Welsh teenager says online ‘looksmaxxing’ culture left him considering self-harm

Nation.Cymru staff

A Welsh teenager has spoken about how online influencer culture centred on male appearance and masculinity left him contemplating self-harm at the age of 14.

The account features in a new S4C documentary examining the influence of the “manosphere” on young men in Wales and their attitudes towards women, relationships and themselves.

In Sara Manchipp: I Mewn i’r Manosphere, former Miss Wales Sara Manchipp explores the growth of online communities that promote controversial ideas about masculinity, relationships and gender.

Among those featured is Abishek, who describes the impact of “looksmaxxing”, an online trend that encourages young men to maximise their physical attractiveness through appearance-focused advice and, in some cases, extreme measures.

Recalling a low point in his life, he says: “At the age of 14 I was standing at my bathroom mirror at 2am with a hammer in my hands having tears running down my face. I started thinking about everything and decided to lower the hammer.”

Abishek is a member of Men Tomorrow, a group of young men that also includes Chase Campbell, a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament for Blaenau Gwent, and Josh Sargent.

Campbell argues that economic and social factors have made some communities particularly vulnerable to the influence of toxic online content.

“The problem in Wales can be quite unique, especially with the area I’m from in the Valleys, an area that’s experienced really heavy economic deprivation over the past 40, 45 years now,” he says.

“I think the issues that drive men towards this toxic masculinity culture are exacerbated here. Lack of social spaces, lack of role models, no kind of real career prospects, making people turn to more desperate places online.”

The two-part documentary is produced in partnership with researchers at Swansea University and includes findings from a survey of 16 to 20-year-olds across Wales examining attitudes towards relationships, misogyny, online culture, pornography and mental health.

The survey was carried out by S4C, Swansea University academics Dr Andrew Thomas and Dr Joe Whittaker, and Colegau Cymru.

Manchipp, who was crowned Miss Wales in 2011, also reflects on her own experiences of stalking and online abuse. She describes how those experiences have shaped her concerns as the mother of a young son.

“Tomos, my son, is the light of my life,” she says.

“My experience with a stalker has made me much more worried about the world he’s going to grow up in.”

Swansea University has become a leading centre for research into online male extremist communities, including so-called incel groups.

Transformed

Dr Joe Whittaker said the internet has transformed the ability of people with extreme views to find one another.

“Angry young men who are unable to form relationships have always existed – that’s nothing new.

“Fifty years ago, however, it wasn’t easy to find others who shared extreme ideological views. What the internet has fundamentally changed is the ability to find and connect with those communities.”

Campbell also highlighted the decline of youth facilities across Wales, arguing that the loss of social spaces has contributed to growing mental health problems among young people.

“Social clubs and youth community centres have lost funding – over a thousand have shut in the past 15 years but there’s been no effort to bring them back.”

Sara Manchipp: I Mewn i’r Manosphere will be available on S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and YouTube from 18 June.