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.
I remember visiting this site a couple years ago and at the time I didn’t really understand what it was all about so I ceased reading, but that was shortly before the MRA found my blog and started commenting, oh about 8 months ago. I have since rediscovered manboobz and I’m so glad I found it again. I can’t help but read content from the manosphere. Their logic strikes my curiosity as well as amusement, but I have been frustrated that I couldn’t find a proper outlet for my frustrations with their tripe, and letting them go on their comment sections has had some pretty insane reactions, as you can imagine. Some of them aren’t so bad but a lot of them won’t listen to anyone without a penis. It was literally a sigh of relief I let out when I came across this blog against a few days ago.
*again a few days ago
Hi Ashley! Why don’t you come join us in an active thread? We would love to have you.
Hi! Has anyone offered you your complimentary hard chair, matching towel set, and SCENTED MOTHERFUCKING CANDLES (delivered by female penguins)?
All these things are supposedly misandry, as are cupcakes, so I guess the care package needs to include cupcakes?
You had me a scented motherfucking candles. đŸ™‚
*at, I shouldn’t type when I’m tired.
While I may not be an MRA, I do find the basic MGTOW idea quite appealing. You should also go back and look up the term involuntary celibacy again. It refers to individuals who are just as attractive as their peers and do not necessarily act that much differently from their peer socially but simply lack the frequency of romantic and sexual encounters as their peers. This idea that it must be their fault that no one is interested is a stigma that only reinforces the loneliness and feelings of inadequacy. I am obviously speaking from experience. While I disagree with demonizing all women due to the actions of a few I suggest exercising extreme caution when interacting with them. To be fair this could also be a side effect of previous relationships.
@danny-boy Feel free to go. Telling a blogger what they “should” do = rude.
Daniel, you must be warned! Right here, right on this very blog, right in this very thread there are woman about! Quickly, go your own way! Flee from this place!
I find it hilarious mgtow so easily interchange ‘never sleep with women’ with ‘never interact with women’. Because why else would you interact with women unless you intended to sleep with them? I really think they should change the name of their movement to ‘douchebags finally deciding to leave women alone’.
@ Daniel- I think you have us ladies confused with sharks. Or stinging wasps. We are, in fact, human animals, and make up about half of the human population. We don’t have claws, or murderous instincts to maul, or anything like that.
@timetravellingfool- I know right? Like, if you don’t want to date anymore, I think that’s a totally valid life choice, and more the power to you. But what do you do if you go out to buy milk and the cashier is a woman? Run screaming in the opposite direction?
@M Dubz- I would literally pay to see that. But it seems like these dudes are really shitty at going their own way. I actually think most of them have more conversations with women than they ever had in their lives to tell those women they never want to speak to them again. And by conversation I mean prolonged whinge, of course.
Oh God the prolonged whinge. But I feel like that mostly happens on the internet. I really want to know what MGTOWs do in the real world. Like, I would love to follow one around with a video camera and see how they behave when confronted with female co-workers, or family members, or gas station attendants. My guess is that they are bitter balls of misogyny, but too much of cowards to pointedly ignore women in real life.
Oh, an incel whiner, never seen one of those before. Daniel, please GYOW already, we don’t… care. Stop acting like a petulant toddler and leave.
@M Dubz- that would be an awesome documentary!! It needs to be done immediately!!
Did someone announce Necro Week and forget to copy me on the memo?
Necro Week: Not as much fun as Shark Week.
Make up your mind, Danny boy. Either whine about never getting Teh Sexy or go your own way. You can’t have both. Involuntary celibacy is better described as bonewhining, because it’s all men moaning that they don’t get sex on demand. Do you have sex with any woman who’s interested in you, or do you have actual, y’know, preferences? Because if you’re turning somenoe down despite being So Desperate, then the whole “incel” idea falls down. It also reflects the general bonerwhiner attitude that women have no right to our own preferences.
Also: “frequency of romantic relationships”. Nope, fail. If you’ve been in relationships and they’ve ended, guess what! You’re living exactly like lots and lots of other people! You’re not special, you’re not incel! Seriously, do you think there is some sort of required number of relationships/sexual encounters? Or are you talking about marriage – which, btw, is what celibacy refers to. Celibacy is not “virgin, yes or no”. If you’ve had sexual relationships then you don’t count as “incel” on that score, and if you were actually using the term celibate properly, then it would only apply if something were preventing you from getting married. “Not having met the right person” doesn’t count.
If we’re voting on this, I vote for Danny going his own way permanently and never talking to a woman again. I think that would be best for everyone.
Say, maybe we should start helping the mgtow movement with their recruiting. Or at least suggest a few recruits we’d like to see sign up. Tom Martin, for instance- since all sex with women is whoring to Tom think of the money he’d save!!
Isn’t that what the men who should not be with women ever tag is for?
@ Cassandra- we are allowed to tag them? Brilliant!! Is it like when scientists tag bears and send them off in the wild to control the population?
If there was a way to distinguish MRAs on sight that would be awesome, but I think tagging them would be a little unethical. If they want to self-identify that would be fine, though. I suggest “No Ma’am!” badges.
So…how do women know which guys they’re supposed to be shunning if they look and act just like everyone else?