Where do different views of masculinity fit into the presidential election?

Author Richard Reeves is an expert on issues facing boys and men. Two years ago, he published a book called Of Boys and Men and founded the American Institute for Boys and Men, a think tank. Reeves spoke to him recently Morning Edition’s Steve Inskeep on how different ideas of masculinity play into the potential contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“What is surprising is that this was supposed to be an election about women and women’s rights. And of course, it still is.” Reeves says, “But it’s amazing to me how much of the discussion and how much of the action, almost in the election so far, has been about the competing views of the individual.”

This summer, philanthropist Melinda French Gates allocated $1 billion to help women and girls. Reeves was surprised when his agency received some of the money.

“What she realized is that the world of sad men is not likely to be the world of successful women, and we have to stand together. And of course, if men start struggling to do their jobs at home or in the labor market, it’s not like women end up unscathed from that,” she said. Morning Edition.

According to the American Psychological Association, boys tend to do worse in school than girls, statistically, and are now less likely to go to college than girls. Reeves, in his analysis, says that the boys also continue to live an immoral life.

Republican masculinity and Democratic masculinity

Reeves says Republican displays of masculinity have become more active, with increased bravado and machismo. This shift is evident in who has nominated Trump at the past Republican National Conventions. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, introduced him at the previous two meetings, but this year he was introduced by Dana White, the head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

On the Democratic side, Reeves said the fact that Harris is a woman gives her more “permission” to talk about boys’ and men’s issues.

He also highlighted the importance of Harris choosing Governor Tim Walz as his running mate to contrast Trump’s masculinity. “It will be interesting to see if they follow this issue with any policies. But a high school coach, a high school teacher—there’s a way that Tim Walz embodies a more service-oriented kind of masculinity.”

Reeves points to memes about Walz that praise his masculinity.

“There’s all these memes so he’s going to fix your car. He’s going to make sure you get home safe. Like he’s going to put his arm around you. Be a coach.”

When asked what actions and beliefs define masculinity, Reeves was initially hesitant before offering his opinion.

“There are many different ways to be a man. But I can say that the longest and most solid definition of masculinity that I have found while doing this work is actually to serve others, to be more important than yourself.”

Reeves explains that historically, what separates a man from a boy is the ability to “produce something more than you need for your survival.” It evokes the idea of ​​a “breadwinner” family, although Reeves says it doesn’t mean that.

“I think that the matter of a man who lives only for himself, is really different from masculinity. So there is a certain selflessness in all the definitions of masculinity that I think are correct, that I think should define what the modern man is.

For him, one of the biggest challenges facing remaining progress in masculinity is “the reluctance to admit that there is a difference between masculinity and femininity or to be willing to accept that there is certain aspects of masculinity.”

Policy solutions are needed on both the left and the right

Recent polls from the Pew Research Center show that more men tend to vote Republican. But even among the small demographic of Gen Z, women are more Democratic, while men are more likely to lean Republican.

“It’s really driven more by young women moving to the left than young men moving to the right, although now it’s both,” Reeves says. “But the interesting thing about this is that if you look at the opinions of the young men. , of Gen Z men on gender equality, for example, there is no evidence that they are in any way less supportive of gender equality than previous generations. Instead, they support me more.”

He goes on to say, “I think it’s a real mistake for people on the left to see the movement of young men to the right and see that as a deviation to the right. easily deviated. from the left, because they don’t see themselves in the discourses of language and beauty and politics of the left.”

Reeves says that many young men feel “totally homeless in politics,” and that sense of belonging makes them open to doing the right thing if they feel they are being heard.

“The problem is that on the right there are no policy solutions at all to help young men.”

Editor’s Note: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of NPR’s major financial supporters.

The audio version of this story is edited by Reena Advani.