Illuminating the Experiences of Women Formerly in Romantic Relationships with Manosphere Men

Author

• Diana Rose Humble

Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Communication

Committee Chair

Craig Stewart

Committee Member

Christina Moss

Committee Member

David Stephens, Jr.

Committee Member

William Robertson

Abstract

The manosphere is a loose constellation of online communities, influencers, and media that promotes antifeminist discourses. While there is a growing body of scholarship that examines the ways that manosphere media influences men’s beliefs and communication patterns, little research has investigated how these beliefs are experienced by women in romantic relationships with men who consume this content. This dissertation addresses this gap by highlighting how the manosphere’s ideology is constructed, negotiated, stigmatized, and communicated across the course of a heterosexual romantic relationship. This qualitative study is guided by Knapp’s relational development model, symbolic interactionism, and Goffman’s conceptualization of stigma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 women who were formerly in romantic relationships with men who were members of the manosphere. The resulting interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand how each participant made sense of their experiences. The women’s responses indicated that their exes integrated numerous manosphere gender scripts into their daily interactions with the women, even if they did not directly expose the women to manosphere media. The men’s language was consistent with that used by manosphere influencers, and was coupled with expectations about how women should behave. Through repeated exposure to the manosphere’s gender scripts, the women began to attribute stigma to the ideology and media. In their interviews, all 20 of the women reported that they would never date another man who was part of the manosphere. These beliefs surfaced differently during each phase in Knapp’s relational model. Even if the manosphere was not the named cause of the break-up, each woman named it as a source of strain during the relationship. Contrary to what is prescribed by Knapp’s relational development model, the women’s relational experience did not end cleanly at termination. Therefore, this dissertation extends Knapp’s relational development model by offering a fourth phase: reflection. This reflection phase was not just a remembrance of the relationship; it was transformative. It marked the period during which the women’s experiences became insight. By centering women’s lived experiences, this study demonstrates how misogynistic online ideologies extend beyond digital spaces and influence interpersonal dynamics within romantic relationships.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Embargoed until 2028-04-02

Recommended Citation

Humble, Diana Rose, "Illuminating the Experiences of Women Formerly in Romantic Relationships with Manosphere Men" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive. 3997.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/3997