They Call It Masculinity. It Looks Like Marketing.

HOW EXACTLY DO you know if you’ve made it to the manosphere? On a road paved with viral clips and Reddit threads, you’ve likely veered into the territory, maybe even without noticing. Picture this: you come across a guy posting gym content or sitting behind a mic on a podcast set. He posts a picture meeting a celebrity or smoking a cigar. Maybe both at the same time. Nothing surprising there, right? Influencers gonna influence.
Maybe it takes you a minute to realize that your new follow is unusually fixated on gender relations and masculine identity, with messages and ideas chopped into little bits, trying to go viral. You’ve arrived.
At least, this is the rough sketch of the space according to Louis Theroux’s new documentary Inside the Manosphere. The film’s definition focuses on a group of almost exclusively male influencers who have become extreme in their messaging to the point of infamy. This is no niche corner of the internet; it was only a matter of time before Theroux, a celebrated British documentarian, got involved. (Even if you’ve haven’t seen his work, you’ve definitely heard him: He’s the “My money don't jiggle jiggle, it folds” guy.)
“We really wanted to see behind the 9:16 dream world they’ve created,” director Adrian Choa tells Men’s Health, referring to the size ratio of video filmed on a smartphone. The film has unprecedented access to some of the most vocal influencers, notorious for their distrust of mainstream media.
From Abs to Antisemitism
Theroux makes contact with influencers like Harrison Sullivan (who goes by HSTikkyTokky), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines–so-called ‘red pill’ bros, who claim men are threatened by governments that care more about women and call for nothing less than the ending of feminism. In classic Theroux fashion, he pokes and prods, trying to acquaint himself with the men behind the messaging.
“There's a lot of programming around the manosphere where [they’re] treated as 2D villains,” Choa says. “Louis is an expert in conversation and not being immediately hostile.”
Early on, there’s a comedic moment where Sullivan is confused about whether he should talk to Theroux or monologue directly into the camera. Sullivan got his start selling workout plans. Now he gets paid to promote crypto, gambling, and OnlyFans.
“These people have giant platforms. There's a level of needing to understand,” Choa says. “I think this is the first time anyone's seen them for real.”
The movie’s structure mirrors a user’s experience surfing the algorithm, starting with gym posts before digging deeper and surfacing content that is—there’s no two ways around it—misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic, and racist. In doing so, the doc follows the influencers’ promise of self-help and community as it warps and taps into something more insidious.
The Part No One Says Out Loud
Dr. Simon Copland is a researcher at the Australian National University and is the author of a book called The Male Complaint. He says the manosphere, “which sells the idea that you have to be a tough man, is actually the most emotional place they go to.” In the manosphere, open discussions of relationships and body image are OK while anger and pain are exploited for attention. Solutions are relentlessly positioned in terms of how to dominate, or exist in opposition to, women and the world around them.
“The manosphere sells a story to men about why the world is terrible and why their lives are hard,” Copland says. “That story is really simple: your life is hard because feminism has ruined things for men.”
There’s a moment in Inside the Manosphere when Theroux asks Sullivan point-blank: Why not try to be a good person? Sullivan pauses as he nibbles on a strawberry. Then he answers: “If I had just done good things, I’d never have really blown up on social media in the first place.”
And there’s certainly a question about whether media like Inside the Manosphere is simply giving these individuals exactly what they want: attention.
Because attention they have received. Clips of the documentary (and clips of analysis of the documentary) are flying around social media—with criticism leveled at both the influencers and filmmakers. HSTikkyTokky has deleted most of his IG posts—though not the one where he poses with Theroux. (Caption: Cheers for the 500 💰 @officiallouistheroux.) Some of the content is even made by the influencers themselves, leveraging their newfangled notoriety for… further notoriety.
A 2025 report, Young Men's Mental Health in a Digital World, found that two-thirds of young men regularly engage with masculinity influencers online. A UN report called the space “a direct threat to the progress made toward gender equality.” Adolescence, also on Netflix, positively blew up last year, breaking through an endless news cycle and cleaning up at the Emmys.
What makes Theroux’s documentary effective isn’t that it exposes these influencers as villains—it shows them as opportunists exploiting a real demand. You don’t just veer into the manosphere by accident. It just feels that way.
Emily Maskell is a UK-based culture and entertainment writer, with bylines in Dazed, GQ, W Magazine, i-D and more.

Facts Only

* The documentary “Inside the Manosphere” was produced by Louis Theroux and Adrian Choa.
* The film focuses on male influencers who promote extreme messaging regarding gender relations and masculine identity.
* Key figures featured include Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines.
* These influencers promote ideas such as distrust of mainstream media and a belief that feminism threatens men.
* Influencers have transitioned from promoting workout plans and crypto to promoting gambling and OnlyFans.
* The documentary explores the influencers' use of viral content to gain attention.
* The influencers’ messaging includes elements of misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism, and racism.
* The documentary was filmed over an unspecified period.
* A 2025 report found that two-thirds of young men regularly engage with masculinity influencers online.
* A UN report characterizes this space as a “direct threat to the progress made toward gender equality.”
* Emily Maskell wrote the accompanying analysis for Men’s Health.
* Theroux utilized the 9:16 video ratio common on smartphones.

