The Women of the Far Right. Social Media Influencers and Online Radicalization | Lecture and conversation with radicalization expert Eviane Leidig and political scientist Andrej Zaslove

The evening began with an engaging introduction to the topic by Leidig, who is the author of the book The Women of the Far Right: Social Media Influencers and Online Radicalization. She explained how her work, based on three years of immersive digital ethnographic research, aims to uncover the multifaceted roles women play in these movements. From propagandists to cultural entrepreneurs, far-right women have stepped into the spotlight, leveraging influencer culture to normalize and legitimize extreme ideologies for mainstream audiences.

Leidig traced the rise of these women to the decline of the alt-right movement in North America around 2019. While the media and academia had focused heavily on male leaders, the significant contributions of women remained overlooked. “Far-right women are not just supporters,” Leidig emphasized. “They are actively shaping these movements through their visibility and messaging.”

Weaponizing lifestyle content

Using many examples, Leidig demonstrated how these women merge personal branding with ideology. A video by Brittany Sellner, for instance, showcases her honeymoon while framing traditional marriage as a political act of resistance against a society she claims to be anti-family. Canadian influencer Robyn Riley shared a “glow-up” story on Instagram, presenting her personal transformation as a metaphor for her radicalization journey. Such content, Leidig argued, exemplifies the strategy of “networked intimacy,” where influencers cultivate relatability and authenticity to engage audiences and normalize far-right beliefs.

This strategy extends beyond individual posts. Leidig explored how these women weaponize everyday activities—parenting, cooking, health advice—to embed ideological messages. A seemingly innocuous livestream about breastfeeding can shift into a call for reproductive duty to “save the white race.” Similarly, wellness advice about tap water or dietary supplements often includes coded language that promotes far-right conspiracy theories. “These influencers intertwine the personal and political so seamlessly that it’s hard to see where one ends and the other begins,” Leidig noted.

Leidig’s lecture also addressed the financial and entrepreneurial dimensions of this influencer culture. Many far-right women monetize their content through books, affiliate links, and sponsorships from ideologically aligned companies. By linking their lifestyles to specific products—be it supplements or home goods—they turn ideology into a consumable brand. This entrepreneurial approach not only sustains their platforms but also amplifies their reach, further embedding their narratives into everyday life.

The cultural power of the far right

After Leidig’s presentation, political scientist Andrej Zaslove joined the stage for a conversation  and placed her findings within the broader context of contemporary politics. Zaslove noted the far right’s sophisticated understanding of identity and culture, contrasting it with the left’s waning emphasis on these aspects. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, he explained how far-right movements have mastered the art of influencing societal norms through cultural rather than purely political means.

Zaslove highlighted how the far-right’s embrace of “authenticity” has bolstered its appeal. “By politicizing the personal—what you eat, how you parent, how you live—they create a sense of belonging and identity that resonates deeply with their audiences,” he said. He also pointed to the growing transnational ties among far-right influencers and parties, from Giorgia Meloni in Italy to the Dutch Farmers’ protests, which reinforce these cultural narratives on a global scale.

Countering the narratives

During the conversation, moderator Pam Tönissen steered the conversation toward the challenges of countering far-right narratives. Leidig emphasized the limitations of content moderation as a solution. While deplatforming can reduce the visibility of harmful content, it also risks reinforcing the far-right’s victimhood narratives. “The far right will always claim persecution,” she remarked. Instead, Leidig suggested a more nuanced approach, combining digital literacy with critical thinking to equip audiences to recognize and question manipulative tactics.

The conversation also touched on the gender dynamics within far-right movements. While these women leverage their femininity for influence, they are not immune to sexism from within their own circles. Leidig described instances of backlash, including accusations of being “Trad thoughts”—women accused of exploiting traditionalist rhetoric for personal gain. Despite this, many of these influencers position themselves as exceptions, using their visibility to solidify their roles as spokespersons for the movement.

The evening closed with reflections on the broader societal implications of these findings. Both speakers emphasized the need to understand these dynamics not just as an online phenomenon but as part of a larger cultural and political shift. As Leidig aptly concluded, “These women are not just spreading ideology—they are reshaping the far right by embedding it into the fabric of everyday life.”

This evening underscored the power of culture in shaping politics and left the audience with critical questions about how to navigate and counter the normalization of extremist ideologies in an increasingly interconnected world.

Announcement

For a long time, people thought that far-right groups as male-dominated. But now, women, including self-described "tradwives," are now stepping into prominent roles as influencers and organizers. What drives them? And how are they reshaping far-right politics today? Come and learn from radicalization expert Eviane Leidig, author of The Women of the Far Right, and political scientist Andrej Zaslove how gender-based narratives have been instrumentalized to promote far-right agendas.

Gender, nationalism, and democracy

The far-right agenda often relies on traditional gender roles to reinforce its ideology. Female influencers within this movement present themselves as defenders of cultural values, promoting an idealized version of the family and the nation. However, this image masks an agenda that could undermine democracy and limit individual freedoms.

Rebranding extremism

These women are not merely bystanders or supporters of far-right ideologies—they are active agents, using their gender to rebrand radical messages into something more approachable and even aspirational. Eviane Leidig will discuss how female far-right influencers spread their message through relatable lifestyle content. What role does the image of the nurturing mother or devoted wife play in making far-right ideology more acceptable to the mainstream?

After her lecture, Eviane Leidig explores with political scientist Andrej Zaslove the growing influence of women within these movements, how these dynamics play into larger patterns of populism and the global far-right movement, and how this impacts democracy on both the national and the global level. 

Read the Volkskrant interview with Eviane Heidig earlier this year.

This program will be in English 

About the speakers

Eviane Leidig a researcher and consultant specialized in online extremism and radicalization, as well as online regulation and digital policy. She is the author of ‘The women of the far right’. 

Andrej Zaslove is political scientist at Radboud University. His research examines populism and political parties. He focuses on measuring populism (citizens' attitudes), on populism and democracy, on populism and foreign policy, on populism and gender, and on the influence of populism on party systems.

This is a program of Radboud Reflects and Hot Spot Sustainable Democracy