An influencer who has been branded the 'biggest bully on the internet' has sparked controversy by arguing that bullying 'builds character' and should be 'brought back.' Duke Gomez, 25, from Florida, claims that his own experiences of being teased at school taught him resilience and created 'tough skin.' He also criticised Louis Theroux's recent documentary on the manosphere, calling it 'unfair' and one-sided.
Duke Gomez's Controversial Views
Gomez, who sells clothing emblazoned with slogans such as 'bring back reasonable bullying,' said: 'I've been branded one of the biggest bullies on the internet. I can see how people see me in their eyes because of how I portray myself on the internet.' He added: 'Do I think I'm the most perfect person? Absolutely not. There are some times when I cross a bit of a boundary but I get the point across.'
He defended his stance by stating: 'Society is too woke now. From my experiences of being bullied, I think it builds character and it creates tough skin. I think if bullying was back then society would be back to normal.' Gomez clarified that he does not support bullying individuals with special needs or those who cannot 'fix what they can't fix,' hence the qualifier 'reasonable.'
Criticism of Louis Theroux Documentary
Referring to Louis Theroux's documentary Inside the Manosphere, which explores online networks promoting ultra-masculine viewpoints, Gomez argued that it focused on 'extreme' personalities and presented a one-dimensional view of the manosphere. He said: 'From what I can tell, it leaned pretty heavily into the more extreme personalities, but the problem with that is it can make the whole space look one-dimensional when it's not.' He acknowledged that some individuals in the manosphere 'say wild stuff for clicks,' but insisted that many others discuss discipline, self-improvement, fitness, and financial success without being controversial.
Labour MPs Call for Greater Online Protection
In a separate development, a group of Labour MPs has written to Ofcom, the UK's broadcasting regulator, urging greater protection for men and boys from harmful online content, including that from the manosphere. More than 60 MPs signed the letter to Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes, expressing 'grave concern' about the risks faced by men and boys online, such as far-right radicalisation, financial scams, and violent pornography. They argued that platforms must take different steps to understand and tackle these issues, as the content targeted at male audiences differs from that targeting women and girls.
Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin and co-chairman of the Labour Group for Men and Boys, said: 'Men and boys across Britain deserve better than the exploitative and harmful extremes peddled to them by the worst parts of the internet. Ofcom must go further and faster and use every power parliament has given them to keep children safe online.' Mark Brooks, policy director at the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys, echoed these sentiments, noting that there is 'growing concern from parents and wider society' about the reach of such content.
An Ofcom spokesperson responded: 'Exposure to harmful online content can negatively affect boys, which is why our codes require services to protect them from being exposed to pornographic, hateful and abusive content. And our guidance encourages tech companies to use educational and preventative approaches that help reduce online abuse.'
