Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is Vice President Kamala Harris's Democratic running mate in the 2024 presidential race, is unsettling "MAGA men" by challenging traditional patriarchy and "demonstrating that their troubled masculinity is a thing of the past," according to an essay in Salon magazine.
The commentary, written by Christopher Cotton, argues that a revolution is reshaping how men perceive themselves in society, with Walz and his "dad" energy leading the charge.
The very fact that Walz is running as the second on the ticket behind a woman is seen as evidence that he is defying the conventional views of American masculinity and confronting the ideology embodied by "MAGA men.
The essay highlights the MAGA movement as representing outdated societal forces in need of transformation, suggesting, "The MAGA movement is like a modern-day Ghost Dance: a desperate attempt to reclaim the imagined lost birthright of men and restore what they believe is their rightful power."
It uses the events outside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, as an example of the waning influence of the MAGA movement and the perceived vulnerability of its followers.
The essay states:
"After Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, his refusal to concede might be understood as stemming from his psychological wounds and hidden fears. That’s his issue. But when millions of Americans cling to his blatant lie, we must seek deeper reasons. His own dysfunction resonates with them because they share underlying anxieties that Trump taps into. They cannot face admitting defeat."
Cotton argues that a post-patriarchal world is emerging, where MAGA men have much to fear, and sees Walz as a prime example of this "new man of tomorrow." Described as a "joyful warrior," Walz is portrayed as someone who supports Kamala Harris in her pursuit of high office while refusing to engage in the so-called "gender war."
Much attention has been given to “joyful warrior” Tim Walz, Minnesota’s governor and the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. While Walz is skilled and positive in his approach, there's one fight he's not engaging in, which frustrates MAGA men: he doesn’t participate in the gender war, yet he doesn’t appear defeated. His presence suggests that the conflict between men and women is nonexistent.
Commentators have often remarked on Walz's "dadness," noting that his quintessential middle-American dad persona irritates the traditionalist leaders of the MAGA movement. This is because Walz embodies the new type of father that Dinnerstein predicted.
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