Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ has become a very popular limited series, being watched by over 30 million people across the globe. Although it is important to note that Adolescence is a fictional series, it has created a lot of discussion amongst the public and has been a key focus of questions from parents, carers and young people in many of our recent school sessions. Adolescence has also been discussed in the UK Parliament, with plans for this to be shown to young people in schools.
What themes are covered in Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’?
‘Adolescence’ is a fictional drama on Netflix centered around a 13 year old boy, Jamie, who is arrested for the murder of Katie, a girl from his school. In the show, issues relating to the influence of online misogyny and incel culture on young people are brought up, as well as the experiences of young people who see this and other harmful content online.
What is an incel and why are their views harmful?
The show looks at ‘incel’ culture and misogyny, and the way social media can be used to facilitate the sharing of these views amongst young men.
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women, and the belief that men are superior.
Incel is short for ‘involuntary celibate’, where a man believes women and society are to blame for their lack of romantic success. Incels choose to blame women for the challenges and difficulties young men face, such as body image issues, loneliness, and lack of mental health support.
At times when they are feeling worried, confused or vulnerable, some young people may seek support from online communities. Although most of the time online communities can be supportive and open spaces, in some cases this may lead to young people stumbling across incel content and harmful attitudes.
Key terms and phrases in incel culture
There are many words and phrases that are used within incel culture, some of which were mentioned in the show and some you or your child may have seen online. These may include:
Manosphere – a network of online communities focused on male issues, such as masculinity, male rights and dating strategies.
Red Pill – believing that men are more oppressed than women, a common belief of incels.
Blue Pill – following mainstream feminism, incels refer to these individuals as ‘normies’.
Black Pill – believing that women and society are against them and only attractive and popular people gain love and acceptance. This can sometimes lead to violence.
What signs are there that something isn’t right?
Although it is important to remember that Adolescence is a drama, it does also highlight the risk of young people seeing harmful content online. If your child has been exposed to harmful or hateful content online, you may become aware of some changes in their behaviour. Some examples include:
- Feeling more angry, upset or anxious.
- Using new or concerning language or referencing opinions of misogynist influencers.
- Engaging in harmful content – liking, sharing or commenting on content that promotes harmful ideology.
- Becoming secretive of screens and devices – for example, hiding the screen from you or leaving the room when they are using a device.
- An increase or decrease in the time spent on devices.
- Making derogatory comments about women.
- Isolating themselves from friends and family.
- Obsession with appearance and feeling a lack of self-worth and low self-esteem.
Conversation starters
In our work with parents and carers, the importance of regular conversations about life online, both the positives and the negatives, is identified as key to supporting children’s online safety. Here you can find a list of ideas for conversation starters whether you want to start a conversation about their life online, or talk about some of the issues raised in the Adolescence drama, as well as opening discussions on any potential concerns:
- How do you spend your time online? What do you enjoy doing?
- What worries you about life online?
- Have you heard about the show Adolescence? What do you know about it?
- Are there any questions you want to ask me about Adolescence?
- Have you heard the term ‘incel’? What does it mean to you?
- I can see that something is worrying you, can I help?
- How can I support you with what you have seen online?
- Are there any emojis or memes being used regularly in your group chats? What do they mean?
What should you do if you notice changes in your child’s behaviour and their views about women?
If you notice some changes in your child’s behaviour, or they raise any concerning views during your conversations, it is important to stay calm and take these next steps:
- Be curious not furious – try not to react emotionally and appear angry with your child. Instead ask where they have seen the content, how they came across it, and how it has made them feel.
- Remain non-judgmental and allow your child time and space to have an open and honest conversation with you about their experiences.
- If your child tells you about incel content they have been viewing online, help them understand that not everything online is factually correct and share your own views on this topic.
- If your child says something worrying, and you are unsure of how to respond, remember that it is okay to not have all the answers. There are specialist services listed below who you can contact for advice.
- Seek support from your child’s school or educational setting.
- Report any content you see that is promoting incel ideology to the platforms where you see this content.
- Mute or block any harmful content – Internet Matters contains detailed, step by step guides on how to set up parental controls on various apps, games, devices, and Wi-Fi routers.
- Reset algorithms – Algorithms on social media may be a way for young people to continue to see harmful content they may have previously interacted with. Some social media platforms allow you to reset the algorithms being used for an individual account, and algorithms can also sometimes be reset by clearing browsing history and deleting messages where harmful content is shared. However, it may be possible that your child will need to create a new account to reset an algorithm completely.
- Ensure your child is aware of where they can go to receive mental health support. For example, a trusted adult, a GP or a trusted organisation such as Childline or The Mix.
Other themes explored in Adolescence
Although incels and misogyny are the focal points in Adolescence, the show also discusses other important themes. If you have conversations about the show, your child may raise issues such as:
Sexting and sending nudes
Sexting is the use of technology to share intimate or sexual photos or videos of yourself or others. It is always illegal to share a nude image of somebody without their consent. For further advice, see Childnet’s advice page – Sexting | Childnet
Online pornography
It is important young people are aware that pornography does not display realistic sexual relationships. For example, they commonly do not show contraception and consent, and can show violence towards women. Viewing this content at a young age may hinder their views on sex and relationships and may also affect their self-esteem. For further advice, see Childnet’s advice page – Online Pornography | Childnet
How can you report content online?
If you or your child see incel content online then you can report it in several ways, including:
- Report the content to the platform you or your child have seen it on. This can be reported as hate or harassment.
- Seek advice and support from ACT Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764. This is a 24 hour helpline where you can share your concerns about a person sharing radicalised or extremist views with a specially trained officer.
- If you become aware of somebody in immediate danger, call 999
- If you have knowledge of a planned protest or event, contact the police on 101
- If your child has been sent incel content by other children, report this to their school
- If you become aware of a nude image being shared of someone under 18, you can encourage them to use one of the following services to get these removed:
- Childline Report Remove – for young people in the UK
- Take it Down – for young people globally
Resources for schools
If you are a teacher or work in an educational setting, here are some useful resources for this topic:
Talk it over – activities for 13-17 year olds to start conversations around online hate
Life online for women and girls – activities for 13-18 year olds covering topics such as misogyny and online sexual harassment
