TryGOLD- Free

Time to Reboot

Outlook|April 21, 2025
How ready are we as a society to offer adolescents, especially boys, room to explore their authentic selves?
- Lakshmi Narasimhan Aishwariya Ramesh
Time to Reboot

A few years ago, my daughter and I jointly discovered Andrew Tate and his supremacist masculinity verbiage after a casual remark during mixed-gender football play. We did not think much of it then, as we were homeschooling and perhaps shielded from contact and most day-to-day occurrences within such sub-cultures. However, last year, my daughter returned from school in a complete rage. Some of the boys in her class had put forth ideas of how science supposedly proves men’s superiority over women in various domains during a discussion. It was the first of many such incidents that she had to confront, both inside and outside school.

What unfolded over the next few weeks of learning more about this phenomenon was a disturbing revelation of how harmful ideologies around masculinity, disseminated over digital ecosystems, penetrated the lives of adolescents, capturing their attention during a critical phase while they were navigating their identities. We came across many discussions where both men and women expressed concern about the growth of this ideology for the past many years. Some men mourned the loss of friendships due to ideological differences, while women voiced increasing distrust and exhaustion when engaging with men who subscribe to these beliefs. People are often seen growing into these ideologies gradually, with early signs manifesting in humour—masked misogyny presented as comedy or sarcasm. Anyone who speaks out against this disguised misogyny is personally attacked rather than countered with logical arguments. For instance, we came across an Instagram reel where a male influencer points out the irony of moral policing men engage in—through a comedic script. The comments were completely divided—between those who fully agreed with him and those who mocked him, accusing him of posting content to pander to women in hopes of personal gain.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView all
'Are you Going to Tear the Pages of History Books'?
Outlook

'Are you Going to Tear the Pages of History Books'?

Dressed in his characteristic black overcoat and red turban, Jyotirao Phule (Pratik Gandhi) rolls up the blinds on a window, with determination written across his face.

time-read
6 mins  |
May 01, 2025
LUCKNOW
Outlook

LUCKNOW

A House of One's Own

time-read
2 mins  |
May 01, 2025
The Curious Case of Waqf
Outlook

The Curious Case of Waqf

THE Waqf (Amendment) Act has once again raised questions about the BJP government's true intentions on issues concerning Muslims in the country. Is this Act aimed at initiating a reform process within the numerous unwieldy Waqf boards, or is it a move to weaken their power?

time-read
3 mins  |
May 01, 2025
Landed Realities
Outlook

Landed Realities

The earth tolerates our claims like a river tolerates a dam

time-read
2 mins  |
May 01, 2025
Fear Amid Loathing in Lucknow
Outlook

Fear Amid Loathing in Lucknow

An atmosphere of fear and the shadow of the bulldozer hang heavy over the heads of Lucknow's Muslims who are against the Waqf Act, but are too afraid and worried to protest

time-read
7 mins  |
May 01, 2025
Cross Your Fingers
Outlook

Cross Your Fingers

The Wakf Bill may not solve the problem for the residents of Munambam village in Kerala, but it could deepen the communal wedge

time-read
5 mins  |
May 01, 2025
Hermès for All
Outlook

Hermès for All

The trade war between the US and China is affecting all countries. The world is closely watching even as Trump appears to have softened his stand on Chinese tariffs

time-read
5 mins  |
May 01, 2025
Maid of Dishonour
Outlook

Maid of Dishonour

Arun Ezhuthachan's Sacred Sins reveals the untold stories about the condition of Devadasis in contemporary India

time-read
5 mins  |
May 01, 2025
A Fractured Timeline
Outlook

A Fractured Timeline

The competitive communal politics and perpetual casualty of the Waqf assets

time-read
7 mins  |
May 01, 2025
The PK Doctrine
Outlook

The PK Doctrine

Looking for a foothold in Bihar's caste-dominated landscape, Prashant Kishor, the former strategist for other political parties, is reaching out to Muslims and women on behalf of his own newbie outfit. But can he cut their old ties with Lalu and Nitish?

time-read
6 mins  |
May 01, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more