In Hanau, Germany, a shooter attacked a shisha bar and a kiosk, killing nine people and injuring more before returning home to kill his mother and then himself. The attacker left a manifesto detailing his racist and supremacist motivations for the attack, bringing attention to the misogyny present in his writings. This connection between white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and anti-feminism has been observed in recent far-right attacks and gained international media attention after the Hanau shooting.
The manifesto, however, does not clearly align with incel ideologies, as the shooter’s misogynistic views had different nuances compared to typical incel rhetoric. While incels are known for their hatred of women and views on relationships, the shooter’s manifesto displayed broader male supremacist and antisemitic beliefs that stray from typical incel doctrines. The incel community has been quick to reject the shooter’s association with their group, as media outlets have inaccurately labeled him as incel.
Misogyny, male entitlement, and white supremacy are intertwined in various online communities like the Manosphere, which includes incels, pick-up artists, men’s rights activists, and Men Going Their Own Way. These groups perpetuate hostile sexism, reinforce negative gender stereotypes, and share narratives of victimhood and male entitlement. The shooter’s manifesto portrayed these beliefs alongside conspiracies and anti-Semitic tropes.
However, labeling the Hanau attacker as incel oversimplifies the ideologies at play and risks further alienating those with mental health issues, as mental illness is erroneously used as a scapegoat for terrorism. To better understand the societal dynamics that led to the attack, scholars suggest focusing on male supremacism as a broader term encompassing misogynistic motivations. Understanding the connections between misogyny, white supremacy, and male entitlement is crucial in combating violent extremism and addressing deep-rooted societal issues.
