The Masculinity Scam
The article analyzes the political strategy of right-wing figures attacking Texas Senate candidate James Talarico by questioning his masculinity. It argues that these attacks represent a shift toward more aggressive, personal smears compared to traditional political rhetoric.
Why it matters
It illustrates the evolving nature of political discourse and the use of gender-based identity politics in modern American election campaigns.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: fad1986 / Getty; PM Images / Getty. July 28, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save A merican manhood is a fragile and precarious thing, shattered by the slightest deviation from ever-shifting norms—eating the wrong taco, tasting tofu, not eating meat, or maybe eating too much meat. Or at least, that is what right-wing commentators have suggested by their attacks on the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas, James Talarico.
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