Male Supremacy and Misogyny: Mainstreaming Extremism Through Local Government

WHAT IS MALE SUPREMACY AND MISOGYNY?

Male supremacism is a social hierarchy which places cisgendered—or straight—men as superior to others and justifies their social and political control. Misogyny—a key element of male supremacy— propagates disdain and prejudice against women and perceived threats to this social order. Mainstream misogynists promote policies and laws that restrict the rights of women and LGBTQ communities, whereas fringe elements endorse violence to achieve these goals. The United States has seen a roll-back in civil liberties in favor of male supremacist ideals with the end of protections like Roe V. Wade in 2022, and an increase in anti-trans legislation. Recent legislative attacks on birth control, trans student athletes, abortion care, and drag queen story hours all stem from this ideological root. Misogyny is a driving factor in incidents of gender-based violence, mass violence, and domestic extremism. Nearly half of mass violence perpetrators have a history of domestic violence or misogynistic behaviors, or both.

Male supremacist violence impacts ethnic and racial minorities disproportionately. For example, from March 2020 to March 2021, of the reported 6,600 crimes against Asian Americans in the U.S., the majority targeted women and nonbinary individuals. Likewise, DOJ reports found that transgender individuals face greater threats if they are also a person of color.