Last Updated on January 14, 2020
Incels or involuntary celibate is a burgeoning online movement according to its detractors, whose goals are to vent hateful rhetoric and misogyny online. Now, those self-identifying with the so-called “incel movement” are domestic terrorism threats, according to a new report released by The Texas Department of Public Safety.
The Texas Department of Public Safety added a PDF document listing people who have trouble finding a girlfriend as a worthy of being listed on their Domestic Terrorism Threat Assessment.
On the threat of incels, the report begins by stating: “Although not a new movement, Involuntary Celibates (Incels) are an emerging domestic terrorism threat as current adherents demonstrate marked acts or threats of violence in furtherance of their social grievance.”
The document recognizes that incels are not a united or cohesive movement in the introductory sentence, but goes onto report: “Once viewed as a criminal threat by many law enforcement authorities, Incels are now seen as a growing domestic terrorism concern due to the ideological nature of recent Incel attacks internationally, nationwide, and in Texas.
“What begins as a personal grievance due to perceived rejection by women may morph into allegiance to, and
attempts to further, an Incel Rebellion. The result has thrust the Incel movement into the realm of domestic terrorism.
“The violence demonstrated by Incels in the past decade, coupled with extremely violent online rhetoric, suggests this particular threat could soon match, or potentially eclipse, the level of lethalness demonstrated by other domestic terrorism types.”
The document briefly explains the phenomenon of incels:
Involuntary celibate (Incel) actors blame women and society for their failure to develop intimate relationships. Many advocate the use of violence against persons, both women and men, they perceive to be successfully engaging in such relationships. Following a mass shooting attack by Elliott Rodger in 2014, many Incels praise him as the “Supreme Gentleman” and support the idea of similar attacks, sometimes called an “Incel Rebellion.” Incels utilize symbology in their communications, particularly in language. They refer to attractive women as “Staceys” and unattractive women as “Beckys.” “Chads” (alpha males) are men perceived as desirable to attractive women.
The document reveals that the terror threat posed by incels are recognized as single issue actors, detailing: “At least three issues have historical links to inspiring acts of force or violence in the United States:
abortion, environmental concerns, and animal rights.
“Support for terrorist acts related to these issues has ebbed and flowed over the past few decades, but continues to exist in various shapes and forms today.
“Additionally, recent mass attacks by individuals associated with the Incel movement have thrust this issue
from a relatively obscure online movement driven by predominately personal grievances, to a fourth type
of single issue domestic terrorism.”
Examples of incel-related attacks are listed in the document, including Elliot Rodger, Brian Clyde, and Scott Beierle.
