Survey Uncovers Disturbing Support for Christian Nationalism Among Women

One-third of Americans assert that the United States is or should be a Christian nation, a finding from a recent Public Religion Research Institute report that highlights an unexpected trend: women are just as likely as men to endorse Christian nationalism.

The PRRI's conclusions stem from over 20,000 interviews with adults nationwide, probing their agreement with statements like “U.S. laws should be based on Christian values” and “God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.” Respondents were categorized as adherents, sympathizers, skeptics, or rejectors of Christian nationalism.

“If you completely agree with those statements, by and large, you’re a Christian nationalist adherent,” noted Melissa Deckman, PRRI's chief executive.

Despite skepticism or outright rejection from most Americans, the belief in Christian nationalism remains a potent force in U.S. politics. Notably, 56% of Republicans identified as either adherents or sympathizers in the PRRI report, with many supporting Donald Trump as a strong leader.

A considerable segment of those who strictly adhere to Christian nationalist views includes women committed to its stringent theology.

“Plenty of American women are conservative, and they hold strong theologically conservative positions, and they have found a home in this movement,” Deckman explained.

From an outsider's perspective, the appeal of a movement that seeks to limit women's agency can be perplexing. The Rev. Doug Wilson, a self-identified Christian nationalist, has criticized the 19th Amendment, suggesting it was detrimental and advocating for household heads to vote instead. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth aligns with Wilson’s denomination and has echoed the church’s motto on social media.

Deckman emphasized that many women supporting Christian nationalism are prepared to relinquish various rights, driven by concerns over societal changes. “They see younger women who are less religious, who are opting out of marriage, and it’s alarming to them,” she stated.

“To understand the Christian nationalist worldview is that it’s one that’s deeply steeped in militant masculinity with very patriarchal views,” Deckman added. “The role of women in society is really to be mothers, preferably of lots of children, and to be wives that are submissive to their husbands.”

Women who strongly identify with Christian nationalism share similar hard-line views on political violence and immigration as their male counterparts. They are notably inclined to believe that true American patriots “may have to resort to violence to save the country.”

Both genders within this movement also express agreement on the deportation of undocumented immigrants without due process and subscribe to the Great Replacement theory, which posits that “immigrants are invading our country and replacing our cultural and ethnic background,” according to PRRI.

This finding aligns with observations from Katie Gaddini, a sociologist at University College London who studies Christian women in U.S. politics. “The idea of wanting to keep outsiders out of the country has stayed the same. The particular outsiders that they are targeting has changed,” Gaddini remarked.

“In 2016, the women I interviewed were much more concerned with Muslims coming into the country,” she continued. “And in 2020, there was starting to see a shift towards Latinos. And that was really strong in the 2024 election.”

However, among strict adherents of Christian nationalism, women do not always mirror their male counterparts on certain gender issues. A 2025 PRRI survey revealed that only 26% of Christian nationalist women agreed with the statement: “The gains that women have made in recent years have come at the expense of men,” compared to 43% of men. This group also showed less inclination to believe society was “too soft and feminine.”

For these women, gender equality does not conflict with their faith.

“Within the MAGA coalition, there are prominent women and everyday women who would call themselves conservative feminists, and they believe in women’s equality,” Gaddini noted.

Overall, while there may be differences in how Christian nationalist women approach issues or their political style, “the fervency of beliefs and the commitment to the cause is not any different from men,” Gaddini concluded.

This unwavering belief system poses significant implications for broader American society. “The harm is the exclusion it causes to a lot of people: trans people, immigrants, gender, sexual, racial minorities,” Gaddini stated. “There’s documented harm that can be caused by those rigid, exclusionary beliefs.”