The masculinist movement, a loose ideological current that seeks to promote the interests of men at the expense of women, is now officially in the crosshairs of French intelligence services. According to a recent investigation, authorities have classified the movement as a potential “terrorist risk,” marking a significant escalation in how Western governments are assessing gender-based extremism.
The shift comes as online communities dedicated to anti-feminist rhetoric have grown increasingly radicalized. French security officials are reportedly concerned that the movement’s core grievances — the belief that feminism has “gone too far,” that men are the true victims of discrimination, and that women routinely fabricate accusations of violence — have begun to inspire real-world violence.
A Hidden Network of Online Radicals
The investigation reveals the shadowy nature of these networks through the experience of journalists who have been targeted by their members. One such individual, who calls himself “Oji” — a thinly veiled reference to O.J. Simpson, the former American football star acquitted of murdering his ex-wife and her friend in 1995 — has spent years flooding reporters’ inboxes with vitriol.
Oji, whose real identity remains unknown, refuses all in-person meetings and withholds his address. He communicates only through phone calls placed at erratic hours, often late at night. His voice is described as deep, calm, and persuasive, occasionally laced with irony. He is part of a broader ecosystem of “haters” who coordinate harassment campaigns against journalists publishing articles they deem “vengeful feminism.”
Core Beliefs Driving the Movement
The messages sent by Oji and others like him follow a consistent ideological script. They assert that feminism has overstepped its bounds, that men are the ones facing systemic discrimination, and that false accusations by women claiming violence are common. They also promote the idea that women are only interested in wealthy, high-status men, and therefore naturally prefer dominant males.
These talking points, once confined to fringe internet forums, are now being taken seriously by French counterterrorism analysts. The concern is not merely the spread of misogynistic content, but the potential for it to inspire acts of violence comparable to those seen in other ideological extremism cases.
A Broader Security Reassessment
French intelligence services have historically focused their counterterrorism efforts on jihadist networks and, more recently, far-right and far-left groups. The inclusion of the masculinist movement marks a new frontier. Officials argue that the movement’s dehumanizing rhetoric toward women creates a fertile ground for radicalization, particularly among young men who feel disenfranchised by social changes.
While no specific attack linked to the masculinist movement has been publicly disclosed, the classification as a “terrorist risk” suggests that French authorities have identified credible threats or at least a trajectory toward violence. The move is likely to spark debate about the boundaries between free speech, ideological opposition to feminism, and terrorism.
For now, the men behind voices like Oji’s remain anonymous, operating from the shadows of the internet. But their words are no longer being dismissed as mere online noise. In France, they are now being read as potential warning signs.
