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ECPR

Install the app

Install this application on your home screen for quick and easy access when you’re on the go.

Just tap Share then “Add to Home Screen”

"Don't Just Rope Be a HERo": Violence, Gatekeeping, and Identity in Online Incel Forums

Extremism
Gender
Political Violence
Identity
Social Media

Abstract

The internet has allowed the creation of virtual spaces where people and communities can connect; however, it has also created spaces where hate, violence, and extremist ideology have been able to grow and spread. One such ideology is male supremacy, which encompasses several identities and groups that advocate extreme hatred of and violence against women. Incels (Involuntary Celibates), a male supremacy identity, have promoted violence against women online and been linked to violent attacks offline. In November 2017, one of the largest incel forums online, r/incels, was banned from Reddit for hosting content that called for violence or physical harm. Since r/incels was banned, new forums have been created, and users continue to post violent and misogynistic content. While there is a growing body of literature on incels, existing studies have mostly focused on individual violent extremists associated with the incel identity, or in explorations of masculinity in the larger online ‘manosphere.’ Using a digital ethnographic approach of two incel forums, this work attempts to understand how incel identity is constructed and maintained around violence promotion in online incel forums. This work argues that violence has become a norm on incel forums, which is established through gatekeeping measures that are utilized by members to limit outside perspectives, keep members engaged, and promote in-group competition in order to validate their incel identity. The expression of violence is one of the ways in which incels attempt to solidify their identity and status on these forums.