According to Marielle Balledux of the NJi, it is important for adults to engage in conversations with young people in a non-judgmental way. “I think it can be quite difficult for both parents and professionals to remain curious rather than judgmental in such a conversation. After all, what you may hear can be quite something. Still, it does not help to immediately pass judgment, because that only distances young people from you. When you engage in the conversation, you stay connected.”
Some people see this behavior as something that has always existed among teenagers. “That is certainly true,” says Balledux. “For them, it is a search: who am I, what is my identity, who are my role models? But the difference from the past is that role models are much more extreme, and young people can follow them 24 hours a day. For influencers, this extreme content is simply a business model, as we saw, for example, in Louis Theroux’s documentary. What is actually true about what young people see influencers doing? And what are real values? These are things we need to discuss with young people.”
Do boys feel sufficiently seen?
According to Balledux, it is important to go one step further in this conversation and consider what we have to offer young people. “We should not only ask ourselves what we can do to make young people more resilient, but also whether boys are missing something in their upbringing. Do they feel sufficiently seen? Do we value them for who they are? These questions can help us do something different from what we are doing now.”
Research
Research by the School & Safety Foundation found that 56 percent of education professionals observe an increase in behavior among boys that may indicate the influence of the manosphere. In addition, 86 percent of education professionals see boys influencing one another to behave in a certain ‘masculine’ way. For example, by making jokes about women, behaving in a macho and dominant manner, and showing little emotion.
School & Safety provides ten concrete recommendations for schools on how to deal with the potentially negative influence of the manosphere. Among other things, establish a clear, school-wide standard in which the entire team speaks out against sexist remarks and inappropriate behavior. Intervene when behavior or remarks make people feel unsafe, even when they are presented as a ‘joke’. Do not immediately try to enter into a discussion or correct ideas, but remain curious about what students think and feel. And encourage boys to recognize and share their feelings, and to listen to one another.