this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2026
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Texas Democrat and U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico fired back at his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Friday after the two Republicans echoed MAGA insults about his masculinity.

“I’ve said before, and I will keep saying that real men serve others; weak men serve themselves,” Talarico told MS NOW’s “The Briefing” host Jen Psaki. “And so I welcome this debate about what it means to be a man, and I don’t think Ken Paxton or Ted Cruz are in a position to tell anybody what a real man is.”

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 47 points 2 days ago (1 children)

He needs to just keep asking Rafael why he changed his mind on trump, and why he never stands up for Texans or his own wife against trump.

Gotta separate them from dear leader

[–] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Need to make them criticize Trump while also linking them to his disastrous policies

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 27 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Emotionally fragile and fragmented people are bullies. It takes far more strength to tame the roaring beasts within us than punishing/lashing out at others.

In short, those who can't control themselves seek to control everyone else.

[–] Catalyst_A@quokk.au 5 points 2 days ago

Very well said.

[–] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Sadly, the beast in most people is a sheep, which is why we're being led by morons.

[–] TheGoldenV@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They’re gonna pretend like they don’t care, but I bet it’s going to hit them a lot harder than Talarico.

[–] Malyca@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

Because he's right

[–] chahn.chris@piefed.social 13 points 2 days ago

Man I can’t love Talarico enough, he’s the manliest politician I can think of right now.

[–] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Calling this guy derogatory names, but JD Vance out there wearing gobs of black eye liner on the daily giving interviews and trying to assert his alphaness. Keep on keeping on GOP

[–] HailSeitan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What’s wrong with men wearing makeup?

[–] prostatitis@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Nothing if you're not a hypocritical knob about 'masculinity'.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Yeah a guy comfortable wearing eyeliner because he likes the way it looks on him is extra cool, until he starts getting mad about people not conforming to his understanding of gender roles, then he's just a hypocritical twat.

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Hit 'em where it hurts

I mean, it's not his constituents, but Cruz blatantly serves Israel...

[–] artyom@piefed.social -1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I don't think "true scotsmaning" or joining them in reinforcing gender stereotypes is a good strategy.

[–] superglue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Talarico should just challenge Paxton to a sanctioned fight. 100% he won't do it.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com -4 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I know this is unpopular but people who claim to be for things like feminism shouldn't be using "weak men" and "strong men" as categories no matter how you are defining those categories. This rhetoric should be thrown out completely.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

I disagree. As a feminist there's nothing wrong with calling some men weak or strong, just as there's nothing wrong with calling some women weak or strong. Fascism and authoritarianism are ideologies of the weak. Weak women hide behind men demanding they make decisions for them rather than being strong and accepting the burdens of freedom. Weak men hide behind authoritarian leaders and strive to make women weak so that they can control us. Toxic masculinity is the domain of weak men insecure in their weaknesses trying to make up for absence of inner strength with machismo.

Strong men want women to be strong so we can all stand together as free equals. They don't fear the choices we might make or the choices they might make, because they're strong enough to endure unpleasantness, rejection, insecurity, etc.

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This opinion should be thrown out completely. Dude's trying to win in Texas.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com -2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Okay sorry I forget toxic masculinity and reinforcing the patriarchy are okay if you are a Texas politician.

[–] ExFed@programming.dev 5 points 2 days ago

False dichotomy. What next? All men are toxic because of their masculinity?

It takes strength to empower others. Men are strong when they empower others (including women). That's literally all that Talarico is saying. How is that incompatible with feminism?

[–] ExFed@programming.dev -2 points 2 days ago

You've just repeated the kind of rhetoric that gives rise to _anti-feminism; your definition of "feminism" is less about empowering women than it is about suppressing men, and I don't like it one bit.

[–] NM_Gringo@lemmy.world -4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Talarico should get some tips from Hunter Biden. That dude is on fire.