Latest news with #Manosphere
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump could lose the ‘bros' that helped him win election over Epstein fallout, pundits warn
As the fallout continues over the Department of Justice's decision not to release the Epstein Files, with the MAGA base appearing to fracture over the issue, President Donald Trump could lose the support of a key component of the coalition that put him in power, pundits warned. The 'Manosphere,' typically identified as Joe Rogan and a group of fellow podcasters, is not pleased with the administration's handling of the Epstein case, wondering what happened to the conspiracy theories propagated by Trump and others now in his administration. The backlash against the president's attempt to suppress conspiracy theories about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein grew to calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi's firing, amid a reported feud with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who is said to have threatened to resign in protest. While Trump has tried to move on from the issue, anger among this core part of his base appears to show no sign of abating. In an appearance on The Jim Acosta Show on Substack, veteran pundit Matt Lewis spoke with host Jim Acosta about the danger for Trump that those supporters could move on, and that could prove 'dangerous.' 'I think what's really dangerous for Donald Trump here are the last part of the coalition that kind of came together in 2024, call them the Manosphere, right?' Lewis said. 'You've got this guy, Andrew Schulz, you've got Joe Rogan, you got Theo Vonn, they were really important for bringing kind of apathetic, non-political people into the Trump fold.' Donald Trump poses for a photo with popular podcaster Joe Rogan. Some pundits are warning the Epstein fallout could hurt the president among 'bros.' (Getty Images) Acosta added: 'They were attracted to Donald Trump by his frat boy antics and his locker room talk and his bulls***, and they like somebody who bulls**** around the golf course.' The former CNN anchor then riffed off the 2000 movie, Dude, Where's My Car, saying: 'The Manosphere is like… Dude, dude, where's my conspiracy theory?' He continued: 'Where's my– where's Ashton Kutcher and Sean William Scott, you know, where are my Epstein Files?' Said Lewis: 'Absolutely, I think there's a danger that they peel off because they were not, you know, dyed in the wool Republicans. And I think — you were talking about how they liked they liked Trump's demeanor — they were also just turned off by the left, you know, by kind of the woke left that told them you can't use this language. You can't call people the R-word.' He added: 'But they're not hacks, you know, and I think they're they're gonna push back on this one.' Host Jim Acosta and political columnist Matt Lewis on 'The Jim Acosta Show' on Substack and discussed the Epstein fallout. (The Jim Acosta Show) Acosta, clarifying that it is wrong to say the R-word, noted: 'There are some things that are considered woke by those guys that they just need to come around to and be like, hey, you know … we aren't just going to be cruel to other people.' After giving ICE detention center 'Alligator Alcatraz' as an example of how horrible it is to treat other human beings in a horrendous way, Acosta added: 'I think you're absolutely onto something, and I think it's the space to watch right now. Watch the Joe Rogan space. And I have to think that this has Trump petrified right now. I think that's part of the freak out.' On Tuesday, Rogan ripped into the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files on the latest edition of his podcast. 'They've got videotape and all a sudden they don't,' Rogan said. 'You had the director of the FBI on this show saying, 'If there was [a videotape], nothing you're looking for is on those tapes,'' referring to FBI Director Kash Patel's interview with Rogan in June. FBI Director Kash Patel was caught off guard when it was revealed midway through his interview with Joe Rogan that Elon Musk accused Donald Trump of being in the Epstein files. (The Joe Rogan Experience) 'Why'd they say there was thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible s***? Why'd they say that? Didn't [Attorney General] Pam Bondi say that?' Rogan said during Tuesday's rant. Bondi told reporters in May that there were tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and hundreds of victims. Conspiracy theorists believed this was a reference to material used to blackmail influential people; however, the Justice Department and FBI announced in their July 7 memo: 'There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.' Trump faces mounting criticism from his political base over the DOJ's failure to release much-hyped records in Epstein's sex trafficking investigation. He has responded by lashing out at them. 'Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker,' the president wrote on his Truth Social site Wednesday morning. He went on to say: 'Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats' work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' Although parts of the president's base have clamored for more information about the Epstein case, Trump has made it clear that he's done with the story. 'It's all been a big hoax,' he said in the Oval Office on Wednesday. 'It's perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.'
