They have accumulated several million views on social media. On TikTok and Instagram, the rise of conservatism doesn't just affect tradwives. Behind #looksmaxxing, masculinist ideologies are gaining ground, boosted by algorithms that value aggressive virility and resistance to progressive advances.
Viral Virility
For several months, social media has seen the emergence of a multitude of trends aimed at virilizing male Internet users. Through the hashtag #looksmaxxing, which has accumulated more than 117,000 posts on TikTok and 44,000 on Instagram, young men exchange tips and tricks for achieving a squarer jaw, defined cheekbones, "hunter's eyes," or flawless skin.
To achieve their ideal of virility, some Internet users no longer hesitate to submit to a strict routine, sometimes spending several hours a day practicing "mewing" (pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth) or chewing hard gum in the hope of strengthening and reshaping their jaw. While some advice is relatively harmless, others are worrying. This is particularly the case with “bone smashing,” which involves hitting facial bones with hard objects – sometimes even a hammer – in the hope of creating visible calluses after these micro-fractures have healed. On TikTok, the hashtag #Bonesmashing has several hundred million views, despite warnings from health professionals about the risks of disfigurement, fractures, or serious infections.
Shaving eyelashes: the new trend in toxic masculinity
Another worrying trend: some men are filming themselves shaving or trimming their eyelashes to appear more manly, believing that long eyelashes are “too feminine.” This practice, dubbed “Conservative Guys Cutting Eyelashes,” in addition to being completely absurd, also poses major health risks: eyelashes protect the eye from dust and UV rays, and their absence increases the risk of infection, injury, and even eye cancer.
An Ideological Backdrop
Behind these practices, a masculinist ideology is asserting itself and spreading. This movement, which advocates the restoration of an “authentic” virility in the face of a supposed crisis of masculinity and the rise of “soy men,” is in direct opposition to progressive advances, with feminism in its sights. Guided by algorithms that favor polarizing content, social media offers these discourses an unprecedented sounding board.
The explosion of these trends, in addition to being dangerous, is also worrying. On the internet, masculinist, incel, and conservative communities are attracting more and more young men. In a few minutes on TikTok, a teenager can be overwhelmed with content advocating sexist hatred, male victimization, and the glorification of masculine domination. This phenomenon is part of a context of rising conservative discourse, which seeks to reaffirm traditional gender roles and limit the rights of women and minorities.
Masculinity under pressure
The viral nature of these trends reveals a very real male identity crisis. Far from being anecdotal, these practices above all reflect an anxiety about the redefinition of gender relations and a desire to reaffirm stereotypical virility, sometimes at the cost of physical and mental health. Widely relayed online, these masculinist discourses fuel the dynamic by presenting men as victims of female emancipation and by glorifying aggressiveness, domination and resistance to change. Faced with this surge, many experts are worried about the consequences on the social climate, while the political gap between young men (more conservative) and young women (more progressive) continues to widen.
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