WTF is a MGTOW? A Glossary

On this blog, MRA does not stand for Magnetic Resonance Angiography

NOTE: This page is in desperate need of revision and expansion. In the meantime, I suggest you use Rationalwiki’s Manosphere Glossary.

For newcomers to this blog, here’s a handy guide to some of the strange acronyms and lingo you’ll encounter here and in the “manosphere” in general. (For a definition of that term, see below.) I will update this entry periodically as needed.

First, the acronyms you’ll see most often here:

MRA: Men’s Rights Activist
MRM: Men’s Rights Movement

MGTOW: Men Going Their Own Way MGHOW: Man Going His Own Way.

Ok, so what do those terms mean?

MRM: The Men’s Rights Movement: A loosely defined, but largely retrograde, collection of activists and internet talkers who fight for what they see as “men’s rights.” Unlike the original Men’s Movement, which was inspired by and heavily influenced by feminism, the self-described Men’s Rights Movement is largely a reactionary movement; with few exceptions, Men’s Rights Activists (or MRAs) are pretty rabidly antifeminist, and many are frankly and sometimes proudly misogynistic. Those who oppose the MRM are generally not against men’s rights per se; they are opposed to those who’ve turned those two words into a synonym for some pretty backwards notions.

MGTOW: Men Going Their Own Way: As the name suggests, MGTOW is a lot like lesbian separatism, but for straight dudes. MGTOW often talk vaguely about seeking “independence” from western and/or consumer culture, and a few MGTOW try to live that sort of zen existence. But most of those who embrace the term have a deep hostility towards and/or profound distrust of feminists and women in general. Many MGTOW refuse to date “western women” and some try to avoid women altogether.  I think the Man Going His Own Way acronym MGHOW adds another layer of confusion to an already awkward acronym, so I use MGTOWer instead.

Some other terms and acronyms you’ll run across here:

Anglosphere: Countries in which English is the primary language, or, more narrowly, those countries that used to be British colonies. They are full of evil Western Women (see below).

Incel: Involuntarily Celibate. A term, and identity, adopted by some dateless guys (as well as some women, but it’s the men we’ll focus on here). While there is nothing shameful about being dateless, or a virgin, or having a really long dry spell sexually — most of us have been there at some point — the term “involuntarily celibate” seems to suggest that the world owes incels sex, and that women who turn down incel men for dates or sex are somehow oppressing them. For those (male, straight) incels who are genuinely socially awkward or phobic, this can be a self-defeating stance that can lead to bitterness towards women. And often does.

Mangina: Derogatory term used by MRAs, MGTOW, etc. to describe guys who disagree with them — e.g., me. You can figure out the various connotations of this term yourself.

The Manosphere: The loose collection of blogs, message boards, and other sites run by and/or read by MRAs, MGTOW, and assorted friendly Pick-up Artists. The primary source of material for this blog.

NAWALT: Not All Women Are Like That. Dudes in the manosphere make so many ridiculous and untrue generalizations about women that they’ve come up with their own little acronym to describe the most common reaction to their nonsense: “not all women are like that.” Remarkably, many seem to think that making a reference to NAWALT is actually some sort of clever rebuttal of their critics.

PUA: Pick-up Artist. PUAs are obsessed with mastering what they see as the ultimate set of techniques and attitudes — known as “Game” — that will enable them to quickly seduce almost any woman they want. There is a vast literature on “game” online, though PUA (insofar as it is not complete bullshit) is at its essence simply a male version of the age-old ploy of “playing hard to get.”

Western Women: Also known as WW. Evil harpies, at least according to many in the manosphere. Contrasted with “foreign women,” a term that (in the manosphere, at least) sometimes refers to all women outside the Anglosphere, but often refers to a subset of these women from poor and/or Eastern countries, mostly Asian, who are regarded as more pliable and thus more desirable to haters of “Ameriskanks” and other WW.

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Dar
Dar
9 years ago

dhag85:
“Funny how misogynists like Dar like to claim that women being submissive homemakers is just “natural law”, yet they believe women need to be physically forced to act in a way that is consistent with their nature. It’s like words don’t mean a fucking thing to them.”

Ah yes, I was waiting for the “M”-word to pop. When feminists lose an argument, resort to “sexist!” and “misogynist!”.

