MANILA, Philippines – Being a woman is already hard enough. When one adds social media into the mix, misogyny is given a global stage, turning online platforms into hostile environments for women.

This impacts even the most powerful of women, who are constantly framed as incompetent or attacked for their looks, choices, and personal lives, in ways that their male counterparts rarely experience. 

Rappler’s own Maria Ressa, for example, was a frequent target of sexist attacks that made fun of her appearance or sexuality. I wrote about gendered attacks in the lead-up to the 2022 presidential election, when former vice president Leni Robredo was not only called unintelligent, but was accused of being in relationships she never actually had, or having a pregnancy that never happened. In another part of the world, US Vice President Kamala Harris has been criticized by Republicans online for being childless.

Now we’re also seeing a global wave of gender backlash impacting progressive feminist movements everywhere. Women’s reproductive rights have taken a hit, and campaigns against sexual harassment have been censored online. Countries such as Brazil and the Philippines have also elected populist leaders who spew sexist statements that help misogyny thrive.

However, one thing I’ve learned from studying information operations around the world is that gendered disinformation should also be seen through the national security lens. In countries with tense geopolitical situations, misogyny and gendered disinformation are exploited by foreign actors to sow division, make the public more vulnerable to manipulation, and ultimately undermine democracy.

This is true for countries dealing with Russia. Hypermasculinity has become a key element of Kremlin propaganda, painting a strong, militarized image of President Vladimir Putin, an ideal role model for all Russian men who love their country. In fact, patriarchal family values even helped legitimize the war in Ukraine, which they characterize as a war between the liberal West and defenders of conservative values.

The Nerve recently had the opportunity to study information operations in Moldova, a country now facing threats of a Russian invasion. We found that women leaders in Moldova were being targeted by misogynistic and gendered disinformation, framed as foreign agents porting Western liberal values.

Tribalist narratives against alleged ‘foreign’ influence

Much of the gendered disinformation against women leaders in Moldova reeks of xenophobia, ostracizing them as being influenced by “foreign” forces.

The targeted women leaders were not only criticized for supposed pro-West or liberal policies, but also for the most trivial connections with Western countries. Even something as innocuous as growing up or studying in the United States becomes a point of contention.

They are then accused of advocating “foreign liberal values,” a claim that isolates them from a traditionally conservative and patriarchal society.

This kind of propaganda effectively frames attacks against female leadership into an “us vs them” narrative underneath the misogyny. By calling feminist values “western,” propagandists call people into action to defend Moldova from an imagined foreign invasion — justifying the vile rhetoric against female leaders.

For instance, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who is unmarried and childless, has had her sexuality questioned and has been accused of promoting LGBTQ+ propaganda — an ideology totally alien to Moldovan patriarchal norms. Former president Igor Dodon, notorious for belittling gender equality, also accused Sandu’s administration of being anti-family and anti-natality.

These attacks also portray these women as out of touch with Moldovans. Sandu has also focused on Moldova's accession to the European Union, which led to her being portrayed as a leader who prioritizes foreigners over her own countrymen. Moldova-born anti-corruption prosecutor Veronica Dragalin is also often portrayed as someone without sufficient knowledge of the Moldovan justice system, simply because she had grown up and studied in the United States.

When women leaders in Moldova are totally othered, politicians and other public figures can easily characterize them as security risks that could result in the destruction of Moldova. If a female leader doesn’t look and act like a traditional Moldovan woman, why should she be trusted? What if she’s a traitor? Why would that make her a good leader?

‘Vindictive,’ ‘incompetent’ women leaders as threats

Among the issues closest to Sandu’s heart is justice sector reform, and she’s been fiercely cracking down on corruption in the country. This made her a popular target for male politicians with ties to Russia — or even criminal accusations.

