Incel Emoji
Red pill
pill
Dynamite Emoji
100 Emoji
Heart Emojis
Beans Emoji
beans
Kidney Bean
Beans on Apple iOS 15.4
Google Noto Color Beans
Google Noto Beans
What is Adolescence
Adolescence is the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood, usually beginning with puberty and ending when someone reaches legal adulthood, often around age 18. It involves significant physical changes, like the development of secondary sexual characteristics, as well as psychological and social growth, such as forming identity, gaining independence, and navigating relationships. This period can be challenging due to factors like peer pressure, academic stress, and exploring personal values.
What is Netflix's Adolescence
The Netflix series Adolescence, released in early 2025, has brought attention to this phenomenon, with scenes depicting teenagers using emojis like dynamite to signal incel alignment. This media portrayal underscores the potential for these symbols to facilitate radicalization, particularly among young audiences. The use of emojis by incels is controversial, given the community's association with misogyny and, in some cases, violence. The adoption of seemingly harmless symbols like kidney beans raises concerns about the normalization of extremist views online, with experts warning parents and educators about the hidden meanings.
What is Incel Emoji
The term "incel emoji" doesn't point to one specific emoji but rather a collection used by the incel (involuntary celibate) community. Incels are primarily men who feel unable to form romantic or sexual relationships and sometimes express frustration or resentment, often online. These emojis, such as the red pill or kidney bean, carry hidden meanings within their subculture, helping members identify each other or share beliefs discreetly.
Meaning of Incel Emoji
The following list summarizes the key emojis identified and their meanings within the incel community:
- Red Pill 💊: Means "I see the truth," a manosphere call to action symbolizing awakening to gender dynamics, borrowed from *The Matrix*, per Adam in *Adolescence*. The manosphere is a diverse group of websites, blogs and forums promoting masculinity, fight misogyny and resist feminism.
- Dynamite Emoji 🧨: Denotes an "exploding red pill," signaling someone is an incel—part of the misogynistic manosphere, as Adam explains to Luke.
- 100 Emoji 💯: Represents the "80/20 rule"—80% of women are attracted to 20% of men—implying most men, like Jamie, are doomed to be incels forever, per Adam.
- Heart Emojis ❤️💜💛🩷🧡: Used by youth to code: red (love), purple (horny), yellow ("I’m interested, are you?"), pink ("I’m interested, not sex"), orange ("You’re going to be fine"), per Adam.
- Kidney Bean 🫘: Identifies or self-identifies as an incel, or those sharing their views.
Background on Incels
The term "Incel" (pronounced IN-sel) is a portmanteau of "involuntary celibate," referring to a predominantly online subculture of individuals, primarily white males and heterosexuals, who identify as unable to form romantic or sexual relationships despite expressing a desire for them. This subculture is characterized by a diverse demographic, although it is predominantly composed of white males. The term "Incel" originated in the late 1990s, with the initial spelling "invcel" coined by a queer Canadian student around 1997. By 1999, the spelling had evolved to "incel." The term gained widespread recognition in the 2010s following a series of high-profile, misogynistic terrorist acts perpetrated by individuals such as Elliot Rodger and Alek Minassian. It is essential to note that the Incel subculture has been associated with misogynistic attitudes, objectification, and denigration of women and girls. These behaviors are a significant concern and warrant further examination and discussion.
Identification of Incel Emojis: A Coded Language
Research suggests that incels have adopted specific emojis to express their beliefs or identify themselves, forming a secret code that may be opaque to outsiders. This phenomenon has been particularly highlighted in recent media, such as the Netflix series Adolescence, which explores the radicalization of a teenager through incel and misogynistic content online. The series reveals how emojis like kidney beans and red pills carry significant ideological weight.
Why use the Incel emoji
These emojis are predominantly used on platforms like social media, forums (e.g., 4Chan, Reddit), and messaging apps, where incels discuss their frustrations and ideologies. The coded nature of these symbols allows for discreet communication, especially in environments where their views might be scrutinized or banned.
We call for facing these problems, people should live in peace and communicate in a friendly manner. Emojis can be used, but they should be used to add fun and simplify communication.