Josh Hawley's Radical Approach to Young Men: Stop Watching Porn, Start Treating Women Right
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Josh Hawley's Radical Approach to Young Men: Stop Watching Porn, Start Treating Women Right
Josh Hawley appeared at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest with an unconventional message for young men struggling with social alienation. Dressed in a t-shirt instead of his typical suit, the Yale Law School graduate urged men to log off pornography, ask women on dates, and restore traditional masculinity. Critics argue his approach borrows from Jordan Peterson's playbook while creating division among young voters. Is this authentic outreach to struggling young men, or political theater designed to convince older Republicans that new blood is connecting with youth?
Josh Hawley made waves at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest with an appearance that seemed carefully calculated to project relatability. The Senator arrived wearing a t-shirt rather than his typical professional attire, prompting immediate comparisons to everything from Volodymyr Zelenskyy's wartime casual wear to Elon Musk's tech-bro aesthetic. For a Yale Law School graduate and Stanford attendee, the casual approach appeared designed to signal he was "one of the people" rather than an elite politician.
The event also featured promotion of Charlie Kirk's book "The College Scam," offered free for any tax-deductible donation—ironic given that Kirk himself never attended college, which observers noted might be exactly how he knew it was a scam.
The Anti-Pornography Message
Hawley's core message focused squarely on young men and their consumption of pornography. In his direct address, he challenged his audience with blunt advice:
"Why don't you turn off the computer and log off the porn and go ask a real woman on a date? How about that, just a thought. Ask her out, young man. Why don't you be the ones who do the asking? How about that, don't wait for her. You go ask, show her a little respect, and then you take her out and you treat her right."
He continued with an increasingly traditional vision of courtship and marriage: "Don't make her cater to your whims. Treat her right. Treat her like what she is—a woman, a person of incredible significance created in the image of God. And you know what, you treat her right and then one day you do her the honor and show her the respect of asking her to marry you. And then you go get married and you have children."
The Jordan Peterson Connection
Critics immediately drew parallels between Hawley's messaging and the approach popularized by psychologist Jordan Peterson. The strategy appears to target young men experiencing social alienation, offering them a narrative that positions their struggles as stemming from personal choices rather than systemic issues. The "crisis of masculinity" framework suggests that men who embrace traditional gender roles and courtship patterns can overcome their difficulties.
This approach, observers note, comes with embedded assumptions about what constitutes a "real woman" and reinforces specific gender binaries. The message to men about treating women right exists within a political framework that opposes reproductive rights and other feminist positions, creating what some see as a contradiction in the stated respect for women.
Political Strategy or Genuine Outreach?
The question arose whether Hawley's casual appearance and focus on young men's issues represented authentic engagement or political theater. Some suggested his strategy resembled Charlie Kirk's approach—positioning himself as a representative of young people primarily for the benefit of older party members who want to believe the party is connecting with youth.
The comparison to movements like the Proud Boys and their "NoFap" ideology also emerged, with speculation that Hawley might be building a dedicated following of reformed "incels" and former pornography consumers who could serve as a political base. The idea of creating a identifiable marker—similar to a lapel pin or other symbol—to signify membership in this group was discussed as a potential next step.
The Reality Check
Despite Hawley's outreach efforts, political observers offered a blunt assessment of his strategy's effectiveness with young voters. The consensus among critics was that being an enthusiastic Republican likely presents a larger obstacle to romantic success among young women than pornography consumption does. For young men seeking to improve their dating prospects, hiding or abandoning Republican politics would be more effective than any other single change.
The fundamental critique extended beyond dating advice to Hawley's broader framework. When young people feel alienated from society, his message directs them toward personal responsibility and behavioral changes—bootstrap theory applied to social relationships. This contrasts with addressing structural factors like economic systems, lack of social safety nets, or broader societal purpose.
The Evangelical Element
Hawley's speech incorporated New Age Evangelical preaching style, complete with the casual t-shirt aesthetic popular among modern megachurch pastors. His invocation of women as created "in the image of God" and the emphasis on marriage and children as the proper endpoint of male-female relationships positioned his advice within a religious framework.
For supporters, this messaging offers a sense of purpose and moral clarity. Young men who embrace Hawley's vision can see themselves as part of a movement to save society and restore traditional values. They become the "saved" among their generation, distinguished from peers still trapped in destructive patterns.
Limited Scope for Women
Notably absent from Hawley's presentation was any comparable advice or messaging for young women. His framework positioned women primarily as recipients of proper treatment from men, rather than as agents making their own choices about relationships and life paths. Women were described as "significant" and made in God's image, but their role remained defined in relation to male courtship, marriage, and childbearing.
This one-sided approach reinforced the gender dynamics embedded in his message—men as active pursuers and decision-makers, women as valuable objects to be treated correctly and ultimately chosen for marriage.
The Legislative Record
Hawley's focus on pornography at speaking events aligns with his legislative interests. He has made opposition to online adult content a recurring theme of his political work. This places him alongside other Republican figures like Ted Cruz, who has discussed his "war on porn," and Mike Lee, who reportedly introduced legislation to ban uploading adult content online.
These legislative efforts represent a more extreme approach than simply offering life advice to young men—they seek to use government power to restrict access to adult material across the board.
Electoral Prospects
Despite the attention-grabbing nature of his AmericaFest appearance, political analysts expressed skepticism about whether this approach would translate into Republican primary success. The strategy of targeting socially alienated young men with messages about pornography and traditional courtship represents a narrow niche within an already narrow primary electorate.
While Hawley may be carving out a distinctive brand identity, the question remains whether enough voters exist in this particular segment to build a winning coalition. The approach may generate headlines and social media discussion without necessarily expanding his political base in meaningful ways.
