BBC Radio 4: Into the Manosphere

Broadcast last night (audio, 36:44). 

From the programme website:

Young men are facing a crisis of masculinity. To deal with it, they have options – the manosphere, a mainly online world where the challenges facing 21st century men are exclusively the fault of women, [J4MB: wrong, many are the fault of men] or the anti-manosphere. [J4MB: What the hell is that?] Philip Tanzer is a Men Rights Activist (or MRA) and manosphere convert who lives in Scotland. He’s already a keyboard warrior, fighting the ‘feminist establishment’ from the highlands of Scotland giving motivational talks to the young men who come to his salon and art gallery. He allows producers to follow him as he attends the International Conference on Men’s Issues in Chicago where many of the main leaders and thinkers that together form the nebulous community congregate, including a British MP, far-right YouTubers and a surprising number of women. Along the way, he gives a unique insight into the individual stories behind the growing group of men in the UK and US who find their tribe in the online forums dedicated to reversing the feminist agenda. He also meets and debates with men and women [J4MB: feminist “academics”] who believe the manosphere is a dangerous and misogynist place and looks at alternative ways to address the growing levels of mental ill health and suicide in young men – could drumming around a campfire be a better way for men to connect?

Phillip Tanzer does well under difficult circumstances. Note the sinister background music at times e.g. when Philip Davies MP is giving his presentation. Not one prominent MRA was interviewed during the BBC team’s three days at the Chicago conference, but it was good to hear Karen Straughan’s name mentioned. This was always going to be a hit piece, but it will lead some listeners to investigate the manosphere and learn something about men’s issues.