London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

France Remains "Deeply Sexist In All Spheres": Report

France Remains "Deeply Sexist In All Spheres": Report

While most men over 65 judged that the image of women in pornography was "problematic", only 48 percent of men aged 15-34 years thought so.
Sexism remains at an "alarming" level in France with many young men judging discriminatory or violent behaviour against women to be acceptable, a report published Monday found.

Based on a study of 2,500 people France's High Authority on Equality (HCE), a consultative body, found that while most respondents bemoaned sexism in principle, "they fail to reject it in practice".

French people had become more aware of gender inequality, partly thanks to the #MeToo movement, but "bias and gender stereotypes, sexist cliches and everyday sexism are still commonplace", it said

"The report shows a French society that remains deeply sexist in all its spheres," the HCE said.

Some of sexism's most violent manifestations were actually getting worse, it said, especially for the younger generation.

While older men often remained stuck in conservative views on male and female roles in society, younger men sometimes displayed aggressively macho tendencies, the report said.

Some 20 percent of men between 25 and 34 years polled said bragging about sexual exploits was needed to "be respected as a man in society", while 23 percent said that men "sometimes need to use violence to get respect".

'Less well treated'

While most men over 65 judged that the image of women in pornography was "problematic", only 48 percent of men aged 15-34 years thought so.

Some 80 percent of women questioned said, meanwhile, that they thought they had been "less well treated" in their lives because of their gender.

Fourteen percent said they had had a sexual act forced on them, and 37 percent said they had lived some sexual situation to which they had not consented.

A quarter of the men in the report downplayed sexual violence, saying that "too much attention is being paid to sexual assaults".

The HCE said it had detected a male "backlash" across French society, with "macho raids" on social media seeking "to reduce women to silence or discredit them".

New forms of sexual targeting were making things worse for many women, the report found, citing online violence, verbal abuse on social media and porn productions with "barbaric" content.

HCE president Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette said the authorities needed to target male attitudes "from a very young age", including "massive action" in education, and more stringent regulation of the online sphere.

"Everyday sexism leads to violent sexism," Pierre-Brossolette told AFP.

She also called for the creation of a public independent high authority to fight sexist violence in politics, and more financial and human resources to combat domestic violence.

The HCE also recommended a ban on gendered toys for children and making public subsidies for companies contingent on progress in terms of equality.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×