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.
GREETINGS, AND WELCOME TO ASSHOLE-TO-ENGLISH TRANSLATION, COURTESY OF ALLCAPS(TM) TECHNOLOGY.
“”Wow, you feminists have such an entitlement complex that you attack men for going their own way now too.””
I AM GOING MY OWN WAY, AND BY THAT I MEAN ON MY WAY TO RANT ABOUT WOMEN.
“”You have obviously project your own entitlements on men. Case point, you idiots have your equal opportunity yet you still think that you are entitled to be paid the same amount for some useless job as a man who does do a useful and dangerous job.””
I COMPLAIN ABOUT MEN BEING DISPOSABLE BUT I DON’T ACTUALLY WANT THIS TO CHANGE, SO WATCH ME FABRICATE A STRAWMAN TO AVOID AGREEING WITH FEMINISTS ON ANYTHING! DIE, STRAWMAN, DIE!
“”You sit there and have no problem demanding that men take you out on expensive dates and then you get the one misguided soul that does then you mock him for it. Meanwhile you jump into the bed with some of the biggest losers and then wonder why you have 15 kids from 10 different dudes and some how it is other peoples’ fault and responsibility to support you.””
I BUY YOU DINNER AND YOU HAVE THE GALL TO NOT OPEN YOUR LEGS! I THOUGHT WE HAD A CONTRACT HERE! SLUT! WELFARE QUEEN! WHY WON’T YOU SLEEP WITH ME?! ;_;
“”You sit there and demand everyone else pay for your birth control and then have the gall to tell some sap who may have shelled out $100 on a dinner for you that he is an “entitled asshole” to expect sex?””
I AM PAYING FOR YOUR SLUTTINESS WITH MY TAX DOLLARS! YOUR VAGINA SHOULD BE A PUBLIC SERVICE!
“”You falsely accuse men of rape, ruining their lives and when it comes to light the woman blatantly lied there is silence on your part.””
WHAT ABOUT FALSE RAPE ACCUSATIONS? HUH? HUH? BETCHA DIDN’T THINK ABOUT THAT! CHECKMATE, FEMINISTS!
“”You have the gall to tell men going overseas to places where they are in constant harms way serving their nation that they would have no idea how oppressed women are.””
NOW I AM GOING TO PRETEND THAT FEMINISTS NEVER FOUGHT FOR WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ARMY, BECAUSE IT’S CONVENIENT TO USE THE MEN WHO DIED FOR MY COUNTRY AS A CUDGEL TO BASH ON WOMEN!
And that’s not even taking into account the fact that women in the military are far more likely to be sexually assaulted by their fellow soldiers than men, and far less likely to be sexually assaulted by their enemies. So, um, anti-feminists really need to drop the “The military is MISANDRY” bullshit.
@pecunium, @cassandrasays
That’s entirely fair. Like I’ve said before, I’ve decided to move away from that identity. It’s clearly a failing of the self and how I wound up here isn’t because of society or “feminazis” or whatever bullshit justification others are using for it. It’s a complicated journey of the self and even if I’m not the one who broke me, I’m clearly the one who has to clean up the mess.
I don’t think CR’s coming back. I think we might have had an MRA hit and run. A bullshit internet drive by.
taitsanchez: Crap, that got cut off: As to the other: I had read all of it. I still see a fundamental aspect of the concept being glossed. It doesn’t mean I think you are a bad person, but I do think you are missing a big part of what agency is.
Benefit of doubt doesn’t apply to that. I am willing to grant you the BoD in claims that you don’t think rape is acceptable, but I don’t have doubt about what you said. It’s possible it’s not what you mean, fine. But I am not able to divine what you believe apart from what you say.
And that’s true even with the example I made of Mr. Williams. I interpreted what he did say, to divine what it meant; because thoughts carry context. I’m not going to hammer on it, right now (apart from this digression) that line of discussion seems fairly concluded.
If it comes up again, I will address what comes up there, and try to take those thoughts in their own right. I am (and I apologise if it sound patronising), willing to assume you are here in good faith, and treat you as a person of good will.
