Tim Walz is Redefining Masculinity in a Way That Makes Trump Look Pathetic [View all]

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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/10/24/2279139/-Tim-Walz-is-Redefining-Masculinity-in-a-Way-That-Makes-Trump-Look-Pathetic

Tim Walz is Redefining Masculinity in a Way That Makes Trump Look Pathetic
Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 7:32:41a EDT
Health Carewatcher


If you don't pay close attention, it's hard to notice exactly what Tim Walz is doing. The result has been left behind Democratic consultants trashing Tim Walz at every opportunity. But if you pay attention, you'd find that Tim Walz is effectively redefining masculinity and creating a permission structure for men (especially young men) to vote for the nation's first woman President. He's so good at it that the Russians are running smear campaigns against him.

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A key facet of Tim Walz' biography is that he was the football coach who walked into that culture and helped students form the straight-gay alliance. He preached tolerance and inclusion and actively tore down a homophobic and bigoted culture. There are LGBTQ running clubs, soccer teams and football teams in rec leagues around the country because guys like Tim Walz tore down a bigoted culture in the mid-2000s and 2010s.

When I was watching Tim Walz' interview with Kate Mackz, I realized that he's selling a version of masculinity that is extremely dangerous to Trump. Instead of blaming transgender women for the problems of young men, the way Trump does, Walz is articulating an inclusive vision of masculinity. One where everyone has their place, and using his story to sell it. Struggling to pay for college? I did too, Walz says, I joined the National Guard. Having a hard time finding a job? Become a teacher, the way I did. Having a hard time staying in shape and feeling isolated? Yeah, I did too, I picked up running and met great people Walz says. Essentially he's showing men how they can lead normal lives without being a raving lunatic like Trump, and how that leads to happiness.

Donald Trump, who was born rich and has zero understanding of the economic struggles that are driving the despair of many young men, can't really respond to this positive vision of masculinity. The result was Russian smears distributed on Elon Musk's slander factory. That effort failed and backfired spectacularly, but the fact they did it tells you just how to effective Walz has been. Walz' quiet redefining of masculinity to be more inclusive exposed how Trump's hate and anger leads to the isolation and loneliness that many men are feeling and frustrated with, and how Trump wants to use this hate and anger to get elected but doesn't actually want to solve the underlying problems of income inequality and social isolation.

And for reporters who complain about not getting interviews with Walz, take up running. Once you can average 9:16 a mile for 10 miles the way Walz did three years ago at age 57, you too can run with Tim Walz.