By Harry Gustafson
Boston University News Service
In just a few short weeks, Netflix’s “Adolescence” skyrocketed into the platform’s “Best Ever Two-Week Total for a Limited Series.” The four-episode miniseries details the fallout after Jamie, a 13-year-old boy in England, is arrested for the murder of a classmate.
While the show is a work of fiction, it’s based on real issues. Stephen Graham, who plays Jamie’s father and is the show’s co-creator and writer, has said that the premise is inspired by rising rates of knife violence in the United Kingdom, as well as real-life murder cases of young girls at the hands of young boys.
It’s no mistake that the show name-drops Andrew Tate in its second episode. Tate is a former kickboxer and current social media influencer who is particularly popular among adolescent boys both in the U.K. and in the U.S. But, other online personalities like Mr. Beast, IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat are just as popular in this age group. So what makes Tate’s presence so potentially dangerous that a Netflix show about youth violence and male aggression makes it a point to mention him?
Unpacking some of Tate’s highly-publicized views on women might offer an explanation.
According to the BBC, Tate is a self-proclaimed misogynist. An example of his beliefs can be seen on the post below, where he shared how he believes women shouldn’t vote to his 10 million followers on X. He is a figurehead of the “manosphere,” an online cultural movement that promotes and opposes feminist movements like #MeToo.
The “manosphere” doesn’t solely target cisgendered women: gay, trans and nonbinary people are also groups on the receiving end of this ire. This community has been linked to online harassment campaigns and far-right political ideologies.
Both Tate and his brother, Tristan, are legally in some hot water, awaiting a criminal trial in Romania on charges of sex trafficking and rape. Though the brothers deny the charges, the ongoing investigation has become more severe, with additional charges levied against the brothers. This includes sex trafficking of a minor and establishing an organized crime ring.
Earlier this year, the Tates left Romania and returned to the U.S., but that did not prove to be much of an escape from criminal charges. In early April, it was revealed that a civil defamation case the Tate brothers were filing will be postponed until a U.S. federal investigation against the brothers is complete.
Considering his opinions on women as well as the numerous international criminal charges levied against him, Tate’s influence and status as a “role model” to young men is a concern to many parents, educators and psychologists.
In episode three of “Adolescence,” Jamie meets with Briony, a forensic psychologist who interrogates him. At times, Jamie is calm, friendly and willing to work with Briony. But when pressed, he explodes in anger and frustration. He lies about having sexual encounters with classmates and complains about questions relating to his father. Finally, as their session comes to an end, a desperate Jamie asks Briony if she likes him personally, sending him into another fit of rage when the psychologist refuses to answer.
This episode in particular was largely representative of a growing “male loneliness epidemic” that many psychology and sociology experts have described. The term “incel,” short for “involuntarily celibate,” has become a commonplace derogatory term for men experiencing this. The “80-20 rule,” referenced in Jamie’s dialogue with Briony, is a pseudoscientific theory that claims that 80% of women are attracted to 20% of men.
While “Adolescence” doesn’t offer direct solutions to the issue of violence, it does hint at some ways to address the “manosphere” culture that is at the center of it. The fourth and final episode of the miniseries features Jamie’s parents still struggling to figure out where they went wrong 13 months after the incident.
Online misogyny researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, claim that boys online are being fed misogynistic beliefs through their online activity. They propose that parents have open, respectful conversations about their children’s online activity. This involves asking their children what they believe, why they believe it, the source from which they got the information and teaching them the distinction between verifiable, objective information and subjective opinions.
A great example of this recently came from a mother on TikTok. In the video, she describes an encounter with her teenage son. After hearing her son make a disparaging comment about women being financially motivated in romantic relationships, she opted to probe a little deeper. This prompted a long conversation that the mother says successfully changed her son’s point of view.
“Adolescence” seeks to address these issues in the U.K. Many British schools have made efforts to ban cell phone use by students, but parents will still need to monitor their children’s online activity outside of academic settings.
While Tate’s legal fate hangs in the balance, his impact on young men around the world can be felt. It may be up to parents to decide how much further that influence extends.
