Misogynist sets off parents’ panic

ONLINE ‘GURU’: WOMEN ARE MALE POSSESSIONS – TATE

Teachers attempt to combat toxic masculinity talk.

When Nick Hewlett, head of a London school, was told about controversial online influencer Andrew Tate by a parent, he had never heard the name.

He soon found out that his pupils were familiar with all of Tate’s misogynist posts on social media. The head teacher of St Dunstan’s College decided to counter the problem, even before Tate’s arrest in December in Romania. Hewlett’s solution, and that of some other schools, is to talk to pupils about Tate’s ideas.

Tate, a 36-year-old former kickboxer, is being investigated along with his brother on accusations of “forming an organised criminal group, human trafficking and rape”, charges which they deny.

When this news broke, many adults learned for the first time of this British man’s existence and that he was an internet star for teenagers in English-speaking countries and beyond.

Tate’s name was one of the most-searched-for terms on Google in 2022.

He is known for his motivational videos, in which he lays out his vision of masculinity and success, waving a cigar and baring his chest. For him, success is wealth, domination and possessing women and luxury cars.

In one of his most disturbing messages, he talks about women being “the property” of men.

In a tweet, he wrote: “A man without struggle is never going to be a powerful man... If you’re going to be a hero, you’re going to suffer.” He also said: “Masculine life is war.”

Just mentioning Tate’s name is enough to set off a heated debate among teenagers.

“At one point, I thought his message was good,” said Kieran, 17, outside his state school in north London. “After his arrest, I talked with my mother and my sister and I realised how serious it was.”

Kieran’s friend Jon, 18, said he has noticed that Tate “talks about women like objects”.

St Dunstan’s College has added Tate’s story to a lesson topic already being taught. From the age of 11, pupils learn about gender stereotypes and equality. At 13, they cover “toxic masculinity”.

“There’s a panic and fear about Tate,” said Michael Conroy, founder of Men at Work, a social enterprise that helps teachers and social workers talk to young men. While Tate is being held in detention pending investigation, his videos are still going viral and he is still tweeting. –

Picture: AFP BEHIND BARS. British-US influencer Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan Tate, arrive at a court in Bucharest in Romania on Wednesday to hear the decision on their appeal against pre-trial detention for alleged human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal group. Their appeal was rejected.