The testimony of British journalist Kate Mulvey, relayed by the media outlet Trait d'Olympe, has reignited a heated debate: has feminism, by dint of advocating absolute independence, led some women to solitude? Between personal regrets and collective controversy, the subject is divisive.

A cry from the heart that shakes the networks

"I gained a career, I lost a life together."

These words, written by 63-year-old Kate Mulvey , resonate far beyond the UK. In a 2024 op-ed in The Daily Mail , the journalist expressed her dismay: after decades of championing female independence, she realized she may have confused freedom with isolation.

"We were taught to make love like men, but it drained me," she writes, describing her superficial relationships and her difficulty building a lasting bond.

For Mulvey, the feminist ideology she embraced in her youth led her to despise men , to "confuse equality with domination," to the point of finding herself alone, without a husband or children.

Trait d'Olympe rekindles the debate

The Montreal-based media outlet Trait d'Olympe , known for its in-depth societal analyses, recently brought this testimony back into the spotlight.

In an Instagram post that went viral, the editorial team sees it as a symptom of “rampant misandry” :

"Kate traded femininity for a warrior caricature, rather than choosing reciprocity."

A direct, almost provocative tone, which appealed to a section of the public - particularly among Generation Z - but also sparked a wave of criticism.

Misunderstood feminism or poorly experienced freedom?

For feminist advocates, this reading is reductive. They point out that the movement does not advocate hatred of men, but freedom of choice : the freedom to flourish alone or with a partner, without social constraints.

"It's not feminism that isolates, it's a society that values performance over human connection," says a gender sociologist quoted by The Guardian .

Others, however, see it as a sincere warning : the race for success and the rejection of traditional emotional codes have, for some, emptied the notion of freedom of its profound meaning.

A generational reflection

Kate Mulvey's case goes beyond her individual experience. It embodies the struggle of a generation of women raised on conquest, but now facing a form of emotional fatigue .

Facing them, the younger generation , witnessing their mothers' regrets, seems to be seeking a more nuanced path - a reconciled feminism , which values strength as much as vulnerability.