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 … Continue reading The Contagion Effect Of Andrew Tate On Youth & Schools