If you had basic reading comprehension uncloded by bullshit feminism, you’d know that my whole damned point is that women were NOT forced to be “submissive” (your bullshit wapred feminist term) homemakers, but rather were natuirally inclined towards that role.

The fact is that it is YOU feminist who are the misogynists, since you hate traditional feminine roles and behaviours and attitudes. You see them as weak and “submissive” (again, YOUR word), and believe a “strong” woman, is oe who is like a man. Fights, is aggressive, wants careers, doesn’t give a shit about children and even aborts them if they get in her way, etc… “Penis envy” is what it is.

No surprise given that your whole accursed movement was heavily made up of lesbians.

—-
“It takes a special kind of troll to say ‘feminists hate motherhood’ and in the next breath accuse others of resorting to strawmen. :P”
Yes, because your fellow travellers see it has holding back women from their true call in life: being just like the men.
What do you think abortion is then, if not the violent assault on motherhood?

Here, a fellow traveller:
http://www.babble.com/mom/motherhood-just-another-form-of-oppression/

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

isidore13:
“By Dar’s logic, men should have no desire to interfere in any way with the production or raising of children at all. It’s against (what he says) is the natural order for men to have any interest in children because women bear children, men don’t, and therefore only women have connections to children or feel the need to take care of them. Basically zie is saying men can’t love children. Or am I misinterpreting?”

That’s silly. It’s a question of degrees. It’s like saying because men are the fighters, therefore women are 100% incapable of defending themselves physically.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

katz:
“You know who else has no use for bigger muscles? People who are dead because they picked fights for no reason.
Come on dude, try harder. Even if we’re going by a stupid biological-determinist model, animals go to huge lengths to avoid fights whenever possible. A needless fight is a big risk and a waste of resources for everyone involved. That’s why we developed this whole ‘communication’ thing: So we didn’t need to throw each other through plate glass windows whenever we wanted something.”

That’s not the point. the idea isbn;’t that all men must go out and kill someone somewhere. The idea is that IF there is physical danger, men handle it. IF something needs to be hunted, men handle it. Etc…

Why is this so difficult to understand?
—-
“Thank God, since chimpanzees practice infanticide.”

Yes, so do humans,. It’s called abortion, which you feminists love.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Zeb Berryman:
“Dar: Oh quit this ridiculous essentialist argument about gender. If it were true that women were naturally submissive and incapable of hard work they’d also be incapable of wanting to do those things. They wouldn’t need you to enforce these ideals they’d just cling to them naturally. ”

Again that feminist propaganda word “submissive”.

There is NO need to enforce these, because most women want that role naturally. Which is why YOU feminist need to engage in such massive brain-washing and propaganda and government-programs to get them to do otherwise.

Girls not naturally interested in science? No problem, launch a program to get them to go into science! Sports? Title 9! Fighting? More movies with obligatory “kick-butt chick”!
—-
“Also there were plenty of older societies were sexual acts between the same sex were common such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt and Ancient China so by your own logic yes homosexuality is natural.”

What part of exceptions do not make the rule, don’t you feminists understand? yes homosexuality is naturally occuring among humans, just as being born with 9 finger, but it is rare. If it was the norm, we wouldn’t be here today.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Catalpa:
“@Dar
the natural order is where […] rock is hard
It says something that you can’t even pick a correct example of “things that are clearly true and need no proof to be believed”. Rock isn’t hard, or at least not all rock is hard. Talc is a rock and you can flake huge pieces of it off with just your fingernails. Same with gypsum, and mica.
It’s called the Moh’s hardness scale, you insufferable twit, and it exists because rock and minerals have varying properties and aren’t a monolithic, heterogeneous whole. Considering that you’re supposedly a super smart science dude, I’d expect you’d know something that is elementary-grade geology. But then again, nothing that you’ve been spouting on this thread has been anything approaching correct, so maybe it’s not that big of a surprise.”

That’s just too stupid for words.

You know what I meant, and so does every damned human o this planet. You might as well bitch about how unscientific the phrase”rock hard” is.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Moocow:
“citation needed”?

No you dumb feminist fool, that’s not how it work! The one who natural accepted wisdom and canon is the one who gives citation.
If I say men are generally taller than women, I don’t need a God-damned citation, it is YOU who challenge such an assetion who needs a citation.

