Toxic Womanhood: How Women Enable the Far Right
Like millions of other Americans across the country, I still feel traumatized by the shocking violence that occurred at the Capitol on January 6th. The brazen entitlement on display by thousands of insurrectionists, exploding with such proud hatefulness, embodied a surreal quality that’s difficult to reconcile. Weeks later, I watched House managers offer the Senate a masterful representation of that ghastly day with compilations of videos that documented the brutal events. Because of the prosecutors’ meticulous efforts, the utter savagery came into even clearer, horribly disturbing focus.
Throughout the chaotic flurry, I noted the prominence of aggressive and notably Caucasian men in these devastating videos. It caused me to wonder what role, if any, women played in this attempted takeover, especially after hearing about some controversial behavior by some right-wing, female representatives in the House, including Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), Lauren Boebert (R-Co), and Nancy Mace (R-SC). They brought attention to themselves in ways I could never imagine, demonstrating a hatefulness and an eager agreement with racial oppression, dictatorial rule, and the total obliteration of democracy.
Furthermore, by supporting the insurrection, these Congresswomen implicitly showed an acceptance of their own exploitation as subordinates within the white supremacist movement. That assent is alarming on numerous levels, particularly because of the consequences it could have on women’s rights in general, making it that much harder for us to influence a society already saturated in sexism.
And, of course, it cannot be overstated that their backing of these violent individuals at a deadly event is beyond horrific. Quite honestly, there are no words to depict the casual, even gleeful, advocacy of such destructive behavior that demonstrates a complete lack of respect for human life.
Each of these facets inspired by the insurrection, complex and upsetting beyond adequate description, has renewed the dread that I felt when Trump officially became our president. So I decided to look closer at the complicated threads of how women could enable such treachery, where I discovered some troubling truths about the events on January 6th.
Behind the scenes, a conservative group called Women for America First actually helped lay the groundwork for the extensive horror to come. This association of fervent Trump fans, promoted by the former president himself, not only obtained the permit for this rally near the Capitol, it riled up far-right anger at the November election results weeks before the insurrection occurred. In a twenty-city bus tour, Women for America First organizers consistently proclaimed lies, conspiracy theories, and distortions leading right up to the ultimate coup attempt on that fateful January afternoon.
Concerning the insurrection itself, two women have made notorious names for themselves among the hundreds of people, mostly men, arrested in the subsequent days and weeks. Federal prosecutors are building a case against Riley June Williams, who stole a laptop belonging to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) with the intent to sell it to Russia. And Jessica Watkins, a leader of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers, also faces charges for her actions, which include destruction of government property.
In addition and as mentioned, a number of Republican women, newly elected to the House of Representatives, are accused of taking some questionable steps before and after the violent confrontation. Specifically, Greene, Boebert, and Mace stand out for a number of problematic reasons. From efforts to contort concrete facts surrounding the insurrection and real-time tweets disclosing the locations of Democratic leaders, to allegations of giving Capitol tours to the insurrectionists prior to January 6th and attempts to dilute right-wing responsibility, these Republican lawmakers provided cover for a despicable ideology.
All in all, women from a number of different backgrounds, fulfilling a wide array of roles, are part of this troubling patchwork. Amazingly, they’re each drawn into a movement that elevates white maleness above everything else, either blind to the damage such beliefs cause to womanhood, insistent that they’re the exception, or a combination of both.
As a passionate feminist, I feel worried about this broadening trend in America, which only continues to develop with greater power. The actions of these female figures, who fall frighteningly in line with an oppressive right-wing philosophy, descrate women’s rights, further complicating our lives with a misogyny rooted in horrific violence.
American society already creates inherent barriers against women’s advancement, often preventing us from proving our unique value and achieving our personal goals. Much too often, we’re cast aside as secondary, as mere accessories in a male-driven culture, where our agency has been deliberately stripped away in favor of patriarchal convenience.
That’s why it distresses me to discover the crucial presence women had in implementing this attack against our government, an endeavor strictly designed to insulate a criminal president from accountability. Indeed, it’s especially alarming that women would apply their energies to an event on behalf of a misogynistic, abusive conman who has repeatedly proven his abhorrent sexism in myriad ways that defy any rational defense.
Although it’s difficult to comprehend why women would align themselves with a cause that so obviously defiles their rights, this kind of allegiance is, unfortunately, a timeless reality.
In reading about how women helped with the January 6th insurrection, I’ve learned there is a long history of such monstrous participation that transcends continents. America is just one of many countries where women are indoctrinated into associations that exemplify unrestrained bigotry. From the Netherlands and Great Britain to Germany and Greece, several far-right movements actively include women in behind-the-scenes functions and even as notable voices to promote their radical agendas. Generally speaking, though, women often maintain a special, secret position in these militant groups. They apply their skills as organizers, even nurturers, to advance and encourage the campaign’s successful development.
To be sure, the zealous inclusion of women in far-right causes is a worldwide phenomenon that largely exists under the radar and deserves much more attention. The extent of such troubling activism should not be ignored. I suspect that as this ideology gains more exposure and acceptance in America because of our last president’s exploitation of white supremacy for his potential gain, the violence will only worsen. And as a result, more women will be pulled into this poisonous mire.
Sadly, women with vehement prejudices are joining as well as forming far-right factions here in the United States. The January 6th insurrection is merely a microcosm of an ongoing actuality and by no means an isolated incident.
When I think about this progression, I feel incredible sadness that any woman could allow herself to be used as a weapon of hate. And yet this kind of a circumstance appears to be happening more and more, incorporating prominent women’s perspectives in an ideology that degrades our society, only serving to strengthen patriarchy even further.
I can only hope that the far-right movement will inspire the kind of women leaders that our country needs to step forward in greater numbers, to override the intolerance, to make this dangerous toxicity a mere whimper.
It’s such an intricate problem with no easy answers and, I fear, a long road ahead. But I have faith that America’s empathic, embracing womanhood will override the misguided enablers among us and somehow, in some way, return far-right extremism to the fringe where it belongs.
