We often talk about the “manosphere” as a place for extreme politics, or as a problem with social media influencers. Associate Professor Scott Griffiths studies a key aspect that gets missed. For many boys and young men, the way into toxic online content is their concerns about their own body and appearance.

In this episode, host Dr Beth Shelton speaks with Scott about how normal concerns about how you look can become something more problematic and harder to shift.

Scott leads the physical appearance research team at the University of Melbourne. He explains how social media algorithms work, and why they are so effective at finding a boy who feels insecure. The algorithm isn’t interested in whether content pleased him or upset him. It only knows he gave that content his time. Online time is advertising money. The algorithms send him more of that content.

Beth and Scott talk about a young man's emerging interest in his appearance, and why the early signs of muscle dysmorphia are often praised as discipline. They also discuss how body image concerns can inadvertently lead to online content which espouses contempt for women.

Importantly, there's space for nuance. Most boys do not believe everything they are shown. Dismissing all “manosphere” content as toxic will only alienate them.

There is hope here too. Scott talks about his work with boys in schools, and why he believes things can change for young men, for young women, and for the way they see each other.

This episode is for all of us: parents and carers, teachers, clinicians, partners and friends, and young men and women themselves.

 

Learn more about Scott Griffiths

Watch ABC series: The State of Man

Information and resources for supporting male body image

 

Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

Production Team:
Produced by Beth Shelton and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

 

If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

 

 

We often talk about the &ldquo;manosphere&rdquo; as a place for extreme politics, or as a problem with social media influencers. Associate Professor Scott Griffiths studies a key aspect that gets missed. For many boys and young men, the way into toxic online content is their concerns about their own body and appearance.
In this episode, host Dr Beth Shelton speaks with Scott about how normal concerns about how you look can become something more problematic and harder to shift.
Scott leads the physical appearance research team at the University of Melbourne. He explains how social media algorithms work, and why they are so effective at finding a boy who feels insecure. The algorithm isn&rsquo;t interested in whether content pleased him or upset him. It only knows he gave that content his time. Online time is advertising money. The algorithms send him more of that content.
Beth and Scott talk about a young man's emerging interest in his appearance, and why the early signs of muscle dysmorphia are often praised as discipline. They also discuss how body image concerns can inadvertently lead to online content which espouses contempt for women.
Importantly, there's space for nuance. Most boys do not believe everything they are shown. Dismissing all &ldquo;manosphere&rdquo; content as toxic will only alienate them.
There is hope here too. Scott talks about his work with boys in schools, and why he believes things can change for young men, for young women, and for the way they see each other.
This episode is for all of us: parents and carers, teachers, clinicians, partners and friends, and young men and women themselves.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.drscottgriffiths.com/research-1">Learn more about Scott Griffiths</a>
<a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/state-of-man">Watch ABC series: The State of Man</a>
<a href="https://butterfly.org.au/eating-disorders-body-image/who-does-it-affect/males/">Information and resources for supporting male body image</a>
&nbsp;
Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebutterflyfoundation/?hl=en">here</a>
Production Team:
<ul>
<li>Produced by Beth Shelton and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler</li>
<li>Executive Producer: Camilla Becket</li>
<li>Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation</li>
</ul>
For more information about this episode, visit <a href="http://www.butterfly.org.au/podcast">www.butterfly.org.au/podcast</a> and click through to this episode.
&nbsp;
If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/get-support/helpline/">Butterfly National Helpline</a> or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

This is Let's Talk from the Butterfly Foundation. Join your host, Yvie Jones, as we explore living with body image issues and eating disorders.

This is Let's Talk from the Butterfly Foundation. Join your host, Yvie Jones, as we explore living with body image issues and eating disorders.

Butterfly: Let's Talk

This is Let's Talk Body Image and Eating Disorders from the Butterfly Foundation, your national voice for all people affected, now hosted by Dr Beth Shelton, a counselling psychologist with 30 years supporting people with lived experience and their loved ones, while also shaping services, training clinicians, and bringing her signature wisdom and warmth to many national leadership roles.

This is Let's Talk Body Image and Eating Disorders from the Butterfly Foundation, your national voice for all people affected, now hosted by Dr Beth Shelton, a counselling psychologist with 30 years supporting people with lived experience and their loved ones, while also shaping services, training clinicians, and bringing her signature wisdom and warmth to many national leadership roles.