Manosphere's impact on boys

Zara Kadir, a family psychotherapist, says parents should resist correcting sons when they repeat manosphere beliefs.

“If your son is starting to say things he's heard about women, your first instinct might be to correct him, but the problem is, if he feels dismissed or embarrassed, he may stop talking to you, and then, the person online who tells him, 'your parents won't understand this but I'll tell you how the world really works,' suddenly becomes much more appealing”

Kadir's background

Kadir, 41, holds two master's degrees, one in counseling and psychotherapy with adults, and another in child, adolescent and family psychotherapy, and is the mother of two children.

Manosphere's cultural flashpoint

The Netflix drama Adolescence, released in 2025, showed a 13-year-old radicalized by online misogyny, sparking public debate about manosphere content's reach.

Kadir's key advice

Parents should take children's thoughts seriously, even if they seem absurd, by asking questions like 'why would you want a phone?' instead of shutting down conversations.

“You need to indulge your children's thoughts and curiosities even if you think that they are ridiculous”

Reframing the conversation

Kadir recommends asking 'what does believing that make you feel about yourself?' to address underlying anxiety rather than manosphere rhetoric.

“I'd ask the question, 'what does believing that make you feel about yourself?' Because underneath 'women really want rich men' might actually be, 'I'm worried no one will ever want me.'”

Why manosphere content spreads

Manosphere content catches on by offering certainty, status and belonging to boys who feel insecure, unseen or anxious about their place in the world.

What happens next

Parents can stay curious long enough to keep sons talking, helping them learn more without banning devices or winning arguments.