Incels and the 'manosphere' safeguarding CPD

In September 2021, we ran a live Q&A for safeguarding leads to find out what we need to know about the extremist misogynistic group called Incels.

What is it all about, why are they a danger to others and to themselves and how can we proactively identify concerns?

Find this page again at inceltraining.lgfl.net

Many thanks to our experts Professor Veronika Koller and Dr Mark McGlashan who studied this area as part of the MANTRaP project.

Below you can either watch an edited version of the entire session, listen to individual questions as audio files or find the links mentioned to further reading, research and keytakeaway messages.

Incels and the 'manosphere' - what are they - Are they new.mp3

Incels and the 'manosphere' - what are they? Are they new?

Are they new? What has changed recently?

Are they new - What has changed recently.mp3
Why do we particularly need to worry about this area - What is the red-blue pill - What do they believe about women.mp3

Why do we particularly need to worry about this area? What is the red/blue pill? What do they believe about women?

Why are Incels dangerous to themselves and at risk of suicide / the black pill?

Why are Incels dangerous to themselves and at risk of suicide - the black pill.mp3
Are some Incels dangerous and others not.mp3

Are some Incels dangerous and others not?

Is there a typical profile for what an incel is?

Is there a typical profile for what an incel is.mp3
What are the links to race, racism and the far right - What's a 'chad'.mp3

What are the links to race, racism and the far right? What's a 'chad'?

Language - what words should we look out for / understand?

Language - what words should we look out for - understand.mp3
Language - what else do we need to watch out for in the way people speak and behave.mp3

Language - what else do we need to watch out for in the way people speak and behave?

Social media and websites - what platforms should we watch out for? Are they in the mainstream?

Social media and websites - what platforms should we watch out for - Are they in the mainstream.mp3
Parents - what messages can we send home to help families.mp3

Parents - what messages can we send home to help families?

Primary schools - why and how is this area relevant for younger children too?

Primary schools - why and how is this area relevant for younger children too.mp3
SEND - are those with ASD more at risk from the Incel scene.mp3

SEND - are those with ASD more at risk from the Incel scene?

Girls - can girls ever be incels?

Girls - can girls ever be incels.mp3

Further info, links, research and takeaway messages

Take-away messages from the session:

Incels are part of a large, sprawling and ever-changing network: the manosphere.

  • Incels post a risk to themselves, to women and girls, and to gender relations.

  • Certain words and phrases are typical of manopshere, including incel, language: femoid/foid, roastie, hit the wall, looksmaxx, cuck, simp, AWALT, LDAR…

  • Apart from words, members of the manosphere:

○ compare men against women in absolute and emphasised ways

○ often draw on genetics and evolutionary psychology to do so

○ believe that society has been hijacked by feminists and is biased against men

○ see women as duplicitous and having the power to hurt men, but also as sexual objects

  • Please note that showing an active interest in the world of incels/the manosphere is a Prevent issue. Follow normal CP and Prevent referral procedures for your school and area for matters relating to incels

Prevent support can be found at

For more on MASH referrals, why not check out https://meetthemash.lgfl.net

Core incel terminology / keywords

Many are listed here in a blog (from 2018 but still relevant terms)

Articles to find out more:

Podcast

Academic papers including by our guests: