'Masculinity is on the ballot': Competing visions of being a man in America at center of Trump-Harris matchup

Some feel male supporters of former President Trump are "stuck in the 1950s," while others say Vice President Harris attracts a bunch of "low-T betas" as polarizing views on masculinity take center stage in this year's campaign. 

"Masculinity is on the ballot in November," author Ronald Levant told Fox News Digital. 

CNN’s Dana Bash suggested Democratic National Convention honchos are working to win the support of men who prefer speakers such as Gov. Tim Walz and second gentleman Doug Emhoff to wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, who famously tore off his shirt to announce support for Trump at last month’s Republican National Convention. 

"They are doing so in trying to put forward male figures, Tim Walz being one of them, Doug Emhoff last night, who can speak to men out there who might not be the sort of testosterone-laden, you know, gun-toting kind of guy who wants to listen to Hulk Hogan and the kind of players that came out at the RNC," Bash said Wednesday. 

CNN'S DANA BASH ARGUES DNC APPEALS TO MEN WHO ARE NOT SO 'TESTOSTERONE-LADEN'

The CNN anchor added that Democrats want to win over men who "understand that it’s OK in 2024 to be a man comfortable in his own skin who supports a woman." 

"That is something they are really trying to work on with male voters beyond the base," Bash said. 

Bash’s comments quickly went viral, with many conservatives suggesting that the DNC appealed to "low-T soy boys" and other remarks of that nature. One response was, "I like my testosterone high and my guns long, so I'll pass." Others were irked that she suggested it was mutually exclusive to be a wrestling fan who liked to hunt and also be a loving, supportive husband.

While Trump supporters rushed to tease liberals, others have different views on how the Trump-Harris race will affect the modern debate over being a man in America, and whether traditional masculine values are welcomed or have a place now. 

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While Bash and others have suggested Democrats want to appeal to men who are in touch with their feminine side, the Harris-Walz campaign has billed the Minnesota governor as a flannel-wearing former football coach. The campaign has also pushed camouflage hats that would historically be seen on the type of gun-toting men that Bash feels the RNC appealed to. 

Levant, who has written multiple books on the psychology of men and masculinity, family and gender psychology, including "The Problem with Men" and "Masculinity Reconstructed," said a lot has changed since men ruled households in the 1950s. 

He feels that Walz’s son Gus, who shed tears as he stood up and applauded his father during Wednesday’s DNC speech, is proof that the Minnesota governor is as manly as he needs to be. 

"I think that tells you the kind of man Tim Walz is… he cares for his son. He cares for his daughter. So, I think there is a new model of being a man," Levant said.

Psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert feels the "media is doing their part to further divide the electorate" with remarks like the ones made by Bash. 

"Truth be told, testosterone levels are not influenced by political affiliation. Sure, some activities might be more in line with adrenaline junkie thrill seekers, but I know many of those types of people who vote Democratic," Alpert told Fox News Digital. "Similarly, I know many people who lean right that aren't into activities traditionally associated with masculinity."

Alpert said Trump "typically emphasizes more traditional ideas of masculinity," such as "assertiveness, toughness and dominance" and recently his display of defiance when he was shot in Pennsylvania by a would-be assassin.

"Surviving the recent assassination attempt and rising up with a bloody face epitomizes the role of masculinity often only seen portrayed in Hollywood," Alpert said, noting that "Harris' view challenges more traditional stereotypes with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion and adjusting for the ever-changing face of masculinity."

Branding expert Doug Zarkin, author of "Moving Your Brand Out Of The Friend Zone," said Bash’s take oversimplifies the issue by focusing on gender dynamics. 

"What’s really at play, especially with leaders like Tim Walz, is a commentary on leadership that goes beyond gender. Walz shows us that strength isn’t just about projecting power or fitting an overly stereotypical masculine mold. It’s about substance—connecting with people on a genuine level and leading with empathy," Zarkin told Fox News Digital. 

"Walz is every bit as masculine as someone like Hulk Hogan, but his strength doesn’t come from bravado or testosterone. It comes from who he is as a person and a leader. It’s about how he engages with people, the authenticity he brings, and the substance behind his words," Zarkin continued. "So, this isn’t about gender. It’s about the kind of strength we need today."

White Dudes for Harris founder Mike Nellis feels men who were mocked online as "beta males" following Bash’s comments are actually inspiring figures. 

"Dana is absolutely right—there are tens of millions of men who reject the outdated, hyper-masculine image championed by figures like Hulk Hogan and their Republican counterparts. Hogan represents a relic of a bygone era, where ‘real men’ were defined by archaic notions of toughness and bravado," Nellis told Fox News Digital. 

"But true masculinity is about caring for others and building strong communities, not clinging to hollow machismo. Men today are tired of that toxic narrative; we want to lead with love and hope," Nellis continued. "Leaders like Gov. Tim Walz, who once taught high school and led the Gay-Straight Alliance, and Doug Emhoff, who proudly supports his wife, embody the kind of masculinity worth aspiring to."

At the RNC in July, Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, tore off the "Real American" shirt he was wearing to reveal a Trump-Vance 2024 shirt – in classic pro wrestling fashion.

"Enough was enough, and I said, let Trump-a-mania run wild, brother. Let Trump-a-mania rule again. Let Trump-a-mania make America great again," he shouted.

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Ted Jenkin, the CEO and co-founder of Oxygen Financial and president of Exit Stage Left Advisors who typically comments on business topics, doesn’t appreciate being told how to identify. 

"Why are we constantly told how we should identify as men in America? It is possible to like watching Hulk-A-Mania run wild and the next day watching a Hallmark movie. We should be voting on policy over personality and certainly I’ll take capitalism and being an entrepreneur like Hulk Hogan every day over having big government telling me how I should act and what I should be doing," Jenkin told Fox News Digital. 

Dr. Alexa Chilcutt, PhD., a professor at Johns Hopkins University who leads the school’s Academy for Women and Leadership, understands why some feel Democrats are appealing to "men who support women and are still OK with their masculinity," but said this is more of a generational and cultural issue.

"We have created the ‘dad bod’ or ‘softer male’ as something to hold up as a contemporary man -- one who embraces cultural norms and vaguery. They are not competing with the men who are attracted to the conservative party. These men see themselves as Constitutionally value-driven, and maybe gun toting, but this does not unilaterally exclude them from being supportive of women," Chilcutt told Fox News Digital. 

"This also doesn't exclude them from being highly educated," Chilcutt continued. 

"I know many others and am married to a man such as this. There is also a base of women who are attracted to men who are Alpha males and also hold women in high esteem. They garner a certain measure of respect."

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The Trump campaign agrees with Bash that the DNC is the polar opposite of the RNC. 

"The DNC is definitely low energy and low impact, with Democrats screaming and yelling with no message other than disgusting personal attacks and outright lies. Contrast that with the RNC and President Trump who has offered a positive vision for America," Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital.