Populism is Always Gendered

Populism has accumulated extensive research, but as is often the case, its gender dimension remains understudied. Julie Mostov, Dean and Professor of Liberal Studies at NYU argues that populism is always gendered and dangerous to women and democracy. This interview in a 3 questions format analyzes the relationship between populism and gender.

Despite the breadth of research into populism, its relationship with gender issues remains widely understudied. Why do you think that is and what is the relevance of adopting a gender perspective when studying populism?

While the relationship between gender and populism remains understudied, it is present in all of the key populist narratives, especially those celebrating national values i.e the home, family unit, religion, language and culture, and dire warnings of demographic decline with waves of immigrants invading “our” national spaces. I would like to say that the absence of this connection in the growing literature on populism is because it is so obvious, but it is more likely to be a result of the contradictions it exposes and the questions it raises about the attraction of hyper-masculine leadership models for men and women, and some women’s association with such models. The masculine imaginaries of populism appeal to women who seek to gain a place at the table as part of the demos - which is not always guaranteed - through their denigration of what they perceive as racial or ethnic others. I should note that feminist authors have long highlighted this connection, and the dangers it poses to women and democracy.

From my perspective, it is crucial to study this connection in order to understand populism’s appeal. Populists demonize male others and look at “their” women as either reproductive threats or “innocents” in need of saving from these men. The deep connection between populism and gender is also essential in understanding the ways in which populism threatens all women’s reproductive rights and agency and, eventually, the ways in which it undermines democratic institutions. The populist division of society into “us” and “them” plays into the losses experienced by disheartened (under or unemployed) middle classes at the hands of so-called “effete elites” and reflects assumptions about proper gender roles (male breadwinners/ female reproducers). The populist father (or mother) is ready to recover these roles and the nation and reestablish “our” places of privilege.