Feminism has meant that “boys can[not] be accepted as boys," the prominent conservative YouTuber Carl Benjamin has told GB News in an exclusive interview.
Benjamin, the YouTube commentator known as Sargon of Akkad, told this broadcaster that figures like Andrew Tate are a “response to feminism's power over society”.
His comments come as Netflix’s drama Adolescence, a show depicting a 13-year-old boy murdering a girl after cyberbullying, has sparked a national debate.
Sir Keir Starmer has praised the programme, mistakenly calling it a documentary twice, and told MPs last month that “violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem".
Keir StarmerGETTY Feminist writer Caitlin Moran warned Tate, an online influencer popular among many young men, has “a monopoly over information to boys," critiquing his influence.
Benjamin rejected claims that Adolescence blames the "manosphere" for the murder depicted on screen.
"The ideological component is back to front," he told GB News. "The boy is the victim of being bullied with terms like ‘incel’ and manosphere concepts, not a believer in them."
Describing Adolescence as a "fascinating and powerful piece of art," Benjamin told GB News its unisex lens misses gender differences.
The YouTuber argued the real issue is broader: "There is just nowhere that boys can be accepted as boys."
He continued: "To deprive young men of man-only spaces with older men as mentors is a form of man hatred. That’s why people like Andrew Tate even exist."
Benjamin stressed Tate’s lifestyle and philosophy is different to his own.
Kemi BadenochGB NEWSThe YouTuber said for Andrew Tate, “the purpose of life is, materialistically to amass as much money, as many supercars and as many women as you can, which is a dramatically different lifestyle to the sort of lifestyle that Jordan Peterson and I guess myself are living, which is, we’re married… raising our children and trying to do the best we can for the society in which we live.”
In recent years politicians have raised concerns about Andrew Tate, citing his influence on young men and the potential spread of misogynistic attitudes.
His widespread online following and provocative messaging have made him a focal point in debates over internet regulation and youth culture.
Social media, not Tate, is the crisis driver, Benjamin insisted. "Bullying is far more intense now," he told GB News.
"It’s 24/7, in front of the entire school." He proposed a smartphone ban for under-16s, saying, "Just get an old Nokia they can text from."
Benjamin told GB News it harms both genders, girls via Instagram’s beauty standards, boys through relentless bullying, adding, "In 100 years, giving kids smartphones and leaving them to it will be seen as abuse."
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, has been criticised for refusing to watch the hit Netflix drama.
The Conservative Party leader hit back at the BBC, who asked her if she had watched the programme.
“I don’t need to watch Casualty to know what’s going on in the NHS,” Badenoch told BBC breakfast presenters.
She later posted on X, formerly Twitter, “So many odd things about this interview. BBC encouraging us to watch a fictional drama on a rival platform. The presenters thinking it was a real documentary‼️A lack of interest in REAL LIFE misogyny like the grooming gangs scandal which Labour just broke a commitment on.”
However, BBC presenter Naga Munchetty told Badenoch: “It is prompting conversations about toxic masculinity, smartphone use, young men feeling that they're being ignored, and the idea of misogyny being increased in school.'
“Why would you not want to know what people are talking about?”
Adolescence saw more than 66.3 million views on Netflix, making it one of the site’s most popular shows in recent months.
