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

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."

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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."