QAMOMS: UNDERSTANDING HOW WOMEN SHAPED THE QANON MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Since its online emergence in 2017, the QAnon conspiracy theory has become a widespread social movement. Despite being founded on false claims and promoting anti-Semitic ideology, the group has attracted a large following, with some members committing criminal and political violence, as witnessed in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. The involvement of women, particularly mothers, has transformed the social movement, propelling it from male-dominated online spaces like 4chan into the mainstream through social media. Women acting as force multipliers actively spread the group’s ideology through recruitment, mobilization, and advocacy, often in connection to the issue of child sex-trafficking awareness. This thesis aims to understand why QAnon appeals to women and examine its impact on the group while highlighting the nuanced threat to homeland security this gender characteristic poses. The research methodology in this study utilizes collective framing within social movement and social identity theory to evaluate QAnon as a group, identifying different factors contributing to women’s membership. In conclusion, this thesis asserts QAnon currently may not present a substantial domestic terrorist threat, but the dissemination of misinformation regarding human trafficking and other such claims creates challenges for law enforcement and government efforts to address the issue. ; Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. ; Civilian, Department of Homeland Security