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump could lose the ‘bros' that helped him win election over Epstein fallout, pundits warn
As the fallout continues over the Department of Justice's decision not to release the Epstein Files, with the MAGA base appearing to fracture over the issue, President Donald Trump could lose the support of a key component of the coalition that put him in power, pundits warned. The 'Manosphere,' typically identified as Joe Rogan and a group of fellow podcasters, is not pleased with the administration's handling of the Epstein case, wondering what happened to the conspiracy theories propagated by Trump and others now in his administration. The backlash against the president's attempt to suppress conspiracy theories about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein grew to calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi 's firing, amid a reported feud with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who is said to have threatened to resign in protest. While Trump has tried to move on from the issue, anger among this core part of his base appears to show no sign of abating. In an appearance on The Jim Acosta Show on Substack, veteran pundit Matt Lewis spoke with host Jim Acosta about the danger for Trump that those supporters could move on, and that could prove 'dangerous.' 'I think what's really dangerous for Donald Trump here are the last part of the coalition that kind of came together in 2024, call them the Manosphere, right?' Lewis said. 'You've got this guy, Andrew Schulz, you've got Joe Rogan, you got Theo Vonn, they were really important for bringing kind of apathetic, non-political people into the Trump fold.' Acosta added: 'They were attracted to Donald Trump by his frat boy antics and his locker room talk and his bulls***, and they like somebody who bulls**** around the golf course.' The former CNN anchor then riffed off the 2000 movie, Dude, Where's My Car, saying: 'The Manosphere is like… Dude, dude, where's my conspiracy theory?' He continued: 'Where's my– where's Ashton Kutcher and Sean William Scott, you know, where are my Epstein Files?' Said Lewis: 'Absolutely, I think there's a danger that they peel off because they were not, you know, dyed in the wool Republicans. And I think — you were talking about how they liked they liked Trump's demeanor — they were also just turned off by the left, you know, by kind of the woke left that told them you can't use this language. You can't call people the R-word.' He added: 'But they're not hacks, you know, and I think they're they're gonna push back on this one.' Acosta, clarifying that it is wrong to say the R-word, noted: 'There are some things that are considered woke by those guys that they just need to come around to and be like, hey, you know … we aren't just going to be cruel to other people.' After giving ICE detention center 'Alligator Alcatraz' as an example of how horrible it is to treat other human beings in a horrendous way, Acosta added: 'I think you're absolutely onto something, and I think it's the space to watch right now. Watch the Joe Rogan space. And I have to think that this has Trump petrified right now. I think that's part of the freak out.' On Tuesday, Rogan ripped into the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files on the latest edition of his podcast. 'They've got videotape and all a sudden they don't,' Rogan said. 'You had the director of the FBI on this show saying, 'If there was [a videotape], nothing you're looking for is on those tapes,'' referring to FBI Director Kash Patel 's interview with Rogan in June. 'Why'd they say there was thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible s***? Why'd they say that? Didn't [Attorney General] Pam Bondi say that?' Rogan said during Tuesday's rant. Bondi told reporters in May that there were tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and hundreds of victims. Conspiracy theorists believed this was a reference to material used to blackmail influential people; however, the Justice Department and FBI announced in their July 7 memo: 'There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.' Trump faces mounting criticism from his political base over the DOJ's failure to release much-hyped records in Epstein's sex trafficking investigation. He has responded by lashing out at them. 'Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker,' the president wrote on his Truth Social site Wednesday morning. He went on to say: 'Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats' work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' Although parts of the president's base have clamored for more information about the Epstein case, Trump has made it clear that he's done with the story. 'It's all been a big hoax,' he said in the Oval Office on Wednesday. 'It's perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.'
Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Pupils to be taught strangulation is illegal to tackle ‘incel culture'
Strangulation will be taught as a criminal offence under new Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance published on Tuesday, as part of an overhaul of the curriculum in England. For the first time, pupils will be explicitly taught that strangulation — applying pressure to someone's neck or covering their mouth and nose — is illegal, even if it doesn't cause visible injury. The revised guidance, the first significant update since 2020, will push secondary schools to tackle the growing influence of the 'manosphere' and incel culture, as well as emerging harms linked to pornography. However, critics said the government had watered down a previous draft, which sought to counter 'trans activist' positions. Schools will also be told not to use oversimplified diagrams or cartoons to teach about gender identity, such as the 'Genderbread Person', which had been used in some lessons provided by external providers. These can risk misleading pupils or encouraging them to question their gender unnecessarily, the guidance said. The new guidance said schools should be careful not to endorse any particular view or teach it as fact, including that all people have a gender identity. It added: 'Schools should be mindful to avoid any suggestion that social transition is a simple solution to feelings of distress or discomfort.' • Abuse claims and rape culture identified at 1,600 primary schools Pupils will be taught how online content, including AI-manipulated images and deepfakes, can distort perceptions of women, sex, and consent, which the Department for Education guidance said can 'portray misogynistic behaviours and attitudes', influencing those who watch it. Boys will also be encouraged to identify positive male role models and to challenge online misogyny. Sexual harassment, including unwanted touching, sexual language, upskirting, revenge porn and sharing intimate images without consent, will also be covered in detail. The overhaul of RSHE comes after a government consultation raised alarm over inconsistent teaching and controversial materials used by third-party providers. The Labour government scrapped earlier Conservative plans to ban sex education for children under the age of nine. Instead, the guidance advises that it should not begin before Year 5, while giving schools the flexibility to teach it earlier. The revised mandatory curriculum will be introduced in all mainstream schools from September. Mental health education will start in primary school, focusing on emotions, loneliness, bullying and seeking help. In secondary schools, suicide prevention will be taught with guidance from mental health professionals, avoiding graphic or emotive content. Other newly added topics include suicide prevention, loneliness, gambling, virginity testing, bereavement, parenting, menstrual and gynaecological health, and antimicrobial resistance. Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, warned that the expanded content risks overwhelming schools. 'The new guidance asks schools to teach more content with only the same amount of time available,' he said. 'Government cannot continue to impose additions to the curriculum without proposing how the additional teaching time needed is to be found.' Whiteman also criticised the lack of support for suicide prevention teaching: 'NAHT has particular concerns that the inclusion of suicide prevention content has not been accompanied by a commitment from the government to provide funded training for all teachers to give them both the knowledge and the confidence they need to discuss suicide prevention and self-harm with young people.' The guidance for schools has been overhauled by the government GETTY IMAGES The government said the changes were designed to reflect modern challenges facing children and equip them with the knowledge to stay safe and make informed choices. The guidance will be reviewed again before it becomes statutory in 2026. Helen Joyce, the director of Sex Matters, which campaigns for clarity on single-sex services, said: 'It's welcome that Bridget Phillipson is warning schools not to use simplistic graphics that perpetuate stereotypes or encourage children to question their gender. Far too much harm has already been done by sexist and frankly stupid teaching materials that lie to children by telling them it's your personality and interests that determine whether you're a boy or a girl.' She added: 'It's a big shame that the Department for Education has watered down sections of the draft guidance it inherited from the previous government, which sought to counter the trans activist positions adopted by many schools over the past decade. Instead of warning schools not to teach about the broader concept of gender identity, it now says pupils should not be taught that everyone has a gender identity. 'We're concerned that the DfE still doesn't seem to have grasped the harm caused by so-called social transition in schools.' • A spokeswoman for Bayswater Support Group of parents of children with transgender identities said: 'The new RSHE guidance fails to address the serious safeguarding issues around teaching gender identity to children, including the implicit message that children could have an inner identity that means their body needs fixing. 'As well as significantly weakening the clarity offered by the earlier draft guidance, this version introduces topics which are likely to be harmful to vulnerable children. For example, direct teaching about suicide may actually undermine suicide prevention strategies.'
