ICYMI: NYT and Wired Deep Dives Into Trump’s Pursuit of the Manosphere (Manoverse?) And More Coverage of Young Men in the Election
Summer is over and we’re in the sprint to election day. To get you up to speed, we’ve compiled some recent coverage of young men in the election, including Trump’s pursuit of young male voters via the Manosphere, as well as some mentions of YMRI’s own research.
We should also point out “The State of Working Class Men” report released by Richard Reeves’ American Institute for Boys and Men. The report makes clear that non-college men’s economic well-being has fallen even farther behind that of college-educated men, even as working class women’s well-being has been improving. The political and social changes happening among young men in recent years can’t be grappled with without understanding these underlying economic changes as well.
As always, please reach out if you have thoughts or suggestions on new research, collaboration, or how we can build more support for our work.
“Donald Trump Courts the Manoverse”
New York Times, 8/30/24
These figures have become a generation’s Hannity, Carlson and Limbaugh, but without the obvious political shroud. They are just guys having a good time, talking about sports, gambling, partying — and, more than ever, presidential politics.
[...]
Maybe you did not hear the podcast or see it on YouTube. Perhaps you have never heard of the Nelk Boys, or the Paul brothers or Mr. Portnoy.
But millions of others have. Most of them are young men who might vote and if they do, might have a major influence on who wins.
[...]
In one recent video, the Nelk Boys are watching Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on a large television when one of them suddenly stands and bashes her face on the screen repeatedly with a sledgehammer.
“The Trump Campaign’s Rhetoric About Women Sounds a Lot Like Andrew Tate’s”
Wired, 8/28/24
“The links between Trump, Vance, and figures like Tate and the virulently toxic incel community appear to be, at least in part, strategic.”
Carine Hajjar, Boston Globe, 8/15/24
“In the manosphere, Trump seems to be everywhere. He has become a friend of Ultimate Fighting Championship, a Barstool Sports sweetheart, and recently appeared on the Break 50 challenge with golfer Bryson DeChambeau. In June, he appeared on influencer-turned-wrestler Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast. On Aug. 5, controversial livestreamer Adin Ross, who gained prominence as a gaming streamer, told his viewers to “vote for the right person, which is him,” indicating Trump, who was seated beside him. The livestream interview reached a record-breaking 580,000 views on the platform Kick. Thousands of young, voting-age men tune into Ross’s daily streams, including the former president’s 18-year-old son, Barron, who encouraged his dad to speak with Ross.”
YMRI Mentions
“Elon Musk and the Political Power of Young Men”
GZero, 8/15/24
“Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me.
“Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.”
“Young Men Are Turning to Trump. Why?”
The Dispatch, 8/16/24
“Whether these dynamics result in Donald Trump winning more votes from young men in November remains to be seen. But until society as a whole makes clear that indifference to men isn’t an option—and better alternatives for young men to look up to are presented—there’s no reason to think young men will cease shifting rightward.”
Other Coverage of Young Men in the Election
Many Gen Z Men Feel Left Behind. Some See Trump as an Answer.
New York Times, 8/24/24
“Mr. Trump’s message has been particularly resonant for young men without college degrees and young men of color. Among men under 30 who voted for Mr. Biden in 2020, those who were sticking with him in swing-state polls in May were more likely to be white and have college degrees than those shifting to Mr. Trump.”
“Gender gap widens in support for Harris vs. Trump: poll”
Axios, 9/2/24
“A louder voice in fighting abortion bans: Men in red states”
Washington Post, 9/3/24
“Two years after the Supreme Court toppled federal protections for the procedure, growing numbers of men in red states are speaking out in defense of reproductive rights because of the harrowing experiences they’ve seen wives or partners go through when pregnancies went tragically awry, endangering their health or ability to bear children.”
Where do different ideas of masculinity fit into the presidential election?
NPR, 8/29/24
Two versions of masculinity are on the 2024 ballot
Axios, 8/24/24
“What to watch: The partisan divide over the question of masculinity is likely to extend far beyond the 2024 cycle.”
On the Ballot: American Manhood
Richard Reeves, Wall Street Journal, 8/17/24
“A better way forward would be for the campaigns to break out of this zero-sum calculation on gender. This means crafting a political message that acknowledges that both men and women are facing real and distinct challenges right now, without suggesting the fault lies with the needs and desires of the opposite sex.”
Black men emerge as key constituency in 2024 race, bringing dynamic views to the top of politics
AP, 8/18/24
“Black male voters are traditionally one of the most consistently Democratic leaning demographics in the nation. This year, however, both major parties view Black men, especially those under the age of 40, as attainable voters. Whether Black men turn out in high numbers and to what degree they maintain traditional support for Democratic candidates may prove decisive in November.”
Ross Douthat, New York Times, 8/17/24
Slate, 8/15/24
“Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris may have been a barrier-breaking prosecutor, a U.S. senator, and the first female vice president. But, although she’s a beloved stepmom, she does not have biological kids of her own, a fact her opponents have raised to cast doubt on her presidential fitness. This is a bizarre inverting of the longtime hand-wringing over whether female politicians with children could adequately do the job—but then again, we’re in the middle of a strange election where the politics of fertility are all but taking over.”