Why do white men overwhelmingly vote for GOP presidential candidates?
“Jackson Katz hits it out of the park once again with this vitally important and timely new film.”
— Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. | Senior Scholar, Wellesley Centers for Women
Why have white men been voting in such outsized numbers for Republican presidential candidates over the past five decades? Is it purely about policy? Or is something else going on?
If you want to help your students think critically about the pivotal role image, identity, and culture can play in American presidential contests, don’t miss the powerful new documentary The Man Card: White Male Identity Politics from Nixon to Trump.
Ranging from the 1960s to today, The Man Card exposes a deliberate and highly successful strategy by the right to frame Democrats and liberals as soft, brand the Republican Party as the party of “real men,” and position conservatives as defenders of white male power and authority in the face of seismic demographic changes and ongoing struggles for equality. The Man Card pays special attention to how the right has used white-male identity politics to channel the legitimate, class-based grievances of millions of white men into unbridled resentment of people of color, immigrants, women, the LGBTQ community, and so-called “liberal elites.” At the same time, it shows how this siege mentality has undercut the presidential prospects of women and undermined the nation’s ability to adapt to a changing world.
The Man Card is now available for purchase by universities, public libraries, and community organizations.
The Man Card was co-written by political analyst Jackson Katz, the author of the award-winning book Man Enough: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton & the Politics of Presidential Masculinity (Interlink Books). It was directed by acclaimed filmmakers Peter Hutchison and Lucas Sabean.
“In this fast-paced documentary using compelling footage from political ads and events over the past half-century, Jackson Katz shows how presidential candidates from Nixon to Trump have mobilized masculinity as a central means to attract the support of white working-class men. Sure to generate a lively discussion about politics and masculinity in gender studies and American government courses.”
— Dr. Valerie Sperling | Co-author of "Trumping Politics as Usual: Masculinity, Misogyny, and the 2016 Elections"
“With vivid imagery and insightful analysis, The Man Card shows how, for more than half a century, Presidential politics in the U.S. has been driven not just by dog-whistle messages against people of color and women, but also by overt endorsements of narrow, destructive and unhealthy conceptions of white men’s masculinity. This film comes at a perfect time to contribute to the growing intersectional movement that is turning the page on the politics of hatred, fear and violence, as it bends the arc of history toward a future of peace and social justice.”
— Dr. Michael A. Messner | University of Southern California | Author of Guys Like Me: Five Wars, Five Veterans for Peace
“Masculine posturing has been part of U.S. presidential elections throughout our history. In The Man Card, Jackson Katz brilliantly illustrates just how problematic this is and documents the ways these political masculinity contests have picked up the pace and become increasingly partisan. This is a vitally important documentary to more completely understand the gendered and racialized ideologies shaping political polarization in the U.S.”
— Dr. Tristan Bridges | Associate Professor of Sociology at University of California, Santa Barbara and co-editor of "Men and Masculinities" journal
“Jackson Katz methodically shows that Trump’s strategy to connect masculinity to presidential politics is nothing new. This is a must-see documentary for anyone interested in American politics and contemporary democratic struggles.”
— Dr. Farida Jalalzai | Professor of Political Science, Associate Dean of Global Initiatives and Engagement, Virginia Tech University
“Essential viewing for not only every gender and politics course, but for any and all students of American politics.”
— Dr. Lori Cox Han, PhD | Professor of Political Science at Chapman University and author of "Women, Power, and Politics"