by Leyla MohammedBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffAs a Celebrity Reporter, I cover everything from fashion and award shows to TV, film, and cultural conversations.

Louis Theroux’s new Netflix documentary, Inside the Manosphere, delves into the digital world of “manfluencers” who target young men with content that promotes toxic masculinity and misogyny, namely by pushing extreme ideas about what they believe it means to be a “real man.”

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In many cases, said content pushes far-right ideology and grossly normalizes the hatred of women. Some of the public figures featured in the documentary are HSTikkyTokky (Harrison Sullivan), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines.

Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere / Netflix

In order to address and overcome toxic masculinity, we need to acknowledge and dismantle harmful stereotypes imposed on men. And since the documentary has aired, several internet users have had candid conversations about these harmful online spaces. Social media personality @rorybradshaw__ recently sparked an eye-opening conversation after asking his followers, “For the guys who escaped the manosphere, what made you start questioning it?” So, here is a roundup of responses:

“The blatant hypocrisy. They talk down on single mothers and then end up marrying one. They talk down on sex workers but then rely on them for content and end up trying to date them before getting exposed online. The way they’d constantly brag about ‘oh buy my course and you’ll get rich’ with no actual proof of it. The way they’d preach Islam or Christianity and then live a lifestyle the complete opposite of it. And by going outside too, these ‘men’ will tell you that unless you’re 6ft4, built like Dwayne Johnson and have a 6/7 figure salary then you won’t get a girlfriend/wife. But one simple trip to any major supermarket will show you that’s simply not the case. People from all walks of life and backgrounds can be happy and find love. These ‘red pill’ people rely on you to be miserable and lonely so they can keep stealing your time and money.”

Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere / Netflix

“I was 30 and my sister just run away from her abusive husband. She moved to a hostel for women who were abused with her son. I used to visit every weekend taking her, her new friends and their kids out so they can have some form of normality for a day. Listening to the stories of the other women was a big eye opener to what men were really like behind closed doors.”

“Women didn't make me this way. I made myself this way through anger and insecurity. When I became secure in my identity, I learned my anger was focused on the wrong people.”

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“I was in the manosphere bubble, and one of the leaders of this bubble just asked us to participate in some activity outside of this bubble within a regular internet community, and I saw a lot of different opinions and how they viewed us. It didn't open my eyes in the same second, but it made me question everything I was told before. I started to talk with different people, ‘touching grass,’ and brick by brick, I completely left the manosphere. And I really wish everyone who is still inside it would just talk with regular people, touch some grass, travel, and read.”

“It started when I was in year 8 and I started watching Ben Shapiro destroying feminism and then by covid I hated the whole woke culture and any movie that had an emphasis on women, POC (even tho I am a POC myself - very stupid Ik) or LGBT. But when Andrew Tate started taking off, I started to question why I had all this hatred towards others for no reason. And I remembered one of the things my mum had always taught me as a kid was to be kind to all. Now I have changed and I try to change those around me who have racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and in general hateful views on others. Whilst I’m not perfect myself, I do feel much better in general because I don’t have those horrible values anymore. I also know I’ve changed because it makes me upset or even disgruntled when those around or on social media share views like that.”

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“A degree in the arts and humanities. Taught me how to think critically & to never take any big truth claims at face value. Even those in the manosphere with a bit more intellectual nuance were exposed as charlatans when a bit of rigour was applied to their stances.”

“Being a closeted gay boy I turned to conservatism to cover up my queerness. I was uncomfortable with who I was and took that out with anger on the world. Studying the arts really opened my eyes to societal structures and forced me to become in touch with my emotions and empathise with others. I had to think critically and not just take statements at face value in order to obtain a degree, which then trained me to now do so in everyday life. This is why I believe governments demonise de

21 Men Who Escaped Toxic Manosphere Culture