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For about ten years now, a new generation of masculinist figures has been emerging on social media. Their rhetoric blends life advice, macho rhetoric, and anti-feminist resentment. They mainly address young men unsettled by social change. They promote an aggressive and identity-based form of masculinity. In addition, they set the so-called "alpha" man against a world seen as emasculating. This world is also viewed as dominated by progressive norms.
Their influence has grown with the rise of platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, which favor short, punchy content. Moreover, their rhetoric fits into an algorithmic engine of virality. In January 2025, the High Council for Equality warned of a worrying rise in sexist and anti-feminist remarks. These remarks also particularly affect young people ages 15 to 25. They also underscore the deep cultural impact of this content. Parliamentary committees are now hearing some influencers such as AD Laurent or Nasdas, whose posts are deemed anxiety-inducing, stereotyped, and potentially manipulative.
In France, The Leading Voices Of A Radicalized Machismo
In France, figures like Daniel Conversano embody a masculinism openly tied to the identitarian right. Based in Romania, this essayist stands out for controversial videos. These call for a rehabilitation of sexual hierarchies and firmly reject egalitarianism. His audience, modest in size but loud in the media, helps polarize debates about male identity.
AD Laurent, another rising figure, became known on alternative platforms such as Rumble, in response to the alleged censorship of mainstream media. Self-styled as a “virility re-educator,” he offers training meant to restore a supposedly threatened masculinity. His rhetoric rests on a paranoid view of political persecution. It was reinforced by his appearance before a parliamentary committee in 2024, where he presented himself as a victim of institutions. His audience, young and socially frustrated, adopts his provocative language codes. In doing so, it helps exacerbate social tensions around gender issues.
ThéoVéran, formerly known under the pseudonym T-REX, develops a strategic discourse of his own, mixing psychology, relationship advice, and self-assertion. His YouTube and Telegram channels (more than 100,000 subscribers) cleverly bypass the restrictions imposed by the major platforms.
Nasdas, from the working-class neighborhoods of Perpignan, represents an alternative version of masculinism, combining provocative humor, distrust of authority, and a claimed authenticity. With more than a million followers on Snapchat and Instagram, his popularity among a youth often pushed to the margins makes him an influential but controversial figure. His hearing before lawmakers highlighted the ambiguity of his influence, between community solidarity and the promotion of problematic stereotypes.
Some comedians like Greg Toussaint occasionally use masculinist codes to provoke or shock. His viral TikTok sketches hover between satire of contemporary feminism and subtle validation of anti-feminist rhetoric. In this way, they attract a broad audience while repeatedly challenging political correctness.
Hugo Posay, for his part, takes a more openly conservative stance on questions of gender and identity. Thanks to his analytical and intellectual approach, he spreads his ideas through debates on YouTube. In doing so, he attracts an academic audience seeking intellectual validation for its concerns about social change.
Andrew Tate, Figurehead Of A Commercialized Masculinity
Former kickboxing champion Andrew Tate reinvented himself as a guru of male success. His trajectory embodies the junction of digital machismo, digital capitalism, and fantasies of absolute autonomy. He founded Hustlers University, a virtual academy teaching finance, seduction, and masculine discipline. Before being banned from TikTok, he had 12 million followers.
His legal troubles (human trafficking, pimping) reveal the dark side of his otherwise highly lucrative empire. Now indicted in Romania, he nevertheless maintains regular contact with his followers via Telegram and Rumble.
Jordan Peterson: Intellectual Conservatism And Individual Responsibility
A professor of clinical psychology, Jordan Peterson is known for his bestselling book, 12 Rules for Life. His approach is based on criticism of gender theories and the exaltation of order. In addition, he calls for individual responsibility. Despite rhetoric less extreme than some of his counterparts, Peterson remains a source of persistent controversy because of his positions on women, trans identities, and the #MeToo movement.
An International Network: Elam, Samuels, Hitchens
Paul Elam, founder of A Voice For Men, represents the "men’s rights" current and denounces the alleged victimization of men in social and legal institutions. In 2014, the Southern Poverty Law Center classified his site as a hate group.
Kevin Samuels, an iconic figure of the American "red pill," treated male-female relationships with analytical coldness. His shows sometimes drew more than a million weekly viewers, promoting a hierarchical view of romantic relationships.
In France, Alex Hitchens uses a commercial approach, offering expensive training programs aimed at "reclaiming one’s masculinity." Before it was taken down, his TikTok channel had more than 200,000 followers.
A Fragmented Galaxy, But With Consistent Effects
Masculinism brings together various communities: incels, convinced of a celibacy imposed by society; MGTOW, choosing isolation in the face of a world deemed decadent; and "pick-up artists" selling seduction strategies.
All of them share a fierce critique of feminism and a sense of identity-based exclusion. This feeds a warlike and vindictive rhetoric. The documentary Mascus, Men Who Hate Women, directed by Pierre Gault, reveals the troubling behind-the-scenes world of these movements.
An Uneasy Institutional Response
Faced with the growing impact of these speeches, institutions, media outlets, and universities are reacting with concern. Parliamentary hearings are seeking to determine influencers’ responsibility in amplifying sexist views. At the same time, educational initiatives are trying to promote critical thinking among young people. Masculinism reveals a deep crisis in contemporary masculinity. However, it offers a dangerously reactionary response to complex societal challenges.