Discursive practices in the manosphere: an analysis of the language of victimhood and blame in Men’s Rights Activism (MRA)

Abstract This study investigated the discursive strategies and linguistic choices employed in Men’s Rights Activism (MRA) discourse within online platforms, addressing a significant research gap in the pragmatic analysis of masculinist language. The specific objectives of the study were to analyse the frequency and patterns of discursive strategies used to construct collective identity and contest feminist narratives; to examine the linguistic choices that reinforce or challenge dominant gender ideologies; and to explore how these strategies shape perceptions of gender inequality. Grounded in Relevance Theory and Entman’s Framing Theory, the study adopted a mixed-methods design. Data were purposively selected from Reddit and Twitter between January and May 2025, comprising 60 posts. Thematic analysis, supported by frequency counts, was used to identify dominant rhetorical patterns. The study found that MRA discourse centres on personal narratives, frames men as victims, and externalises blame onto feminism through emotionally charged language. It also revealed the strategic use of ideological presuppositions and traditional gender role framing to legitimise activism. The study concluded that MRA discourse is a linguistically structured form of digital activism that constructs meaning, mobilises identity, and challenges prevailing gender ideologies. The study contributed to existing knowledge by shifting analytical focus from ideological content to pragmatic linguistic function, enhancing understanding of gendered digital discourse.