Moldovan politician Ilan Shor, convicted of fraud and money laundering, is among Sandu’s most notorious critics. He has since fled the country, and currently holds Russian citizenship. Before his Facebook account was suspended, he even ran an elaborate Facebook campaign aimed to destabilize the 2023 election in Moldova.

It comes as no surprise that Shor had painted Sandu as a vengeful, vindictive leader only interested in taking down the opposition, calling her a “dictator” or “Hitler in a skirt.” His misogynistic statements are rooted in contempt, and have the power to influence thousands of Moldovans online.

And while misogynists are at it, they also attack women over traits that supposedly make them incompetent and unfit to lead. Moldova also has its own share of crises, which in 2022 naturally triggered a slew of criticisms towards the leaders handling them.

Of course, citizens need to hold their governments and leaders accountable, but foreign actors took advantage of these situations to further sow division online and offline. 

An energy crisis in the country led to protests against the Moldovan government, but it was later discovered that these protests were organized by Shor himself. Businessman Veaceslav Platon, mastermind behind the Russian Laundromat scandal, called Sandu the “queen of excuses” amid an economic crisis, and he continues to lambast her online to thousands of followers. 

Prominent male figures with foreign links can influence droves of Moldovan citizens with their misogynistic statements, ultimately influencing public opinion of what good (and bad) leadership looks like.

Russia and the ties that bind

Various propaganda narratives about geopolitical safety and international relations always call certain countries “the next Ukraine.” People have said that about Taiwan. People have said that about the Philippines, too — even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself saw parallels between Ukraine and the Philippines’ situation with China.

Moldova, a former member of the Soviet Union, is no exception. Sandu’s administration has taken a more pro-West stance, but they’ve also had to deal with pro-Russia breakaway regions and anti-EU political movements in the country. 

All of this has led to fears that Russia may ramp up efforts to destabilize Moldova. Not only does Moldova have a number of pro-Russia figures like Shor who’ve spewed misogynistic statements in the past, we’ve also seen inauthentic activity linked to a wider online network of anti-Sandu, Russian-speaking groups.

This is solid evidence that foreign actors are exploiting these online discussions, dividing Moldovan communities online — a clear sign that gendered disinformation in Moldova is not just a feminist issue, it’s a security issue.

We’ve also seen potential foreign influence operations make the most of networked propaganda here. False claims about Rappler’s ownership and funding as well as other coordinated attacks on Maria for being an “American puppet” are often hurled by pro-China pseudo-experts and networks online.

Don’t get me wrong — we should be critical of all imperialist powers. But information operations like these have the power to divide communities online and exploit cracks in our society.

Anyone who’s been keeping up with Rappler’s disinformation reporting knows we believe that online violence is real-world violence. The US Capitol riot couldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the lies and conspiracy theories in the “Stop the Steal” Facebook groups. The gunman in the 2022 Ateneo shooting had several inflammatory posts on his verified Facebook account. Activists in the Philippines were first harassed online before they were attacked in real life.

Russia isn’t showing signs of slowing down in their invasion of Ukraine. If tech platforms like Facebook don’t act on the lies and hate spreading on their platform, Moldova could be next.

When misogynists are in power, gendered disinformation becomes a political weapon. And if we don’t keep a close watch, it’s citizens’ rights, well-being, and safety that’s at stake. – Rappler.com

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This story was originally published on Rappler on August 2, 2024.

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Decoded is a Rappler series that explores the challenges and opportunities that come with living in transformative times. It is produced by The Nerve, a data forensics company that enables changemakers to navigate real-world trends and issues through narrative & network investigations. Taking the best of human and machine, we enable partners to unlock powerful insights that shape informed decisions. Composed of a team of data scientists, strategists, award-winning storytellers, and designers, the company is on a mission to deliver data with real-world impact.

#ShePersisted’s study on Moldova is part of a project aimed at creating strategic communications approaches to combating gendered disinformation. It also conducted similar research on Brazil and the digital threats faced by its women leaders. Go here to access the full reports.