The Texas election is highlighting an intriguing story about modern day gender roles and expectations for masculinity. Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has showcased this phenomena by attacking Democratic candidate James Talarico not for his policies, but for his “fragile manhood.” In Paxton’s view, traditional masculinity over all else is what qualifies a leader, and Talarico does not make the cut.
Among the frenzy of insults aimed at Talarico, “Low-T Talarico” and “Tofu Talarico” stand out. They insinuate that Talarico’s testosterone levels are low and that he’s transgender, or that he “bleeds soy milk—as Trump, Ted Cruz, and Paxton have made claims that he’s vegan. None of these claims are true.
What is striking is that Republicans seem to view these attacks as a genuine political strategy to discredit Talarico in this race. In today’s politics, calling someone transgender or vegan is apparently considered enough of an insult to damage their credibility with voters.
Here are the facts: Talarico is a promising Democratic candidate in Texas. His growing popularity has made Republicans nervous about Paxton’s chances. The solution? Attack Talarico for seeming too “soft” and liberal to run Texas. In these attacks, being “unmanly” becomes a political liability.
If Paxton presents himself as the embodiment of true American masculinity, it’s one riddled with corruption and fraud. Apparently, the qualities of a “true Texan man” include being under investigation by the FBI with a record of nearly 20 years of scandals. It’s hard to believe that whether Talarico eats barbecue or not is a more important topic than Paxton’s troubling list of indictments—though Talarico has been photographed eating Texas ribs.
In response to the attacks on his masculinity, Talarico has offered a different definition of manhood, one that doesn’t include security fraud. At a campaign event he told the crowd: “Nowadays our culture tells young men that greatness is tearing other people down, trolling and owning and dominating, but my dad showed me what real greatness looks like.”
In another instance, he said “Call me old-fashioned, but a man takes responsibility, he upholds his commitments to his family and his neighbors, and he does what’s right even when no one is watching.”
This definition of masculinity emphasizes responsibility, integrity, and service rather than dominance and aggression. It is a definition that many would argue applies not only to men, but to good leadership in general.
Despite efforts, the glaring faults of Paxton shine through to his constituents. Unfortunately for Paxton, no amount of attacks on Talarico’s masculinity can undo the fact that Paxton’s former defense lawyer is voting for and endorsing Talarico.
What is already clear is that this race has become about more than policy. It has become a debate about masculinity itself, who gets to define it, and whether voters still see traditional ideas of manhood as a measure of leadership.