Members in Good Standing? The Relationship Between NoFap/Reboot Communities and the Manosphere

Abstract

NoFap/reboot communities are online groups of mostly men trying to abstain from pornography and/or masturbation. For researchers exploring the manosphere, a loose collation of digital communities in which men affirm and replicate antifeminist/promale hegemonic identities and attitudes, controversy exists as to the extent to which they align with other groups. Members and content creators share fundamental manosphere values, including the perception of a battle for masculinity, a natural male hierarchy, and the instrumentalization of women. However, individuals abstain for many reasons, indicating motivational variance. There are also competing narratives surrounding the supposedly harmful impact of pornography that vary in their compatibility with the manosphere. The potential for ideological crossover and a pipeline into more extreme content are discussed.