Performing Popular Misogyny
Male Influencers, Gender and Social Media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/kkf.v39i1.156194Keywords:
popular misogyny, gender, masculinity, social media, manfluencersAbstract
This article examines how male influencers can contribute to the spread of misogynistic discourses on social media in Norway. Through an analysis of the social media content produced by Norwegian influencer Sebastian “Baris” Brevik in 2022 and 2023, it explores how misogynistic and reactionary gender discourses are embedded in lifestyle content, humor and irony. Drawing on Banet-Weiser’s (2018) analytical framework that highlights popular misogyny as a structural force, the article illustrates how misogyny is entrenched in influencer personas on mainstream social media. It emphasises how influencers like Brevik can act both as ideological entrepreneurs and intermediaries, who help reactionary discourses reach a wide audience by weaving them into formats that are suitable for social media platforms. The analysis reveals how strategic ambivalence makes misogynistic discourses more culturally acceptable. Furthermore, by situating Brevik within the broader context of the “neo-manosphere,” the article seeks to understand how misogyny and reactionary gender discourses are performed and negotiated in contemporary digital culture.References
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