There’s one big thing that Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere documentary gets wrong

It’s been about a week since Louis Theroux’s new documentary Inside the Manosphere dropped, and there’s one big thing it’s got wrong.

Unsurprisingly, it’s sparked a lot of conversation. Most people seem to be on the same page: The manosphere is utterly disgusting and Louis does what he does best, quietly letting these men expose themselves for what they are.

But there’s one part of the documentary that hasn’t landed quite right with everyone. Right near the end, the film starts to look back at the childhoods of some of the men featured, hinting that their path into the manosphere might be tied to growing up without a father figure.

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When it comes to controversial streamer HSTikkyTokky (real name Harrison Sullivan), Theroux says that “carrying the wounds of childhood can project trauma into the wider world”.

We learn Sullivan’s dad left when he was younger, and so he was raised by his mum. The film leans into that as a possible explanation for how he ended up where he is.

And this is where things start to feel a bit off.

Over old clips and childhood footage, the documentary leans toward the idea that unstable or insecure upbringings might lead to distrust in relationships or family life. It’s not said outright, but the implication is definitely there: Hurt boys grow into angry men.

The problem is, that’s a pretty familiar narrative, and not necessarily a helpful one.

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Blaming misogyny on “daddy issues” or a lack of parental figures is wrong. It seems to slightly shift responsibility away from the men and their acts themselves.

Because here’s the thing: An unhappy upbringing isn’t unique to these men. Plenty of people grow up in difficult circumstances. Plenty of people experience abandonment, instability, or pain. Most of them do not go on to build identities around hating women.

That’s why reducing the manosphere to a collection of damaged individuals misses the bigger picture. It’s not just about personal backstories, it’s about the environment those ideas grow in. The norms, the expectations, the way masculinity is taught and rewarded.

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That’s what makes the “absent father” explanation feel a bit too neat. It turns a huge issue into something that sounds like a series of unfortunate personal stories.

And yes, for some men, there is a personal vulnerability that draws them in. One man who spoke about his experience on ITV’s This Morning said: “I saw the influencers as father figures and thought they were saving me – it was only later I realised how much harm they’d caused.”

That experience is real, but it’s not universal, and it’s not the whole story. If we want to properly understand it, we have to look beyond the easy explanations.

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Featured image credit: Netflix