By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Globally, women are actively resisting the rise of authoritarianism, as evidenced by their crucial roles in movements in Moldova, Poland, Hong Kong, and Georgia. However, the U.S. national security community often overlooks the significance of women’s issues, neglecting their vital contributions to national security. A Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) framework offers a valuable lens to understand how authoritarian regimes weaponize gender, highlighting the need for increased support of women’s groups, improved intelligence gathering incorporating gender perspectives, and greater participation of the U.S. national security community in WPS discussions. This approach can improve early detection and effective countermeasures against authoritarianism.
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Gender wars, the escalating conflicts centered around gender roles and identities, serve as a potent early warning system for the rise of authoritarianism. These conflicts aren’t merely societal disagreements; they’re often deliberately manipulated to fracture society along easily exploited lines.
The intentional amplification of gender-based tensions distracts from more fundamental issues, like extreme wealth inequality, which are the true drivers of societal unrest. Focusing on superficial cultural battles allows those in power to maintain their grip, deflecting blame and preventing unified opposition to their policies.
This division is a classic authoritarian tactic. By creating a climate of conflict and distrust, authoritarian leaders can polarize the population, making it harder for people to organize and resist oppressive measures. It’s easier to control fractured segments of the population than a united front.
The manipulation of gender-based conflicts often goes hand-in-hand with the suppression of dissent and the erosion of democratic norms. As these conflicts escalate, those in power may exploit the division to justify increased surveillance, censorship, and restrictions on basic freedoms.
The dismissive attitude towards concerns about authoritarianism, initially labeled as “alarmist” or “leftist extremism,” highlights a dangerous complacency. The widespread dismissal of legitimate warnings allows authoritarian trends to gain momentum until they become irreversible. It’s only when the threat becomes undeniably imminent that the warning signs are finally acknowledged.
The focus on superficial cultural conflicts, like gender wars, obscures the bigger picture. It distracts from the real issues, allowing the powerful to consolidate their control while the population is preoccupied with manufactured battles. The very nature of these conflicts is often a distraction tactic.
The rhetoric surrounding these conflicts often fuels a sense of zero-sum competition, with one side portrayed as inherently superior or deserving of dominance. This framing inherently undermines the possibility of compromise or cooperation, and actively reinforces the perception that a segment of the population is the ‘enemy’.
The consequences of this inaction are severe. The erosion of women’s rights globally, for example, is not an isolated issue but a reflection of a broader trend toward authoritarianism. The suppression of women’s rights serves as a microcosm for the suppression of rights in general.
Ignoring these warning signs, rationalizing away obvious indicators of authoritarian tendencies, or engaging in unproductive infighting based on these manufactured divisions allows the seeds of authoritarianism to take root and flourish. The ease with which certain groups are marginalized and their rights eroded reveals a pattern that extends far beyond the gendered aspects.
This lack of collective action, even in the face of clear warnings, is a significant contributor to the rise of authoritarianism. Complacency, a reliance on flawed information, and an unwillingness to confront uncomfortable truths enable the insidious growth of authoritarian power structures.
The fact that these warning signs are often dismissed as trivial or overblown only underscores the effectiveness of the authoritarian strategy. The deliberate diversion of public attention away from fundamental issues allows for the gradual erosion of democratic principles without significant resistance.
It is crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of these seemingly disparate issues. Gender wars are not merely a social issue; they are a symptom of a deeper political problem. The failure to address the underlying power dynamics that fuel these conflicts only contributes to their escalation and the ultimate establishment of authoritarian rule. The early warning signs are readily available; the failure to heed them is the true tragedy.
Ultimately, the silence in the face of these early warning signs is as dangerous as the authoritarian threats themselves. The unwillingness to acknowledge the threat, the preference for division over unity, all work in tandem to facilitate the erosion of democratic norms and the rise of authoritarianism. The future consequences of this inaction are immense.