Gizmodo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Gizmodo
Trump Is Losing His Army of Internet Alpha Males Over the Epstein Files
'Cover-up.' That's the word ricocheting through the manosphere, echoing across X feeds and podcast episodes after the Trump administration released the so-called Epstein files, and declared the case closed. The backlash was instant and fierce. These were Donald Trump's most vocal defenders in the 2024 campaign: tradcons, alpha bros, influencers, and masculine revivalists who painted Trump as a bulwark against the liberal elite and the 'woke' takeover of America. They helped deliver young, disaffected male voters to Trump's camp by casting him as the last masculine figure standing between order and chaos. But now, many of them are openly accusing Trump's administration of betraying the very cause they rallied behind. On July 7, the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, published its long-awaited report on Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded that Epstein was not murdered, that there was no client list, and that no prominent individuals would be charged. This announcement effectively shut down years of conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death and alleged sex-trafficking network, a narrative that had become sacred ground for many on the far right. The report landed like a bomb in the manosphere. Matt Walsh, one of the most influential traditional conservatives online, came back from a social media hiatus to unleash a firestorm. 'I've come back from vacation to learn that Epstein apparently wasn't an international child sex trafficker,' he posted on X on July 12. His thread—sharp, sarcastic, and furious—went viral, accusing the administration of gaslighting its base and retreating from a moral crusade it had once endorsed. 'Pam Bondi invited influencers to the White House and handed them big binders that literally said 'Epstein Files' in huge bold letters on the front. If the files never existed then why did the White House do that?' Walsh demanded. In another post, he added: 'The Attorney General said she had the client list on her desk. The White House made a big show of giving binders marked 'Epstein Files: Phase 1' to a bunch of influencers. Now they tell us that there is no list and we should stop talking about it.' The Attorney General said she had the client list on her desk. The White House made a big show of giving binders marked 'Epstein Files: Phase 1' to a bunch of influencers. Now they tell us that there is no list and we should stop talking about it. Well then why did you say there… — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 13, 2025Half of Walsh's recent posts are now dedicated to the Epstein drama, all dripping with skepticism and rage. With nearly 4 million followers and tens of millions of views on his posts, his revolt is hard to ignore. Trump Tries to Bury Epstein Scandal, but Elon Musk Won't Let Him Other right-wing influencers joined in. Tucker Carlson went even further, accusing Bondi's Justice Department of 'covering up Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and murder.' Charlie Kirk tiptoed around Trump, instead backing FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who is reportedly considering resignation over the report. Bongino himself was once a loud voice pushing the Epstein list theory before joining the administration. It would be a huge loss for the country if we lost Dan Bongino at the FBI. — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 11, 2025Jack Posobiec turned to gallows humor: 'Name things you trust more than the idea Epstein had no clients.' But he also made his position clear: 'I will not rest until we go full Jan 6 committee on the Jeffrey Epstein files.' Name things you trust more than the idea Epstein had no clients: — Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) July 13, 2025James O'Keefe, meanwhile, zeroed in on the redactions in the DOJ report. 'There are only two possibilities,' he wrote. '1) There is no more to the Epstein story. 2) There's a coverup.' There are only two possibilities; 1) There is no more to the Epstein story. 2) There's a coverup Time for us to hear directly from FBI agents — James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) July 12, 2025The divide is growing. This isn't just about Epstein. It's about the right's narrative machinery losing one of its most potent weapons. For years, the Epstein case symbolized everything wrong with elite impunity. The idea of a client list, filled with powerful names who visited a private island rumored to be the center of a sex trafficking ring, was a cultural touchstone. Its perceived disappearance feels, to these influencers, like betrayal. This rupture reveals a dangerous paradox for Trump. He built part of his base on grievance, outrage, and conspiracy. Now that he's back in power, he risks becoming the very establishment those conspiracies targeted. The fallout also reflects a broader transformation within the online right. The manosphere is no longer just a cheerleading squad for Trump. It has its own hierarchy, its own causes, and increasingly its own enemies. As Trump urges his base to 'move on' and celebrate Pam Bondi, parts of the digital movement that helped propel him to victory are refusing to follow. They've drawn a line. And behind that line is the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein.
