How Authoritarians Exploit Gender

Mar 25, 2026

Pär Zetterberg, a political science professor who studies elections and gender quotas, and Elin Bjarnegård, a political scientist focused on gender, violence, and authoritarianism, discuss how autocrats use simultaneous gender bashing and gender washing. They map tactics, contrast strategy versus ideology, and survey global cases where reforms, rhetoric, and representation are weaponized or staged.

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INSIGHT

Authoritarians Use Gender Strategically

Authoritarian regimes use both gender washing and gender bashing as strategic tools rather than purely ideological positions.
Elin Bjarnegård explains gender washing masks authoritarianism by adopting equality reforms to appear modern while repressing dissent elsewhere.

INSIGHT

Gender Washing Masks Autocratic Practice

Gender washing promotes reforms to signal modernity while hiding ongoing authoritarian practices.
Pär Zetterberg notes autocrats adopt quotas and equality laws to satisfy international norms without increasing real democratic competition.

INSIGHT

Gender Bashing Builds A Straw Man

Gender bashing uses 'gender ideology' as a straw man to justify rolling back rights and to signal patriotic traditionalism.
Elin Bjarnegård links this tactic to mobilizing opposition to perceived Western values during events like the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

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Gender is becoming a central battleground in contemporary authoritarian politics, but how do autocrats manipulate these debates to their own advantage? Some regimes now pursue a double strategy of simultaneous “gender bashing” and “gender washing”: mobilising anti-gender rhetoric and “traditional values” to attack feminists and roll back equality, while at the same time promoting loyal women into prominent roles to project an image of modernity, reform, and inclusion at home and abroad. By combining repression with reputation laundering, they mask authoritarian practices and complicate the struggle for genuine gender equality. Join the People, Power, Politics podcast as we talk to Elin Bjarnegård and Pär Zetterberg about their latest Journal of Democracy article and explore how this mix of gender bashing and gender washing is reshaping the fight for equal rights and democratic politics.

Guest:

Elin Bjarnegård is a Professor of Political Science at Uppsala University specialising in gender and politics, political violence, and authoritarianism. Her research explores how gender norms shape political institutions and how formal and informal rules affect women’s political representation. She has written extensively on gendered power structures, clientelism, and the strategic manipulation of equality reforms. A leading scholar in the field, Bjarnegård’s work has been published in major academic journals and contributes to our understanding of how gender dynamics intersect with democratic decline and political reform.

Pär Zetterberg is a Professor of Political Science at Uppsala University specialising in elections, political representation, and democratic institutions. His research examines gender quotas, electoral systems, and the conditions under which institutional reforms strengthen or undermine democratic accountability. He has published widely on women’s political representation and the effects of electoral rules on inclusion and governance. Through his academic and policy engagement, Zetterberg has advanced debates on how representation can both support and be instrumentalised within contemporary political systems.

Presenter:

Dr Nic Cheeseman is the Professor of Democracy and International Development at the University of Birmingham and Founding Director of CEDAR.

The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Join us to better understand the factors that promote and undermine democratic government around the world and follow us on Twitter at @CEDAR_Bham!

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