The search for the “feminine sacred” and courses in masculinity worries Miviludes

You will probably remember those jaw-dropping images from last summer: of an elderly woman telling a man with cancer to stop treatment. She was Irène Grosjan and far from being an oncologist, this naturopath practices more than controversial methods.

These modalities are identified precisely by the Interministerial Mission for the Supervision and Combating Sectarian Abuses (Miviludes), which has just made public its activity report: behind the classic Jehovah’s Witnesses, there is now a plethora of defenders of a pseudo -medicine and coaches of all kinds.

“Commodification of personal fulfillment”

We are seeing an alarming increase in reports, more than 86% since 2015, according to Secretary of State for Citizenship Sonia Backès.

In particular, it warns against the commodification of fulfillment
staff “. After almost two years of a pandemic that has upset our rhythms of life, our reference points, has weakened us in our social relationships, at times it has also had a serious and lasting impact on our health, it is not surprising to see a real boom in all targeted techniques to fight a malaise or find a form of personal fulfillment.

Attention, call Miviludes who warns of the risk of influence, manipulation and isolation: “Sectarian groups have been able to feed fears and harness the promises of a better world, eternal, or at least happy, life and self-transformation. “

The report finally decrypts a falsely virtuous functioning at work in many groups: “Under the cover of the principles of solidarity and alternative economy, moral support, mutual aid, benevolence, non-judgment, donations, acceptance and harmony, women are invited to join a Ponzi scheme. The sums of money received in the center of the circle by the the person who heads the network would be used to “make dreams come true, to make them come true.” In reality it is a disguised way to remunerate the head of the network thanks to donations from new entrants. “

A worrying essentialization of women

Among Miviludes’s observations, there is a strong tendency to divert feminism to attract women in search of spirituality by playing on the rope of the feminine sacred. Under the cover of mystical quest,Strengthening With feminist appeal and an invitation to heal by reconnecting body and mind, these training courses and internships defy any regulation and are only for profit for those who organize them:

“Miviludes recommends particular vigilance regarding this type of movement that essentializes women by reducing them to the genital organs or reproductive faculties, even if it presents itself as a feminist movement intended for their development and encouraging greater freedom.”

Courses to learn to be a man

He also found the macho movement and its inherently misogynist ideology a juicy streak and exploits the identity crisis of men. They imagine themselves threatened by the progress of society and threatened by feminism.

Miviludes shows an increasing number of kidnappings between 2020 and 2021 concerning, for example, the Mankind Project, which is expected to start masculinity through internships: “There have been 5 mentions of drastic behavioral changes and violence committed by a husband, partner or son-in-law following their participation in these courses. “ One testimony reports in particular “methods of intimidation, exhaustion and submission” practiced with the participants.

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