Did you hear? It’s not influencers pushing “manosphere” content that has led to the rise of the manosphere in Australia; it’s actually the “feminisation of our curriculum” that has done so.
That’s according to Nationals leader Matt Canavan today, who has blamed the rise of the manosphere on everything from women dominating the teaching profession to boys being “patronised” and feeling like they don’t get any instruction.
The MP’s credentials for making such comments include being “a father of four boys”.
He told Channel Nine’s Today that boys are “sick and tired” of the feminisation of our curriculum and the lack of direction and leadership that they’re given. Maybe we should look at getting more male teachers in. That used to be on the agenda. I don’t know what’s happened to that, but maybe we should have more male role models in schools,” he said.
“He added that boys are “sick and tired of getting lectures about how bad men are at school.”
And that, “I just know young boys often feel that they don’t get any kind of instruction or leadership. They’re not cherished there. They’re patronised.”
The comments come as Chanel Contos from Teach Us Consent is due to appear at the National Press Club today, where she will share how social media giants are radicalising boys and young men into harmful sexual acts.
She’s expected to note how “young men online seeking community, belonging, and self-improvement advice are targeted with content that blames women for their misfortune and reinstates harmful and outdated gender roles.”
Social Services Mininster Tanya Plibersek, meanwhile, has said her government is exploring if Australians should be able to opt out of algorithmically curated social media feeds.
But Senator Canavan has his own ideas for tackling the manosphere, including to help “marshal” the energy of young boys.
“They’re full of testosterone,” he said.
“I just worry some of the solutions here don’t really understand what goes on in a young boy’s mind.”
At the NPC today, Contos is expected to share research from Teach Us Consent findings that within 25 minutes of signing up to social media platforms, boys between 16 and 18 are likely to be fed misogynistic content. It happens even if users set preferences to exclude it.
The content they’re receiving includes suggestions that women should not be alone outside the home, should not work, or should not be in charge of money. It often starts in less harmful ways, such as through wellness and gym content, and then moves on to promoting dominance and good looks as key markers of self-worth for men.
Teach Us Consent has also uncovered a massive uptick in peer-on-peer teen sexual violence content in the past five years.
Contos says that much more significant crackdowns are needed than enabling Australians to opt out of algorithmically curated social media feeds, although such opt-outs would be a welcome step.
Contos will tell the Press Club that stronger regulations should require feeds to show posts only from followers unless users explicitly opt out.
Such a move would not be all that radical, given that’s how social media feeds appeared a decade ago.