Introduction

The Internet has found a new megastar in Andrew Tate.

Operating at the intersection of redpill and hustle culture he advocates his fans to “escape the matrix” and become digital nomad entrepreneurs. With over 12 billion views on his content on TikTok despite not even having an account, his message is resonating with millions of young males [1].

Either that or it’s just his fans seeking the affiliate money.

Either way he represents an outlet for repressed male sentiments that has been simmering for some time now.

A void in masculinity. Feminism, destruction of the family unit and the rise of single-parent households (raising feminized men) [2]. All of these factors appeal to his hypermasculine persona but this is not the solution to the modern man.

“Hypermasculinity is the belief that in order to be a man you must in no way resemble a woman; being even remotely feminine strips you entirely of your masculinity. In place of these feminine emotions men are permitted characteristics such as lust to present sexual prowess, rage to show off strength, and bravado to display courage” [3]

It is the exaggeration of normal male behavior. Hypermasculinity is a branch of a wider group of masculinities

Andrew Tate’s Message

I touched on this in the intro but Andrew Tate’s message is for men to become ‘alpha males’ and separate themselves from the rest of the “burger flippers” by becoming their own boss.

His mantra aligns with hypermasculine ideals of chasing independence and authority. Izaakson (2022) justifies his appeal by saying “marriage and starting a family are out of reach for modern men”.

His message is that raising children is woman’s business which aligns with his belief that motherhood is the ultimate attainment for a woman.

He thinks fathers shouldn’t be around to raise children. He yearns to be free from women and the government (as represented by him fleeing Romania on account of abuse allegations), travel, be with beautiful women and drive sports cars.

However, his targeting of the predicaments men face couldn’t be further from the truth.

A picture captioned the “harsh reality of men”, appears to blame feminism for making men miserable, adding that the “majority of men have no money, no power, no sex from their wife”, and that their lives “suck” [5]. No doubt this is a real predicament facing a lot of men.

Tate is an outlet for their discontent.

The Hypermasculine Andrew Tate

Andrew Tate builds an appearance which aligns with the hypermasculine personality. Ferguson (2019) outlines 3 characteristics of such a personality:

1. The view of violence as manly
2. The perception of danger as exciting and sensational, and
3. Callous behavior toward women and a regard toward emotional displays as feminine

Obviously, Tate fits the bill in all three.

Appearances of him with guns and machetes portray a brave, courageous man ready to confront any intruders (which is strange given that he’s evading the authorities and fears getting jumped).

He believes in the suppression of emotion and dismisses mental health, matching the 3^rd characteristic.

Masculinity as a Performance

Godsey (2020) talks about hypermasculinity as symbolizing itself as a performance to the audience.

With Andrew Tate, there’s this constant need to affirm his masculinity. Like what are you compensating for?

“Men who felt they needed to assert their masculinity as being “above women” would be publicly hostile or insulting of or about women.” [7]

Andrew Tate advocates his audience to be a ‘tough guy’.

Someone who is strong, determined, and can tolerate difficulty or suffering [7]. However, given the mental health epidemic, telling someone who is suffering to “toughen up” may worsen his condition.

Although I agree that’s what a man does, he bears difficulty on his shoulders, but we live in a society filled with manboys.

Him denouncing face masks is another performance of masculinity. A video of him calls mask wearers “idiots or cowards”, while claiming that by choosing not to wear one, he showed “bravery and balls” [5].

Also, he admires other performers of masculinity such as Khabib for his concentration on boxing and dedication to Islam [8].

The Bravery & Honor of Andrew Tate

Among the traits of the hypermasculine is a feeling of bravery and honor.

His mantra of fierce independence aligns with the thinking of gun enthusiasts who “convey a sense of self-assurance and preparedness to respond aggressively to perceived affronts, particularly as they pertained to maintenance of their masculine ideals.” (Matson et. Al 2018) (Dam my referencing is on point)

His sense of authority over women in terms of protecting them align with this.

I’ll protect women, if she doesn’t want to work, I’ll provide for her – Andrew Tate

A picture of him with a gun emphasizes “assertion and protection of male identity and honor” [9].

Aggression as Masculinity

Andrew Tate’s intense misogynistic views is what has placed him under media scrutiny.

