Men Going Their Own Way

Beliefs

MGTOW use the word "gynocentric" to describe conditions that favor women to the detriment of men, and are opposed to such circumstances. MGTOW believe there is a systemic gynocentric bias against men with some examples being double standards in gender roles, bias against men in family courts, the lack of concern for men falsely accused of rape and lack of consequences for their accusers.

Views on heterosexual relationships

According to columnist Martin Daubney, members of the MGTOW community believe that legal and romantic entanglements with women fail a cost–benefit analysis and risk–benefit analysis. Jeremy Nicholson writing for Psychology Today similarly described MGTOW as men frustrated with the lack of incentives to date who choose to opt out of dating and focus on taking care of themselves. Kay Hymowitz has stated that some self-identified MGTOW express discontent because they see women as hypergamous and manipulative. Business Insider reporter Dylan Love wrote a "fully-realized MGTOW (there are levels to it) is someone who shuns all relationships with women, short-term, long-term, romantic, and otherwise. He eventually shuns society as a whole." Some MGTOW have many short-term relationships or engage in sex with prostitutes. Celibacy, however, is also an option. A MGTOW that chooses celibacy over relationships is said to be "going monk" and some embrace maintaining their virginity.

Relationship to other groups

MGTOW focus on self-ownership rather than changing the status quo, distinct from the men's rights movement. MGTOW have been criticized by the seduction community for being cult-like, antithetical to human nature and likened to separatist feminism. MGTOW have a reciprocal disdain for the seduction community. Politically MGTOW have been variously associated with Libertarianism, the alt-right and philosophical anarchism. Journalist Kashmira Gander associates MGTOW with meninism.

Herbivore men

According to Roselina Salemi, writing for La Repubblica, the Japanese concept of herbivore men is a subset of MGTOW. Mack Lamoureux writing in Vice sees herbivore men as a consequence of Japanese socioeconomic conditions and MGTOW as an ideological choice. In a DELFI article MGTOW are described as a protest against feminist laws in the West whereas herbivore men are a response to traditional gender roles in Japan, such as those of salarymen. Isaac Simpson writing for Animals likens MGTOW to a Western version of Japanese herbivore men with the caveat that herbivore men are typically not angry, politically motivated or engaged in criticism of gender roles. Kashmira Gander writing for The Independent sees herbivore men serving as role models for MGTOW.