The Anti-Defamation League just classified misogyny as a 'gateway' to extremism like white supremacy

White supremacist rally.
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Anti-Defamation League for the first time has drawn an explicit connection between misogyny and violent extremism, the organization explained Tuesday. In a new report, the anti-Semitism and anti-hate group described the links between prejudice against women and other forms of violent hatred.

"There is a robust symbiosis between misogyny and white supremacy," the ADL wrote in the report. The organization described a "deep-seated loathing of women" as an important "connective tissue" among white supremacist groups, as well as the alt-right, men's rights activists, and "incels."

The group pointed out that misogyny has not received the same type of scrutiny as other extremist attitudes, despite the "violence, vicious harassment" and other misogynist acts that "are a huge threat to women everywhere." Given the recent rise in hate crimes, report author Jessica Reaves told Cosmopolitan, "it's really important for people to understand that these hateful groups don't exist in a vacuum — they feed off one another."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The report spells out the ways in which misogyny is often a "gateway" to other forms of extremism and recommends a number of strategies to combat the issue. The ADL recommends ensuring that gender-based discrimination is classified the same way as other forms of hate speech, both in the public sphere and on social media. "Misogyny can provide bigots with a bridge to white supremacy," writes the ADL. "The two ideologies are powerfully intertwined."

Explore More
Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.