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“Don't Work for Soyciety:” Involuntary Celibacy and Unemployment

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  • AnnaRose Beckett‐Herbert
  • Eran Shor

Abstract

Surveys of involuntary celibates (“incels”) suggest that they tend to be not in education, employment or training (NEET) at disproportionately high rates. However, it remains unclear whether and how being NEET is connected to incels' ideology and life circumstances. To investigate this, we conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of over a thousand comments posted on the main incel forum, incels.is. We found that many users promoted unemployment and social disengagement as a form of retaliation against a society they feel has harmed them. These users often encouraged other incels to embrace a life of isolation and used employment status as an assessment of commitment to the incel identity. Users also reported experiences of discrimination, bullying, and feeling incompetent at workplaces and educational institutions. We conclude that, for incels, being unemployed can be both an ideological stance and a consequence of their experienced or perceived marginalization.

Suggested Citation

  • AnnaRose Beckett‐Herbert & Eran Shor, 2025. "“Don't Work for Soyciety:” Involuntary Celibacy and Unemployment," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 1556-1566, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:gender:v:32:y:2025:i:4:p:1556-1566
    DOI: 10.1111/gwao.13248
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