You deny that most societies through-out world history were “patriarchal”? If so, how dio THAT come about, if not from biological impreatives.

As for the bonobos, again 100% irrelevant! I never claimed that women don’t enjoy sex, therefore that female bonobos have sex year-round means zilch.
—-
“And do tell, what are the ‘differences’ between the sexes according to that book? I’m curious, as I live in this place called ‘real life’, where men and women and non-gender-binary people are all individuals with their own unique likes/dislikes and their own unique aptitudes/flaws.”

Read the book, you idiot. And no, you don’t live in the “real world”, you live in a feminist circle-jerk bubble where your idiocy is re-inforced by fellow travellers.
—-
“Um yes, someone who thinks that women are ‘inferior to men’ is being sexist. Just like someone who considers blacks to be ‘inferior to whites’ is being racist.”

Ah yes, another feminist tactic, analogize your bullshit with racism.

I never said women were inferior. YOU, as a moron feminist thinkgs that being a woman doing womanly things is “inferior”. You want women doing man things.

As for blacks and racism. Bzzzzz! Sorry, doesn’t wiork that way. There is hardly any difference between a black man and a white man, but there IS a difference between a man and a woman.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Paradoxical Intention:
Maybe you should read YOUR OWN article quote!:

“Unlike most mammalian societies…”

End of story.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Buttercup Q. Skullpants:
“Give me a break. You know what’s vile? Giving actual war criminals a free pass, then suddenly pretending to be oh-so-concerned about civilian casualties in a conflict THEY ASKED US TO INTERVENE IN so you can mimic left-wing rhetoric in a pathetic attempt to play gotcha. Too bad conservatives suck at passing ideological Turing tests.”
Who asked, you brainwashed fool? WHO?! The Western-bcked,-funded, and -armed “rebels” (thugs)?

And when did I give “War crminlas” a pass? bring up Bush and I will gladly condemn him as well.

Iraq was based on lies, and SO WAS LIBYA. You hypocrites who always condemn the other party’s wars but defend your own.

There was ZERO proof of Qadhhafi p[lanniny on doing any such crimes, seeing as how you didn’t do it with other rebel cities he seized. You might as well spout that bullshit “viagra to raping soldiers” lie.
—-
“Don’t tell me Obama = Bush because he intervened to stop a dead certain humanitarian catastrophe from unfolding. Don’t tell me Obama = Bush when the IMMEDIATE fate of tens of thousands of people was in his hands and only the US had the power to act. That’s bullshit, not to mention false equivalency. It’s intellectually and morally lazy thinking.”

Same pukeful logic that the right used to justify their crimes. “Well, look Saddam is a brutal dictator who’s used chemical weapons and abuses his own people, we MUST help lberate them”.

Here is YOUR hero Obama’s work:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/229844/the-day-69-children-died/
And on Libya:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/08/12/the-planned-destruction-of-libya/
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/11/21/libya-creative-destruction/

You feminists truly are wicked.
—-
“This might come as a shock, Dar, and I hope you’re sitting down for this…..Some feminists have kids! And love them! And enjoy being parents! Which has fuck-all to do with biological wiring!”

That’s in SPITE of feminism, not BECAUSE of it. Anyone who suports abortion (as feminists do) can never truly love their children.
—-
“Any counter-examples we come up with, of loving men who nurture babies and strong independent women who fight fires and go off to war, you dismiss as outliers, aberrations who aren’t filling their “natural roles”. I’m no statistician, but it seems to me there’s an awful lot of standard deviations out there in the world that aren’t conforming to your biological determinism.”

No there isn’t except where feminism has infected and brainwashed people.

Dar
Dar
9 years ago

Argenti Aertheri :
“And now I’m cranky. Cuz see, this non-binary trans person quite likes the folks around here, and is a feminist, despite thinking gender roles can fuck off. But I shouldn’t be surprised that the role of trans people in third wave feminism goes WAAAAAAY over Dar’s head.”

A “non-binary trans person”? Bullshit! You’re either a transwoman or transman. Anything else and you’re some bisexual asshole.

And here, for your enjoyment:
http://www.transadvocate.com/unpacking-transphobia-in-feminism_n_9964.htm

Scented Fucking Hard Chairs
Scented Fucking Hard Chairs
9 years ago
Ellesar
Ellesar
9 years ago

This one is more interesting.

weirwoodtreehugger
9 years ago

best gender for doctors? generalyl men, because men are more interested in science.

Actually, traditionally medicine was women’s work.

I’m not putting anymore work into refuting bullshit since you still refuse to back up your claims and any facts that you don’t like are some sort of feminist conspiracy.

weirwoodtreehugger
9 years ago

I don’t know what gender Dar is, but if they’re a man, that makes this exchange all the more hilarious because zie has shown a complete lack of knowledge as to how science works and a lot of the commenters very effectively smacking zir down are women.

I also think it’s funny that Dar only counts work as work when men are doing that work.

Some women have, but most no. Unless you’re refering to working on the home or family farm, in which case it is yet more coy stupidity.

So, farming isn’t work? But it probably is work now because farmers use manly machines like tractors and combines.

Of course, before the industrial revolution, a whole lot of people made their living farming and making crafts. Going to a job outside the home, having an employer. Those became a thing during the industrial revolution. What does Dar think men were doing before that? Does zie think they were all knights or something?

RosaDeLava
RosaDeLava
9 years ago

@Dar
You assume all feminists are atheists; You assume most feminists are jewish (you anti-semitic scumbag); You assume feminists think men who are attracted to non-feminist women have been brainwashed; You assume feminists are against motherhood.

And yet, you’re upset when we assume you’re a MRA.

If you stop assuming our positions for us, then we might extend the same courtesy to you.

And, meanwhile, you could watch “The Real Downton Abbey” Servants: The True Story Of Life Below Stairs and learn one thing or two about housework and physical strenght.

You know nothing of history, you know nothing of science, you know nothing of anthropology, you know nothing of reasoning, and you know nothing of consistency – and you should stop acting like you do.

Scented Fucking Hard Chairs
Scented Fucking Hard Chairs
9 years ago

Okay, serious non-GIF post for a few seconds, then back to the GIFs:

A “non-binary trans person”? Bullshit! You’re either a transwoman or transman. Anything else and you’re some bisexual asshole.

Can I just point out that this tiny paragraph shows us four different things:

1. A classic example of a right-wing reactionary misappropriating SJ language because they flat-out don’t understand that these are real words with real meanings. ABRA KADABRA it ain’t, bro.

2. A fundamental misunderstanding of LGBT+ stuff. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not the same thing. Not even close.

3. Ironically, transphobia! Hooray!

4. And finally, my favourite and the reason why I decided to make this post, the accidental shedding of the “Religious” facade. A fundamentalist Christian would have complemented #2 with an angry slur-dripping rant about “NOT NATURAL. DON’T REAL.” Dude’s just a stock-standard MRA who’s even more ashamed to admit it than most.

RosaDeLava
RosaDeLava
9 years ago

@Argenti Aertheri
Thank you ;^;

dhag85
dhag85
9 years ago

If you had basic reading comprehension uncloded by bullshit feminism, you’d know that my whole damned point is that women were NOT forced to be “submissive” (your bullshit wapred feminist term) homemakers, but rather were natuirally inclined towards that role.

Lol. Yeah, dude, I spotted your contradiction the first time. That was the entire point of my reply. Did you even read it? You claim that behavior X is “natural” for women, yet at the same time you think they need to be coerced into acting in accordance with their natural behavior. That’s a perfect contradiction. You’re hilarious.

dhag85
dhag85
9 years ago

Honestly though, this is probably my least favorite kind of troll – the type that has spent so much time in his own bubble that he thinks using accurate terminology is some sort of gotcha. He thinks he’s scored points by accurately calling people “feminists”. Yeah dude, we already know we’re feminists. You have to actually make some form of argument. This line of “reasoning” is the same one used by conservatives who think they win the argument by accurately calling the opposition “socialist” or “progressive” or “liberal”. They’re so used to such words having negative connotations that they don’t even realize other people don’t necessarily think there’s anything wrong with women having rights, for example.

dhag85
dhag85
9 years ago

A fundamentalist Christian would have complemented #2 with an angry slur-dripping rant about “NOT NATURAL. DON’T REAL.” Dude’s just a stock-standard MRA who’s even more ashamed to admit it than most.

100% agree.

Paradoxical Intention
9 years ago

Dar | September 27, 2015 at 11:56 am
Paradoxical Intention:
Maybe you should read YOUR OWN article quote!:

“Unlike most mammalian societies…”

End of story.

