Manosphere language is increasingly finding its way into Australian classrooms, but hearing a student use an unfamiliar term does not mean they endorse the ideas behind it.
As schools face growing online misogyny, two Australian organisations have launched a free glossary to help adults decode boys’ online language.
Developed by Teach Us Consent and The Man Cave, Decoding and Discussing the Manosphere is an interactive tool covering more than 60 terms, accompanied by a guide to navigating conversations about them.
Understanding what’s behind the language
The manosphere refers to a network of online communities and creators targeting boys and men. Its content ranges from self-improvement advice to material promoting hostility towards women and minority groups.
Some expressions have become part of everyday slang, often appearing in jokes, memes and group chats without much consideration of their origins.
For example, ‘mogging’, named Collins Dictionary’s 2026 Word of the Year, is commonly used to describe outperforming someone in appearance or status. Others, such as ‘the wall’, reinforce the belief that women lose their value as they approach 30.
The distinction matters as research points to increasing misogynistic behaviour in schools, raising questions about how educators should interpret and address language associated with online communities.
Ben Vasiliou, chief executive of The Man Cave, said adults should avoid immediately assuming that young people subscribe to the beliefs associated with particular terms.
“Hearing a young person use one of these terms doesn’t automatically mean they believe the message behind it. A lot of this language spreads through jokes, memes and group chats, often without much thought,” Vasiliou said. “But words do matter. When harmful language becomes normal, the ideas behind it can start to feel normal too, so it’s worth paying attention to without panicking.”
The new glossary explains each term’s meaning, origins and common usage, providing context for deciding whether and how to respond.
Keeping conversations open
Beyond understanding the terminology, the organisations are encouraging adults to engage young people in discussions about the content they encounter online.
The accompanying How to Talk About the Manosphere guide offers advice on starting these conversations, listening without judgement and challenging harmful ideas without shaming young people.
Its approach reflects findings from Jesuit Social Services’ Adolescent Man Box study, which surveyed 1,401 Australians aged 14 to 18. The research found that parents had a greater influence on young people’s ideas about how boys should behave than online influencers.
Teach Us Consent founder and chief executive Chanel Contos also raised concerns about social media algorithms exposing boys to content they have not actively sought out. Her comments follow calls for changes to social media recommendation algorithms, amid concerns about their role in amplifying misogynistic content.
The resources were launched on 4 November at Parenting in the Age of Algorithms, an event at the State Library of NSW featuring discussions with parenting and youth development specialists.
Both resources are available online, with the glossary set to receive regular updates as new terminology emerges.