Chapter 1: What is the global impact of the manosphere?
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We're in the US, in Las Vegas, outside a gig venue where there are hundreds of Latino men in their 20s and 30s, and there's an energy in the air. They're here to see the biggest masculinity influencer in Latin America. He calls himself L to Match, the teacher, and he's on his world tour. tall, with a shaved head and beard, dressed in a three-piece suit.
He shouts to his fans... Welcome to war mode.
Modo Guerra. It's El Tamacho's catchphrase. It means be productive, be focused, be the best version of yourself that you can. It's a testosterone-fuelled message about self-improvement and about women. And the crowd here tonight loves it. Did any of you go to a hookah yesterday? Altamatt shouts. OK, he says. The ones who did, let's do some press-ups. Give me 10. And he starts to count.
Una, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete.
And the fans do press-ups right there by the stage.
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Chapter 2: Who is El Tamach and what is his influence in Mexico?
I ended up with a man who believes the same thing. Anna began wearing more makeup because her boyfriend wanted her to be more feminine. She had a good job, but she started working less because he said women were supposed to stay at home. I was totally emotionally dependent on him, economically too, but it was never enough for him.
He'd say, you have to be more feminine, or you have to spend more time with me, you have to exercise.
If she didn't do what he said, he'd get upset. Eventually, he turned violent. I don't want to go into details, but I could have ended up not being here at all.
It's not like El Temach was saying go out and hurt women, but he did say some malicious stuff, like what he said about women over 30, and my boyfriend listened and interpreted it in his own way. And the word parties, I know people will say it was my fault, but you can never justify violence. I hope the women hearing this documentary will listen, because I didn't.
And I hope men understand that they are victims too.
This is the documentary from the BBC World Service. I'm Jackie Wakefield, a BBC global disinformation reporter. And for the last year, I've been investigating the new masculinity influences who've appeared around the world and asking, what are the real-life consequences of the global manosphere?
The first person we tried to talk to is one of the biggest around, El Tamach.
When we spoke on the phone, he seemed open to recording with us. We were thinking of maybe coming to Mexico at the kind of end of January. He even invited us to Las Vegas to see his show. Maybe we can film a bit with you in Mexico and then maybe pop over to the US and see some of your show. But then El Tamach changed his mind.
So we're meant to be flying out to Mexico in a few days, but I've just woken up this morning to this live stream from El Tamach.
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Chapter 3: How does El Tamach's content resonate with his followers?
He started sharing people's experiences. And it was like he wanted to show them they're not alone. There's a community out there for them. Julian joined a WhatsApp group run by El Temach's followers, Compas de Hierro. The advice and support, he says, was really useful.
The main things I have learned from El Temach, or the thing that's really made a difference, is that it's made me feel more sure of myself.
I'm talking to you now, but I would have found that really hard before.
I was very withdrawn. I didn't have many friends. And I have really developed socially and personally. He's helped me to be brave, try things. Julian began doing better at school, taking part in debates, making friends and talking to girls. Though, he admits, not all El Tamach's pick-up tips worked. But as we talk, I start to hear echoes of El Tamach's more controversial, sexist views.
I just want to talk about some of the things that he would say online that maybe some people would find controversial or hard to understand. So what about with the idea of another piece of dating advice, I guess, that Altamuch gives his followers to maybe avoid single mothers? Is that something that you also agree with?
He just wants them to recognize their limits. If you are a 25-year-old single mother, you are not going to be as attractive. You are not going to have the same chances as a woman the same age who doesn't have children.
And what about his views on liberal women? It's a derogatory term in the manosphere. Women who pursue a career have different sexual partners who don't live by what they see as traditional gender rules. You know, he also criticises men who behave like that.
And it's a problem because it's living without consequences. It's doing what you want. But the problem is that later they realize there are consequences. They complain they can't find a good man, that they are not being taken seriously, they are alone.
But that's because of the decisions they have made. El Tamach puts it much more forcefully. But it's the same message. Marrying a so-called liberal wife is the worst mistake a man can make. It is my room, literally. Julian has been so welcoming. As he shows us his model cars, he seems younger than 19.
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Chapter 4: What experiences do women share about their relationships with manosphere followers?
Yeah. And what are they like?
They're super nice. They're all super nice here. They raise their masculinity, but as well as their femininity.
Yeah.
Yeah. Everyone is super understanding, super helpful, super empathic.
But one of the women here at the gym has a very different take. I wouldn't say they're nice people. The Los Compas de Hero guys. What are they like, do you think? Their whole philosophy is surrounded on women are bad and they're the problem. They distract us from our best potential. So it's kind of incel-ish. And as a woman exercising here, does it change how you feel when they're here?
I wouldn't say I feel safe here. most of them are like 15 16 and they even like brand themselves with like tattoos and stuff that's why i would say it's very culty Talking to this woman at the gym reminds me of something Ana told me about when she first met her boyfriend.
I know several women who, if they know that a man is a fan of El Temach, they block him. And when we first started going out, several of my friends told me that.
Stay away from him. He had one of those chains, you know, the dog tag? He paid hundreds of pesos for it.
But I wouldn't listen.
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