Welcome to XY online

The manosphere contributes to violence against women by men both within and outside the manosphere. The manosphere is a diverse online ecosystem of anti-feminist and male supremacist communities, influencers, and platforms.

It is easy to look at the ‘manosphere’ as a faraway land, one where a few unfortunate men have ended up in a bid for fame and fortune on Instagram and TikTok. ‘Not all men’ – and definitely not the men we know, hang out with, are related to, work with or hire. 

The manosphere - a diverse ecosystem of anti-feminist and male supremacist online communities, influencers, and platforms - has emerged over the past decade as a significant site of gendered harm. From men’s rights activist (MRA) networks and incel forums to “red pill” influencers and anti-feminist social media channels, these online environments shape how some men and boys understand masculinity, relationships, and gender relations.

We are a group of organisations that are committed to bridging work to address both violence against women and girls (VAWG) and men and boys’ wellbeing.

Chapter 1: Where the Journey Begins: Why the Observatory Was Born?

Amidst the backlash against gender equality and progressive social change, we often talk about the need to not just call men out, but also to call them in. But how do we do that? 

For much of its history, men and masculinities studies have been shaped by concepts, theories, and debates developed primarily in the Global North. Although these contributions have been fundamental to the development of the field, they cannot fully account for the diversity of historical trajectories, social formations, and cultural experiences that characterise masculinities across the Global South. As Raewyn Connell reminds us in the Foreword to this volume, "the global South is not marginal. It is where the large majority of the world's people live" (Connell 2026, xvii).

Men in the US want to care, and they are doing more of the care work than ever before. The State of America’s Fathers study and report start from the belief that empowering and supporting men to be caregivers is necessary for all of us – for women and gender-diverse individuals and the equality they deserve, for children, for men themselves, and for our country.