Masculinists, redpills and other tragicomic controversies on YouTube

Abstract

This article analyzes how YouTube has been used by Brazilian influencers to disseminate masculinist, antifeminist, and redpill discourses, often in connection with right-wing political discourses. The study focuses on three YouTube channels selected for their significant audience and sustained presence over time, with data collected in two phases: 2023 and 2025. Using a digital ethnographic approach, the research involved observing videos, discourse, and imagery disseminated by these channels, with an emphasis on the strategies employed to discredit feminism and reinforce traditional gender roles. Although the three channels adopt distinct styles — one more "academic," another with a humorous tone, and the third openly redpill — they converge in important ways: the repetition of arguments, manipulation of data, and the distortion of narratives to support masculinist and antifeminist viewpoints. The study also highlights the central role of algorithms, monetization, and language as instruments of power in shaping a misogynistic digital culture. These findings underscore the importance of understanding such dynamics in the contemporary struggle over meanings related to gender and power on social media platforms.