'Are (All) Boys Really Like That?': A comic strip exploring masculinity, radicalisation, misogyny and violence

‘Are (All) Boys Really Like That?’ is the first of a three-part comic strip series made through a collaborative process by members of the Global Youth Reference Group of MenEngage Alliance.

The Netflix miniseries Adolescence tells the story of the misogynistic killing of a teenage girl, Katie, by her 13-year-old classmate, Jamie. In four episodes, the series immerses viewers into the pain caused by Jamie’s violence and gives a glimpse into how Jamie was radicalised through his online life.

The show sparked global conversations about the dangers of boys being radicalized into misogyny and violence — particularly through online spaces known as ​“the manosphere,” which glorify violence against women and gender diverse people.

This three-part comic strip was borne out of discussions among members of the Youth Reference Group in response to Adolescence.

The MenEngage Alliance Youth Reference Group came together to analyse the show’s portrayals of masculinity from a feminist perspective — reflecting on what was captured, what was missing, and what must be addressed to challenge patriarchal masculinities, misogyny, and the manosphere.

Out of these reflections came the idea to use comics as a creative tool to communicate and engage communities in thinking about patriarchal masculinity and social transformation.

This comic strip series is a collaborative creation that aims to make conversations about issues raised by Adolescence — around masculinity, radicalisation, misogyny and violence – more accessible, while addressing issues that were underexplored in the show.

Grounded in an intersectional and accountable feminist approach, this Comic strip series seeks to deepen engaging with young men and boys.

Illustrator and designer

Sari Kamiyama (she/​​they) is a researcher and activist focused on men and masculinities studies. She is the founder and president of the International Men and Masculinities Studies Society (IMSS), a student organisation in Tokyo, and a current MA student at Waseda University in Japan. Sari is an individual member of the global MenEngage Alliance, where she also participates in the Climate Justice Working Group and Youth Reference Group.

Content development

Alex Nelson (he/​​him) is a human rights advocate, researcher, and community organizer specializing in gender justice, masculinities, and youth engagement in global policy spaces.

Shalinee Bahadur (she/​​her) is a young Indo-Caribbean feminist, based in Trinidad and Tobago. She is the Administrator of the Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN), the regional network of MenEngage Alliance in the Caribbean, and is committed to the struggle for gender justice. Shalinee contributed to the content development of the project.

Aromo Odero (they) is inspired and moved to action by those dedicated to building a more just and regenerative world. They are committed to co-creating decolonial social structures that strengthen solidarity, connection, and care. They support communications within MenEngage Global Secretariat and live in Kenya.

Dag Schölper (he/​​him, b. 1977). In the project, he was an experienced and creative advisor for content development. Dag is Managing director of the German umbrella organization for gender equality-oriented men’s policy, Bundesforum Männer, which is a member of MenEngage Alliance.