Editorial | Misogyny to maturity through the rise of “Wife Guys”

The impact of Andrew Tate’s “teachings” is undeniable, spanning from young boys in elementary school to adults post-college. The self-proclaimed misogynist has built a platform through the promotion of deeply disturbing and bigoted ideas, including a general disdain for women, sexual minorities or any person he deems inferior. 

Some of his more infamous incidents include when he said he would “not administer CPR unless you are a hot female” and when he called sexually active women “used goods.” More chillingly, he has often bragged about moving to Romania due to their lax laws, implying it would be much easier to evade sex crime charges. His deplorable online behavior is just the cherry on top of his human trafficking and rape charges.

One report found one in three young men look up to Tate as the epitome of masculinity, an admiration which reflects a deeply flawed understanding of what it means to be a man and to be masculine. True masculinity should never be defined by putting others down, asserting dominance or enforcing patriarchal standards. The toxic behaviors Tate endorses can no longer be the standard, and men like him should never be deemed role models. 

Instead, men should be encouraged to embody kindness, empathy and emotion without adding harm to their actions. These traits can coexist with strength, confidence and assertiveness — common characteristics associated with traditional masculinity — without compromising one’s manhood.

In social media circles, the concept of the “wife guy” has blown up and offers a refreshing alternative to this distorted view of masculinity that has been adopted by the media and right-wing circles. A “wife guy” is a man who takes pride in his partner’s success, supporting her without feeling threatened. A “wife guy” is often successful in his own right, and it is not at the expense of others.

The term “wife guy” hit mainstream circles when Kamala Harris announced her intention to run in the presidential race. Her husband and current second gentleman Doug Emhoff immediately went out of his way to be by her side — a stark contrast to former First Lady Melania Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s wife Usha Vance’s lackluster support. 

As Harris’ campaign kicked off, there were seldom stops where the two weren’t with each other on the campaign trail, but even more importantly, he knew when to step back and let Harris take the spotlight. At the Democratic National Convention, he solidified his “wife guy” title when he told their love story on a national stage and expressed how ecstatic he was to support her in this journey. He gave up a high-powered legal career to support his wife in a powerful demonstration of what modern masculinity should be — one that values partnership over dominance. He did not give up his position because he was forced to, but rather because he wanted to support his wife.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s husband Patrick Jackson is another example of this redefined masculinity we should be seeking. Patrick, a successful surgeon in his own right, has been unwaveringly supporting his wife for years. The two met at Harvard University, where her husband was a white student fighting to remove a confederate flag from their campus, and he has said he knew when he met her that the Supreme Court was in Jackson’s future. 

Since her historic nomination to the Supreme Court, Jackson is often seen visibly proud and emotional about his wife’s successes. His ability to embrace this emotion and back his partner’s dreams without insecurity shifts the spotlight to a masculinity that is strong, but more importantly compassionate and admirable.

These examples of “wife guys” offer a much-needed alternative to the destructive masculinity embodied by Andrew Tate. Men like Doug Emhoff and Patrick Jackson show that you can be successful and strong without tearing others down. They prove that masculinity does not need to be toxic, domineering or emotionally repressed to be legitimate. 

In fact, their emotional intelligence and partnership serve as a model for a healthier, more inclusive form of masculinity. This is the kind of masculinity we should be uplifting and teaching the next generation of young men to embody, not the backward kind that does more harm than good.

The Pitt News editorial is a weekly article written by the opinions editors in collaboration with all other desk editors. It reflects the collective opinion of the current Pitt News editorial staff.