How Incel research looks to a former Incel

Incel research is often conducted from the outside looking in. We were curious how a self-identified former Incel, who participated in the subculture since it was first created in 1997 until the mid-2010s, views Incel research. We conducted a semi-structured interview and identified four themes: limited attention to Incel history, extremism as a choice, the risk of academia legitimising Incel narratives and Incel research being descriptive. Earlier communities like IncelSite and IncelSupport (2004–2013) resisted misogyny, enforcing norms to debunk hate (i.e. “7 Deadly Sins of Involuntary Celibacy”) and welcoming diverse gender identities and circumstances, including homosexual, bisexual and individuals in sexless marriages. The overlooked history of Incel communities reveals that shared experiences of celibacy do not inevitably lead to radicalisation. Focusing narrowly on misogynistic Incels risks overlooking those who resist misogyny, and the diverse trajectories through which Incel-identifying individuals can diverge towards and against violence. This narrow focus has practical implications on limiting solutions, by describing patterns of radicalisation rather than explaining why some with similar experiences and/or risk factors do not engage in it. Future research should, beyond describing radicalisation risks, examine the underexplored non-misogynistic Incel experiences to better inform alternatives to extremist and/or terrorist violence.