The number of conflicts in the world has been rising, and many argue that having more women in leadership positions could lead to a more peaceful world. However, history shows that women leaders have been just as prone to initiating conflicts as men, as they often feel the need to overcome gender stereotypes and appear tough on national security. Women are under pressure to lean into masculine stereotypes of leadership in a hypermasculine world. Additionally, women leaders are penalized more harshly for backing down from threats, encouraging them to add fuel to the fire. While involving more women in positions of power has been shown to make societies more peaceful, it would require significant societal changes to truly answer the question of whether the world would be more peaceful with more women in charge.