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In the wake of the US Election result, many individuals across the world are still reeling from Trump’s victory. The predictions were close, of course, but for many there was still a glimmer of hope. This hope, largely renewed by Harris’ entry into the race, was only spurred on by Democratic appeals to pop culture. Notably, the candidate’s appeal to Charli XCX’s album ‘Brat’, changing their Twitter backdrop to mimic the style of the album.
Celebrity endorsement is a helpful tool in a political campaign, but to be able to engage with meme culture on such a scale would surely benefit the democratic campaign? Apparently, this was not enough. In an interview with ‘The Hill’, Brilyn Hollyhand, chair of the Republican National Committee’s youth council, accused Harris of ‘running a vibes campaign’ and had a distinct lack of clear policy. In addition, the party’s lack of response to the genocide of Palestinians will, undoubtedly, have lost them votes, but there is an attempt to blame the democratic loss on those who refused to vote for Kamala on this precedent. Admittedly, voter turnout was low, with early estimates showing only 42% of young people engaging in the democratic process. However, we must also factor in that the gender gap in voting doubled according to Harvard Youth Polling. Placing the blame in such a way neglects the glaringly obvious: young, right-wing men cannot see women as equals.
In the same way that the Harris campaign appealed to Charli XCX, Trump’s camp turned to figures such as Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, and Andrew Tate, who are instrumental in the radicalisation of young men. The latter, in the wake of the election result, even tweeted “THE PATRIARCHY IS BACK” after stating he believes women should not be allowed to vote. Joel Webbon, a pastor in Austin Texas, called for public execution of women who make ‘false accusations’ of rape. There is no world in which we can shy away from the clear message of the above: women are in danger. America has chosen a racist, sexual predator over the safety of their daughters.
There is a new, emerging, American dream being marketed at young, working-class men. The message has shifted, from one that tells them “Work hard and you can achieve” to one that tells them “Look what they have taken from you. You may take it back”. This is incredibly dangerous; it encourages violent insurrection as we have previously seen and emboldens men like Tate to spread hatred and encourage violence against women. It cements what these young men are being told online, as well as allowing them to place blame on women for the social and economic situations they find themselves in. There is also a clear social pressure, with the Harvard Youth Poll identifying that peer influence is an incredibly large influence, with 79% planning to vote when they believe their friends will. These young men are finding a sense of community to the direct detriment of the women around them. Seemingly, however, America has picked its poison, and for many women the question shifts for the next four years from one of ideology to one of survival.
Image: “Map of the Electoral College for the 2024 United States presidential election.” by Chessrat, 2021 // CC0 1.0
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