Tom Baulch, a former WAFL player and fitness influencer known online as Prime Train, has defended his controversial Instagram post urging men to unfollow all female influencers, despite widespread criticism labeling the message sexist and reminiscent of Andrew Tate.
The 26-year-old, who played briefly in the WAFL in 2017 and has over 170,000 followers, posted on Tuesday: 'Unfollow every female influencer — in fact if you are a guy, you shouldn’t be following girls that you aren’t dating or that could be distracting you.' He added that men should 'control your lust' and avoid liking 'promiscuous photos.'
The post drew immediate backlash, with comments calling it 'juvenile and sexist' and 'deeply concerning.' High-profile Australian influencers including Olivia Rogers, Georgie Parker, and Laura Henshaw voiced concerns. Many commenters compared Baulch to self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, dubbing him 'WA’s Andrew Tate.'
In an interview with PerthNow, Baulch said the backlash was due to poor wording, not his intent. He claimed he only meant to advise against following accounts promoting pornography or OnlyFans, and that he values female influencers in fitness and fashion. He admitted the post was designed to be 'engaging' and 'hook' readers, but said he 'flew too close to the sun.'
Baulch rejected comparisons to Andrew Tate, citing his relationships with his mother, sister, and partner, and emphasizing his focus on family. However, Curtin University gender politics professor Amy Dobson said there are clear parallels with 'manosphere' discourse, noting that framing women as distractions that disrupt male self-control is problematic and can contribute to violence against women.
