By Hellen Cardona-Lara
Trinity Times Correspondent

Jasmine Cruz expected a normal online game. Instead, she was met with a stream of misogynistic abuse from other players in the form of comments. The experience left her shaken and forced her to confront a toxic online culture she had not fully understood before.

“People will tell me to kill myself, say something racist to me, or say I should get raped just because I’m a girl,” said Cruz, a Trinity Washington University student.

The attacks, she later realized, reflect the influence of so-called “red pill” communities — online spaces where misogynistic beliefs are normalized and often amplified through gaming and social media interactions.

The term “red pill,” drawn from the 1999 film The Matrix, refers to the moment when the character Neo takes a pill to discover “the truth of the world.”

Now, the term “red-pilled” has come to refer to men who consume misogynistic media online. Experts say such content can promote beliefs that women are inferior and encourage hostility toward them, including the belief that men must “wake up” so they will not be oppressed by women.

Researchers say some young men are drawn to red pill content by its focus on self-improvement and displays of status. Clinical psychologist and researcher Jane Gilmour notes that these communities often blend fitness advice with aspirational images of wealth and success.

“One of the reasons that adolescents and young men enter the manosphere so frequently is that very often includes fitness tips, wealth-generation schemes (likely to be fraudulent) luxury cars and so on,” said Jane Gilmour, who wrote the journal article “Narrative Matters: Adolescence in the Manosphere — A Perfect Storm?”

ReachLink, an online therapy service, wrote that young men with preexisting mental health challenges may experience worsening symptoms after engaging with red pill communities: “Researchers studying this community have documented a troubling pattern: members often arrive already experiencing depression or attachment trauma, then find their symptoms intensified rather than relieved.”

Edwin Fuentes, a 17-year-old Washington resident who attends McKinley Technology High School, first discovered red pill media in 2020 because famous red pill podcaster Andrew Tate dominated the social media sphere. Since then, Fuentes has disagreed with the spread of red pill content and believes there may be underlying mental health issues that lead men to consume it.

“There is already so much stigma [around] mental health – some believe it’s a sign of weakness, especially men who criticize themselves because they don’t see themselves as capable,” he said.

Fuentes believes exposure to red pill media can shape how young men behave in relationships.

“Men become nearsighted when consuming red pill content,” he said. “They lose focus of what they truly want and aim for the gratification of another person. This can lead to neglect or even abuse of a partner.”

Lissbeth Garcia, a Trinity student, focused on the social consequences, saying the content can push people away from those closest to them, especially when it comes to men spreading misogyny.

“Watching red pill content can hurt relationships,” Garcia told Trinity Times. “Their strong opinions can make them feel alone and isolated from others, especially people they care about because of what they believe in.”

Researchers say there is still limited understanding of how young men enter and exit so-called red pill communities. Red pill content is part of the manosphere, a group of online spaces focused on men’s issues, often with strong views about gender roles.

Matteo Botto and Lucas Gottzén, authors of “Swallowing and Spitting Out the Red Pill: Young Men, Vulnerability, and Radicalization Pathways in the Manosphere,” explain it this way:

“We draw on two strands of research that bear on young men’s way in and out the manosphere. One has theorized radicalization processes into extremist ideologies, the other how the disavowal of vulnerability is fundamental for young heterosexual masculinity.”

Sitinga Kachipande, a sociologist who teaches Africana studies and women’s studies at Trinity Washington University, believes deradicalization is possible.

“In one aspect, they are victims, especially those looking for some type of brotherhood or self-help,” Kachipande said. “Those people are looking for one thing and then end up consuming other information. Those types of people deserve empathy. They were socialized in a particular way by one social group.”

Men who want to find others to connect with can start finding alternatives to red pill, such as online therapy groups, she said, adding that another possibility includes men who consume misinformation by accident and guiding them to factual information.

“I’m not sure if they are any different from other groups who have misogynistic tendencies or ideas,” Kachipande said. “People can change and leave the rabbit hole, but it is situational.”

Garcia believes empathy is important when engaging with those drawn to red pill content.

“People who like red pill media and are in the community are sometimes misunderstood,” she said. “When you try to talk to them and try to find middle ground, it can be difficult because they have been accustomed to believe one ideology and it is not entirely their fault.”

Cruz does not agree.

“They know what they watch,” she said. “They know that their actions hurt others. We shouldn’t care nor feel bad for them.”

But no matter the explanations for men entering the red pill community, victims like Cruz try to ignore the harmful words and remarks that are directed at them. Cruz believes the entirety of red pill culture should be talked about more because online spaces are still dominated by red pill men.

“Red pill guys are pushing a very aggressive image of themselves and are trying to recruit other guys to follow their ideas,” Cruz said.

After experiencing online harassment, Trinity students say “red pill” culture is raising concerns about online misogyny and relationships.