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'My husband was an incel, but we found a way to make our marriage work'
A woman has revealed that as a younger man, her husband was an 'incel' and she has explained what she believes were the reasons behind his early stuggles to form relationships In recent years, incel culture has forced its way into the public's consciousness - with parents becoming concerned about the content their children are consuming online. The hit show Adolescence captured attention across the UK when it dropped on Netflix earlier this year, depicting how youngsters can get caught up in the so-called 'Manosphere'. Through the plot about a 13-year-old boy murdering a girl from school, it also explored how toxic narratives about gender can leave a big impact at such an impressionable age. An independent study published on the government's Commission for Countering Extremism website, defines incels - involuntary celibates - as "a sub-culture community of men who forge a sense of identity around their perceived inability to form sexual or romantic relationships". The so-called movement preys on the naivety of younger men who might be struggling to get a girlfriend. It weaponises their plight and argues that the problem lies with women, not men, with the likes of self-confessed misogynist Andrew Tate leading the charge. The study, which surveyed 561 incels, alarmingly showed that 38.9 percent of those participating in incel forums suffered from depression, and 43 percent dealt with anxiety - with 21.6 percent saying they regularly had suicidal thoughts. This correlation between poor mental health and those taking part in the incel online communities was noted as "concerning given the relationship between suicide-risk and depression and anxiety in men" by the study, which also showed that 48 percent of respondents reported the highest levels of loneliness in the survey. It is no wonder that parents are now on high alert. One parent went looking for advice on a forum for city-based mums and dads, on how to tell if a teenage boy has fallen into an online incel community, writing: "I have a 13 year old DS who I love dearly. I worry all the time about the world he is growing up in. We keep close tabs on friends and online activity but I really worry that he is going to be influenced by terrible outside sources one way or the other. "I can't be everywhere and he needs to grow up with some freedom and self autonomy. But I worry. Parents who had boys who became incels or failed to launch. Were there signs that you missed? Were you able to intervene? Did they come out of it and change? What would you do differently?" The post began a wide-ranging discussion on the forum, with one poster writing a list of what they believed was needed to ensure that a young boy doesn't fall prey to misogyny or incel communities online: "Boys need: A mom at home. Almost zero screen time. Male and female friends, in real life. A good education, either at home or in a private school. Lots of fresh air every day. "If you're not doing that, you're gonna have a bad time. Bottom line," they wrote. In one response, another woman revealed that her husband had been an incel, and revealed how they managed to make their marriage work. "My husband is a former incel. Growing up, he lacked all of the above and it made him angry and stuck in that failure to launch way.... [the] list is really a good one," she wrote. "Dh is now 43 happily married because of handsome and smart and was able to grow out of the awful home life. But as a young man missing 100% of [this] list, he was an incel. The environmental part is clear as day for me." Reduction of screen time for young people is widely acknowledged as generally beneficial for their mental health - but when it comes to those who might have started engaging with online incel communities, it may be even more crucial. The CCE's study shows that online forums are often used as "an outlet for expressing misogynistic hostility" and that "analyses of the incel ecosystem have repeatedly demonstrated high levels of toxic and misogynistic language". One extreme post from an incel forum, previously reported by The Mirror, showed just how negatively some of these young perceive women, and their tendency to ruminate on their sense of themselves as victims of the modern world: "When we are done, women will be erased from public space. They will be locked away in dungeons with no sunlight ready to be used and abused as we see fit. "We will reduce women's worth to nothing through full automation of female sexual and reproductive labour with perfectly realistic sex dolls that have realistic skin texture, warmth, muscle and fat, as well as artificial wombs which outperform the natural womb of mothers. Women will regret ever challenging us men, for we are superior and more human than them." Terrifyingly, the CCE study is not the only one pointing out alarming patterns amongst younger people. Vodafone recently conducted research that showed 56 percent of boys between the ages of 11 to 14 are aware of and familiar with influencers like Andrew Tate, who are part of the 'manosphere' and 70 percent of teachers say that there has been an increase in misogynistic language in their classrooms.
