Gendered Polarization, Online Aggression, and Self-Censorship in Korea

How does gendered hostility reshape democratic engagement? This paper examines how the rise of antifeminism among young South Koreans produces everyday practices of self-censorship and selective speech that erode democratic deliberation. Combining a nationwide survey of 994 college students with semi-structured interviews, I trace how perceived aggression—particularly online harassment and anticipatory backlash—shapes gender-related discussion across different settings (classrooms, friend groups, and online platforms). The results show that hostile gender discourse, and the expectation of it, deter both men and women from discussing gender issues in public or mixed-gender settings while encouraging same-gender “safe” enclaves. These patterns extend to other political behaviors, including voting, with individuals who discuss mainly in same-gender groups more likely to vote. I argue that gendered harassment operates as a form of everyday political violence that disciplines speech and weakens the foundations of democratic engagement even in the absence of formal repression. The findings speak to debates on gender politics, online aggression, and the fragility of participatory publics in highly polarized environments.