"Masculinsim" goes mainstream: a movement to fight feminism

June 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In February, a pastor named Douglas Wilson served as guest preacher at the Pentagon’s newly created monthly Christian prayer service. Pete Hegseth prayed beside him. Wilson is the co-founder of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, and he has a straightforward political proposal: repeal the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, and let the men of each household vote for the family. Helen Lewis, a staff writer at The Atlantic, interviewed Wilson for her article “The Men Who Want Women to Be Quiet,” and she argues that his views are not fringe noise but the intellectual core of a growing political ideology she calls “masculinism.” In a conversation with Terry Gross on Fresh Air, Lewis defines the movement, traces its influence across the American right, and explains why she believes it is the single most important force uniting MAGA, pastors, and online influencers.

What masculinism is—and isn’t

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What you'll learn

1 (00:18) **Masculinism Defined as a Political Ideology** - Lewis explains masculinism as a coherent ideology arguing men should be in charge, distinct from simple misogyny, and how it underpins the manosphere and MAGA.
2 (03:28) **The Core Political Agenda: Repealing the 19th Amendment** - Lewis unpacks the policy goal of repealing women's suffrage, as advocated by Douglas Wilson, and the logic behind it.
3 (07:54) **How Masculinism Unites the American Right** - Lewis identifies traditional gender roles as the single most important force uniting a fractured MAGA coalition, from pastors to senators.
4 (12:26) **The "Woke Scold" and Female Authority** - Analysis of Douglas Wilson’s insult ("small breasted biddies") and the deep-seated belief that women exercising authority is emasculating.
5 (16:36) **Fertility, Race, and the "Great Replacement" Fear** - The masculinist obsession with falling birth rates and its connection to white nationalist fears of demographic change.
6 (22:06) **The "Intellectual Heir": Nick Fuentes and Malevolent Sexism** - Lewis profiles Nick Fuentes as Douglas Wilson's "intellectual heir," who openly advocates for imprisoning women.
7 (26:25) **Sincerity vs. Attention-Seeking** - Lewis reflects on the challenge of reporting on these figures, acknowledging they are attention-seeking but that their effect on discourse is real regardless of their sincerity.

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Guests on this episode

Helen Lewis Terry Gross

Show Notes

Masculinism is a belief that feminism emasculates men, and men should be in control while women stay at home raising children. Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis says the movement is becoming mainstream. She spoke with Terry Gross about her reporting.

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