‘The Bro Vote’: The Safety of Women in the US and the UK is in Danger.
Madeline Robbins & Sophie Lennox
The recent elections in the United States and United Kingdom have shown one thing: the power of the ‘bro vote’, or the vote of young men, specifically aged 18-24. Young men across both countries have increasingly shown up to support right-wing candidates such as Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. Men are showing up to the polls, voting based on who they feel represents an “alpha male”, i.e., men who are dominant, of [superior intellect], [are] unemotional, [and are extremely] discipline[d]. But these notions of what type of person should be in power did not appear out of nowhere. They are a result of misogynistic rhetoric shared both by podcasters and politicians alike. Since the initial Trump win in 2016, the personal and political popularity of these “alpha males” in his orbit, such as Farage and Musk, became undeniable. This is due, in large part, to their social media following. Trump and Farage have a combined total of almost 150 million followers on Instagram, Tik Tok, and X. This allows these politicians, along with their slew of influencer supporters to disseminate their message to the masses. However, we must ask, how is the shift to the right amongst men affecting their own sense of their masculinity and is it affecting violence against women?
Trump, Elon Musk, and their crew of influencers, namely Joe Rogan, Andrew Tate, Theo Von, and Charlie Kirk, are known for their outrageous comments about women. Trump stated about his own daughter that he feels “She does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter perhaps I'd be dating her." He has continuously called women nasty and made his infamous “grab them by the pussy” comment in 2005. More recently, he accused Kamala Harris, his democratic competition in the general election of “ow[ing] her political rise to sexual favours”. The profound lack of effect this sexist rhetoric has had on Trump’s likability and electability is shocking, and highlights how, in the big picture, misogyny does not sway someone’s opinion on likability. Likewise, Musk, in September, reshared a post on X stating: “a republic of high status males is best for decision making”. This notion of “high status males”, or “high testosterone” alpha males, has been continually bolstered by Andrew Tate, a social media personality with millions of young male fans. He suggests that “men of a certain status could sleep or have relationships with multiple women”. Whilst many of us are able to dismiss such rhetoric, the ripple effect it is having across society and amongst young people is undeniable. A recent study by Hope Not Hate found that 1 in 4 16-24 year old men in the UK now believe that feminism has gone too far. His words matter, and as shown in the Hope Not Hate study, they have created a wave that has further diminished the idea that misogyny is a bad thing. Everyone’s Invited is seeing this in the classroom, with students as young as 11 telling their teachers to “MMAS - make me a sandwich”. Undoubtedly, misogynistic rhetoric online is having a profound impact in classrooms across the world.
Online misogyny is rife across the world, and many of these alpha-male political figures are capitalising off of this movement in order to push their own personal and political agendas. At the moment, Musk is focusing on Europe and the UK. Recently, he attacked Jess Philips, a Member of the Labour party, who has worked to safeguard and protect women and girls from violence for decades, by calling her a “rape genocide apologist”. This was due to her refusal “to lead a public inquiry into child exploitation in Oldham [...] [even though she] argu[es] that local inquiries [...] were more effective at leading change”. This disinformation has not only affected Jess Philips herself, but also has the potential to endanger women across the country, as the demonisation of work to safeguard women and girls could inherently increase the violence that she is trying to eliminate.
Globally, far-right movements are reliant on hyper-masculinity and traditional tropes, selling it as looking muscular, being rich as well as successful, both work-wise but also within sexual relationships. Trump, Farage, and Musk are capitalising on young men’s vulnerabilities and insecurities about success, relationships, and looks. They do this partly by asserting that identity politics is working against them. Common references include the critique of trailblazing legislation related to immigration, trans and women’s rights.
Although the notion that identity politics working against young men is wholly untrue, we cannot ignore the very real fear and resentment that is occurring as a result. Right now, in the US and the UK, we are experiencing a mass revival of conservative values, and the popularity of anti-establishment conservative figures demonstrates that. Trump’s victory in the US General Election in November 2024, despite being impeached twice and found liable of sexual assault, is evidence alone. Not to mention recent data published by the Financial Times that revealed Farage's Reform UK party is currently tied with Labour in polls. In the most recent election, women aged 18-24 voted predominantly for Labour, at 45%. And although young men also voted predominantly for Labour, at 36%, there was a 2% increase, with 9% of young men voting for Reform UK. A similar situation occurred in the United States, with young women in the US voting predominantly for Kamala Harris, at a rate of 58%, while young men voted predominantly for Trump with a vote share of 56%. These statistics demonstrate a polarisation in ideology amongst genders that although has existed for decades, is becoming more and more apparent.
But can we fix the impact that conservative influencers and politicians have on young men and their attitudes towards women? Yes and no. The rise of misogynistic rhetoric, amplified by conservative politicians and social media influencers, has deeply shaped young men’s attitudes toward women. This isn’t just a women’s issue - gender equality requires allyship across the board. If we want real change, men must actively challenge the harmful narratives dominating mainstream discourse.
Trump’s inauguration on the 20th of January marked a grim turning point for LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, and immigration in the United States. To fully grasp its impact, we must use an intersectional lens - understanding how multiple forms of discrimination overlap and compound. For readers who are not aware, intersectionality is a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. Intersectionality helps us see that privilege and oppression are not experienced in isolation. For instance, a cisgender heterosexual man may wield more influence when speaking out against gender inequality than a cisgender heterosexual woman, simply due to how society perceives him. However, he might still face marginalisation based on his race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Recognising these dynamics is essential. Those with privilege, particularly men, must leverage their voices to advocate for women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and immigrants. Male allyship is not optional; it is crucial.
Whilst many people think that issues like abortion rights and far-right extremism are predominantly an issue in American, their influence is rippling across the UK too. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a group notorious for its anti-abortion stance has “increased its spending [...] from £390,000 in 2020 to £770,000 in 2022”. This funding has gone to “legal support [for] protesters in Birmingham and Bournemouth arrested within “buffer zones” – which are designed to protect vulnerable women when they are seeking abortion care”. We cannot downplay this growing influence. To limit the influence of these organisations and rhetoric, we must take firm stances on issues like abortion and call out the misogyny reinforced within these movements.
Beyond policy battles, the fight against far-right ideology begins with media literacy. We must equip young people with the tools to critically analyse the content they consume online. While reaching those already entrenched in far-right rhetoric is difficult, it is not impossible. Bridging ideological divides is essential if we want to halt this dangerous ideology gap.
Yes, the resurgence of misogynistic rhetoric can be exhausting. Trump’s re-election has felt daunting for us all. But giving up is not an option. Cisgender heterosexual men must actively engage in the conversation. Activism must persist. Many people are already doing the work - we need to amplify their voices.
Just last Sunday, the People vs. Elon campaign launched, using micro-donations to fund UK organisations that support immigrants, anti-racism initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, every time Elon Musk tweets. Turning hate into real support for anti-racists, immigrants, women and trans people is real power. This is how we fight back.