It's the sexism, stupid

[Freddie]

... the thing to understand about the right's long-term obsession with "family values" is that they were never meant to apply to straight men in the first place. All these sex rules are about controlling women, LGBT people and people of color. When it comes to straight white men, red America has always tacitly understood that they get a pass to do what they want. Which is why, for instance, the same people who shake their fingers at college girls for wanting birth control will rush forward to make excuses for young men accused of rape — even though the latter is not just about sex, but is also a violent crime.
As for why red staters get divorced more, the answer is stunningly simple: They get married more in the first place. They marry younger and marry more quickly after meeting someone, and then they are more likely to find themselves in bad marriages that need to be dissolved.
Ultimately, the thing to understand about Trump is that his life doesn't conflict with red-state "family values" in any way, and not because people in those places lead "messy" lives. It's because his career of serial marriage and adultery conforms to traditional gender roles, where wives are decorative and function as support staff, and mistresses are there to relieve men's sexual urges -- which women aren't really allowed to have.
And more. Truly great read. https://www.salon.com/2018/07/03/so-much-for-donald-trumps-purple-values-his-red-state-support-stems-from-flagrant-sexism

[Ohiogal]

1. Great piece

So-called "Family values conservatives" ... what a joke.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. Excellent piece, thanks.

[Sherman A1]

3. Hardly news

To anyone remotely paying any attention.

[niyad]

7. but it bears repeating for those who have been willfully ignorant

[Orsino]

4. And even more specifically, it's about perceived emasculation.

The kind of white male mind that sees women as a dangerous commodity isn't going to stop there, and will perceive brown men as threats, too. Brown women who aren't fetishized will be feared as incubators of the next generation of males who could supplant those in power now.

The Right is about power, and its followers are all about their lack of power and who they can blame for it.

[TygrBright]

5. Misogyny was the single most powerful driving force in the 2016 election.

Misogyny, racism, and xenophobia combined are behind the bulk of continuing support for [Redacted].

Stoked by the fear of "oppression" that results from privilege being confronted with momentum toward equity.

It's not words-of-one-syllable simple, but it's not exactly complex, either.

wearily,
Bright

[niyad]

6. a truly dark trifecta of hate and fear and ignorance.

[PatrickforO]

8. Truth.

Pointed article.

Sexism, racism, white nationalism, xenophobia and Trump.

What could go wrong?

I saw a poll that shows millennial women are breaking 80% Democratic, and men favor Dems by 7%. Looks like the tide of history is in favor of social, gender and economic justice, doesn't it?

[Freddie]

9. I do have hope for that generation

My kids are Millennials, and of them and their friends they all hate Dolt 45 and what's going on now.

[kag]

10. Freddie, thanks for posting this link.

Great article, and beautifully written. My favorite line:

Women can be made to feel that there's something wrong with them if they fail to snag a husband in a timely fashion. Lengthy cohabitation or dating will often draw pointed inquiries and metaphors about cows and milk prices.