He was expelled from Big Brother in 2016 due to video footage of him assaulting a Ukrainian woman. Tate demands that she profess her love for him and asks her not to message other men otherwise he will “fu**ing kill” her.

Through hypermasculine aggression, Tate dictates the boundaries of the relationship and demands her pledge of loyalty.

“I inflict, I expect, absolute loyalty from my woman,” he says. “I ain’t having my chicks talking to other dudes, liking other dudes. My chicks don’t go to the club without me, they are at home.” – Andrew Tate (Das 2022)

Callous treatment of women and the usage of violence as affirming one’s hypermasculinity is shown in another incident. In this case, he acts out how he’d attack a woman if she accused him of cheating:

“It’s bang out the machete, boom in her face and grip her by the neck. Shut up bitch,” – Andrew Tate (Das 2022)

The “fully grown man”

In this last section I’ll talk about Andrew Tate’s perceptions of other people’s masculinity.

So we know Tate is a hypermale but what is peculiar is his view of a “fully grown man”. He laments people when they don’t match up with his perceptions of a “man”.

In a clip of him he is talking about how he was utterly stunned that his skydiving peers resembled nothing like what he thought they would look like.

He laments the existence of these “fully grown men” as if they are a failed form of masculinity. This is similar in the film “In Bruges” and “Three Billboards” where all 3 father figures commit suicide, implying that the paternal role is riddled with failed masculinity (Ferguson 2019).

I like how cannot comprehend a super brave and daredevil task like skydiving to be performed by anyone other than a hypermale. He mocks them with a face of disgust and disillusionment, labelling them as geeks.

I wonder what Tate’s version of a ‘fully grown man” is then. Is it the male he embodies?

Conclusion

Andrew Tate has exploded in popularity this year with many media outlets condemning his misogynistic views, double standards (women need to be enslaved whilst he can live a life of luxury) and his neglect of mental health.

However, what is more concerning is the appeal of Andrew Tate especially given his 12 billion views on TikTok. He represents an outlet for the severe shortage of masculinity in modernity. I’m not praising him, I’m acknowledging the reality. What I’m saying is hypermasculinity is not the solution. A real, authentic man is not condescending, vile, violent, arrogant, callous, narcissistic, or misogynistic. Simultaneously he is not a pushover or a doormat. He is firm but fair.

Strong hypermasculine role models are needed for the youth. This is what Achilles hopes to accomplish.

References

[1] – https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/29/andrew-tate-loathsome-toxic-masculinity-teenage-boys

[2] – https://www.smh.com.au/national/single-parent-families-crack-the-1-million-mark-for-the-first-time-20220627-p5awz6.html

[3] – https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/louis-michael/hyper-masculinity-man_b_13280034.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJt67yAeTEHo_nybl9d00gABw8l1lEeieJ4MG-wk6a2fDCj1ZiLTrbDfRCZ85IRJnnHG8BWYIk8gHOVpje97hUeFvdgTI_zsBV4BWfKrelxHUX16gSETIlLQCzPjzt2L5yV6Lqcn1f-AR01guhSL7uSV5vbFd1dsv6QRp8l-0YXX

[4] – https://www.collectiveshout.org/andrew_tate_a_grade_poison_what_parents_and_teachers_need_to_know_about_his_indoctrination_of_boys

[5] – https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/06/revealed-how-tiktok-bombards-young-men-with-misogynistic-videos-andrew-tate

[6] – Molly Ferguson (2019) “I Retract that Bit…”: Hypermasculinity and Violence in Martin McDonagh’s Films, Lit: Literature Interpretation Theory, 30:1, 25-43, DOI: 10.1080/10436928.2019.1561127

[7] – Hegemonic Masculinity and Safety in the Construction Industry By: Nathan Godsey

[8] – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfHvS6O939o&list=WL&index=4

[9] – Kristen Matson, Tiffany D. Russell & Alan R. King (2019) Gun Enthusiasm,

Hypermasculinity, Manhood Honor, and Lifetime Aggression, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 28:3, 369-383, DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2017.1420722

[10] – https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/06/andrew-tate-violent-misogynistic-world-of-tiktok-new-star