This paper examines the strategies of social media users commenting on the so-called refugee crisis. It shows that immigrants are considered not just a general threat, but also (implicitly or explicitly) as a new source of threat for a white heterosexual man.
Inspired by the concept of hegemonic masculinity constructed in accordance with sexism, homophobia or belief in violence (Connel and Messerschmidt 2003), this article tries to show how the discussion about the immigration is gendered. In this sense, male immigrants are often depicted as purposeful sexual predators and woman as passive victims and slaves or objects of sexual desire (Shohat and Stam 1994, Hopkins 2016). Moreover, this othering strategy is part of the broader (neo)colonial narrative, while different ethnicities are depicted as more animal, sexual and carnal and therefore as a threat for the male majority (Rupp 1999).
Therefore, this paper explores intersectional characteristics of masculinity crisis and the process of re-constructing of traditional masculinity by committing the symbolic violence on different groups. It can mean labeling immigrants as sexual opponents and all women (immigrants, supporters, activists) as a potential victim of rape defined as a punishment for their disobedience or supportive attitude towards immigration. In this sense, this analysis shows how the context of the immigration crisis renewed the project of traditional masculinity connected with racism, homophobia, and sexism.
For the purpose both qualitative and quantitative of this study, I applied the principle of social media monitoring and analyzed the social media conversations related to the migration on the Facebook pages of websites coded as “for men”.

Tereza Krobova is a Ph.D. candidate at Charles University in Prague. Her research focuses on issues related to gender and representation in the media, especially in video games and the process of undoing gender by cross-gender playing. She teaches feminism, media studies and game studies at several universities. She also works as an editor of online news outlet and cooperates with NGOs that deal with human rights and gender mainstreaming.

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