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In 2022, Kathleen J. McInnis, Benjamin Jensen, and Jaron Wharton wrote, “Why Dictators are Afraid of Girls: Rethinking Gender and National Security,” where they analyzed how gender can break or bolster authoritarian regimes. We asked Kathleen and Benjamin to revisit their article to see how the relationship between government and gender has evolved since then.Read more below:Image: Photo from Paval Hadzinski Catholic Belarus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsIn your 2022 article “Why Dictators are Afraid of Girls: Rethinking Gender and National Security” you argue that Russia “weaponized gender” to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Can you explain more about this and what effect it has on both domestic and foreign perceptions of the war, especially over the last two years? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an illustrative case of weaponizing gender to shape both domestic and international narratives. Vladimir Putin’s regime framed Russia as a bastion of traditional values under threat from a “decadent West.” This narrative portrays the West’s emphasis on gender equality and freedoms as signs of moral decay, positioning Russia as a defender of a purer, more traditional social order. Internally, this reinforced Putin’s image as a strong, paternal leader, while marginalizing dissenting voices.Over the past two years, this approach has had mixed effects. Domestically, the emphasis on tradition helped consolidate support among conservative populations, though the growing human and economic toll of the war has strained this narrative. Internationally, the attempt to rally global populist and traditionalist allies by exploiting fears of cultural liberalization has seen more limited success, and their efforts have been largely undermined by global condemnation of Russian aggression. That said, the promulgation of messages emphasizing traditional gender roles and values have proven more resilient in shaping domestic politics in multiple countries. Importantly, as women and marginalized groups increasingly lead resistance movements, the Kremlin’s weaponization of gender