SP
BravenNow
Recent events make you wonder: How much do men really hate women?
| USA | general | ✓ Verified - latimes.com

Recent events make you wonder: How much do men really hate women?

#misogyny #Epstein #Rodger #Pelicot #UN experts #crimes against humanity #patriarchy #incels

📌 Key Takeaways

  • UN experts suggest Epstein's crimes may meet threshold of crimes against humanity
  • Epstein files reveal casual and degrading language about women
  • Gisèle Pelicot's case demonstrates perpetrators' sense of entitlement
  • Current political figures continue to promote patriarchal views
  • Misogyny described as ancient pattern exposed by recent events

📖 Full Retelling

Columnist Robin Abcarian examined the pervasive and dangerous nature of misogyny in contemporary society on February 22, 2026, connecting recent events including Elliot Rodger's 2014 murderous rampage, Jeffrey Epstein's trafficking of women and girls, the rape of Frenchwoman Gisèle Pelicot by her husband and dozens of strangers, and current political appointments like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to demonstrate how deeply entrenched woman-hating remains across institutions. The article highlights how UN experts recently raised the possibility that Epstein's years of trafficking and exploitation of women and girls 'may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,' noting that these offenses were committed against a backdrop of 'extreme misogyny and the commodification and dehumanisation of women and girls.' The Epstein files themselves reveal casual and degrading language about women, with correspondents referring to them as vulgar terms and judging their physical attributes harshly. Meanwhile, Gisèle Pelicot's case reveals how she was drugged by her husband and raped by at least 50 strangers over a decade, with her husband admitting he 'wanted to force an insubmissive woman into submission.' The perpetrators came from all walks of life but shared what Pelicot describes as 'a sense of entitlement ... because power had always been on their side.' The article also points to current political figures like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been accused of sexual impropriety and opposes women in combat roles, and the appointment of white Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson, who called women's suffrage a 'bad idea' and promotes strict patriarchal structures where women must submit to their husbands. These cases, spanning different contexts and time periods, reveal what Abcarian describes as 'millennial-old misogyny' that continues to structure our world, suggesting that the casual hatred of women is not a new phenomenon but rather an ancient pattern that recent events have simply exposed.

🏷️ Themes

Misogyny, Violence Against Women, Systemic Oppression, Accountability

📚 Related People & Topics

Pelicot

Surname list

Pelicot or Pélicot is a French surname.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Rodger

Name list

Rodger is given masculine name and surname.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Epstein

Surname list

The surname Epstein (also Eppstein or Epshtein) is one of the oldest Ashkenazi Jewish family names. It is probably derived from the German town of Eppstein, in Hesse; the place-name was probably derived from Gaulish apa 'water' (in the sense of a river) and German -stein 'stone' (in the sense of a h...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

No entity connections available yet for this article.

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This article highlights that misogyny is not an isolated issue but a pervasive, systemic problem embedded in institutions and online communities. It matters because understanding this pattern is crucial for addressing violence against women and holding powerful figures accountable. The analysis connects historical patterns with contemporary cases to show that woman-hating ideology remains a significant threat to societal safety and equality.

Context & Background

  • Elliot Rodger's 2014 massacre introduced many to incel ideology and online misogyny
  • UN experts suggest Epstein's crimes may meet the threshold for crimes against humanity
  • The case of Gisèle Pelicot illustrates long-term, systematic rape rooted in misogyny
  • Recent political appointments show misogynistic views entering mainstream institutions

What Happens Next

Legal proceedings may continue regarding the Epstein files and related accountability measures for implicated individuals. Public and institutional pressure will likely grow for stronger responses to gender-based violence and hate speech. Ongoing cultural conversations will focus on combating normalized misogyny in both online and offline spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an incel?

Incel stands for involuntary celibate, referring to a subculture of men who blame women for their lack of sexual relationships and often express extreme misogyny.

Why is the Epstein case significant?

The case involves high-profile figures and systemic abuse, with UN experts suggesting it could constitute crimes against humanity due to its scale and brutality.

How does misogyny connect these different cases?

Each case demonstrates a pattern of dehumanizing women, from violent attacks to institutional exploitation, rooted in beliefs of male entitlement and domination.

Original Source
By Robin Abcarian Columnist Follow Feb. 22, 2026 3 AM PT 6 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here . p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix max-w-170 mt-7.5 mb-10 mx-auto" data-subscriber-content> In 2014, a young man named Elliot Rodger murdered six people and injured 14 others, using guns, knives and his BMW as a weapon. Rodger, who killed himself at the end of his rampage in Santa Barbara, left behind a manifesto that offered many of us an introduction to the misogynistic world of “incels,” sexually frustrated young men who blame their problems on women, and gather online in dark places to vent. “There is no creature more evil and depraved than the human female,” Rodger wrote. “Women are like a plague.” Someone soon created a Facebook page, “Elliot Rodger is an American Hero,” which paid tribute to his “ultimate sacrifice in the struggle against feminazi ideology.” At the time, such misogyny was shocking because it seemed so antisocial, out of date and off the wall. But really, the tragedy simply tore the lid off a phenomenon as old as time. Turns out, misogyny is alive, pervasive and as dangerous as ever. Advertisement A spin through recent events proves it. On Monday, a panel of United Nations experts issued a statement raising the possibility that Jeffrey Epstein’s years of trafficking and exploitation of women and girls “may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity.” The offenses, including sexual slavery, reproductive violence, enforced disappearance, torture and femicide “were committed against a backdrop of supremacist beliefs, racism, corruption, extreme misogyny and the commodification and dehumanisation of women and girls from different parts of the world,” the experts said. The statement also implicitly rebukes Pres...
Read full article at source

Source

latimes.com

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine