Misogyny is seeping into classrooms, and social media is adding fuel to the fire

Misogyny is becoming normalized among young people in a way that feels new and dangerous.

A recent study by the Angus Reid Group and White Ribbon, a global gender equity and violence prevention organization, found four in five Canadian educators have witnessed sexist or misogynistic behaviour in the classroom — a large and shocking statistic. Many teachers see their students repeat harmful and demeaning ideas from internet forums.

To be honest, I’m not shocked.

Influencers who compress dangerous gender stereotypes into brief, popular videos thrive in today’s social media landscape. By glamorizing aggression, power, and antiquated notions of masculinity, public figures like Andrew Tate, who self-identifies as a misogynist, build up enormous fan bases.

Long before they have the maturity or critical-thinking abilities to challenge these messages, young people are absorbing them.

The main driver of this trend is social media. Misogynistic information is not only made available but magnified by algorithms. Content that is startling, divisive, or extreme is rewarded by platforms. This implies that negative sentiments proliferate more quickly than positive ones — and the ease with which children can view this content is what concerns me most. 

Children don’t need to look for misogynistic posts. The posts find them. They appear in jokes sent among friends and on social media pages. Misogyny can appear harmless — even humorous — due to the “meme-ification” of serious subjects.

Children can repeat misogynistic language without understanding the gravity or underlying meaning of what they’re saying. Normalization starts with imitation rather than hostility.

Not only does the behaviour itself frighten me, but it also raises questions about what is ahead. These students will grow into adults with their own communities, relationships, and workplaces. Misogynistic attitudes won’t magically vanish after graduation.

I’m concerned about young men who are being taught that equality, empathy, and respect are signs of weakness. I’m also worried about the long term consequences, because misogyny doesn’t just exist as words — it reverberates through violence, harassment, and discrimination.

I think acting on several fronts is necessary to solve this issue. Australia and the U.K. have taken action to restrict young people’s internet access to protect them from risky online environments. Canada should think about doing the same.

I’m not advocating for a complete ban on social media — that would be unfeasible — but we do need more robust safeguards, age verification, and accountability for companies that make money off dangerous information.

The Angus Reid and White Ribbon survey found nearly nine in 10 educators urgently need additional resources to deal with harmful online content targeting boys and young men.

That is not acceptable.

For children to feel comfortable talking about what they see online, parents must establish a space for them to do so. 

Misogyny’s increased presence in classrooms is one of Canada’s most pressing cultural problems. Ignoring it puts us at risk of creating young people who accept prejudice as the norm. But we can counteract this hate if we act now with stricter regulations, more education, and open communication.