Gender-Bender Narratives: Radicalizing Effects of Disinformation That Threatens Gender-Normative Views

Abstract

Gender norms have become a focal point of cultural debate and wedge issues in political elections, leading to discussions on how they may impact political and psychological processes and potentially radicalize individuals who feel threatened by or uncomfortable as the norms shift. We investigated the relationship between beliefs about gender-threatening disinformation narratives and radicalization, and the role of “fragile” masculinity and femininity in this relationship. In an original sample of 1,698 participants, we found that belief in gender-challenging narratives had a direct and positive relationship with radical intentions in men, whereas fragile femininity mediated the relationship between gender identity-challenging narratives and radical intentions. These suggests that threatened gender norms and disinformation are both significant factors in the psychology of radicalization.