Report Urges France To Treat Toxic Masculinity As A National Security Threat

France is being urged to recognise toxic masculinity as a national security threat after a government advisory body warned that a rising "masculinist" current is damaging social cohesion and public safety. The Higher Council for Equality (HCE) says roughly 10 million French people—about 17% of the population—hold attitudes of "hostile sexism," a worldview that devalues women and, in extreme forms, can justify violence.

The HCE's annual report traces the growth of masculinist ideology to a backlash against feminism that began in the 1980s and has been amplified recently by transnational culture wars, social media and influential figures. The council argues this movement now operates as a recruitment ecosystem online—often referred to as the "manosphere"—that can steer vulnerable adolescents toward radical views and violent action.

Key Findings and Concerns

Scale: Surveys cited by the HCE estimate about 10 million people in France hold hostile-sexism views.

Adolescence, the hit Netflix show which depicts the radicalisation of boys, was cited in the report - NETFLIX

Importation and Amplification: The report links the spread of masculinist ideas to U.S.-style culture-war rhetoric and amplified platforms, naming public figures such as Donald Trump and influencers like Andrew Tate as examples that boost reach and social acceptability.

Security Risk: The HCE warns that masculinist radicalisation now represents a "major risk to social cohesion, public safety and, more broadly, democratic principles," and calls for a "coherent and coordinated" national response.

Recommended Actions

The council urges the French government to:

The report accused Tate of spreading toxic masculinity - AP

• Recognise "misogynistic terrorism" within national security doctrine and counter-radicalisation frameworks.
• Train intelligence and law-enforcement services to identify the language, codes, and recruitment tactics used across the online manosphere.
• Strengthen regulation of online platforms that circulate content glorifying violence or rape culture, and improve enforcement against illegal material.
• Ensure consistent implementation of school-based emotional and sexual education—required by a 2001 law but often neglected—as a prevention tool.

Context and Example

The report points to a turning point in June when French authorities foiled an alleged knife attack in Saint-Étienne by an 18-year-old who identified with the "incel" movement. Prosecutors treated the case under France's terrorism framework—marking the first time misogynistic ideology there was addressed as potential extremism rather than only ordinary criminality.

“If you don't understand masculinist language, you're missing the point,” said Bérangère Couillard, president of the HCE, underscoring the need for specialised training.

The council also criticises symbolic failures by political and cultural leaders that may legitimise sexist behaviour. Authors of the report and allied activists say inconsistent leadership messaging and the tolerance of alleged misconduct among prominent men undermine public trust and weaken prevention efforts.

While acknowledging legal reforms under President Emmanuel Macron—such as a 2021 statute that defines all sexual penetration of under-15s as rape and the constitutional recognition of the right to abortion—the report argues these advances are insufficient without a coordinated strategy to tackle masculinist radicalisation.

Conclusion: The HCE calls for urgent action across policy, law enforcement, education and platform regulation to address the social and security dimensions of toxic masculinity and prevent further radicalisation.