Are Doug Emhoff and Tim Walz REALLY reshaping the image of masculinity in America?

Question

There apparently some who think so. Guys, would you take lessons or tips in masculinity from Doug Emhoff or Tim Walz? Girls, would you want to date and marry guys like them?

WhiteSteve · Accepted Answer

Well, I find the sometimes-presumed association between masculinity and conservatism to be fundamentally laughable. That’s just kind of a wild concept to claim political ownership of.

I don’t consider myself a card-carrying Democrat or liberal, I just kind of exist and observe and develop opinions without any adherence to a particular movement, other than universal respect and equally-dispensed decency and dignity for fellow beings and nature in general, including but not exclusive to humans. My only intolerance is of intolerance itself, really, and obvious egregious physically/psychologically-harmful affronts (murder, rape, molestation, child abuse, animal abuse, etc) that I would hope anyone on any side of the aisle can agree are deplorable.

So, masculinity…how do we even define that? I don’t think we’re doing it right if you have to be a UFC fighter with full tattoo sleeves, a lifted Ford F-250 with a pair of steel testicles as a trailer hitch plug, a pet pit bull, a rack of rifles on the back, “These colors don’t run” and Punisher skull bumper stickers and window decals, building a log cabin with his bare hands in his spare time, flying a huge American flag off the back of his truck, DARING someone to say a bad word about the U-S of A (unless it’s about like a thousand fucking grievances they always have, to the point where I’m like “are you SURE you love America?”), and an open carry pistol to let you know it’s best to keep your counter-opinions to yourself.

And look, I don’t want to make a caricature of conservative men, I respect a lot of old school values and work ethic and all that. I think a lot of them are just shortsighted or missing big picture stuff that’s out of their orbit. The worse examples of them DO get it, but don’t care because they aren’t affected or fear taking some kind of step backwards in life that I’m not sure is real, and the issue either directly runs counter to that ill-conceived goal, or would just generally lend support to the opposing politician they worry would simultaneously support the issue they’re actually concerned with, so they often make hating that issue, at least a little, part of their repertoire. And the unfortunate part, in my opinion, is that A LOT of those feelings are derived from right wing media/politician-driven narratives that aren’t necessarily true, or not true at all in some cases, that deliberately are designed to challenge men where they’re most easily peer pressured: challenges to their masculinity.

From the time we’re kids, we live in fear of some other kid saying “what are you, a pussy?”, and the crowd all laughs at us. That very social pressure, however it modifies into more refined social pressure as we age and mature, is what I feel drives SO MANY male opinions, very disproportionately to how many of our male opinions are developed organically through observation and adherence to a standard of interpersonal decency, understanding, etc. If we’re part of the crowd laughing in the recess yard, in that moment, it’s socially easy to join in the laughter and pile on the target. But men of true character, when appropriate, can walk away from the crowd and stand beside the target and say “no, you guys are idiots, he’s right, and you guys are being performatively masculine because you folded under the social pressure. And tragically few of us, myself included sometimes, DON’T do that, for fear of being laughed at or disliked ourselves. And that sucks.

So…. I’m a man because I’m a man, and I just am. I don’t know anyone in my life who’d say I’m soft. To have many tell it, I’m not to be tangled with, in circles of average everyday people (Mike Tyson would still fly my head to Jupiter😂). I don’t think that’s what makes me a man, but some folks think it contributes, and by that measure and a lot of other issues of “toughness”, whether in terms of physicality or just general grit, I don’t think I’d find too many people calling me a softie. But when it comes to issues of decency and such, many (especially here😝) probably DO. And that’s sad to me.

Anyway, I’m not familiar enough with Doug Emhoff to speak on him. Tim Walz, still getting to know him, but he’s a guy who coached football, fixes cars, shoots, hunts, wears camo hats, lmao…. but he’s a nice guy with a good heart. WHY is that an emasculating quality? That’s DUMB.

REAL masculinity —not fake bravado and machismo— is not giving a fuck and being your authentic self, not being swayed by what the crowd is going with, not being afraid to be kind and compassionate and thinking that makes you soft in a negative way. That’s what I endeavor to be. I’m sure I fall short at times, but I like to think it’s a better goal than just being a standard gorilla dude trying to assert how tough he is at every turn, to make the other gorillas excitedly go “ooga-booga!, and to try to present yourself as a mating option to the female gorillas (bad strategy😂)

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

no they're not reshaping an image that has already been shaped for the worst

Tim Walz and Doug Emhoff fit the current state of masculinity perfectly

modern masculinity (at least in the west) is currently a bunch of simps, cucks, white knights, degenerates and abusers with no backbone, no morals, no ethics, no principles except be part of the "go along get along" crowd

there's not a shred of leadership in any of them and even if you wanna say they're being led by Kamala Harris, this is the worst leader they can possibly follow under

let's not even get into their personal life and politics

masculine men lie about not killing babies while actually killing babies

masculine men beat up their ex-girlfriends and call it a distraction

Tim Walz lies about his military service that he went to Iraq when he didn't but instead retired so he wouldn't be deployed. he allows Minneapolis to burn down during the BLM riots while also defunding the police. signs into Minnesota law that far exceeds the limits of Roe v Wade, allowing unrestricted abortions and purposely covering up the murder of unborn babies

Doug Emhoffs cheats on his ex-wife, gets the nanny pregnant (who may or may not have been underaged) coerces the nanny into getting an abortion, slaps an ex-girlfriend for what he believed to have been her flirting with another man (she shouldn't be flirting if she were but that doesn't warrant assault)

loves2learn · Accepted Answer

As a Minnesotan, I personally love Tim Walz. I think he’s been a great governor and he is the reason why my kids get free breakfast and lunch. We are all very grateful.

SaoirseS · Accepted Answer

Since when did masculinity (or femininity for that matter) become a topic for politics?

NathanDavis · Answer

never in my life have I asked someone "how to be masculine" never had to ever worry about it... I just was... I just am, lol

EmmaMary · Answer

Just who the hell are Doug Emhoff & Tim Walz?

Agape93 · Answer

Long as my rights and personhood is respected, sure.

Anonymous · Answer

Not my image. I don't know much about Dough. But Tim seems like a Yutz. And I've read that he's ranked one of the 10 WORST Govenors.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

No. I don't take tips on my masculinity nor their version of it from anyone as its inherit to me anyways.

shortster · Answer

Isn't Doug accused of running his law firm like a 1950s misogynist bachelor playboy?

Are Doug Emhoff and Tim Walz REALLY reshaping the image of masculinity in America?

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