CAVEAT – Throughout this blog article we will provide links to the “full” video interviews with Andrew Tate that we could locate to provide full context. One of the strategies used by Tate – his argument that his detractors only use “snippets” of a video interview to take his words out of context. WARNING: Some of the comments made by Tate are extremely inappropriate for youth to watch, and can be very disturbing even to some adults.
Last week, a teacher contacted us seeking guidance on how to tackle the increasing incidents of misogynistic behavior among fourth and fifth-grade boys that she is witnessing in her school. Additionally, over the past several months, we have also been contacted by teenage girls from middle and high schools who have expressed concern about some of their male classmates adopting the controversial views on women promoted by a social media influencer named Andrew Tate. Given Tate’s strong influence on adolescent boys through his online social media activities, these girls and the teacher have sought our assistance in both understanding and addressing this issue. It is worth noting that this challenge is not unique to Canada, but is being faced by educators, parents, caregivers, and teenagers globally.
Andrew Tate, who is a 36-year-old male, is a former successful kickboxer, who likes to call himself Top G (Top Gangster). Tate has become a controversial figure who likes to flaunt his opulent lifestyle and posting contentious statements on social media which have captured the attention of elementary, middle, and high school students, especially teen boys.
Tate flaunts the fact that he has made millions of dollars, owns Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and other expensive vehicles (which were seized as a result of his arrest in Romania where he lives) and wears expensive jewelry, watches, and clothing, loves to smoke expensive cigars, and wears designer sunglasses as he preaches his message.
Tate’s first venture into online entrepreneurship, he and his brother owned and financially profited from an adult live-streaming webcam sex business in the U.K. that they started in the mid 2020’s. Although this business may be seen to be morally wrong by some who are reading this article, what he was doing at the time was legal in the U.K.
Andrew Tate first gained notoriety as a participant in the 2016 season of the TV show Big Brother. However, he was expelled from the reality show due to allegations of sexual assault, which was never substantiated in a court of law. (1) After departing from Big Brother, Tate established a new online marketing venture, known as “Hustler University” which remains in operation to this day. (2)
In December of 2022, Tate and this brother, along with two women, were arrested and apprehended in Romania on suspicion of being involved in human trafficking and forming an organized criminal group (3). According to Romanian authorities, the group is believed to have coerced individuals against their will into producing paid pornography for social media. As of March 31, 2023, the four individuals were released from jail and placed under house arrest while the investigation is ongoing, and it is important to note that no charges have been filed yet. Prosecutors have until late June 2023 to present the case for trial.
UPDATE:
On Tues June 29th Andrew Tate and his brother were formally charged with rape and human trafficking and will take several years to make its way through the courts in Romania.
It is interesting to note that the reason why Tate moved his residence and businesses to Romania from the United Kingdom – he stated he wanted to live in a country where corruption is accessible for everybody and police would be less likely to investigate sexual assault allegations. His belief – all governments are corrupt, he just wanted to live in a country where it’s not just the rich and powerful who can benefit financially, and where paying off the powerful, no matter who you are, would be your ticket to financial benefit rather than your detriment. (4)
Tate is seen as an icon by many teen boys, given his ideas are seductive in their simplicity. Tate is selling a lifestyle, where if you work hard and regard women as subservient to men, you can become successful like him. This narrative is also taking root in a male culture known as “Incel” (Involuntary Celibate) (5). Tate’s messaging plays into the Incel idea that women owe men sex and that men can treat women however they please. Yes – the Incel movement in Canada and the United States is a concern. (6)
In our preparation for this article, we reviewed more than 12 hours of interviews with Tate and there is no doubt that he is a master of buzzwords, hashtags, soundbites, and inflammatory language. However, one thing that was very clear to us in listening to how Tate thinks and articulates his thoughts – he is not unintelligent, and intellectually very smart which we believe many critics underestimate, especially parents and educators who are trying to push back against his message.
In a YouTube interview, Tate openly expressed his support to oppose teachers and declared that he wouldn’t enroll his children, if he had any, in any school because he believed that schools were more focused on indoctrination than education (7). He even went to the extent of questioning, “when was the last time teachers offered advice on making money” (8). As Tate revealed in an interview, he often uses subversion as a tactic to his advantage – a skill he proudly claims he learned from his father and uses to purposely undermine the power and authority of established systems or authorities – such as a teacher (9). It is, therefore, understandable that some teenagers might dismiss concerns raised by educators and parents about Tate’s beliefs.
