On January 6, 2021, author and ethnographer Noelle Cook arrived in Washington, D.C., witnessing the chaos that unfolded as rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Cook, who was not initially attending the “Stop the Steal” rally, came across a disturbing scene involving emergency responders attending to the aftermath of Ashli Babbitt’s death. This incident marked a pivotal moment for Cook, inspiring her to delve deeper into the complexities surrounding the women involved in the January 6 insurrection.
As the fifth anniversary of the Capitol riot approaches, Cook is set to release her new book, The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism, and the Lure of Belonging. The book, along with a documentary of the same name, examines the increasing involvement of women in extremist movements, particularly the events surrounding the attack on Congress.
Cook’s initial intent was to document the rally visually. “I thought I would just go down and take photographs of the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally because the signs and stuff are always visually interesting,” she explained. However, the day quickly turned surreal, resembling a “sinister carnival” filled with both celebratory activities and alarming violent rhetoric.
After returning to her home in Maryland, Cook dedicated three weeks to processing the images she captured. She then shifted her focus to the first 100 women arrested for their roles in the events of January 6, analyzing court records, news reports, and social media to uncover underlying trends. Many of these women, she found, were entering middle age, a demographic that Cook believes is increasingly drawn to extremist ideologies.
Understanding “Conspirituality” Among Women
Two women who particularly caught Cook’s attention were Yvonne St. Cyr and Tammy Butry. Both were part of the mob that breached the Capitol. St. Cyr took a leading role, guiding a crowd through the tunnels beneath Congress, while Butry wore a blue Trump flag and documented her experience with selfies and a drink.
Cook identifies a growing trend she terms “conspirituality,” blending New Age beliefs, anti-vaccination sentiments, and conspiracy theories. This ideology, she argues, played a significant role in drawing women like St. Cyr and Butry to the Capitol on that fateful day. “I had no intention of studying QAnon or conspiracies or anything, but I kind of followed these women where they led me, which was straight into conspiracies,” she noted.
The riot ultimately failed to halt the certification of President Joe Biden. St. Cyr received a 30-month prison sentence, while Butry was sentenced to 20 days. Cook’s research reveals how personal trauma and feelings of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic have made women more vulnerable to conspiracy theories, often exacerbated by limited social opportunities.
The Role of Online Communities in Radicalization
According to Cook, many of the women she interviewed found community online during the pandemic. “Most of these women that I talk to, middle-aged women, don’t have that much opportunity to socialize anymore, and they get their community online,” she stated. As caregiving responsibilities increased, these women turned to social media for connection, inadvertently leading them to extremist ideologies.
Cook has found that, among those she spoke with, few regret their actions on January 6. She attributes this to the perception of validation provided by political figures. Following the riot, former President Donald Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 defendants, reinforcing the beliefs of many conspiracists. “It’s worse because Trump pardoned all of them, and so they all feel validated and vindicated,” Cook emphasized.
The influence of figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has historically campaigned against vaccines, further fuels the beliefs held by these groups. Cook warns that such endorsements provide an ongoing sense of legitimacy to conspiracy-driven communities.
“Conspiracists don’t typically change beliefs until it affects them personally,” she explained, citing individuals like Erica Roach, who distanced herself from the movement post-January 6. Cook believes that confronting deeply held beliefs requires more than just factual rebuttal; it involves addressing individuals’ sense of purpose and belonging.
“Facts don’t really matter much. It’s feelings,” she concluded. The challenges facing those trying to counteract conspiracy theories are significant, as convincing individuals to abandon their beliefs often requires a personal catalyst.
The Conspiracists will be available for purchase on January 6, 2024, providing a critical examination of the intersection of gender, extremism, and societal belonging in today’s context.
