tAdolescence is the latest show to take Netflix by storm, and the topical limited series is already earning lots of praise from critics. Adolescence, which is told in real-time using a one shot method to film the action as it happens, follows the story of Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murder, as he navigates the justice system while his family deals with the repercussions at home. Alongside the brilliant acting (Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty and Stephen Graham all have starring roles), the show doesn't shy away from heavy-hitting topics such as misogyny and the online 'manosphere.'
The show does not deal with 'misogynist influencer' Andrew Tate or incel culture directly, an intentional decision by writer Jack Thorneto shed light on the complicated influences impacting young people and explore 'male rage.' He told The Independent 'The kids aren't watching Andrew Tate,' continuing 'They're watching a lot more dangerous stuff than Andrew Tate. We were trying present a portrait of complexity of this kid that had been made by all sorts of different influences and the thing about incel culture is there's a logic to it.'
Incel culture is never far from the headlines and naturally Adolescence has reignited interest in it.
What does the term incel mean?
'Incel' is a blend of the words 'involuntary celibate.' At its most basic level, incel describes someone, usually a male, who is frustrated by their lack of sexual experiences. An incel is defined as 'heterosexual men who blame women and society for their lack of romantic success,' according to theAnti-Defamation League, which works to address hate and extremism.
Where did incel culture come from?
You might be surprised to learn that the person who coined the term incel was actually a woman. In the late 1990s, a woman called Alana coined the term involuntary celibate in the late 1990s to describe her own experience of not having sex and not being in a relationship. The aim of her movement was to create an inclusive community, taking in those whose sex lives had been marginalised for reasons ranging from rigid gender norms to mental illness or social awkwardness. However, over time, misogyny infiltrated the community and turned it into something far from a safe space. Now, Alana says misogynists 'hijacked' her term.
In 2014, the magazine Mother Jones covered the story of Elliot Rodger, a man who killed six people and injured 14 others in California in 2014. In online posts he lashed out at women for rejecting him romantically, and Rodger had described himself as an incel. In the years since, the term has become tied to a deeply misogynistic online subculture that at times called for rape and other violence toward women.
What is the manosphere?
You might have heard the term manospherebefore, which is closely tied to incel culture. According to Internet Matters, the manosphere is a network of online men’s communities against the empowerment of women and who promote anti-feminist and sexist beliefs. These groups place the blame on women and feminists for many problems in society, and many encourage resentment, or even hatred, towards women and girls.
Who is Andrew Tate?
Andrew Tate is kickboxer and ex-Big Brother contestant, who shot to fame on TikTok thanks to his terrifyingly misogynistic beliefs. He has been connected to the dark corner of the internet in which young boys are being radicalised from the certain viewpoint.
Tate markets himself as an alpha male lifestyle coach, and preaches misogyny to his followers. ‘Females are barely sentient,’ he once claimed. ‘Females don’t have independent thought. They don’t come up with anything. They’re just empty vessels, waiting for someone to install the programming.’ He has been banned from several social media platforms.
In 2022, Andrew and his brother Tristan were arrested along with two Romanian woman on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Both have denied the charges.
Why did Stephen Graham explore incel culture in Adolescence?
Adolescence is not based on a true story, but Graham was inspired by a real life moment. 'I read an article about a young girl who was stabbed to death by a young boy, and then a few months later, on the news there was a young girl who, again, had been brutally stabbed to death by a young boy in a completely different part of the country,' he told Sky News. 'If I'm really honest with you, that hurt my heart and I just thought, why? Why does this kind of thing happen? What is this society? Why have we reached this point where this kind of thing is happening? What was the reason?'
He went on to explain that his drama doesn't have the answer to these questions, but instead asks society how these movements can be stopped. 'You look at it and you see that we're kind of all accountable to an extent. There's failings within the school system, there's situations where the education system can look at this, look at what's happened with that kind of rise in these misogynistic tendencies,' he said. 'The society as a whole can look at this, parents obviously can look at this, and the government in many ways.'
What has Ashley Walters said about incel culture?
Ashley Walters stars alongside Graham in the series. He has previously spoken about the process of researching these online groups, which shocked him. 'I'd seen bits of the Andrew Tate stuff kind of popping up online or whatever, but I never really delved into it. And for me, this was the first real experience,' he told Sky News.
He continued: 'I do sometimes feel sorry for [kids]. When I was growing up, I was in a bubble. I didn't have a clue what was going on in the States and other parts of the world. It was just kind of in my little area that I grew up in with my family... I wasn't seeing Bentleys and designer clothes and all of this stuff. It's like I was happy with what I had. And now you're exposed to everything. It's no wonder that kids mentally grow up quicker.'