On March 11, Netflix released a 90-minute documentary “Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere.” Louis Theroux, renowned journalist, broadcaster and author, showcased the emerging views of a network of creators who have coined themselves the “manosphere.”
The term “manosphere” refers to online spaces that promote male-focused ideologies from fitness, finances and, more dangerously, male supremacy. Through the documentary, Theroux interviewed and addressed famous manosphere, or “alpha male,” creators, notably Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky), Amrou Fudi (Myron Gaines), Andrew Tate and Justin Waller. These influencers have received heavy heat from the internet for their controversial quotes and ideas but have also accumulated a considerable fanbase of young men.
Hillcrest High School junior Keegan Balluck said that these influencers have no effect on how he leads his life.
“I’ve seen them online for a long time, since I was in middle school,” Balluck said. “But my friends and I don’t view them as role models. They are just funny to listen to and get references from.”
Although Balluck believes the ideologies spread by the manosphere are distasteful, he doesn’t believe they will have a major impact on the younger generation.
“I mean, sure, there will always be some fans who faithfully believe everything they say, but most people see their misinformation for what it is,” Balluck said. “I don’t think they will have a big impact on most of our generation, who can see between right and wrong.”
In late 2025, streamer Clav(icular) (Braden Peters) exploded across all platforms, specifically Kick, a livestreaming platform, for his attempts to “looksmax,” or maximize his physical attractiveness. In this process, Clav promoted dangerous methods such as bone smashing, methamphetamines for weight loss and anabolic steroids for aesthetics. Today, Clav boasts over 28 million likes on TikTok.
Although most viewers don’t attempt to fully replicate Clav’s methods, the influencer’s terminology has gained popularity among many teens. Balluck jokingly used words with the suffix -maxxing frequently when referring to Clav.
“I want to looksmax 24/7,” Balluck said. “[Clav] says stuff like that, and everyone latches onto his way of speaking.”
While Balluck views this content as comedic and nonsensical, junior Lily Navitskas sees these influencers in a different light. After watching the documentary, Navitskas believed Theroux accurately represented the manosphere.
“I thought it was a pretty good representation,” Navitskas said. “As women push into professional and collegiate spaces, [these creators] view that as women taking things from them, so they try and prop themselves up to a time when they took up more space.”
Although the outwardly racist, homophobic and misogynistic ideologies seem impossible to follow to some, Navitskas has witnessed real fans of these creators.
“I have a family friend who goes to Jesuit, and I have tried to tell him that I think a lot of [the creators] are ragebaiting for clout,” Navitskas said. “But he is in an all-boys environment, doesn’t have any female friends of his own and thinks me and my sisters are stupider than him.”
Navitskas said she has noticed a difference in treatment towards her and her sisters compared to others, a behavior that Navitskas believes is from his promotion of these male creators.
“He justifies every accomplishment me or [my sisters] have, so I think he also thinks there are advantages for everyone but him, so he views us as a little bit less than,” Navitskas said.
Just like Balluck, Navitskas regularly sees manosphere content on her TikTok, more recently Clav. Bone smashing, a trend within looksmaxxing of applying blunt force to facial bones with the intention of making a more chiseled, masculine face, has frequently appeared on Navitskas’s for-you page.
“I’ve seen a lot of bone smashing, and I think it stems from insecurities now that social media is big,” Navitskas said. “Back then, you wouldn’t see as many really beautiful people, but now that social media is only pushing the best of the best, once you see all of it you forget what normal people look like.”
Overall, Navitskas believes that the manosphere will have a lasting effect on the younger generation.
“I think [the creators] are starting to radicalize young men more than they should, because they are so far extreme that they are starting to make extreme sexism seem more normal and mainstream,” Navitskas said. “I think it’s going to divide young men and women more and more.”
