"You are not oppressed": an argument analysis of anti-feminism on the internet

Abstract: Social platforms on the internet become increasingly influential as a source of information and spreading of ideas for large masses. YouTube enables individuals to create and publish content for free and gather audiences all over the world. Some people use this opportunity to advocate socio-political ideas on a larger scale than would otherwise be possible. This study will focus on the topic of gender equality and analyse how YouTube activists argue in favour of anti-feminism. The aim is to deconstruct their argumentations in order to contextualise their message with academic research in the same area. This will enable us to understand the implications of their influence and how their discussions correlate to scholarly debate. The study will use a theoretical approach inspired by Raewyn Connell in order to establish a foundational understanding of gender and power relations. It will apply Stephen Toulmin's method of argumentation as a formula for deconstructing the study material and analysing the components that build each argument. In conclusion we will see that the selected anti-feminist arguments fail to provide a nuanced representation of the diversity in feminism and social, political and cultural processes involved in gender-based power structures in society.