We can see why Tate’s evangelical like message is appealing and far-reaching with teen boys, and when you add in the shock factor of this messaging and the way he delivers it, his public-facing work ethic, portrayed self-confidence, fitness level, and his wealth, it’s no wonder that some teen boys will gravitate to his message like a moth to a flame. This is especially true for pre-teen boys who don’t necessarily have girls as friends, therefore, are more influenced by Tate’s misogynistic ideology of women and how they should be treated.
Mairead Moloney, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Kentucky who specializes in researching online misogyny, suggests that middle school male students are in a crucial stage of discovering their identity and place in society. Moloney explains that Andrew Tate’s worldview, which places the individual male at the center of everything and portrays all other groups as subservient, can be enticing for students at this stage. These factors make it difficult for educators to counteract Tate’s messaging effectively.
There is an excellent book on the market written by Dr. Robert D Hare, a Canadian Forensic Psychologist, and Dr. Paul Babiak , an industrial and organizational psychologist, called “Snakes in Suits, When Psychopaths Go To Work” (10) In their book, Dr. Hare and Dr. Babiak explain why they believe that many of the most successful corporate leaders around the world are psychopaths.
Psychopaths are often manipulative, charming, exploitative, and behave in an impulsive and risky manner and lack empathy. They may lack conscience or guilt, and refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. – some would argue all of these describe Tate to a tee. In fact, in an interview with Piers Morgan Tate stated that a man “should never apologize”(11) In their book Dr.’s Hare and Babiak explain how often narcissism and Machiavellianism are also common traits that accompany psychopaths – again traits that some say Tate demonstrates in abundance.
While many may associate the term “psychopath” with the likes of John Wayne Gacy or Jeffrey Dahmer, it’s important to note that Tate does not fall under this category of individuals. Instead, Tate is likely what psychologists and psychiatrists call a “functional” psychopath, there is a very clear difference, a trait that some very successful leaders possess (12)
However, Tate’s message is deeply flawed and harmful. His ideas about women being a man’s property, not being able to do jobs as well as men, and belonging at home are outdated and misogynistic. His statement that women who are raped bear some of the responsibility is abhorrent and shows a complete lack of understanding of consent.
Even though Tate may deny being a misogynist in mainstream media interviews, his statement in this YouTube interview contradicts that claim where he clearly stated, “You can’t slander me because I will state right now that I am absolutely sexist, and I’m absolutely a misogynist” (13)
Some of the misogynistic messages that we heard Tate state quite clearly in the 12 hours of video that we watched included:
- women who are raped bear some responsibility
- women can’t afford jets, women are brokies.
- women didn’t build or change the world, men did”
- husbands have “authority” over their wives once married
- women are meant to do women’s work and men are meant to do men’s work
It’s worth noting that Tate often employs a familiar tactic of defending his misogynistic remarks and assertions by dismissing them as mere rhetoric or a joke after they have been made. However, even if this assertion were true (which it is not), it’s important to acknowledge that preteens and younger teens, who are among his audience, may not have the necessary social-emotional skills to differentiate between what is considered a joke and what is harmful misogynistic language.
However, it is also important to understand that Tate’s rhetoric can lead to “causal prejudice”. What is casual prejudice? – here’s a definition from our friends at MediaSmarts Canada, “It’s when people say or do things that are negative towards a particular group but are not aimed at a specific person. For example, someone uses a racist term in a comment, or shares a meme of a person with a disability to make a joke”
In fact, in an interview, Tate stated, “I think young boys in their teens lack life experience, they lack nuance and they have to be very very careful about what they are digesting online whether it’s my content or anyone else’s” (14)
To counter Tate’s message, educators shouldn’t immediately criticize Tate – do not come from a place of judgment, that will only shut down the conversation with teens who idolize this guy. To counter Tate’s message, it is essential to fact-check what he is saying and compare it to what is actually happening. It’s important to acknowledge that not everything he says is hateful. Some of his thoughts surrounding government corruption are not necessarily false, and his comments about some music being far more racist and misogynistic than his message can also be true. Yes, this is a “what about that” deflection, but still true nonetheless.