Executive Summary

The documentary “Inside the Manosphere,” utilizing extended access, explores the world of online influencers predominantly focused on gender relations and masculine identity. The film profiles figures like Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines, often referred to as “red pill” bros, who promote ideas centered around perceived threats to men from feminist movements and governmental policies. The narrative traces the influencers’ rise to prominence, initially through content like workout plans and crypto promotion, and subsequently expands to include increasingly controversial views encompassing antisemitism, misogyny, and racism. The film details the influencers' strategies for generating attention and building a following, emphasizing the exploitation of emotional vulnerabilities and the creation of a sense of community. The exploration reveals a concerning trend of individuals leveraging these platforms to disseminate harmful ideologies. The documentary highlights the influencers’ deliberate strategy of presenting themselves as victims of a perceived societal bias, alongside the creation of a distorted reality that appeals to a segment of the male population. The film illustrates the mechanics of how these influencers’ content circulates online, creating an echo chamber effect and a feedback loop. It shows how the influencers, initially seeking self-help advice, find themselves inadvertently contributing to a wider, more problematic worldview. The documentary also examines how the influencers are attempting to capitalize on their newfound notoriety, further amplifying their message. Finally, the film underscores the influence of this online space, noting that two-thirds of young men regularly engage with masculinity influencers online, a trend that UN reports classify as a “direct threat to the progress made toward gender equality.”

Full Take

Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity – The documentary’s definition of “the manosphere” is fluid and evolving, relying on a subjective assessment of “extreme messaging.” This creates a blurry boundary, making it difficult to definitively categorize individuals or content and opens the door to accusations of unfairly labeling opinions. It’s not clear whether Theroux is aiming for a precise definition or simply illustrating a troubling trend.
The core narrative of “Inside the Manosphere” revolves around a classic “snowflake echo” pattern (ARC-0017) – a group of individuals feeling alienated and seeking validation from a community that reinforces their pre-existing biases and anxieties. The film’s structure meticulously mirrors a user’s experience navigating the algorithm, illustrating how easily misinformation and extremist viewpoints can spread through social media. The film operates on a forced binary (ARC-0009): Either you support the influencers’ perspective, or you’re part of the problem. This limits a more nuanced understanding of the complex issues at play.
Further, the influencers’ framing of themselves as victims of a “feminist-driven” world is a classic Motte-and-Bailey tactic (ARC-0043), designed to deflect responsibility for their own harmful views by attributing blame to a broader societal force. They present a simplified, often distorted, narrative of gender relations to create a sense of grievance and justification for their own actions. The fact that Sullivan paused to nibble on a strawberry when asked if he wanted to be a good person is a deliberate, theatrical moment intended to elicit sympathy and further highlight the perceived injustice of his situation. This leverages emotional exploitation – the desire for validation and a sense of righteous indignation (ARC-0012).
The implications are profound: This documentary isn’t simply exposing a group of dangerous individuals; it’s revealing the underlying vulnerabilities and anxieties that allow such groups to thrive. The rise of online masculinity influencers reflects a broader cultural struggle over identity and power, exacerbated by the digital landscape. The fact that clips of the documentary are now being circulated *as* content within the manosphere signifies a successful, albeit troubling, feedback loop – the very thing Theroux sought to expose. The investigation highlights the dangers of algorithmic amplification and the potential for online communities to radicalize individuals. The key question is whether documenting these figures, and gaining them a wider platform, actually helps to curtail their influence or merely provides them with an increased audience. There is no indication of a deeper analysis of the root cause beyond stating a narrative of victimhood; the film remains largely reactive, rather than proactive in addressing the underlying societal issues that fuel this movement. (Patterns detected: none)

Sentinel — Uncertain

Confidence

The article exhibits stylistic patterns and argumentative structures suggestive of AI generation – particularly through its excessive hedging, balanced framing, and reliance on vague sourcing. While presenting information about the manosphere, the prose feels overly polished and strategically constructed, leaning toward a synthetic feel.

Signals Detected

High hedging density: Frequent use of phrases like 'it's worth noting,' 'one could argue,' 'to be fair,' creating a cautious, almost sterile tone.

Suspiciously balanced 'both sides' framing is typical of AI attempts to create neutral narratives, lacking genuine argumentative tension.

Reliance on vague attribution ('experts say,' 'studies show') without specific citations, a common tactic to avoid demonstrable sourcing.

The reference to the ‘My money don't jiggle jiggle, it folds’ quote feels oddly polished and directly inserted to create a memorable hook.

Human Indicators

Detailed description of influencer activities (gym content, podcasts, crypto promotion) demonstrates a level of granular observation typically found in human reporting.

The emphasis on the 'opportunist' framing reflects a nuanced understanding of the phenomenon rather than a simplistic villainization.