Asger Risom
France is introducing the gripping British mini-series Adolescence into classrooms to help boys confront toxic masculinity—and learn empathy before it’s too late.
As Europe reckons with the rise of online misogyny, schools are looking for new tools to reach young boys before they fall into dangerous ideologies. The problem isn’t just screens—it’s what’s behind them: influencers who prey on insecurity, loneliness, and anger.
In a move designed to disrupt that cycle, France’s Ministry of Education announced that the Netflix series Adolescence will be used in schools starting from the fourth grade. The British drama, which follows a 13-year-old boy accused of fatally stabbing a female friend, offers a raw exploration of how online hate and warped ideas of masculinity can fester.
Helping boys before hate takes root
“These excerpts are very representative of the violence that exists among young people,” said Education Minister Élisabeth Borne, adding that the materials will be paired with guided classroom discussions. The goal: preventing boys from falling into the trap of “hatred and misogyny,” as the UK government also framed it when introducing the series in British secondary schools, as reported by Digi24
By addressing the root of toxic masculinity—emotional repression, peer pressure, and lack of adult guidance—the French initiative hopes to build emotional literacy among boys early. As Borne explained, the program is also a response to the “banalization of violence” on social media and the growing reach of misogynistic online communities.
The power of storytelling as a teaching tool
Far from fearing screen time, France is embracing powerful media narratives as teaching allies. Each episode of Adolescence unpacks not only the crime, but the cultural and psychological currents that shape boys like Jamie—the fictional teen at the heart of the series.
It’s a clear message: we can’t fight incel culture with discipline alone. Empathy, education, and meaningful media might just be the way forward.