Red pilling is a term that stems from the Matrix; it refers to an “awakening” to a hidden truth and becoming enlightened to new viewpoints and a new reality. However, in the age of the internet, the “hidden truth” is one pushed by the far-right to spread anti-feminist beliefs and the idea that men are an oppressed gender in a society dominated by the fight for gender equality.
Red pilling pushes the idea that men are the dominant sex and that they need to reclaim what has been taken from them by feminists and the advancement of women’s rights. It is the idea of “male supremacy” and the denial of, not only rights, but also respect towards women.
These sexist attitudes not only hurt women’s rights and advancement in society but can also lead to widespread sexual harassment and abuse.
While these started as just fringe beliefs held by a few extremist members of society, they are slowly becoming more and more mainstream every day as these beliefs are pushed onto young Gen Z men.
The “manosphere” is a section of social media that works to address men’s struggles, but can unfortunately shift towards red pilling and subliminally press these beliefs upon viewers.
Social media influencers, like Nick Fuentes, are pushing targeted posts and videos towards young men to stress the idea that women shouldn’t be getting an education and joining the workforce, and that, instead, they should stay in the home and raise children.
In February, Fuentes said that women getting educated is hurting the fertility rate and hence, must “go to the breeding gulags.” He added that “the number one political enemy in America is women” and so “just like Hitler imprisoned Gypsies, Jews, communists, you know, all of his political rivals, we have to do the same thing with women.”
Fuentes, though, is just one example of the far-right political commentators who are spreading anti-women beliefs through social media.
Andrew Tate, along with his brother Tristan Tate have been leaders of the red pilling movement since its inception. The brothers initially became famous for their online pornography business, however they quickly gained traction as masculinity influencers.
Andrew Tate’s content revolves around the same themes that are prevalent across the manosphere: wealth, fitness, and women. However Tate, who has multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault, is most often quoted on his views about women, going viral for statements like “women are like cars” and that “you can get a new one whenever you want, but you always want to keep the old one in good condition in case you need it again.”
While damaging in and of itself, Tate’s most popular demographic is adolescent boys, teens whose brains are still developing. This is where red pilling becomes most dangerous, when the movement shifts from the views of a few extremists, to the collective beliefs of a whole new generation.
Most of the time red pilling doesn’t always happen in an outright way; it targets men through the subtle messaging on social media content that seems harmless, but in reality is slowly working its way into the values of mainstream society. Online misogyny is not isolated; it works its way into schools, workplaces, and society.
As red pilling increases more and more people lean towards far-right, anti-feminist ideologies, resulting in an increase of women being degraded and abused. Every day that this content spreads without inhibition, the feminism and rights that women before today fought so hard for is put further at risk •