Also I totally looked up GGG.
I think I’m going to cry.
pecunium – What I meant by that is that even without being on the front lines, being in the combat zone still puts you at risk, granted not as great a risk but it’s still there. Claiming that only men put there lives on the line by being there or that there aren’t women in combat zones is simply dishonest.
Ally: And that’s not even taking into account the fact that women in the military are far more likely to be sexually assaulted by their fellow soldiers than men, and far less likely to be sexually assaulted by their enemies. So, um, anti-feminists really need to drop the “The military is MISANDRY” bullshit.
To be fair, the odds of a person who is assaulted while in the service being sexually assaulted by another service member are about the same (which is to say most of the men who are assaulted are also assaullted by men in the service; and it’s more common that reported). What’s different is the rate at which women are assaulted (in part because women make up a smaller percentage of the service, so they have less, “herd immunity”).
As to rape, post capture, we don’t have a large enough sample size to say; and that’s without the problems of different cultures treated captured soldiers in
I have links for military sexual assault survivors if anyone wants them btw.
Λυνα : Ah. Ok.
He’s pretty much what the whole incel idea leads to.
Something that really Irks me about the MRA ‘movement’ (ha. like they are moving.) Is how often they contradict themselves for a cheap Jab at Woman. I mean, To a degree it makes sense, Because it is a rather diverse set of beliefs, but You would THINK that someone who thinks tat they are an ‘incel’ would not feel right associating with people who assume that all woman are ‘spermjacking’ I mean, Which is it? Are woman pressing for sex to steal the Beta male’s sperm, or are they forcing Beta male’s to b Celibate by force?
The entire movement is FULL of that kind of crap.
“Your a woman who wants to have sex? your a slut and should be ashamed, because your just screwing Alpha males! Also Feminism uses sexual liberation to control men! ”
“Your a woman who doesn’t want to have sex? Well then your using the ‘pussy pass’ To keep men on a leash, Gosh don’t be such a prude! Put out to us guys more often!”
“Your dressed In clothing? your just using your feminism to control men by denying us your pleasing figure!”
“Your Naked? Your trying to seduce me! so you deserve it when something bad happens to you!”
You get stuff like that from the same people half the time. Such garbage.
Ayup. Cognitive dissonance doesn’t begin to describe it.
Watch out, everybody, we got a badass here…
BZZZZZT! Wrong. No entitlement, “complex” or otherwise. And if you think humorous mockery of your own stupidity is an “attack”, you need to (a) smarten the fuck up, and (b) grow a fucking skin.
BZZZZZT! Wrong again. See above: NO ENTITLEMENTS, fuckhead. What exactly do we have that you don’t? Other than all of human history consisting of how a “man’s world” has been stacked against us, that is?
Also, it’s “projected”. If you wish to have your arguments taken seriously please learn to articulate them in proper English.
BZZZZZT! Wrong again. First off, I’m not an idiot. Nobody else here is either. So keep a civil tongue in your head when addressing your betters, fuckface.
Secondly, it’s EQUAL PAY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE. Get off your lazy ass and look it up. But it would be nice if ALL women’s work were better paid, too…after all, we have living expenses to pay, and not being forced to depend on an asshole such as yourself to do that for us would be nice.
Thirdly, it’s “case IN point”. Although you clearly don’t have one, so maybe that point is moot.
Awww! Izzums offended that ‘ums can’t just go insulting our looks and not expect to be judged in return? Cry me a fucking river, you big entitled baby.
BZZZZZZT! Wrong. Never done ANY of that. You sure do ASSume a lot, don’t you? Actually, dudes taking me on expensive dates and then expecting sex in return is a situation I hate. And have learned (the hard way) to avoid.
BZZZZZT! Wrong again. No kids for me. And grateful to feminism for granting me the option to say I want none, and the power never to have any. But I bet you’re the type who likes the idea of women being forced to marry men they don’t love just because the dude knocked ’em up. Free housework plus sex on demand probably gives you a real chub, eh?
