Meat, Masculinity & the Manosphere: How Misinformation is Driving Young Men Towards Beef

The social media manosphere is driving young men towards meat, with 40% of 16- to 24-year-olds eating more animal protein than they did last year, according to environmental charity Hubbub.

“No one wants to be the guy in the pub ordering the veggie burger.”

This statement, by a participant in a British campaign to encourage meat reduction, encapsulates everything about the current state of meat-eating and masculinity.

While Gen Z has long been identified as the generation of dietary change, a new report by UK environmental non-profit Hubbub shows that young men feel differently.

Men between the ages of 16 and 24 are twice as likely to have increased their meat intake year-on-year than men of all other ages, and three times more likely than the general population, according to research by the charity.

Two in five young men eat meat daily, and around the same number are unwilling to cut back. Further, this group is the least comfortable eating plant-based food in public, as can be attested by the quote above, with 17% feeling this way, versus 10% of the overall British population. This highlights the backlash brewing against plant-based eating. Adding to that, YouGov research shows that women are 50% more likely to say they’re vegetarian or vegan than men.

“It’s partly about status, identity, and the rise of the so-called ‘manosphere’: online spaces that are reinforcing the idea that meat = masculinity,” explained Hubbub CEO Alex Robinson.

How the manosphere makes young men crave meat

Hubbub’s High Steaks report defined the manosphere as a “collection of websites, forums, blogs, and vlogs focused on men’s issues and upholding traditional masculine roles”. This space is often characterised by opposition to feminism and, in some cases, extreme misogyny.

This manosphere is having a major impact on meat consumption, spawning a culture where high meat intake is seen as a sign of strength and masculinity. It’s a belief system being pushed by influential figures like Jordan Peterson, Andrew Tate, ‘Liver King’ Brian Johnson, and Joe Rogan, who have promoted the carnivore diet and spread dangerous misinformation about its health impact.

For example, on the chart-topping podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan and Elon Musk championed beef and raised doubts over the scientifically established climate harms of animal agriculture.

“It’s not going to make any difference to global warming or the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere if people eat pure steaks. It doesn’t matter. It’s irrelevant,” Musk said during the podcast, which has racked up 19 million views on YouTube. “You can totally eat as much meat as you want.”

Johnson, meanwhile, is known for living an ancestral lifestyle full of bone-and-arrow hunts, raw meat, and high liver consumption, while British influencer Eddie Abbrew has recommended people eat 12 eggs a day and add duck fat and liver to their protein shakes. Both have touted their bodybuilding capabilities, but both have also admitted to taking steroids.

“Their endorsements are frequently interwoven with misogynistic and climate-related misinformation, creating a complex and problematic network of influence, amplified by social media algorithms,” the report says of these influencers.

This leads to both climate alarmism – 22% of young men don’t think humans are the main cause of climate change, denying a fact as watertight as the existence of gravity – and heightened misogyny. Research shows that the number of young men who think “women are as capable as men being leaders” has slumped from 80% in 2020 to 50% today.

Social media serves as an echo chamber for these beliefs, reinforcing what these men already feel through algorithms that show similar content.

The plant-based conundrum

Young men seem to be ashamed of eating plants. This is partly because “influencers often exaggerate protein requirements and the necessity of meat, while dismissing plant-based protein sources”, Hubbub says.

“This can lead some young men to see plant-based diets as inadequate for muscle development and even as a threat to their masculine identity. Advocates for plant-forward diets have got the ‘soy-boy’ stereotype and the myth of ‘incomplete proteins’ to contend with. And, of course, the perception of plant-based diets as ‘feminine’ just adds fuel to the fire,” it explains.

Analysis of social media posts between June 2022 and July 2024 found that a tenth of information posts about meat and plant-based eating had a culture war aspect, presenting meat as an identity wrapped in an ‘anti-elite’, ‘us versus them’ ideology. This included targeting vegan men with the derogatory term ‘soy boys’ (related to claims that phytoestrogen in soy products can ‘feminise’ men), labelling vegans as part of a cult, and associating meat with masculinity and traits like fertility and strength.

Hubbub’s survey showed that 24% of young men wouldn’t be open to trying plant-based meat alternatives, much higher than the 15% of women of the same age who echo this sentiment. So the trick, Hubbub says, is to focus on personal reasons like health, fitness, protein, and price, instead of encouraging plant-based consumption for environmental or ethical reasons.

The young men are ultra-focused on muscle growth, strength and overall fitness, so educating them about plant-based protein sources and content is crucial. Meanwhile, in high-income countries like the UK, meat is expensive, much more so than fruits and vegetables, so focusing on cost and convenience can deliver big wins too.

And it’s not just about building muscle – the plant-based industry needs to highlight other benefits, like better skin, sleep, gut health, and recovery. “It’s not about cutting out meat entirely, but about adding more beans, nuts, vegetables, and other plant-based foods,” says Hubbub.

The need for the right messenger

A 2023 study showed that men “might feel less resistance and become more likely to consume” vegan food if it’s presented in a masculine way.

To have a measurable impact, Hubbub says tapping into trusted messengers is crucial – the way Quorn did with its partnership with Liverpool FC in 2020 and Real Madrid in 2021. “A stealth strategy can also be effective to normalise plant-based eating, particularly in traditionally masculine spaces like sports events and gyms,” it notes.

It’s important to make plant-based meals a more natural choice by focusing on high-protein, vegetable-rich options that fit into existing dietary habits. Integrating such options “without fanfare” – by blending plants into familiar dishes, or not making them the central selling point – can make young men embrace them more.

“It’s crucial to acknowledge the power of peer influence and consider how successful interventions can be adapted to shift behaviours,” the report states, suggesting how the industry can learn from misinformation-countering strategies in sectors like counterterrorism, public health, and gender equality.

To that end, strengthening men’s understanding of meat consumption’s impact on climate change is critical, with schools, colleges, and caterers all having a hand to play here.

“If this trend is a sign we’re going backwards, then the food industry, government, and civil society need to act with urgency. We need to shift the narrative, moving plant-based eating away from an ideological battleground into a natural, positive choice,” the charity says.

“Everyone – businesses, policymakers, and NGOs – has a part to play in making that happen. By working together, we can ensure that plant-based options are seen as a desirable and accessible part of a healthy lifestyle, rather than a forced alternative.”