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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat is the “manosphere”?<\/p>\n
In a search for connection, America’s lost young men are turning to the “manosphere.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Content creator, podcaster, and author Drew Afualo visited Florida State University on March 4 for the final Golden Torch Lecture Series of the year. Club Downunder hosted her as the \u201cchampion of the underrepresented\u201d in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.<\/p>\n Human Development and Family Science assistant teaching professor Dania Tawfiq moderated the lecture. The discussion was followed by preselected student questions. Topics ranged from the omnipresence of the patriarchy to the elements of the entertainment industry that do not make the final edit.<\/p>\n For students like political science major Peyton Feeley, the lecture’s atmosphere provided a sense of community.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lecture was comforting; to be in a room with so many like-minded people who believe in Drew\u2019s platform was empowering,\u201d Feeley said. \u201cIt reminded me of the joys of being a woman and all that comes with it, rather than focusing only on the not-so-glamorous side. For the hour and a half that Drew spoke, it felt as if she was lifting us up, explaining to us how not to let anyone dim our light and to live loud.\u201d<\/p>\n Afualo amassed her following through videos she posted in response to the misogynistic comments left under her content. Her iconic laugh became a calling card for the debunking of prejudiced men.\u00a0<\/p>\n Afualo, known as the defender of women online, branched out to other platforms with the debut of her podcast, \u201cThe Comment Section with Drew Afualo.\u201d On the show, she hosts guests ranging from fellow influencers to pop stars from marginalized communities. Afualo also hosts the podcast \u201cTwo Idiot Girls\u201d with her sister, Deison Afualo.<\/p>\n Afualo has continued to leave a mark on the internet through her friendship with influencers and comedians Brittany Broski and Caleb Hearon. The trio’s episodes on each of their respective podcasts have yielded some of the most iconic references among their respective audiences.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not here,\u201d Afualo said to the audience after the crowd erupted into applause at the mention of Hearon\u2019s podcast. \u201cTonight\u2019s about me.\u201d<\/p>\n Afualo added New York Times bestseller to her achievements following the release of her debut memoir, \u201cLoud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve.\u201d The author has also broken into the entertainment industry, hosting red carpets for some of the pop culture’s most prominent events.<\/p>\n As a multihyphenate creator, Afualo has garnered extensive experience as an influencer and within the entertainment industry. Her self-proclaimed “Virgo tendency” for meticulous planning and her understanding that social media is not permanent have allowed her to cultivate an adaptable career. The strategy has built a following willing to adjust in stride with her various projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n Afualo echoed long-standing concerns regarding the pitfalls of maintaining an internet personality. She noted that social media is inherently more intimate than typical fame, often creating a para-social relationship between followers and creators.<\/p>\n Followers frequently feel entitled to every detail of an influencer’s life. Afualo noted that this pressure often causes creators to share less on their platforms to protect their privacy. She explained how she deciphers what to share with her audience and what to keep for herself.<\/p>\nThe ‘No-BS’ approach to social media fame<\/h2>\n
A New York Times bestseller on the red carpet<\/h2>\n