Incel

Incels, short for “involuntary celibates,” are men who claim they are unable to find romantic or sexual partners despite wanting them. While originally intended to describe a sociological condition, the term has evolved into an online identity heavily associated with misogyny, violence, and entitlement.

An incel describing his “inceldom”

Contrary to their victim complex, incels do not suffer from an actual lack of access to sexual release. Society caters to male sexuality at every level, from porn to prostitution, making true male celibacy more of a mindset problem than a systemic one. Meanwhile, female sexual needs are ignored or shamed, leaving femcels completely erased from public sympathy.

General definition

An “incel” is a self-identified man who claims he is denied sex or love by women, often blaming feminism, female standards, or “Chads” (attractive men) for their situation. Most incel rhetoric revolves around hatred for women, perceived sexual injustice, and calls for societal change — often through extreme violence or state-controlled sexual access.

Misogyny and violence

Modern incel forums are hotbeds for hate speech, rape fantasies, and mass violence glorification. Multiple incel-inspired mass shootings have occurred globally, with victims chosen simply for being women. Inceldom has become less about loneliness and more about seeking revenge against a gender they feel entitled to own. Some examples are: incels.is and looksmaxx.org

Rather than processing rejection with self-reflection, incels externalize blame, adopting ideologies that paint women as manipulative, greedy, or biologically inferior. Many incels advocate for enforced monogamy, state-sanctioned girlfriends, or legalized rape, revealing their belief that women are property, not people.

Cultural sympathy

Incels benefit from the myth that men need sex to function. Movies, religion, media, and even school textbooks reinforce the idea that male sexuality is urgent and female consent is optional. Male loneliness is framed as a crisis. Female loneliness is framed as a personal failure.