Masculinity, media and meaning: preparing teachers to navigate the manosphere in the algorithmic age

Purpose In response to the documented rise of misogynistic attitudes and behaviors in secondary schools, this essay aims to examine the manosphere as a literacy issue with implications for English Language Arts (ELA) education. As digital platforms increasingly shape how adolescents encounter and make sense of gender and power, understanding the role of algorithmic systems has become critical. The essay argues that algorithmic literacy should be a central component of ELA teacher preparation. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, this essay synthesizes research on the manosphere, masculinity, critical media literacy and algorithmic literacy. The analysis examines how these bodies of literature intersect and considers their implications for ELA pedagogy and teacher education. Findings This essay suggests that the manosphere gains influence through the intersection of emotional vulnerability, misogynistic ideology and algorithmic amplification. Recommendation systems can increase exposure to masculinist content, while schools serve as sites where these discourses are enacted and contested. This essay identifies algorithmic literacy as a necessary extension of critical media literacy and outlines a pedagogical plan that prepares preservice teachers to critically examine digital platforms and gendered content online. Originality/value This essay contributes to scholarship by connecting research on the manosphere, masculinity and algorithmic systems with secondary school environments. It positions algorithmic literacy as an essential component of literacy education and offers a pedagogical approach for teacher education.