Who are the "passport bros" travelling abroad to find love?

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Who are the Passport Bros travelling abroad to find love?

Thanks for asking!

Finding love isn't always easy, and sometimes the search takes people abroad. That's certainly the case for passport bros who we're going to talk about today. The term refers to men, particularly western men from North America and Europe, who travel abroad in search of relationships. Countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia are frequently promoted as ideal destinations in their online communities. And their reason for seeking love abroad is because they believe their desired kind of partner has become too difficult to find at home. Some of the earliest references to Passport Bros date back to 2011, and Al Grease's documentary Frustrated, which followed black American men travelling to Brazil and explored their dissatisfaction with dating in the United States.

What kind of partner are Passport Bros looking for then? Well, it tends to be women from cultures that place greater emphasis on family or traditional gender roles. Passport Bros are often openly critical of Western women, seeing them as too independent, feminist or demanding. In contrast, women elsewhere are then idealized as more feminine, appreciative or submissive. Of course, that's problematic because such claims reduce millions of different women to a stereotype and overlook their individual ambitions and boundaries. Passport Bro content is sometimes considered part of the panosphere, which we've talked about before on Do You Really Know? It's a loose collection of online communities focused on men, masculinity and dating. Passport Bros aren't necessarily in cells, but some share the belief that feminism and women's independence are responsible for men's romantic difficulties. Some believe their nationality, income or purchasing power gives them more opportunities in countries where average wages are lower.

Why has the Passport Bro phenomenon grown in recent years? The label became more visible on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and online forums during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Influencers began comparing countries and offering advice about where men could find a so-called traditional partner. And social networks are sadly the perfect place for shared personal frustrations about dating to evolve into a broader ideology. Algorithms connect disappointed men with communities offering a simple explanation. Feminism has gone too far, and the answer is to look elsewhere.

Research commissioned by UK regulator Ofcom found that the Manosphere contains varied and sometimes conflicting beliefs. Not everyone accepts its most extreme messages, although socially isolated people may be more vulnerable to harmful ideas circulated within closed communities. Remote work has also made it easier for some people to live abroad while earning a salary from a wealthier country. The concern arises when that economic advantage is treated as leverage in a relationship. Academic analysis of the Passport Bro movement argues that some discussions portray foreign women as more accessible because of Western money and status. This has been described as neo-colonial masculinity. Effectively the same old inequalities between wealthy and less wealthy countries reappearing in modern dating. Are we saying that all men looking to find a partner abroad are Passport Bros? Well no, falling in love abroad doesn't automatically make someone a Passport Bro. The label usually describes men who deliberately present international dating as an alternative to Western women. And of course, not every international relationship is exploitative. It's really only problematic when someone is specifically seeking to benefit from a power imbalance. Travelling abroad to meet somebody isn't the problem. The problem is treating another country like a dating marketplace, or assuming women will be easier to control because they have less money or fewer choices. Healthy relationships still require mutual respect, consent and equality.

There you have it.

Now you know what passport bros are. In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know for sure.