Study links toxic masculinity with supporting Donald Trump

[ZiprHead]

An entirely predictable study has found that Americans who support traditional stereotypes of toxic masculinity are more likely to back Donald Trump.

A team from Penn State University found a correlation between belief in “hegemonic masculinity” – the notion that men should be strong, tough and dominant – and voting for Trump.

Of the 2,007 participants the researchers recruited, those who held outdated ideals of manhood were more likely to vote for and have positive feelings about Trump. This held true even when they controlled for political party, gender and how much the participants trusted the government.

“The pervasiveness of hegemonic masculinity exists because we do not always know that our attitudes and behaviours are contributing to it,” said doctoral candidate Nathaniel Schermerhorn, who was involved in the study.

“The success of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign shows that even if we, as a society, have made progress in saying that discrimination and prejudice is undesirable, we have not, as a society, fully interrogated the systematic ways in which those prejudices are upheld.”

Professor Theresa Vescio added that while Trump’s ideals of masculinity may resonate with voters, few are actually able to embody them.

 

[thebeave]

Well, as I always say, "If it comes from PinkNews.com and the subject has to do with men....I sure do believe it!"

 

[Keith&Co.]

I dunno. They might have it backwards.

My whole entire life, the rareness of your steak was an undicator of your masculinity. My grandfather wouldn't do business with one Lodge member who ordered a steak Medium Well one time. That guy just ain't right, know what i mean?

Trump comes along and these idiots start eating charcoal briquettes like he does. But if any other candidate ate his steaks that way, he'd be a wuss, not confident in his own digestive health.

I do wondrr if the toxic madculinity is just a corollary, not the actual link.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

How is an obese, grossly unfit, junkfood eating man who is barely able to walk down a ramp, and who has the vocabulary or a third grader supposed to evoke masculinity? I suppose it's the kind of masculinity that also likes twinkies and chicken nuggets, and couldn't lift ten pounds if life depended on it.

 

[ideologyhunter]

How is an obese, grossly unfit, junkfood eating man who is barely able to walk down a ramp, and who has the vocabulary or a third grader supposed to evoke masculinity? I suppose it's the kind of masculinity that also likes twinkies and chicken nuggets, and couldn't lift ten pounds if life depended on it.

The kind that farts, scratches his crotch, and talks about 'broads' with the fellows. But you're right, Trump doesn't fit the stereotype in a number of ways -- germophobe, teetotaler, reportedly afflicted with just horrifying, nearly crippling bonespurs. I've also read that he insists on only using toothpaste once, and next time he wants a brand new tube on his vanity. Mainly a brute macho male that is perceived by his admirers as cussing out liberals, unappreciative moochers in NATO, civil rights leaders, even Vietnam pilots who were captured while Trump ate Cheetos in Manhattan. That's a man's man, am I right? The recent book Jesus and John Wayne discusses how the evangelicals took to this persona and made him into a hero for the faith. They stuck with him through all the cussing until he unloaded some "goddamns" at rallies a year ago. That was too much! (Not that they dropped him then -- they just let it be known that goddamns were no-nos.)
Also, one should never undervalue the latent racism in his appeal. Trump's crowd know that there will only be a Caucasian majority in the USA for roughly 22 more years, and they're desperate to imagine that there's a way they can continue to do the steering. Hence the craze over renaming anything dedicated to a CSA general.
Thank Zeus, MSNBC, and the ghost of James Baldwin that his fervent admirers have never pulled a higher % than about 35 or 38. Some of the nuttier members of that crowd may yet have to be blown full of holes by the National Guard before they see which way the wind blows.

 

[ronburgundy]

Well, as I always say, "If it comes from PinkNews.com and the subject has to do with men....I sure do believe it!"

Of course, one could just google it and and in 10 seconds find this article by the University where the research was conducted that confirms the content of the OP article, rather than blindly dismiss it based on the source. But that would require a person to have any amount of desire and capacity to engage in reasoned thought.

https://news.psu.edu/story/639806/2...es-about-masculinity-may-help-explain-support

 

[jab]

An entirely predictable study has found that Americans who support traditional stereotypes of toxic masculinity are more likely to back Donald Trump.

A team from Penn State University found a correlation between belief in “hegemonic masculinity” – the notion that men should be strong, tough and dominant – and voting for Trump.

Of the 2,007 participants the researchers recruited, those who held outdated ideals of manhood were more likely to vote for and have positive feelings about Trump. This held true even when they controlled for political party, gender and how much the participants trusted the government.

“The pervasiveness of hegemonic masculinity exists because we do not always know that our attitudes and behaviours are contributing to it,” said doctoral candidate Nathaniel Schermerhorn, who was involved in the study.

“The success of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign shows that even if we, as a society, have made progress in saying that discrimination and prejudice is undesirable, we have not, as a society, fully interrogated the systematic ways in which those prejudices are upheld.”

Professor Theresa Vescio added that while Trump’s ideals of masculinity may resonate with voters, few are actually able to embody them.

What about the his women supporters? What traits to they tend to display. I notice a lot of them seem to be bleached blondes, with long(ish) locks--to denote their Aryan femininity, I suppose. At least the Borebloat congressperson doesn't do the bleach. In that crowd to flowing blonde tresses, Laura Ingraineham's do looks almost Maddowish or Ellenish.

 

[ronburgundy]

An entirely predictable study has found that Americans who support traditional stereotypes of toxic masculinity are more likely to back Donald Trump.

A team from Penn State University found a correlation between belief in “hegemonic masculinity” – the notion that men should be strong, tough and dominant – and voting for Trump.

Of the 2,007 participants the researchers recruited, those who held outdated ideals of manhood were more likely to vote for and have positive feelings about Trump. This held true even when they controlled for political party, gender and how much the participants trusted the government.

“The pervasiveness of hegemonic masculinity exists because we do not always know that our attitudes and behaviours are contributing to it,” said doctoral candidate Nathaniel Schermerhorn, who was involved in the study.

“The success of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign shows that even if we, as a society, have made progress in saying that discrimination and prejudice is undesirable, we have not, as a society, fully interrogated the systematic ways in which those prejudices are upheld.”

Professor Theresa Vescio added that while Trump’s ideals of masculinity may resonate with voters, few are actually able to embody them.

What about the his women supporters? What traits to they tend to display. I notice a lot of them seem to be bleached blondes, with long(ish) locks--to denote their Aryan femininity, I suppose. At least the Borebloat congressperson doesn't do the bleach. In that crowd to flowing blonde tresses, Laura Ingraineham's do looks almost Maddowish or Ellenish.

Note that the OP research is not directly about the traits people "tend to display", but about the traits that they believe men in general should display. Thus, it also applies to women who support Trump, you just wouldn't expect women to translate those expectations and norms for men directly into their own behavior, and if anything would expect them to act somewhat the opposite, because if men are supposed to be "dominant" than someone else (women) need to be submissive, b/c they are relative terms each defined by a power imbalance.

 

[Jarhyn]

ITT: evidence that weak men's idea of a strong man negatively influences their ability to appropriately identify weak men.

 

[Swammerdami]

How is an obese, grossly unfit, junkfood eating man who is barely able to walk down a ramp, and who has the vocabulary or a third grader supposed to evoke masculinity? I suppose it's the kind of masculinity that also likes twinkies and chicken nuggets, and couldn't lift ten pounds if life depended on it.

Let's not conflate virility with "toxic masculinity." The study -- which used self-reporting -- could hardly control for virility, but if it did I'll bet men who attract and satisfy sex partners easily without threats or financial promise tend to vote Democratic.