“Sexism as a ‘Gateway Drug’ into White Supremacist Movements”

In recent years, white nationalist movements have witnessed a remarkable resurgence, primarily spurred by the wide reach of various social media platforms that readily disseminate their ideologies. These movements, deeply rooted in racism and nationalism, often express themselves through violent actions and discriminatory behavior towards minority groups. A significant research question, thus, emanates from this context: How do leaders of white nationalist movements tactically utilize specific ideological themes to rally individuals online and persuade them to align with their movements?

The research at hand proposes that these leaders deploy gendered rhetoric as an initial engagement mechanism, systematically indoctrinating individuals with the movement’s foundational beliefs of racism and nationalism. Crucially, elements of sexism and misogyny become instrumental in the online radicalization of individuals, often acting as the preliminary ideological theme that draws them into the vortex of white supremacy movements.
White supremacist movements commonly depict white men as beleaguered victims in an evolving society, making derogatory language aimed at women and LGBTQ+ communities particularly enticing to potential members who perceive their privileged position as being endangered. As time progresses, sexism and racism feed off each other, amplifying radicalization and propelling individuals towards violent behavior.

For empirical evidence, this research utilizes extensive social media data acquired from platforms such as Twitter and Gab. The author identified pertinent users by tracing the social media profiles of right-wing and white nationalist thought leaders recognized by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as extremist individuals or organizations within the United States. The research encompasses all online content generated by 38 leaders and organizations with active accounts and 6,696 “extremist followers” on Twitter, as well as 54 leader accounts and 4,607 extremist followers on Gab. The timeframe spans from August 2016, which marks the launch of Gab, until June 2021.

In essence, this study underscores the importance of understanding gender’s role in the radicalization process. It also offers valuable insights that could potentially contribute towards formulating more effective strategies to counteract the growth and influence of white nationalist movements.