Man 57 days into a ‘semen retention’ journey explains why he's doing it
A man who is over halfway through a 100-day semen retention experiment has spoken about his reasoning behind the challenge in a new documentary.
Presented by James Blake, the one-hour-long BBC piece is called Men of the Manosphere, which sees the host meet with young men to speak about their ambitions when it comes to 'seeking status, wealth and women' - as stated on the official website.
The TV presenter delves into the world known as the 'manosphere', where communities have been created to distribute social media content aimed at men and boys, often glorifying the idea of masculinity.
Over the course of the show, James speaks to three men across the UK to ask about why they're choosing to be part of the virtual world, as big figures often promise fans like them that they have the answers to tough questions posed by life.
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James went out to a village in Northern Ireland to speak to Jack, 27, about his beliefs, as he has often taken to TikTok to share his controversial views.
Having dropped out of uni, he now works in construction and posts videos on his social media account about masculinity, relationships, and mindset - subjects common in the manosphere.
Jack, who lives with his parents, said in a video announcing his semen retention challenge that it entailed 'no w***ing, no sexual intercourse, no interactions with any female parts at all.'
When the presenter asked him about why he wanted to go through the 100-day challenge, he answered: "If you can control your lust and your sex drive, you can control your mind, people don’t realise it, every time you masturbate, you're releasing your masculine energy, your testosterone.
"Masculinity is often labelled as toxic, it makes young men ashamed to be ambitious, courageous, aggressive because they’re being told to man up and be strong and protective," he claimed.
Jack concluded: "But then they’re also being told to get in their feelings and emotions – so they’re being sent mixed signals. It confuses a lot of men."
When it comes to semen retention, though, health experts have previously warned that this can affect both health and mental health, advising against similar challenges such as No Nut November.
A video that got 240,000 views on his account involved him sharing his passionate views against women, which he later clarified also applied to men, who show their bodies off online while being in relationships.
Jack also admitted that he looks up to Andrew Tate, saying in the documentary: “I don’t worship the man, but I crave what he represents, which is confidence and ambition and drive and discipline and leadership.
“Men need to stop feeling sorry for themselves because nobody’s coming to save them. Because you’re either successful or you’re invisible.”
Reflecting on filming everything, James said it was 'fascinating' to learn more about this side of the internet, stating: "I hope the programme gives viewers a deeper understanding of the ‘Manosphere’ and its impact on young men and others."
Topics: Andrew Tate, Social Media, BBC, Documentaries, TV and Film
Joshua Nair