There are many reasons why propagandists use sexualized language to portray their own country's leaders as heroic defenders of moral purity while simultaneously demonizing foreign adversaries as deviant sexual predators. One reason is that it plays into people's innate fears and anxieties about sex and sexuality. By presenting the enemy as "sexual," propagandists make them seem more threatening and dangerous, even if they aren't actually engaging in sexual acts. This technique also reinforces the idea that men who do not conform to traditional gender roles - like women in power, LGBTQ individuals, or those from other races/ethnicities - pose an inherent threat to the nation's hegemony.
The Nazis painted Jewish people as hypersexualized caricatures during World War II, casting them as predatory seducers of innocent Aryan women and children. The Soviet Union used similar tactics during the Cold War, painting Americans as decadent and promiscuous while depicting themselves as virtuous and chaste. Today, this type of propaganda continues to be used by autocratic regimes around the world to justify repression and violence against marginalized groups.
Another reason for using erotic stereotypes is that it can strengthen national unity. When a leader is presented as the ultimate protector of women and girls, it creates a sense of camaraderie among his followers. In some cases, this may even lead to physical and emotional intimacy between citizens and their government officials.
North Korea has cultivated a cult of personality around its leaders, creating a culture wherein citizens are expected to adore Kim Jong-Un as their father figure and mate. By portraying him as sexually attractive and desirable, propagandists have successfully created a society where citizens feel an intense bond with their country and its rulers.
Erotic stereotypes also serve to divide societies into binary oppositions. By painting one group (the "us") as pure and noble while another (the "them") as lascivious and immoral, propagandists create an "us vs. them" mentality that can fuel conflict and violence. This technique was famously used in Rwanda before the 1994 genocide, when Hutu extremists spread rumors about Tutsis planning to rape Hutu women. The resulting fear and hatred helped spark the massacre of over 800,0000 people. Erotic stereotypes were also deployed by Serbian propagandists during the Bosnian War, who depicted Muslims as sexual predators and attempted to justify ethnic cleansing through sexualized language.
Erotic stereotypes can be used to obscure or downplay actual acts of violence committed against civilians. When a country's enemies are presented as deviant monsters, it becomes easier for people to ignore atrocities like rape, torture, and murder.
Russian propagandists have frequently referred to Ukrainian soldiers as perverts and rapists to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This tactic allows Putin to distract from his government's brutal tactics and portray the war as necessary to protect innocent women and children.
Erotic stereotypes are a powerful tool for strengthening hierarchical national narratives and justifying violence against marginalized groups. By exploiting our deepest fears and desires about sex, they allow governments to manipulate public opinion and turn citizens into enthusiastic supporters of their leaders. It is crucial that we recognize this strategy and work to counteract its effects.
In what psychological ways do erotic stereotypes in propaganda strengthen hierarchical national narratives by sexualizing both internal and external enemies?
The depiction of "sexualized enemies" in propaganda can serve as an effective means for governments and political leaders to promote patriotic sentiments within their countries' borders while also fostering a sense of superiority over those outside the country's boundaries. This is because such imagery helps to reinforce existing social norms about gender roles and gendered expectations regarding sexual behavior, which are often rooted in cultural belief systems that prioritize traditional values over progressive ones.