“The future of our nation’s in her hands”: The social construction of gender in far-right music

Abstract

Scholars, national security officials, and top law enforcement officers continue to argue that far-right extremism represents one of the most pressing forms of terrorism in the United States. Despite this, the current scholarship on far-right extremism is lagging, particularly in regard to the non-violent activities of these groups like music. Of the research that does exist, few examine these activities through a critical gendered lens despite the ideology of far-right groups that highlights strict stereotypical gender roles. As such, this study attempts to understand how far-right music is used to construct femininity and masculinity and then, how gender relates to extremism. Using lyrics from over 700 songs from 64 geographically diverse far-right bands, we analyzed the gendered narrative that emerges in the music. We find a strikingly divergent narrative in terms of women and femininity. In-group women are held in high regards as they are the only ones biologically able to continue the pure bloodline. Out-group women are viewed as whores, who lure in-group men away from the group’s morals and goals. The narrative around men and masculinity centers on strength, toughness, and a profound sense of brotherhood that will ensure the white race prevails. With this gendered picture, we highlight the influential, though often overlooked, role that women play in sustaining far-right movements. Although not as visible as their male counterparts, women within these groups exert considerable influence as mothers and wives in maintaining far-right prescribed family structures, cultural values, and community cohesion.