This is an opinion piece by a Hilltop columnist.
A growing online movement built around aggressive masculinity, anti-feminism and male supremacy is shaping how young men understand gender, relationships and their place in society. What may seem like another internet trend is shaping how an entire generation of young men view women, relationships and gender roles, with consequences that could last for decades.
Originating in the film “The Matrix,” the “red-pill” metaphor has been co-opted by online hyper-masculine and anti-feminist groups, or manosphere communities, to frame misogynistic beliefs as hidden truths about gender and society, while labeling those who disagree as “blue-pilled.”
The content claims to “awaken” men to hidden truths about gender, society and power. Influencers use this narrative to frame male dominance as empowerment and normalize hostility toward women among younger male audiences.
Howard University, where young Black men and women are working out who they want to be, is not insulated from it.
That message carries particular weight at Howard, where Black men make up around 19% of the student body. Some men chose to attend Howard for that gender disparity, not to engage with more women, rather to take advantage of the “options” available.
Roman Laster, a sophomore psychology major, has experienced this first hand.
“Sometimes I talk to a guy and I’ll start to realize he thinks this way, especially how he talks about women…a use and abuse mentality,” Laster said.
Young men can easily fall into this mentality, especially being exposed to social media content related to concerns many young men have.
Manosphere social media influencers such as Andrew Tate and Walter Weekes exploit the vulnerabilities of young men seeking advice on relationships, masculinity, personal development and finance. They use these everyday concerns as entry points for the rhetoric they ultimately want to spread about gender roles, male dominance and the subordination of women.
The messaging is often subtle, framed through appeals to “men’s rights” and “strong masculinity.”
Young men do not have to seek this content out to be exposed to it. Algorithms on TikTok and other social media platforms can steer users toward this content.
Taking a step back, men have been told for millennia that their job is to protect and provide for women. With great inroads to gender equality, some men may feel anxious about their role in society. This is reflective of a broader societal failure in how masculinity is defined and portrayed.
Rather than finding identity and self-worth through relationships, hobbies and family, many men are taught to measure their value by what they can provide.
Manosphere influencers exploit that gap and tell young men the only way to overcome this perceived irrelevance is to subordinate and demean women.
For young Black men, this messaging is often framed as empowerment and racial solidarity. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes a “Black manosphere” that presents itself as a movement for Black male uplift while disparaging Black women.
The organization also added the Fresh and Fit podcast, hosted by manosphere influencers Myron Gaines and Walter Weekes, who use language and imagery rooted in Black culture to make its messaging more familiar and accessible to Black audiences.
At an historically Black college or university that prizes “Black excellence,” the pressure to look and behave a certain way can become a measure of acceptance.
Laster said he understands the importance of unity among Black men at Howard but does not believe it should come at the expense of men who express themselves differently or women, as a whole.
Young people who consume misogynistic content are more likely to hold harmful views about relationships and demonstrate greater tolerance for violence, according to Step Together, an Australian government initiative designed to help prevent violent extremism, including violent misogyny and radicalization online.
These consequences are particularly concerning for Black college men, including those at Howard, who may already face stigma surrounding mental health and seeking support services. When online movements tell men to suppress vulnerability, equate emotional openness with weakness and blame women for their frustrations, they risk deepening the isolation of men who may already be struggling.
Changing this narrative starts with education and challenging the expectations that sustain it. At Howard, that conversation belongs in classrooms, student organizations and the spaces where men and women already gather. No one should feel that their worth is determined by their gender or their ability to conform to heteronormative stereotypes.
Patriarchy, the manosphere, red-pill ideology and hypermasculinity do not simply harm the women they seek to subordinate. They also restrict men by teaching them to suppress their vulnerability, measure their worth through dominance and view equality as a threat.
Neither men nor women should have to sacrifice their autonomy to fit someone else’s definition of who they are supposed to be.
Copy edited by Jori Johnson
