The Manosphere, Young People, and the Importance of Better Influences
The recent documentary Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere has sparked an important and uncomfortable conversation.
It highlights a growing online space, often referred to as the “manosphere”, where male influencers promote extreme ideas about masculinity, success, relationships and identity. Some of this content is framed as self-improvement, but much of it includes misogyny, homophobia and a distorted view of what it means to be a man.
For many adults, the documentary is shocking.
For many young people, it is just another part of their algorithm.
What’s Actually Happing to Young Men?
The reality is that young men today are growing up in a digital environment where their understanding of masculinity is being shaped, often heavily, by online personalities.
These influencers are not just entertainers. They act as role models, educators and, in some cases, authority figures.
The issue is not simply that these voices exist. It is that they are often:
Highly visible and persuasive
Emotionally charged and absolute in their views
Packaged alongside fitness, money and “success”
Delivered at scale through algorithms designed to hold attention
For young men who feel uncertain, isolated or lacking direction, this kind of messaging can be powerful and, at times, harmful.
The Impact We’re Seeing
At Turnstyle, we do not see this as a media story.
We see it in real life.
We see young people navigating:
Confusion around identity and masculinity
Pressure to conform to narrow definitions of “being a man”
Exposure to homophobic or misogynistic language as normal
A growing distrust of others, particularly women or authority figures
Difficulty expressing emotions without feeling weak
In some cases, young men are being drawn into very black and white ways of thinking. They are told they either win or they fail, with little space in between.
That kind of thinking does not build strong individuals.
It creates pressure, isolation and often anger.
What This Means for Young Women
This conversation does not just affect boys.
Young women are growing up alongside this same content and feeling the impact in different, but equally important, ways.
We are seeing:
The normalisation of disrespectful language and attitudes
Increased pressure to accept unhealthy dynamics in friendships and relationships
Confusion about what they should expect from others, and what they should tolerate
A need to navigate environments where harmful views are becoming more visible and more vocal
For some, this affects confidence, self-worth and their sense of safety in social spaces.
For others, it creates frustration. It can feel like progress around equality is being challenged or pushed backwards.
Just like young men, young women are trying to make sense of a noisy and often conflicting world. They need space, guidance and strong influences around them too.
Why This Content Lands
It is important to understand why this messaging resonates.
Many of the young people we work with are:
Looking for direction
Wanting to feel respected
Searching for a sense of identity and belonging
Trying to understand their place in the world
The manosphere offers simple answers to complex questions.
That is the appeal.
But simple answers are rarely the right ones.
Turnstyle’s Approach: Offering Perspective, Not Preaching
At Turnstyle, we do not try to compete with the noise by shouting louder.
We do something different.
We create spaces where young people can:
Question what they are seeing online
Talk openly without judgment
Hear alternative perspectives
Develop critical thinking
Build confidence through real-world experiences
We do not tell young people what to think.
We help them learn how to think.
The goal is not to replace one influence with another. It is to give them the tools to make their own decisions, based on good judgment and strong values.
Redefining Strength
A lot of the content in the manosphere defines strength in very narrow terms such as dominance, control and status.
But the young people we work with show us a different version of strength every day:
Being able to listen
Taking accountability
Showing respect
Supporting others
Having the confidence to be yourself, not who the internet tells you to be
That is the version of strength we believe in, for everyone.
Moving Forward
The documentary has started a conversation, but the real work happens beyond the screen.
Parents, schools, youth organisations and communities all have a role to play in supporting young people as they navigate this landscape.
Because the question is not whether young people will be influenced.
It is who, and what, will influence them most.
At Turnstyle, we are committed to being part of that answer.