However, this is Tate’s tactic of weaving truths into his mis/dis information messaging. He has “gamed” the social media platforms and exploited their algorithms to gain a massive following even though he has been banned from most of them, except Twitter where very recently Elon Musk reinstated his privileges. In fact, on TikTok (the most popular app with youth right now), where Tate does not have a personal account, postings that contain the hashtag #AndrewTate, have been viewed over 13 billion times (15)
Also, Tate’s message is not just about misogyny, he has also declared that young men need to seize back their masculinity and that “masculine life is war.” (16). Tate’s belief and message on masculinity is harmful to young men. It reinforces harmful gender stereotypes and promotes a toxic view of masculinity. His message can lead to increased levels of sexist language and microaggressions by male students towards female students and even female teachers.
Pushing back against the messaging from Tate to a wider audience, such as teens, can be challenging but here are some strategies that we think may help:
- Educate youth about manipulation tactics: Help teens understand the tactics that Tate uses to manipulate and control others. Teach them to recognize these warning signs
- Foster critical thinking: Encourage teens to question the information they receive and to seek out multiple sources to confirm the facts. This can help them resist messaging that doesn’t align with reality.
- Teach healthy boundaries: Help teens understand the importance of setting healthy boundaries in relationships. Teach them to be assertive in communicating their needs and expectations and to recognize when those boundaries are being violated.
- Model healthy relationships: Model healthy relationships in your own life and encourage teens to do the same. This can include respecting boundaries, communicating effectively, and showing empathy for others.
- Promote and compound emotional intelligence: Help teens develop emotional intelligence skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation. These skills can help them recognize and resist manipulation tactics and build healthy relationships. However, understand that these skills are what Tate describes as weaknesses for men
To counter Tate’s message, we suggest sticking to the facts and staying away from being judgmental. Provide teens with factual information that produces critical thinking, and discussion, and pushes back against Tate’s false messaging that he wants his followers to believe are true such as:
- Women Can’t afford jets, they are Brokies – FACT, what about Kanika Tekriwal who owns 10 private jets (17) or Kyle Jenner who owns a 72-million-dollar jet (18)
- Women didn’t build or change the world, men did – FACT, what about these 130 women (19)
- Women are meant to do women’s work and men are meant to do men’s work – FACT, what about Oprah Winfrey who is worth an estimated $2.5 billion dollars (20) which is much higher that Tate’s who has stated that his net worth is around $700 million dollars. Most external financial experts believe it is actually closer to $300 – $400 million dollars (21)
- There is a very real risk that because of the “Me Too Movement” a woman who you have consensual sex with, if you don’t phone them back, will lodge a false complaint of sexual assault against you. – FACT, is this a reality, sure, but is this a rarity, “absolutely”. In fact, the latest Canadian statistics has found false allegations make up only 2% – 4% of those reported to the police. (22)
- I’m the #1 googled person in the world – FACT, according to Google statistics, in 2021 he did not make the top 10, in 2022 he was #8, and in 2023 he is currently #8 as well.
- Men should never apologize – FACT, in this recent interview Tate does apologize for some comments that he made when he stated he was an atheist, but now that he is a Muslim he apologized for his earlier comments. (23)
- The COVID pandemic was an imaginary pandemic, did you see hospitals overrun? Did you see ambulances running back and forth? – You Did Not (24) – FACT, we sure did (25) (26)
- Depression is not a disease or a clinical diagnosis (27)- FACT, there is not one reputable medical organization that agrees with this statement – NONE! Just because you say something many times, doesn’t make it true.
Now, specific to Tate’s message of masculinity, it’s important to remember that masculinity, in recent years, can encompass a swathe of values and virtues like honor, courage, respect, ambition, restraint, charity, compassion, and independence. However, these values are not exclusive to men, and they should not be used to promote a harmful and outdated view of masculinity. Having said this, Tate has done just that by creating what he calls the “41 Tenants For Men” (28)
The message of masculinity as conveyed by Andrew Tate is highly problematic and damaging. Despite his significant following, his message perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes and encourages a dangerous concept of masculinity, particularly among adolescent boys. Nonetheless, Andrew Tate is not the sole individual responsible for spreading misogyny, but presently he is the loudest. There are others who utilize technology and social media as a platform to amplify their message to create an online echo system, commonly known as the “manosphere”, that unites misogynistic vitriol ideology specific to the oppression against men. (29)(30)
Tate’s appeal comes from his ability to take real problems, like economic struggles, and blame them on feminism and gender equality. He uses these frustrations to position himself as a leader for those looking for simple answers in a complicated world.
