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defined less by how someone looks and more by what he does. Providing for a family, protecting loved ones, serving one’s community, and accepting personal responsibility are viewed as central components of masculine identity.

Critics of modern progressivism argue that this framework creates a fundamental conflict. Contemporary left-wing politics often emphasizes individual rights and personal autonomy, while traditional concepts of masculinity emphasize obligations and responsibilities. If politics increasingly focuses on liberation from duties, it becomes more difficult to speak meaningfully to people who view duty itself as a virtue.

This may help explain why many Democratic attempts to reconnect with male voters have fallen flat. The problem is not necessarily a lack of outreach. It is that the outreach often appears to be built on assumptions that many men do not recognize.

Political parties succeed when they understand the people they hope to persuade. They fail when they substitute stereotypes for genuine understanding.

As Democrats continue searching for ways to rebuild support among men, they may discover that the challenge is not finding the right messenger or adopting the right aesthetic. It is understanding the values, responsibilities and aspirations that shape how many men see themselves in the first place.

Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author. To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS. COM