Netflix’s Adolescence is an overdue catalyst for change, but pitfalls must be avoided

Organizations worldwide with expertise in engaging boys and men are amplifying a set of evidence-based recommendations for policy and programs to address the issues raised in the Netflix drama, which tells the story of the killing of a teenage girl at the hands of a male classmate, and echoes real-life cases of violence and killing fueled by misogynistic ideas.

The Netflix drama touches on a significant societal issue that has been steadily growing for many years, with nearly half of US boys trusting one or more pro-violence voices from the manosphere, and 45% of Gen Z men in the UK believing women’s rights have gone so far that society discriminates against men.

Having sparked public discussion about the influence and harm of online misogyny, Adolescence presents a catalyst for governments and institutions such as schools, universities, and workplaces to take meaningful action. Yet without proper care and consideration, initiatives aimed to address the issues raised by the show can do more harm than good, says the coalition.

The recommendations draw on years of collective experience and diverse insights on the work to engage men and boys in gender equality around the world. Coming together as MenEngage Alliance, grassroots advocates have been developing practices to engage men and boys, as well as influencing policies in international spaces such as the United Nations, for almost two decades.

Over many years, the coalition has collectively developed and refined a set of Accountability Standards. Developed in consultation with women’s rights groups, the standards draw on the lessons and expertise of organisations working with men and boys around the world to navigate ideas and norms relating to masculinity, to challenge harmful stereotypes about what it means to ‘be a man’, and to engage men and boys in gender equality efforts.

These groups equip boys and young men with tools to foster healthy relationships, understand consent, intervene as active bystanders, and combat sexual harassment—all while addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls, as well as issues that disproportionately affect men, for example relating to mental health.

Commenting on the media attention surrounding Adolescence, Joni van de Sand, co-director of MenEngage Alliance said:

“We welcome the increased public debate sparked by Adolescence around the issue of violence against women and girls, including femicide. But when it comes to finding solutions to the issues raised by the drama, it’s crucial to be informed by the experience, evidence and knowledge that exists around working with boys and men to tackle harmful, misogynistic and often violent ideas that boys and men in particular are being exposed to. When implemented poorly, initiatives and policies can increase the likelihood of harm. It is important to avoid that pitfall.”

Highlighting the issue of online radicalisation, laxman belbase, Co-Director of MenEngage Alliance said:

“It is important to understand that the misogyny we see online is not new, but an extension of what has existed in society for hundreds if not thousands of years—but online tools make it more intense, and easier to reach huge audiences at scale. These online spaces collectively known as the ‘manosphere’ are rife with misinformation and false narratives—claiming that women and feminists are to blame for men’s struggles, and that controlling women and being dominant over other men are paths to success and happiness. Yet, every day, boys worldwide are critically questioning these harmful narratives. Many members of MenEngage Alliance create spaces, online and offline, where they can do so—because without positive alternatives, figures like Andrew Tate fill the void.”

Although Adolescence focuses on a single tragedy and culpability of a teenage boy, the series highlights the range of people and institutions that have a role to play in preventing real-life cases of radicalisation and violence, including the school system, parents, social media platforms, policy-makers, and government agencies.

The recommendations being made by MenEngage Alliance are aimed at supporting efforts to engage men and boys for gender equality and to end violence against women and girls—including trans women and girls—as well as non-binary and gender-diverse people. These recommendations provide pathways to support men and boys themselves to enjoy more fulfilling, healthy, and happier lives.

MenEngage Alliance calls on governments and institutions that play a role in boys’ lives to: 

1. Equip boys and young men to recognise and counter hateful and misogynistic narratives—both online and offline. Integrate structured, well-facilitated spaces into national education systems where boys can openly discuss, question, and reflect on these issues with peers and trained facilitators. Implement campaigns to give boys and men the tools to understand and question manipulative and misogynistic online messages, and to nurture alternative expressions of manhood based on compassion, connection, love, affection, respect, and care.
2. Increase the funding for gender equality initiatives. Given the urgency to focus and prioritise working on gender equality, we advocate for increased funding for gender equality at all levels. It is important to fund robust, sustainable, long-term support for gender equality and ending violence against women and girls, including the work to engage men and boys.
3. Address the root causes, and not only the symptoms, of gender-based violence. For too long, responses to gender-based violence have focused on its aftermath. Yet feminist women’s rights movements have consistently called for a gender-transformative approach – tackling the drivers of violence. This requires addressing the underlying norms, attitudes, and systemic issues that perpetuate it. In practical terms, for programs targeting men and boys, this can include investing in well-designed, ongoing, and well-facilitated prevention programs, among other complementary approaches. These initiatives raise awareness and understanding among men and boys, allowing them to examine the impact of gender norms on themselves and others, to help foster a deep and lasting change that creates a safer and more equitable society for everyone—including themselves.
4. Center accountability in programs with men and boys. Programs aimed at men and boys must be developed in close collaboration with groups representing the interests of survivors and victims of gender-based violence. Without their consultation, input and review, initiatives risk missing vital understandings of how gender based violence and other gendered inequalities show up in the lives of those most impacted by it. Initiatives must be informed by these lived realities, as well as principles of equality and human rights.
5. Give policy makers and educators tools to address harm. The relations between online misogyny, the ‘manosphere’, men and boys’ diverse realities, ideas about masculinity, gender equality, and gender-based violence are complex and impact a wide array of policy decisions. Those responsible for creating policy around these issues, as well as educators and others working directly with boys, must be equipped with a firm understanding informed by evidence and the voices of those most affected by the issues.
6. Hold social media platforms accountable. Concrete steps must be taken to ensure digital technologies, including social media platforms, are a social resource for the benefit of all. The companies behind them must be held accountable for practices that allow harm, including gender-based violence through digital tools, and the promotion of misogyny, other forms of hate speech, disinformation and attacks against women’s rights and human rights defenders.
7. Be alert for red flags. Some initiatives cite genuine challenges faced by men and boys, such as mental health issues, lower life expectancy, and educational disparities in certain regions, to falsely claim systemic oppression of men and boys to the benefit of women and girls. This dangerous narrative ignores the overwhelming evidence of ongoing marginalization and alarming levels of gender-based violence faced by women and girls and gender-non-confirming individuals globally across public and private spheres of life. MenEngage Alliance cautions individuals and institutions developing programs for men and boys to unequivocally distinguish positive approaches from so-called ‘men’s rights’ groups that harbor misogynistic attitudes, often masked by superficial concern for boys.
8. Highlight the benefits of gender equality for men and boys. Men and boys have a stake in gender equality. Narrow and rigid gender norms and stereotypes can harm men and boys in addition to harming women, girls, and non-binary people. Implement policies and programs for men’s own liberation from restrictive and narrow definitions of masculinity, to improve their own lives, the lives of those around them, and all of society.

These recommendations have been developed together with the global Advocacy Working Group, Youth Reference Group, and Communications Working Group of MenEngage Alliance—representing members from diverse contexts and regions of the world.

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