Sophie King-Hill &
David Russell

Beyond the Blackpill: Emotional Narratives and Masculinity in Incel Communities

Poter Session Abstract

This study examines the emotional, ideological and discursive dimensions of incel communities on Reddit, foregrounding how self-identified incels negotiate identity, shame and belonging within moderated digital spaces. Using a qualitative digital ethnographic approach, 200 posts were thematically analyzed.

The research explores how incel discourse has evolved under platform moderation and public scrutiny, shifting from overt misogyny to more covert, emotionally coded narratives.

Five key themes emerged: (1) Censorship and Self-Censorship, where users strategically frame posts to avoid moderation, often distancing themselves from incel identity; (2) Shame and Guilt, reflecting internalized stigma and fear of social judgment; (3) Self-Improvement and Low Self-Esteem, highlighting therapeutic and neoliberal discourses that frame recovery through physical, emotional and social transformation; (4) Incel as Addiction, where ideological engagement is conceptualized as a cycle of lapse and recovery, reinforcing individual responsibility while obscuring structural misogyny; and (5) Media Portrayals, which amplify stigma and shape self-perception through sensationalist narratives.

Findings reveal that while violent rhetoric is less visible on moderated platforms, underlying gendered hierarchies and objectification persist through reframed masculinities and heteronormative ideals. The adoption of therapeutic language and recovery metaphors signals a cultural shift but risks individualising structural issues such as precarity and rigid gender norms.

This study contributes to safeguarding, mental health and digital policy by offering nuanced insights into the lived experiences of young men navigating incel identity online. It calls for developmentally informed, empathetic interventions that address both emotional vulnerability and systemic inequalities, moving beyond pathologizing narratives toward preventative strategies that foster agency, emotional literacy and inclusive masculinities. Understanding these dynamics is critical for reducing online and offline harms and promoting positive mental health outcomes for this demographic.

Biography

Dr Sophie King-Hill is an Associate Professor at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham and Head of Equity, Diversity & Belonging for the School of Social Policy.

Her research focuses on sexual behaviours in children and young people, sibling sexual abuse, misogyny and gender, with a strong emphasis on participatory approaches and youth voice. Sophie has led multiple research projects and developed a number of practitioner tools, resources and books. She works across policy, practice, and education to influence safeguarding and inclusion.

David Russell is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Parent to Parent and has extensive experience specialising in work with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour and / or who have experienced sexual abuse or exploitation.

This includes providing assessments and interventions for vulnerable children, adolescents and adults within the field of sexual harm and violence. He has also worked in custodial and secure settings. David provides training on a range of themes on sexual violence and has facilitated multidisciplinary training internationally.

He currently sits on the NOTA (National Organisation for the Treatment of Abuse) Scotland Executive Committee, supporting professionals responding to sexual harm. He is the lead author of Restorative Justice & Sexual Harm: The Voices of Those Who Have Harmed) and he is also the lead author on 'Harmful sexual behaviour and autism: working with children and young people' (Russell et al, 2026). Back to Posters