Looksmaxxing

The systematic and often obsessive act of physical appearance optimisation – primarily done by young men – driven by the belief that their appearance is the primary determining factor of their social and romantic worth.

The term does not encompass all routine self-improvement but refers to actions driven by an ideology that emerged within incel-adjacent and male-dominated online forums, which dictates appearance is the determinant of one’s place in a rigidly hierarchical ‘looks-based’ world.

SOFTMAXXING

A type of looksmaxxing, softmaxxing is the act of someone ‘improving’ their looks through more benign, non-invasive means in order to ‘ascend’ in the ‘looks-based’ worldview they subscribe to.

Examples include lifestyle changes such as dieting, exercises, or skincare.

HARDMAXXING

Hardmaxxing is the more extreme end of looksmaxxing, including more invasive, and often irreversible methods – such as steroids, bone-smashing, or surgery – to optimise their appearance for the same reasons as above.

STARVEMAXXING

The practice of cutting food intake to change body and facial shape.

MANOSPHERE / MASCULINITY CONTENT

An online web of content, forums, and websites that promote specific visions of masculinity and men’s rights, often framing them in opposition to women’s rights and feminism.

These spaces commonly share narratives of male grievance, gender hierarchy and hostility towards women, ranging from subtle antifeminism to overt misogyny and extremism.

Some believe the term ‘manosphere’ to be outdated and that the term ‘masculinity content’ better reflects that views held by those in the ‘manosphere’ are no longer confined to a niche ‘corner’ of the internet but rather they are commonplace in everyday content on mainstream social media platforms.

Incel

Short for ‘involuntary celibate’, an incel is someone who expresses resentment towards women for denying them relationships and sex.