"It’s not just that women are more likely to become prominent influencers in the QAnon digital network; it is actively useful for QAnon for them to do so." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/opinion/qanon-women-conspiracy.html

Also: "The theory’s adherents look less like our traditional conception of fascists and more like ordinary concerned mothers"—the thing is, history shows that plenty of fascists seem like ordinary concerned mothers. That's in part why we forget about them after the fact.

^Case in point, a quote in my book from the excellent "Hitler's Furies" that I think about A LOT:

Also, I do realize QAnon isn't entirely about race, but still—Kathleen Blee at Pitt predicted that we were careening toward this precipice back in the early aughts (tihis is a screenshot from her incredible book "Inside Organized Racism"):

*this, ugh.

Last thing I'll say: For women, I suspect this is about power. About feeling like one has power in a world knocked off kilter. Where other channels of power aren't available. Where other discourse—a power source!—about, say, racial justice doesn't seem to have room for you.

It's odious. It's terrifying. But it's neither unprecedented nor inexplicable.