Masculinity in the Shadows
Reckoning with America’s Disenfranchised Men
This has been on my mind a lot recently, coming out of the 2024 election it was a harsh fulfillment of what I thought was going to happen a few years ago as I saw more and more people move into the fray. I think I have a unique perspective on this topic of how “one side of the country forfeited men to the other side,” especially since I’m a man who values masculinity and used to be in the Trump camp. Before I dive in, let me be clear: this is not a pity party post, nor is it an attempt to pit men against women. It’s an honest look at a reality we can’t afford to ignore, one that affects both major political parties and the broader social fabric of America.
Identifying the Problem
A significant voting bloc, often white, often male, has felt driven into the arms of far-right movements. From one angle, some Democrats alienate these men by painting them as toxic or irredeemable. From another angle, the Republican Party fails them by capitulating to increasingly conspiratorial or extreme positions instead of standing firmly on conservative principles. It’s a double failure: Democrats lose potential voters through demonization, and Republicans fail to offer them a healthy, principled platform.
I have to emphasize that this discussion isn’t about men vs. women. Rather, it’s a hard look at what happens when we ignore the biological and cultural realities of masculinity, which isn’t going to vanish just because some people find it uncomfortable or problematic.
Crucially, masculinity isn’t the opposite of femininity. It’s a constellation of traits, often including assertiveness, protectiveness, and ambition. Yes, on average, men may exhibit these traits more strongly, but women can and do possess them as well. Recognizing the value in these qualities, rather than demonizing them, is key to bridging the current divide.
Many men struggle to find purpose in today’s culture of instant gratification, social media validation, and endless consumerism. When society at large appears to reject them, they’re prime targets for any movement, be it political or ideological, that acknowledges their grievances and offers them a sense of mission. We have people like Elon Musk who seem to be prime examples of this phenom, who now owns the largest Social Media platform for political discussion on the planet. You only need to look at his X feed for a few minutes to realize he has either fallen into the shadows, or is taking advantage of the large population of people who have.
Masculinity Isn’t Going Anywhere
If we try to stamp out masculinity, it won’t just vanish. Instead, it goes underground, festers, and often reemerges in more extreme or violent forms. We need to harness masculine traits, like dedication, resilience, a willingness to protect others, and steer them in a positive direction for society’s benefit.
A healthy masculine identity can lead a soldier to rush into danger to defend his country, or a firefighter to brave a collapsing building to save lives. These feats stem from a certain explosiveness or drive that, when properly channeled, yields extraordinary results. When demonized or ignored, that same drive can become destructive.
How the Left Sees It
In many left-leaning circles, masculinity is often equated with patriarchy, a system blamed for perpetuating gender inequity and social injustices. While the intention is usually to shed light on issues they feel are a problem, the conversation sometimes drifts into sweeping condemnation that labels masculine traits “toxic” or inherently oppressive. Men who might otherwise become sympathetic to their movement feel singled out and alienated.
Because calls for accountability can blur into public shaming or “cancel culture,” men may fear even minor missteps will bring severe backlash. This dynamic pushes many to stay silent or become defensive, and it starts to become a part of the counterculture.
How the Right Sees It
Many on the right view themselves as defenders of “traditional values” and see men, particularly white men, as under cultural siege. They argue that left-leaning policies and rhetoric unfairly scapegoat masculine traits for societal problems, effectively waging a “war on men.” Right-wing media often highlights anecdotes of men being labeled toxic or oppressive, a narrative that resonates with those who feel ignored, dismissed, or shamed for their gender. In this context, embracing masculine roles becomes a badge of honor, a stand against what they perceive as progressive overreach.
Yet this defense of masculinity can drift into reactionary politics that exploit simmering resentments. Instead of channeling masculine traits, like strength, courage, and responsibility, into constructive citizenship, some factions of the right indulge conspiratorial rhetoric or excuse genuinely harmful behaviors as mere rejections of “political correctness.” Still, more moderate conservatives like myself maintain that men can and should celebrate traditional masculine virtues without dismissing legitimate concerns about sexism and abuse. Their goal is to uphold strong male leadership while grounding it in accountability, empathy, and respect for others.
Understanding the Voters
To understand the magnitude of this issue, let’s look at some figures: Men make up roughly 49% of the U.S. population. White men alone constitute a substantial portion of the electorate, around 30% depending on the state and local demographics. For any party, that’s too large a group to disregard or stigmatize.
Historically, white men have favored Republican candidates by notable margins. In 2012, for example, exit polls suggested that if only white men had voted, Mitt Romney would have won decisively. And while the demographic mix shifts from election to election, the fact remains: white men are a consistently strong Republican base.
In the 2020 race, estimates showed that around 57–60% of white men voted for Donald Trump. This tilt is even more pronounced among white men without a college degree, who backed him by even higher margins.1 Conversely, Democrats have often secured larger shares of female voters and voters of color, but they’ve struggled to make inroads with white men, a gap that seems to be widening with increasingly polarized rhetoric.
For the Democrats
If your goal is to win as many votes as possible, you can’t keep demonizing men, especially white men, as the root of all social ills. Whether you label them “toxic” or simply dismiss them as ignorant, the rhetoric pushes them toward political spaces where they feel heard and validated (however dysfunctional). If you want to draw these voters in, you have to speak to their concerns without painting them with a broad, negative brush where the main focus seems to always pull back to women or minority groups, dismissing the concerns of that demographic and making it feel as though its not a part of their movement.
For the Republicans
It’s time to redirect course. The GOP, instead of offering a balanced and principled vision, has leaned into the anger and frustration of these men, often endorsing conspiratorial rhetoric or pandering to their gripes without providing real solutions. This approach may yield short-term gains, but it undermines genuine conservative values and turns the party into a vehicle for fringe ideas, ideas that foreign adversaries are all too eager to exploit.
The Real Path Forward
On the Left: Drop the purity tests that alienate men. Allow them space to grow, learn, and make mistakes without labeling them irredeemable. Embrace the masculine perspective as part of a diverse coalition, not a threat to be eliminated.
On the Right: Pull men back from the edge of conspiracies and zero-sum politics. Return to genuine conservative principles: family, faith, personal responsibility, and a cautious but constructive role for government.
We need to balance accountability with empathy, creating policies and cultural narratives that encourage men to use their strengths for the good of society, rather than driving them into isolation and extremism.
Concluding Thoughts
Men aren’t a lost cause, and masculinity isn’t an enemy of progress. The current crisis stems from misunderstanding and misrepresenting these men’s frustrations, not from the inherent traits of masculinity itself. If Democrats want a sustainable majority, they can’t write off half the population; if Republicans want to remain a serious party, they must steer away from exploitation of men who have taken this path.
In the end, men, and the complex tapestry of masculinity, remain woven into the very fabric of our nation. Trying to sever that thread does more harm than good, while placing it on a pedestal can blind us to genuine harm. Like any powerful force, masculinity needs guidance and healthy expression, not denial or exploitation. It’s in that middle ground, where empathy meets accountability, that we find a future worth building. A society that values strength, compassion, and collaboration can recognize men as allies, not antagonists, and ensure their energies are spent defending the very ideals we hold dear. By casting off the reflex to demonize or to pander, and instead seeking genuine dialogue, we can harness masculine drive to protect our freedoms, enrich our communities, and ultimately honor the broad, patriotic vision upon which America was founded.
