Constructing Masculinities in the Manosphere's Discourse on Prostitution

The changes in masculine subjectivation in late modernity and the crisis of neoliberal subject cultures can trigger authoritarian reactions. From a gender sociological perspective, the reference to traditional ideals of masculinity is particularly relevant in this context. The emergence of the so-called Manosphere can be considered as a manifestation of these developments. With reference to Connell’s work on Hegemonic Masculinity we understand this as a defence of a masculine self-perception whose hegemony is perceived as being threatened.

Especially the engagement of the Manosphere with the topic of prostitution offers an often-unrealised potential to elaborate implicit masculine self-perceptions in digital communication. Therefore, we focus on how the interpretation of prostitution by actors in the Manosphere is accompanied by discourses of subjectivation. Our presentation addresses the gender images within the framework of a sociological discourse analysis of postings from a sex buyer online forum (USA Sex Guide) and a key forum of the so-called Incels (incel.is). We identify central themes of gender-related understandings of subjects and further interpret them through a fine-grained sequential analysis.

In sex buyer forums, the entitlement to sex manifests especially through the commodification and objectification of women and demands for specific sexual practices, while in Incel forums, prostitution is portrayed as both a desperate last resort and a symbol of masculine failure, reflecting a broader frustration with unmet expectations of male entitlement. Despite surface-level differences, the underlying discourse of male entitlement connects incels and sex buyer forums, manifesting in different yet related ways. Our findings reveal how these online spaces contribute to a shared discourse around male entitlement, positioning sex as an assumed fundamental male right that reflects broader tensions surrounding masculinity in contemporary society.