Toxic masculinity and misogynistic gender narratives are gaining traction online and in Australian classrooms, threatening gender equality and contributing to gender-based violence. A new project from Monash University aims to support secondary school teachers to tackle the influence of these harmful online ideologies on young boys and men.
The two year project, funded by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), will see a collaboration between Monash Arts and Education Faculties to establish school-based early intervention programs to identify and tackle the harms of online misogyny and gender-based violence in schools.
Notorious masculinity influencers or ‘manfluencers’, like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, are perpetuating harmful ideologies around sexism and misogyny which are filtering through to boys’ and young men’s behaviour in the classroom. These men represent a broader online community, sometimes called the ‘Manosphere’: a loosely connected network of websites and social media communities characterised by masculinist ideology, anti-feminist rhetoric and gender-based discrimination.
Lead researcher Dr Naomi Pfitzner, Deputy Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, said the increased influence of misogynistic discourses in schools is particularly worrying given the links between this ideology and men’s use of gender-based violence.
“Young boys and men are increasingly absorbing misogynistic narratives online, which can shape their views on gender equality and masculinity, potentially leading to future harm and violence,” Dr Pfitzner said.
“We are at a critical juncture for addressing the links between misogyny and men’s use of gender-based violence. Our research-backed project aims to prevent these dangerous ideologies from taking root and to support teachers in creating safer, more equitable classrooms.”
The project will involve three phases over 18 months. The first phase involves in-depth research into the influence of manosphere content on Australian boys and young men. This data will guide focus groups with young Australians to explore their interactions with manosphere content both online and offline.
In the second phase, workshops with secondary school staff across Australia will identify the most effective content and delivery methods for a new pilot professional learning program addressing the manosphere’s classroom impact. The final phase will pilot and evaluate this program with teachers, ensuring it meets their needs and effectively combats toxic masculinity in schools.
Co-Chief Investigator Dr Stephanie Wescott, from the Faculty of Education, said the project will form a crucial part of supporting teachers to tackle misogynistic discourses in their classrooms and creating safer spaces.
“Australian women teachers have described an alarming increase in sexual harassment and other harmful behaviours by boys in classrooms, often linked to narratives and ideologies unmistakably derived from manosphere content,” Dr Wescott said.
“We need effective strategies for teachers to challenge this harmful masculinist ideology that reinforces violence supportive beliefs online, in the classroom and beyond.”
While there is increasing investment in respectful relationships and consent education in schools, professional development for teachers is lacking. This project will equip secondary school teachers with the knowledge and skills to disrupt the harmful impact of online misogyny and the manosphere in Australian schools.
The researchers hope the findings and outcomes from the project will go beyond classrooms, contributing to national, state and territory policy planning to reduce the prevalence and impact of gender-based violence.
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