In her article for The Guardian, Adrienne Matei discusses the “womanosphere,” a network of online creators promoting a normative vision of womanhood that aligns with anti-queerness, white supremacy, and traditional maternalism. She draws parallels between modern movements and historical instances where women’s roles were politicized, such as Nazi Germany. Historian Claudia Koonz highlights how women in Nazi Germany were integral to propagating state ideologies, similar to how current conservative movements in the U.S. push for women’s subservience and domesticity.
Matei notes that conservative evangelical groups advocate for women to remain at home, raising children to uphold certain ideals. This echoes rhetoric from the Trump administration, which has been seen as encouraging traditional gender roles and attacking women’s rights, including workplace equity and reproductive rights. Policies like pronatalist rewards and the promotion of large families seem to prioritize white births, contributing to higher maternal mortality rates among Black women.
Through references to historical speeches by figures like Joseph Goebbels, Matei illustrates how authoritarian leaders tap into domestic spheres, employing jingoism and dominionism to treat women’s bodies as state resources for ideological propagation. The article highlights the dangers of such policies and the cyclical nature of women’s roles in supporting oppressive regimes.
