Boys and men from generation Z are more likely than older baby boomers to believe that feminism has done more harm than good, according to research that shows a “real risk of fractious division among this coming generation”.

One in four UK males aged 16 to 29 believe it is harder to be a man than a woman and a fifth of those who have heard of him now look favourably on the social media influencer Andrew Tate, the polling of over 3,600 people found.

Tate, the British-American former kickboxer who has 8.7 million followers on the social media platform X, is facing charges in Romania, which he denies, of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He has talked about hitting and choking women and has said he is “absolutely a misogynist”.

On feminism, 16% of gen Z males felt it had done more harm than good. Among over-60s the figure was 13%.

The figures emerged from Ipsos polling for King’s College London’s Policy Institute and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership. The research also found that 37% of men aged 16 to 29 consider “toxic masculinity” an unhelpful phrase, roughly double the number of young women who don’t like it.

“This is a new and unusual generational pattern,” said Prof Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute. “Normally, it tends to be the case that younger generations are consistently more comfortable with emerging social norms, as they grew up with these as a natural part of their lives.”

  • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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    9 months ago

    This is such an out-of-touch take. I truly hope you can engage in some learning and arrive at a more productive and truth-seeking conclusion in the future.

    Branding problems generally don’t arise out of nowhere. When issues like this arise, it’s crucial to ask, ‘Can anyone benefit monetarily from reshaping this narrative?’ Are there individuals and groups being amplified who profit from redefining ‘feminism’ as repackaged misandry?

    If you’re familiar with figures from the manosphere like Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate, it’s abundantly clear that the answer is abso-fucking-litely, there are individuals who exploit this narrative. It’s not merely a branding problem; it’s a deliberate disinformation campaign orchestrated by genuine misogynists and opportunists, especially prevalent on platforms like YouTube, bolstered by algorithmic failures in what’s commonly referred to as the ‘alt-right pipeline.’

    Remember when YouTube was inundated with content titled ‘BEN SHAPIRO DESTROYS FEMINIST LIBTARD’? That wasn’t an accident; it was the beginning of years of messaging and investment. Now, these same individuals are profiting from their unchecked efforts, ranging from merchandise sales to literal fucking exploitation and human trafficking.

    Please let me know if any part of this is unclear or poorly worded, or if you have any questions at all. I am genuinely committed to deplatforming these psychos, and it begins with informing people when they may unwittingly defend their actions.

    • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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      9 months ago

      The only conclusion I can take from your screed is that you completely misunderstood everything I said. I’m not defending assholes like Peterson and Tate in any way.

      • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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        9 months ago

        i’m sorry you feel that way. any downplaying of current attitudes towards feminism to just a matter of marketing is playing into the narratives of Peterson and Tate.

        sorry man.

      • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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        9 months ago

        Rereading what I wrote and I get why you thought I misunderstood. I edited my original response as well. Sorry about that.