cultures and historical periods rather than fixed traits.
Treating those scripts as universal truths risks shaping policy and social responses around ideology instead of evidence. Dr Owen says a broader and more accurate understanding of masculinity is needed to address growing concerns around male mental health, education outcomes, and social disengagement.
Dr Owens says one persistent misconception is the belief that traits such as misogyny or homophobia are central to masculinity. Dr Owens argues these behaviours arise from specific cultural contexts and should not be treated as defining characteristics of men.
Conflating harmful behaviour with masculinity itself, Dr Owens says, risks alienating large numbers of men and boys.
Dr Owens also points to what she describes as increasing casual misandry in public discourse. Jokes, slogans, and social media trends that portray men collectively as problematic may be intended as satire or expressions of frustration, but they can influence how young males see themselves.
Repeated exposure to messages suggesting their identity is inherently flawed can make it difficult for boys to develop a healthy and positive sense of self.
Dr Owens emphasises that human behaviour is influenced by long-standing motivations such as competing for status, seeking belonging, and gaining recognition.
These drives appear across cultures and even across species, but cultural norms shape how they are expressed.
Dr Owens cites the example of traditional Māori facial tattoos, known as Ta Moko, which signify rank, status, and heritage. In many Western contexts, facial tattoos are instead associated with deviance. The underlying motivation for signalling status remains similar, but cultural interpretation changes.
Dr Owens says discussions about masculinity often overlook these nuances and reduce complex behaviours to simple moral judgements.
Dr Owens notes that several social indicators highlight growing challenges faced by men and boys.
Men account for the majority of suicide deaths. The latest UK data shows the male suicide rate at around 17.6 per 100,000 people compared with 5.7 for women.
Men are also overrepresented in homelessness, substance misuse, and prison populations.
In education, boys continue to lag behind girls at many stages of the system, including GCSE attainment, although some recent data shows boys outperforming girls in subjects such as maths and science in certain age groups.
Public responses often focus primarily on tackling misogyny, which Dr Owens says remains important. However, Dr Owens argues that this focus can sometimes overlook men as potential victims or individuals in need of support.
When public narratives frame men mainly as perpetrators, boys may internalise the idea that they themselves are the problem.
This environment can help explain the appeal of the manosphere, a loose network of online communities focused on men’s issues.
Some spaces promote men’s well-being or rights advocacy, while others spread more extreme narratives of resentment, misogyny, and hostility. For young men searching for belonging, the line between moderate and radical communities can be difficult to see.
Dr Owens says most men do not idolise controversial online figures. However, when institutions appear dismissive of male struggles, trust can erode and extreme voices can gain influence.
Dr Owens argues that preventing boys from being drawn into more extreme online spaces requires a cultural shift in how masculinity is discussed.
Dr Owens says society must acknowledge both the strengths and struggles of men and boys, ground policies in evidence rather than ideology and present a constructive vision of manhood.
“Because if society does not offer boys a positive vision of what it means to be a man, someone else will.”