Incels vs. femcels: dissecting the gendered realities of involuntary celibacy

• Fabrizia Pasciuto ^[1] ; Debora Pizzimenti ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Messina

     University of Messina

     Mesina, Italia

     
• Localización: Comunicación y Género, ISSN-e 2605-1982, Vol. 8, Nº. 1, 2025, págs. 1-10
• Idioma: inglés
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Incels y femcels: explorando las realidades de género en el celibato involuntario
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    El objetivo de esta investigación es realizar un análisis comparativo entre dos subculturas web: los incels (célibes involuntarios masculinos) y las femcels (célibes involuntarias femeninas), ambas caracterizadas por una visión radical de la realidad social y fuertes sentimientos de envidia, ira y resentimiento hacia el sexo opuesto. Centrándose en los imageboards /r9k/ (incels) y Crystal.cafe (femcels), se examina cómo el lenguaje despectivo fomenta la identidad de grupo y redes homofílicas, intensificando la polarización emocional. A través de la Etnografía de Medios Digitales, investigamos cómo se desarrollan estas dinámicas, explorando si tales interacciones profundizan la exclusión y el resentimiento, con posibles implicaciones para las relaciones sociales en el mundo real.

  • English

    The aim of this research is to conduct a comparative analysis between two web subcultures: incels (male involuntary celibates) and femcels (female involuntary celibates), both marked by a radical view of social reality and strong feelings of envy, anger, and resentment toward the opposite sex. Focusing on the /r9k/ (incels) and Crystal.cafe (femcels) imageboards, it examines how derogatory language fosters group identity and homophilic networks, fueling emotional polarization. Through Digital Media Ethnography, we investigate how these dynamics unfold, exploring whether such interactions deepen exclusion and resentment, with potential implications for real-world social relations

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