Blessed and Pinkpilled: Exploring the Intersection of Escapism, Biblical Patriarchy, and Male Supremacy

• In Event: Online Communities and Offline Violence

Abstract

Objective:
Over the past decade, there has been a marked rise in violent attacks carried out by male supremacists in the United States. Although typically perpetrated by cis-gendered men, the ideologies supporting such violence exist among women. Additionally, perceived threats to traditional, Christian family values have strengthened adherence to biblical patriarchy and distinct gender roles. This research explores whether the inclination towards escapism, or the desire to divert attention from reality, influences women's acceptance of male supremacist beliefs. Additionally, this research considers the role of biblical patriarchy in modern support for male supremacy.

Data and Methods:
We collected original survey data on a random sample of US respondents over the age of 18 to assess this relationship. Escapism here is measured using a 2-dimensional Escapism scale with dimensions measuring Self-Expansion and Self-Suppression. Escapism here is measured alongside measures of Social Dominance Orientation, Sexism (Modern Sexism), Biblical Patriarchy (Attitudes Toward Christian Women), Male Supremacy and covariates (powerlessness, emotional and social loneliness). We examine the relationship between respondents’ levels of escapism, their male supremacy scores, and the conditional relationships among items as contributors to male supremacist attitudes.

Conclusions:
This study informs ongoing research into why male supremacist attitudes proliferate among women, most likely to bear the harms of male supremacist violence and identify the possible ideological influences in the support for male supremacy. The addition of the escapism scale in the context of male supremacist attitudes presents the opportunity for additional understanding of the underlying factors in addition to sexism that contribute to male supremacist beliefs.

Author

• JJ West, American University