With the rise of Donald Trump came the advent of an expression that serves as a challenge to men and women alike: toxic masculinity. It implies that men like Trump represent a caricature of all the worst character traits endemic to the male species. Of course, they are the same characteristics that have drawn millions to his side and accounted for his improbable ascension to the pinnacle of power. But if men are supposed to subdue their Trump-style testosterone, what is the new and improved model for the 21st-century man envisioned by the progressive left? Well, Exhibit A is right before us, epitomized by Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz.
While the 45th president jacks up his wild rallies with “Proud to be an American” blasting from the speakers, the Minnesota governor responds to his audience with the Hindu/Yoga namaste bow, meaning "The light in me recognizes the light within you." This is perhaps the most visually striking contrast between the old and new masculinity. Trump is hard-edged and bombastic. Walz is soft and pillowy. Trump is the classic boy-daddy, Walz the girl-daddy. What Trump calls socialism, Walz calls neighborliness. While Trump warns of the dangers of an open border, Walz says he is proud to call Minnesota a sanctuary state.
But at the same time, Walz appears to be uncomfortable with how to play the new feminized man the left wants him to model. He felt it necessary to inflate his service in the National Guard – he quit when assigned to the Iraq War. He also embellished his role as a football coach, though he was a walk-on volunteer who only coached linebackers. And he is dressing in camo and plaid in an apparent attempt to appear more manly. As the left-wing platform The Guardian noted in a piece entitled “Can Tim Walz’s wardrobe win the White House?” Walz's clothes on the campaign trail are “all Carhartt, fleeces, jeans, Red Wing boots and worn-in T-shirts.”
Masculinity is in the eye of the beholder, one presumes, but Walz has faced his share of ridicule for the seeming contradiction between his appearance and his ideology. Jesse Watters of Fox News playfully questioned Walz’s masculine bona fides because he used a straw for a milkshake. Silly me, I thought everyone did.
Trump Alpha, Walz Beta
Whether it falls on listening or deaf ears, leftists are advancing the narrative that Trump and his alpha male-dominated supporters will soon be shown the door. “The MAGA movement is a kind of latter-day Ghost Dance: a desperate attempt to recover the supposed lost birthright of men and restore a perceived rightful power,” complained Salon in an article comparing Trump’s America First movement to the once-great Lakota Indian tribe, which “wished to make their nation great again,” but discovered it was “too late.” At the same time, Walz’s record demonstrates he all but embraced the uprising that burned much of Minneapolis to the ground, that he is soft on crime, encourages neighbors to report on each other, and supported defunding the police. These are not badges of honor for the alpha male.
Could it be that Walz recognizes his brand of masculinity as unappealing to the average voter? Human nature is such that people will often say they want one thing that sounds admirable, while in reality, they want another. Is there a disconnect or cognitive dissonance between what women say they want in a man and what they actually want? A conversation recently with my hairstylist (yes, real men can use a stylist instead of a barber) was quite revealing. This 30-something woman said most of her young girlfriends talk of desiring a man who is caring, sensitive, and not afraid to cry, but when it comes down to it, they almost always pick a more traditional alpha male.
You may recall that alpha male was a term revolving around Al Gore, the Democratic nominee for president in 2000, who faced off against the more macho George W. Bush. To make him appear as more of a manly man, Gore paid author Naomi Wolf $15,000 a month to be his “alpha advisor” and tweak his wardrobe to make him more alpha and less beta (the opposite, and defined more by loyalty, support, collaboration, and cooperation).
Testing Your Toxicity
Gore lost the closest election in American history, but the whole alpha male debate carried on, spawning all manner of “tests” to determine an individual male’s level of toxicity. One such questionnaire from IDRlabs.com offers 35 statements with which the respondent must agree or disagree. Some regard aggressive male behavior as “Men should use violence to get respect, if necessary"; "A guy who doesn't fight back when others push him around is weak"; and "I would be willing to steal a million dollars if I knew I would never get caught.”
Then there are statements measuring a man’s attitude towards women: “Men should be the ones to bring money home to provide for their families, not women"; "A husband shouldn't have to do household chores"; and "A man should always have the final say about decisions in his relationship or marriage.” Regarding a man’s perception of strength and weakness, the statements to evaluate include: “Guys should act strong even if they feel scared or nervous inside"; "Men should figure out their personal problems on their own without asking others for help"; and "A man who talks a lot about his worries, fears, and problems shouldn't really get respect.” And then there are some behavioral wildcards: “A guy who spends a lot of time on his looks isn't very manly"; "A real man should have as many sexual partners as he can"; "I have mocked ‘manly’ women and/or ‘girly’ men with derogatory sexual slurs"; and "If I discovered a friend was gay, I would consider ending the friendship.”
While millions prepare to watch the big debate on Tuesday between Trump and Kamala Harris, the issue of what makes a real man – and a real woman – circa 2024 will serve as a subtext to their joint appearance. The feminist movement that steadily gained strength in the last half-century laid the groundwork for the modern woman but not so much for the modern man. Has the country changed enough in the last quarter-century, since the issue first came front and center in a presidential election, that a different model of manhood will prevail in the decades ahead? Have the betas now overtaken the alphas? That is one of the many foundational questions the voters will settle in November.
