Deconstructing men’s rights activism
A discourse analysis of D.A.R.V.O. in MRA discourse on rape culture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jld.25747Keywords:
D.A.R.V.O, discourse analysis, manosphere, men's rights activists, rape cultureAbstract
This work examines the attitudes of men’s rights activists (MRAs) towards Rape Culture (RC), a term describing a social environment in which sexual misconduct is trivialised, normalised, and justified. By performing a discourse and thematic analysis of a corpus of threads from MRA forums, the study aims to determine whether their representation of RC amounts to a form of collective D.A.R.V.O., a tactic used to delegitimise a phenomenon by denying its existence, attacking its advocates, and reversing the roles of victims and perpetrators. The analysis reveals that MRAs’ representation of RC arises from a reductionist definition of the term, which limits its interpretation to actual rapes and denies it as a socio-culturally ingrained phenomenon. This narrow definition hinders progress in addressing all forms of gender-based violence, harming men and women alike. The study concludes that a broader understanding of RC is necessary to combat its effects and improve gender relations.
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