Autocratic Genderwashing

This paper launches the concept autocratic genderwashing to shed light on why authoritarian states adopt gender equality reforms. Autocratic genderwashing occurs when autocrats take credit for advances in gender equality in order to draw attention from persistent non-democratic practices. In doing so, they exploit the often simplistic association between gender equality and democracy to seek legitimacy and achieve regime stability. Gender equality is used to devise legitimation strategies tailored for specific groups. Raised awareness of the global phenomenon of autocratic genderwashing might make scholars and democracy activists less likely to accept inclusion as a substitute for competition in non-democratic states.