Nope. I’m Canadian; my tubal ligation was covered under OHIP, thus saving an awful lot in welfare costs that would otherwise have been racked up by a dozen or so willy-nilly unwanted kids.
And damn right a dude who tries to bribe me into bed with an expensive dinner is an entitled fucking asshole. My body can’t be bought. I’m not a prostitute. If you’re looking for one, here’s some free advice: don’t date.
Never done that, either. And given that false accusations of rape are something like 3% of all accusations, while the vast majority of rapes never go so far as accusation, I’d say the silence is a lot louder on the other side of the equation. Do you ever call out rape when one of yours does it? No. You slut-shame the woman (see “15 kids by 10 men”, above.) Your silence speaks volumes, asshole.
Actually, my motto is “US out of everywhere!” And given that your brave boys in uniform are well known for their propensity to rape their OWN women comrades, as well as foreigners on location, hell yeah, women ARE oppressed, by definition. Rape is a weapon of war, duh. It’s also an instrument of torture. And you are totally fucking devoid of clues.
Oh, fuck off. I’m not “sitting there”, I’m working my ass off trying to change this world for the better, so no other woman has to put up with any more shit from the likes of you. I don’t give a flying squirrel’s nutsack whether you want me here or not. I’m here, and I’m not going away, so DEAL WITH IT.
Actually, that statement makes no fucking sense. It’s painfully typical, though. You think you’re threatened by women’s independence, and you’re projecting massively. You wish we would depend on you, but we don’t want to, and we’re going our damnedest never to have to. And that really chaps your ass, eh? Well, now that I’m done kicking it, here, have some ointment. I made it myself.
And for gawdsakes, please, Go Your Own Way, if you’re so inclined. You won’t be missed. In fact, no one will even notice is you’re gone. (cackle)
Ugh, Typo Monster. Ignore that last “is”.
I think I’m in love. 🙂
Is that a flying squirrel, or a squirrel that happens to be flying? And do you give its ass or just not its nutsack? What about flying rats? (Hm, is that a rat that happens to be flying, or a pigeon?)
Pressing questions!
Well, I originally pictured a flying squirrel, as in the creature with the parachutes between its fore and hind paws…but as I’ve seen plenty of regular squirrels practically fly from tree to tree, especially if another one was chasing them…I think it could go either way!
But are pigeons really flying rats, or flying poop machines? THERE’s the question…
Bina – Pigeons are flying rats who just happen to be poop machines. *nod*
Ah! Now I see. Good to know!
Yep.
My mother was visiting me in Pittsburgh once and saw a huge pile of feathers and blood, thought maybe a pigeon exploded, asked and some guy told her a falcon got it. That’s apparently more disturbing than if it had exploded! (Pittsburgh pretty much universally respects the falcons, because really falcons — how many big cities have falcons hunting in downtown?)
We have peregrine falcons nesting in Melbourne. I’ve never seen the remains of their hunts, though.
RE: Λυνα
I meant crazy as in illogical or nonsensical, not in the sense of being indicative of mental illness.
…you don’t realize the irony of this? What is the most common stereotype of people who are mentally ill, apart from violence? That they’re illogical or nonsensical. Seriously, this is like that kid who insists that fag doesn’t mean gay, it just means useless or girly.
Toronto has peregrines, too. It was part of a wildlife rehab program. They discovered that a city environment can suit cliff-dwellers like peregrines, if they are provided with ledges to nest on. Some skyscrapers even have falcon-cams now, so the Internets can celebrate new chicks and so on.
We may not have falcons, Argenti, but here in Boston, we have WILD TURKEYS! They’ve learned how to properly cross the street too.
Street crossing turkeys! Pittsburgh has wild turkeys, but they don’t stray far from Schenely park (and parts of that might as well be old forest, and plenty is “lost”…stairs that are on old records but missing, it’s odd and suitable for turkeys)
And Pitt’s CL has a falcon cam, it’s awesome.