I actually did read it, but I wasn’t trying to make the point that this was common, only that it’s natural, as it occurs in nature, which is what your argument is hinging on. You said it’s “natural” for women to want to be mothers and homemakers, because something something nature, so I presented to you an example in which that’s not true.

Sounds like even you don’t understand where the fuck you’re going with this.

No, actually, it is you and your circle jerk buddies who assume because I am anti-feminist I must be a closet MRA.

Birds of a feather…

No you dumb feminist fool, that’s not how it work! The one who natural accepted wisdom and canon is the one who gives citation.
If I say men are generally taller than women, I don’t need a God-damned citation, it is YOU who challenge such an assetion who needs a citation.

http://lovelace-media.imgix.net/uploads/125/9a7583a0-bf25-0131-ce82-5a44f49f902e.gif

Oh my god. You really don’t know how this shit works, do you?

If I were to say “The sky is green”, it would be my job to provide a citation on that (in general, it would be polite to do so without having to be asked). However, someone can post an opposing citation to prove me wrong, but that’s optional.

It’s not their job to prove you wrong, it’s your job to prove that you’re right! Literally first sentence under Holder of the Burden:

When two parties are in a discussion and one affirms a claim that the other disputes, the one who affirms has a burden of proof to justify or substantiate that claim.

For fuck’s sake, Dar! Learn to Internet Debate before you come in here and shove both feet in your mouth in a display of sheer fuckery.

A “non-binary trans person”? Bullshit! You’re either a transwoman or transman. Anything else and you’re some bisexual asshole.

Wow, not only do you assume you know more about Argenti than Argenti does in terms of their gender, you’re apparently biphobic and transphobic as well!

You wouldn’t like me then, I’m pansexual.

That’s in SPITE of feminism, not BECAUSE of it. Anyone who suports abortion (as feminists do) can never truly love their children.

Oooh, moral proselytizing with nothing to back it up! Smells like Bible Thumping! Shan’t work on me though, I’m pagan and don’t give a fuck about your particular morality being shackled to your religion, and I give more of a fuck about the health and safety of already born people than I do the unborn.

Even in non-agriculutral cultures, women are still the primary child-rearers, and women the fighters and leaders.

I think this is my favorite bit out of all that nonsense though. Freudian slip, maybe?

San
San
9 years ago

@Dar

“Maybe if I didn’t get fifty morons spouting nonsense at me, then I wouldn’t need to write fifty replies”

If you give fifty replies of nonsense,you will get more ‘morons’ replying to you

San
San
9 years ago

@Dar

“Ofcourse, a feminist AND a dirty atheist.”

Yet this guy claimed to be an observer of democrats and republicans similiarities but he sounds like a republicans.

San
San
9 years ago

@DAr

“No, it is you feminist who want to use government programs and brainwashing to force women to abandone their natural instincts. Thus that silly “Take your daughter to work day”

Natural instinct?!.

Boy my mom & Dad must be the freak of nature cause it was my dad who cooks most of the time while my mom went to work.P.S: they’re not atheists but buddhist

San
San
9 years ago

@Dar

“Some women have, but most no. Unless you’re refering to working on the home or family farm, in which case it is yet more coy stupidity.”

Well,I guess men from my earlier generations can’t considered as doing real work then because most of them had worked on the farm or home,in which case YOUR CASE more coy stupidity from you..

Buttercup Q. Skullpants
Buttercup Q. Skullpants
9 years ago

Now Dar’s just disintegrating into “feminist brainwashed argle bargle feminist hypocrite fool feminist.” Boring.

@dhag – Spot on. I can’t stand the way conservatives sling accurate identifying terminology at their opponents, as if labeling their opponents is some kind of huge, terminal zinger that should end the debate right then and there. “Typical liberal….typical female…” They take it as axiomatic that everyone thinks exactly like them, therefore everyone knows “feminist” is another word for “uninformed” and “evil” and can be used as shorthand for such. The idea is if you repeat the label enough times in the vicinity of unflattering adjectives like “brainwashed” and “degenerate”, it will stick in the minds of the public as an interchangeable synonym (see: Karl Rove). They never bother to show that feminists are uninformed and evil, of course. We’re just supposed to take their word for it.

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