The Manosphere’s Glow-Up

This week, I was in DC for the People’s March and the Inauguration, and honestly, it felt like stepping into an alternate reality. Eight years ago, when I covered Trump’s first inauguration for Vox, the atmosphere was suffocating, dark, heavy, and strangely joyless, even for the people who had gotten exactly what they wanted. This time? That cloud was gone.

I wrote about this surprising contrast for PassionFruit—feel free to check out the full piece there—but the best way I can sum it up for you is this: conservatives have gone through a full-blown makeover, and if you’re on the left, it’s time to be very worried.

While my progressive friends urged me to pack mace and stay vigilant, I found myself walking through a crowd that felt oddly joyful, jubilant, even gay, in every sense of the word. It was unexpectedly inclusive. This wasn’t the Trump movement of 2016, it was polished, rebranded, and undeniably different.

And then there were the dudes. So many dudes. Young, sharp, and surprisingly well-informed. These weren’t the caricatures of “MAGA bros” I was expecting, they were nuanced, opinionated, and alarmingly articulate. When I jokingly asked about Trump’s hypothetical policies to “protect masculinity,” like banning the Barbie movie or outlawing scented candles, they didn’t laugh me off. Instead, one guy launched into an intricate discussion about post-feminist theory, explaining that not all feminists were misandrists and that they actually liked the movie.

They were also unexpectedly stylish and put-together. Some were even rocking pink MAGA hats, something that might have once felt too “feminine,” but now seemed like a deliberate flex. It was as if someone had handed the MAGA aesthetic over to a GQ stylist for a makeover. The merch has come a long way from the infamous red hat that became a parody goldmine for the left. Now, it’s all about sleeker fonts, updated color palettes, and a sharper, more refined look. This wasn’t just a rebrand; it was a full-blown glow-up. This wasn’t your grand-father’s cargo shorts and oakleys MAGA, this was tailored coats, sleek sneakers and merch that looked like it was designed by a high-end streetwear brand.

This style shift marks the rise of a new power structure. The Manosphere isn’t just an obscure internet subculture anymore, it’s swinging elections. These aren’t pimple-faced guys gaming in their parents’ basements; they’re front-row architects of a changing world order, seated at the table of official government functions. Influencers like Joe Rogan and Logan Paul didn’t just help Trump secure power, they were crowned with prime seating at the inauguration itself, like modern-day kingmakers. Even tech giants like Zuckerberg are bending the knee, axing fact-checking and letting them spew rhetoric that calls women “private property” and queer people “freaks.” The outcasts have become the emperors.

And the ring leaders? The Proud Boys (who also rebranded as Oath Keepers) aren’t fringe losers locked up in jail anymore; they’re national heroes who were pardoned on Trump’s first day back in office. The Manosphere isn’t just winning the culture war, it’s a national priority. And you can tell that the men who are part of it, know it.

And while conservatives seem to have updated and upgraded their look, being at the People’s March felt like stepping back into 2016. The turnout was massive, and the energy was unmatched, but the signs? They could have been straight out of storage from eight years ago, lots of mentions of pussy-grabbing, but not many fresh slogans to match the terror of the moment. Maybe that’s because this moment feels too terrifying to distill into a catchy phrase. Candidly, I struggled when preparing my speech for the crowd because I wasn’t sure what direction to point to, where do we even go from here? What’s undeniable, though, is that while Republicans have perfected their rebrand, progressives are in desperate need of one if we want to compete in a world where aesthetics have become strategy.

But here’s a thought that might give progressives some comfort: while MAGA may have swapped cringe for cool, the real challenge lies ahead. Rebrands are easy, but keeping a movement fresh, aspirational, and “anti-establishment” while being the actual establishment is a whole different game. Coolness thrives on rebellion, not governance. The moment MAGA fully becomes the establishment, it’s only a matter of time before the counterculture starts looking for a new home.

And when that happens, progressives have an opportunity to be ready, not just with policies, but with a vision that feels bold, fresh, and undeniably cool too.