By John Dias of Misandry Review

Not that I necessarily endorse the victors in the following campaigns, but as an advocate for men’s rights and for valuing masculinity, part of me feels slightly vindicated that all of the people who uttered the phrase “man up” for political gain in America’s 2010 elections have been defeated:

Senate:

  • Sharon Angle (R-NV), defeated by Harry Reid (D-NV) who Angle told to “man up”
  • Robin Carnahan (D-MO), defeated by Roy Blunt (R-MO), who Carnahan told to “man up”
  • Kendra Meek (D-FL), defeated and in 3rd place behind the victor Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Charlie Crist (I-FL); Meek had told Crist to “man up” and “leader up”
  • Jane Norton (R-CO), defeated by Ken Buck (R-CO) in the Republican primary, after she attacked Buck for not being “man enough” to run attack ads himself. Incidentally, Ken Buck went on to narrowly lose the election to Michael Bennett (D-CO).
  • Christine O’Donnell (R-DE), defeated by Chris Coons (D-DE), after O’Donnell accused Coons of being “unmanly,” adding, “Mike, this is not a bake-off — get your man-pants on.”

Congress:

  • Matthew Doheny (R-NY), defeated by Bill Owens (D-NY) in the 23rd Congressional District, after a local Tea Party leader demanded that Owens “man up”

Governorships:

Unlike the examples above, in which emasculation was used in a failed attempt at gaining political advantage, we saw its opposite in Arizona — but in that case, to benefit a woman!

  • Jan Brewer (R-AZ) prevailed against Terry Goddard (D-AZ), after Republican supporter Sarah Palin praised Brewer — a woman — for having the “cojones” that President Obama did not have because of Brewer’s legislative drive in Arizona to enforce federal immigration laws.

There you have it. Emasculation as a political tactic is a loser — political suicide in fact — at least in 2010. But valuing masculinity may actually provide a political benefit, even to a female candidate.