I come across a lot of different shit in my research on ‘heroic rape’ art and rape culture in general, and most of it doesn’t change the way I think about a lot of the issues. But @IncelProject somewhat did.
Incels are not directly related to my research, but as it is a community that is mostly known to breed misogyny and radicalisation, it’s something of interest to me. They are also not unknown for rape related comments and jokes.
I’ve had strong opinions about incels, largely based on generalised media coverage of radical individuals, or bite sized social media shit posts taken out of context. When I came across the podcast “Incel” I was intrigued and highly sceptical.
I had all of the questions probably most of us would have, and yes, a lot of judgements. I’m currently 12 episodes in and I’ve found myself confronted by my own biases plenty of times. It is confronting, occasionally enraging, but it’s incredibly insightful and educational.
But most of all, it’s really important. By creating a toxic image that generalises all of them, we are pushing the radicalisation ourselves. I’m not saying I agree with them or their beliefs, but after listening to hours of interviews, I am understanding that the image we...
... have of incels is largely inaccurate and extremely incomplete. A radical few have been able to take over the public narrative of what is the reality of many, largely aided by sensationalist media.
This podcast shows the humanity of incels media does not afford us, and highlights a lot of the mental health issues many in the community suffer from. It feels pretty weird to feel sympathetic towards a group that I previously held such strong judgements about.
Anyway, as a woman, an outspoken feminist and academic, I highly recommend listening. It’s been thought provoking and the first podcast I’ve ever binged on. It’s on ITunes and Spotify. Now, back to listening. #incel
