It often starts with subtle signs. A curt remark at dinner, a video shared without explanation, a mocking laugh at the mention of the word "feminism." Little by little, some mothers say they see their son's attitude change, to the point where they no longer recognize the bond they thought was strong and obvious.
Invisible cracks in everyday life
These tensions do not arise from a single event, but from an accumulation of factors. Language becomes harsher, opinions harden, and women are sometimes described as "adversaries" or "figures of suspicion." In this climate, the mother unwittingly becomes the primary target of discourse that devalues women in general, even when it is not aimed directly at her.
An ideology now taken seriously
On January 21, 2026, the High Council for Gender Equality published a report addressing a "masculinist threat." It describes a structured ideological system based on male supremacy and hostility towards women. The figures illustrate the scale of the phenomenon: 17% of French people subscribe to hostile sexism, with a significant difference between men (23%) and women (12%). The report also highlights that 84% of cybersexism victims are women, confirming the extent of online violence.
A widening generation gap
Among 15- to 24-year-olds, the differences in perception are particularly pronounced. 75% of young women believe that being a woman is a disadvantage in society, compared to 42% of young men. Furthermore, 39% of men still consider feminism a threat to their position. This gap fuels a competitive view of gender relations: equality is perceived as a zero-sum game, where the advancement of women's rights is seen as a loss for men. In this context, family tensions are merely a reflection of a broader divide.
When social media shapes perceptions
Part of this radicalization takes place online. Platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube often serve as gateways to content focused on dating, success, or self-confidence, which gradually slides toward hostile rhetoric. The danger lies not only in the content itself, but also in its recommendation system, which traps users in homogeneous bubbles. A British qualitative study by Ofcom describes a fragmented "manosphere," where social isolation reinforces the most radical ideas.
To understand without trivializing
Not all adolescent angst leads to masculinism, but when personal frustration transforms into rejection of women, a shift occurs. Women become symbolic targets, and female voices are discredited.
Faced with this situation, the temptation to break up the family may seem obvious. However, some specialists recommend maintaining dialogue without validating hostile statements, asking for sources, and setting clear boundaries regarding what constitutes respect. Finally, institutions emphasize that the solution cannot rely solely on families. Education about relationships and better regulation of online platforms are presented as essential tools.
Ultimately, the issue goes far beyond the mother-son relationship: it is about how a society can preserve dialogue without allowing a worldview to take hold, both in private and online, where women become adversaries.
