Episode # 132

Pastels, Pedophiles and QAnon - with Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko

This fall we’re focused on hot-button topics. If you remember, we kicked off the fall with a conversation about the census and representation, which then moved into representation in the media and movies with Kamala Avila-Salmon, the head of inclusive content at Lionsgate Films. Today, we’re here to talk about another hot button topic that we’ve all heard about the last couple of years but we’ve never touched yet on the show: QAnon.

This conversation we’re about to share gave us some perspective on what really was happening with the development of the conspiracy theory, what risks we face as a country if we let this fester (it’s not good), and what we can each do differently that we weren't doing beforehand.

ALSO - we have one month until our book launch! For those of you who are at all interested in joining our book launch team, email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com for details on what’s involved. We’d love to have you be a part of our book community!

“We're looking at possibly 30 million people that believe some degree of QAnon, that there is this global conspiracy theory that they are trafficking children, raping children, and drinking their blood.”
Mia Bloom
“The 30 million is in the USA alone. These are representative polls of American adults, so projecting from their number of about 17% that believe in QAnon that makes about 30 million, but QAnon is a global phenomenon. We have followers in Australia and Canada and the UK, in Europe, in Asia, all over the world. So, we can't really tell how many there are, but it's significantly more than 30 million worldwide.”
Sophia Moskalenko

What to listen for:

The basic beliefs of QAnon, and what our guests think the harm is from letting the reported 17% of the US adult population who believes in this (baseless) conspiracy theory continue
The influence of women - White women - in the growth and depth of QAnon
What psychological needs QAnon fills for those who have fallen down the rabbit hole
Importantly - what can each of us say or do for those people in our lives who believe in QAnon?

About the authors:

Mia Bloom is the International Security Fellow at New America, professor at Georgia State University, and member of the Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group. She has authored several books on violent extremism including Small Arms: Children and Terrorism (2019), Bombshell: Women and Terrorism (2011), and Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror (2005).

Sophia Moskalenko is a psychologist studying mass identity, inter-group conflict, and conspiracy theories. She has written several books, including the award-winning Friction: How Conflict Radicalizes Them and Us (2011) and The Marvel of Martyrdom: The Power of Self-Sacrifice in the Selfish World (2019).

Where to pre-order Dear White Women: Let’s Get (Un)comfortable Talking About Racism: https://thecollectivebook.studio/dear-white-women

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