How Political “Authenticity” Became Code for Masculinity

In an increasingly polarized society, politicians and consultants are increasingly wondering how to communicate with voters with calcified views. A candidate’s perception of authenticity—that ineffable feeling of authenticity that differentiates them from the hated political elite—may be more important than any particular policy platform. Authenticity is valued enough by voters to be essential to electoral success, but its presentation is so subjective that it is functionally indefinable.

However, there is a critical aspect that benefits male candidates, while making it more difficult for women to break through: qualities of authenticity are often implicitly linked to masculinity. Because the traditional leader has been a white man for much of American history, the default image many voters have of a politician is that of a white man. Women politicians must therefore strive to meet traditional gender expectations, while trying to be taken seriously as potential leaders in a society that has traditionally marginalized them. 

“It’s very difficult for them to find that happy medium of authenticity, because they’re pulled in very different directions to meet voter expectations, whereas men — because there’s already alignment — arguably have more freedom in that space,” said Kelly Dittmar, research director at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Politics is a performance, and the presentation of authenticity is no different. A September Politico profile of two male Democratic Senate candidates from Iowa highlighted how the party is struggling to connect with the “average” voter, with author Michael Kruse noting that in a “political context, authenticity is less (or maybe not at all?) about ideology or policy and more just an aura or meaning.” But this atmosphere in turn depends on specific signals. This extends to perceptions of “authenticity” in the public sphere, including representations in the political press.

A now-controversial candidate in Maine has also been at the center of conversations about authenticity in politics. Before he became infamous for his tattoo containing Nazi imagery and his prejudiced comments on Reddit, Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner received plaudits from the left for his outspokenness and bona fides on oyster farming. A New Republic Platner’s August profile highlighted his service as a veteran, identifying his view of masculinity without specifically mentioning gender: “He insists that the Marines are full of men like him, grunts who enjoy both the anarchic politics of Black Flag and the cutthroat discipline of active duty.” » A recent Washington Post The article called three male Senate candidates, including Platner, “rugged guys of the 2026 midterms.”

This type of authenticity is embodied in a man who works with his hands, who speaks his mind, who can even wear flannel. In short, a regular guy – more precisely, a regular white guy – with whom you could share a regular beer.

“The things that code authenticity are — surprise, surprise — things that code masculine,” said Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director of Run for Something, an organization dedicated to supporting progressive women running for office. Sloppy clothing may be perceived in a male applicant as being pleasantly indifferent to societal norms, while a woman might be judged for a similar apparent lack of care when it comes to appearance. Platner’s profile The New Republic, for example, he described his T-shirt and boxers; it is difficult to imagine a candidate displaying this level of informality in front of a journalist.

Applicants with a background in the military or national security also tend to highlight these experiences as proof of their ability to handle the rigors of senior roles. This is not unique to female candidates; Men in politics also often use their veteran status as a shortcut to being seen as authentic. But Litman said the emphasis on military service or national security expertise could be seen as “the biographical equivalent” of a woman wearing a pantsuit, in the sense that it allows candidates to “adopt traditionally masculine narrative structures.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, respectively, both have national security experience. This identity proved pivotal in the 2018 midterm elections, which saw a wave of women elected. Citing Sherrill’s race, Dittmar noted that Democrats are generally seen as less tough than Republicans, so highlighting her national security experience means she “addresses both partisan and gender stereotypes.”

“With Sherrill, in the same line where she talks about being in the military, she usually talks about being a mom,” Dittmar said. “It’s a much more – and I put that in quotes – ‘traditional’ way for women to meet these gendered expectations. Like, ‘Let me tell you these two things. I meet the feminine expectations of being a mother of four, and I meet the more masculine expectations of toughness and strength through my military service.”

The interplay between toughness and traditional gender expectations places an additional burden on Republican women, Dittmar continued. Republican women may have to meet a particular beauty standard or emphasize their commitment to traditional gender roles, even as they work to prove to voters that they are worthy of leadership responsibilities. She cited Sarah Palin’s quote that a hockey mom is akin to a pit bull in lipstick, as well as Marjorie Taylor Greene’s dedication to CrossFit and being a mother.

“They are [not only] This is a party that deals with very stereotypical expectations of women’s roles, but actually elevates masculinity and is particularly concerned with male grievances and the end of masculinity,” Dittmar said of Republican women.

Authenticity also interacts with class perceptions. Litman highlighted how closely the “aesthetics” of masculinity and traditional perceptions of the working class are intertwined. Even though men are less likely to be low-wage workers, voters do not immediately view occupations dominated by women, and particularly nonwhite women — such as teaching and nursing — as the epitome of the working class.

Beyond class considerations, authenticity is often defined by the feeling that a politician tells it like it is. Donald Trump, a model of wealth and excess, is considered by his supporters to be authentic because he expresses what he thinks without trying to offend. Trump also represents a very specific form of masculinity, one that values ​​traditional gender roles; his victories against female candidates in 2016 and 2024 underscore, in part, how aggressive machismo still matters to voters at large.

Nonetheless, female politicians increasingly embody honesty and candor, making it easier for them to be seen by voters as authentic, argued Jennifer Palmieri, a Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

As Elle Reeve wrote in these pages in 2015, one of the biggest challenges Clinton faced as a candidate was navigating the minefield of authenticity. VOthers struggled to see Clinton as authentic in her 2008 and 2016 campaigns; Palmieri believes this is partly because she was the first major presidential candidate. A younger, less experienced male candidate – think Barack Obama, Beto O’Rourke or Pete Buttigieg – is a more acceptable figure in the public consciousness.

“There was no model to compare her to, while a serious young man, even inexperienced, is a very familiar figure to us,” Palmieri said. That doesn’t mean this type of male candidate will succeed – again, see O’Rourke and Buttigieg – but voters may be quicker to take them seriously.

However, as more women are elected, it may be easier for voters to see them as authentic. Politicians like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are praised by their supporters for speaking out. Palmieri believes that authenticity is defined by a politician’s confidence in who they are, their comfort in presenting that persona to voters, and then voters’ ability to appreciate those qualities. As Americans become more and more accustomed to seeing women in the political sphere, they are able to attribute qualities of authenticity to these candidates.

So while men are still the default idea of ​​a politician for many voters, as more women become successful, they provide a boost of confidence to those who follow in their footsteps and greater confidence in their own ability to project authenticity.

“It helps if you’re second and not first,” Palmieri said.