His messages hit an emotional chord but often ignore facts. By offering easy explanations for big issues, he shifts blame onto feminism and gender equity, making them scapegoats for society’s challenges. This resonates with teen boys who feel powerless given Tate convinces them that their masculinity is under attack – his ideas seem to give teen boys a sense of control and purpose.
In a time when “alternative truths” are widespread, it’s essential to teach boys about healthier ways to view masculinity. By encouraging critical thinking and positive role models, we can help them avoid harmful ideas and build a stronger, more balanced understanding of themselves and the world.
Andrew Tate has become a controversial and very concerning figure in the eyes of many educators and parents, rightly so, as his messages appeal to a wide range of teen boys. Tate’s online presence as an influencer, and his message of promoting male superiority, misogyny, and living a life of luxury have attracted many teenagers to him. Tate has been able to build a following and create a business empire that appears to be thriving – some have called him a “Ideological entrepreneur”. (31) Understanding the psychology behind Tate’s messaging and his ability to manipulate and exploit his followers is essential to combating his message. It is up to educators, parents, and the larger community to work together to ensure that our children are not swayed by his harmful ideas.
We hope that this blog article sheds some light on Andrew Tate, and some of the challenges faced by educators, parents, and youth-specific to his messaging, and what we can do to help push back in a more effective way.
Knowledge and the understanding and application of that knowledge is power
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
References
- https://www.geo.tv/latest/463309-andrew-tate-removed-from-big-brother-in-2016-amid-sexual-assault-allegations
- https://tateshustlers.com
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64122628
- https://youtu.be/iv-C4CVGk28
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/incel-andrew-tate-jake-davison-b1054003.html
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/incels-canada-threat-1.6399777
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhUi1htVeJc
- https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/health-and-fitness/andrew-tate-teenage-boys-mens-rights
- https://youtu.be/iv-C4CVGk28
- https://www.amazon.ca/Snakes-Suits-When-Psychopaths-Work/dp/0061147893/ref=sr_1_1
- https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/feb/11/the-truth-about-andrew-tate-his-home-is-less-hollywood-hideaway-more-rundown-meat-factory
- https://thedebrief.org/the-confessions-of-a-high-functioning-psychopath/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhUi1htVeJc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QcZSVu3CCY
- https://www.insider.com/andrew-tate-tiktok-ban-fanpages-misogynistic-content-circulating-2022-8
- https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/feb/11/the-truth-about-andrew-tate-his-home-is-less-hollywood-hideaway-more-rundown-meat-factory
- https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/kanika-tekriwal-private-jets-572576.html
- https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2515588/kylie-jenner-inside-72m-private-jet-stormi/
- https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/618992/women-who-changed-world
- https://www.marketwatch.com/picks/oprah-winfrey-now-worth-an-estimated-2-5-billion-says-you-should-spend-your-money-like-this-and-the-genius-of-it-is-that-for-some-of-you-its-a-simple-trick-to-save-more-01673559413#:~:text=Learn%20more-,Oprah%20Winfrey%2C%20now%20worth%20an%20estimated%20%242.5%20billion%2C%20says%20you,smart%2C%20trick%20to%20save%20more
- https://www.businessmole.com/what-is-andrew-tates-net-worth-does-he-really-have-700-million/
- https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/benefits-military/conflict-misconduct/sexual-misconduct/training-educational-materials/myths-facts.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QcZSVu3CCY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsTaq3GMbLs
- https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2022-0023
- https://www.terracestandard.com/news/extra-paramedics-sent-to-terrace/
- https://youtu.be/VGWGcESPltM
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Fy7EuysCY
- https://thewhitehatter.ca/blog/the-rise-of-the-manosphere-a-growing-challenge-for-schools-parents-caregivers/
- https://www.isdglobal.org/explainers/the-manosphere-explainer/
- https://lens.monash.edu/2025/01/09/1387263/understanding-andrew-tates-appeal-to-young-men-its-got-nothing-to-do-with-toxic-masculinity
