The MAGA Regression Is Not Just A Joke

I’m no progressive. I believe in the more readily definable idea of human rights than the amorphous concept of social justice. I speak in terms of reform rather than systemic change. Nevertheless, I share many concerns with historically marginalized and oppressed groups who rightly see that Donald Trump’s return to the White House is the crest of a cultural wave that threatens to hit America like a hurricane. The raw, unfiltered bigotry and regressive politics within the MAGA movement are already rising to the surface in ugly ways, including the normalization of misogyny, anti-LGBTQ+ judgments, and extremist ideologies cloaked as humor and self-help.

In an effort to document and counter these trends, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and American University’s Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) recently released a timely guide titled Not Just a Joke: Understanding & Preventing Gender- & Sexuality-Based Bigotry. Rooted in decades of advocacy and research, the SPLC’s mission to dismantle white supremacy and advance human rights aligns with PERIL’s focus on designing evidence-based interventions to counter hate. Their collaborative work diagnoses the current problem and provides actionable strategies for caregivers, educators, and communities that deserve your consideration.

The last six decades have seen a growing acceptance that women and LGBTQ+ people, are actually people.

1965: The Supreme Court’s establishes the right of married couples to access birth control.

1972: The Supreme Court extends the right to access birth control to unmarried individuals.

1973: The Supreme Court affirms the constitutional right to access abortion.

1974: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act allows women to apply for credit without requiring a husband or male co-signer.

1983: Nebraska becomes the first state to criminalize marital rape.

1993: North Carolina becomes the last state to criminalize marital rape.

2003: The Supreme Court’s strikes down anti-sodomy laws, decriminalizing same-sex relationships nationwide.

2013: The Supreme Court rules the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, allowing federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

2015: The Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage nationwide.

2020: The Supreme Court rules the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination.

Then, for the first time in our history, a human right of the people was taken away and criminalized.

2022: The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) ending the federal constitutional right to abortion.

For many a MAGA, this was a prayer fulfilled and the first step toward “Making America Great Again” by restoring a “Your Body, My Choice” society.

A Troubling Rise in Gender-Based Bigotry

The phrase “My Body, My Choice” has long been a rallying cry for feminists advocating for reproductive rights, emphasizing the fundamental principle of bodily autonomy—the idea that no one should have control over another’s body without their consent. It became a powerful symbol of the pro-choice movement, encapsulating decades of struggle for women’s right to make decisions about their own reproductive health. However, in recent years, this slogan has been twisted and weaponized in ways that betray its original intent, evolving through a two-step process into a darker, more insidious meaning.

The first step occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic when opponents of mask and vaccine mandates appropriated the phrase, flipping it into “Your Body, My Choice.” Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protesters used this adaptation to mock public health measures, arguing—disingenuously—that if feminists could demand bodily autonomy for abortion, they could demand the same autonomy to refuse masks or vaccines. This repurposing ignored the key differences between the two issues: wearing a mask or getting vaccinated serves to protect everyone by preventing the spread of a contagious disease, whereas reproductive rights are primarily about individual bodily sovereignty, not public health. In doing so, they diluted the original feminist message and trivialized its significance.

The second and far darker step came when the phrase “Your Body, My Choice” began to circulate in explicitly misogynistic spaces online, especially within the manosphere; where it is not just a joke. Here, the phrase became a grotesque assertion of male entitlement over women’s bodies, implying that women exist as property to be controlled by men. The transformation of “Your Body, My Choice” illustrates the slippery slope from mockery to outright bigotry and highlights the idea that you never know how bad things might get once you start down this path. It echoes the chilling sentiment, “First they came for the Jews…” By the time they come for you—for using birth control, having the wrong skin color, worshipping the wrong God, interpreting scripture differently—there may be no one left to defend you.

Key Arguments in Not Just a Joke

Understanding the “Manosphere”
The guide identifies the manosphere as a critical driver of gender-based bigotry, characterized by groups like incels, men’s rights activists, and pick-up artists. These groups promote male entitlement, misogyny, and victimhood by distorting gender dynamics in several ways. For example:

By portraying women as inherently deceitful or manipulative: Misogynistic incel forums often depict women as “Stacys” who are shallow, sexually selective, and only attracted to “Chads” (stereotypical alpha males). This narrative justifies resentment toward women, framing them as gatekeepers of sex who unfairly exclude less attractive or socially awkward men.

By blaming feminism for male struggles: Men’s rights activists frequently argue that modern feminism has created a “war on men,” leading to biased court systems in custody battles or false allegations of harassment that allegedly ruin men’s lives. This victimhood narrative encourages anger toward women and dismisses ongoing issues of inequality.

By promoting harmful narratives about LGBTQ+ individuals: Some manosphere influencers equate LGBTQ+ inclusion with societal decay. For example, the infamous “red pill” community argues that transgender rights represent a form of societal overreach that “erases” traditional gender roles, threatening the natural order.

These harmful narratives are reinforced through memes, viral videos, and influencers like Andrew Tate, who market themselves as self-help gurus while peddling misogynistic ideologies. For instance, Tate’s widely shared videos instruct men to “control their women” and disparage any partnership where a woman is financially independent or assertive.
The Intersection of Bigotry
Gender-based bigotry does not exist in isolation but intersects with other forms of hate, leveraging fears about public safety and morality to justify discrimination. Today, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric frequently stokes fears of “grooming,” a baseless conspiracy that equates LGBTQ+ individuals with predatory behavior. This narrative is often used to block LGBTQ+-inclusive policies in schools, ban drag performances, and target transgender individuals in public spaces. For example, laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth are framed as efforts to “protect children” from harm, despite widespread medical consensus supporting such care.

These modern fears mirror historical moral panics used against marginalized groups. For instance:

African Americans: During Reconstruction, Black men were falsely accused of posing a threat to white women, leading to widespread violence and lynching. The trope of the “Black predator” was used to justify segregation and oppressive laws.

Jewish immigrants: In the early 20th century, Jewish communities were accused of corrupting Christian morals, with antisemitic propaganda blaming them for societal decay.

Irish immigrants: In the 19th century, Irish Catholics were portrayed as morally corrupt and a threat to Protestant values, fueling discrimination and exclusionary laws.

In all these cases, fears about safety and morality were weaponized to justify exclusion and oppression. Today’s anti-LGBTQ+ movement continues this pattern, using fabricated threats to marginalize vulnerable communities.
Pathways to Radicalization
Youth are particularly vulnerable to radicalization through seemingly innocuous means, such as humor or self-help content. The guide details how online influencers and gaming communities can normalize hate, creating a slippery slope from casual engagement to full-fledged extremist beliefs.
Action Through Education and Resilience
While the problem is vast, the guide emphasizes that community-driven solutions can make a difference. Education, empathy, and proactive intervention are key to building resilience against manipulation.

Actionable Strategies for Change

Not Just a Joke outlines several strategies for caregivers, educators, and communities to combat gender-based bigotry:

Start Early: Conversations about gender, race, and identity should begin at a young age, fostering empathy and understanding.
Promote Media Literacy: Equip young people to critically evaluate the content they encounter online, from memes to influencer videos.
Support Identity Affirmation: Respect young people’s pronouns, chosen names, and identities to create an inclusive environment.
Develop Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Teach skills like empathy and emotional regulation to counteract the appeal of extremist narratives.
Encourage Restorative Justice: Address harms through dialogue and relationship-building rather than punitive measures.

These strategies are practical, actionable, and rooted in the idea that prevention is more effective than punishment.

A Category ____ Storm

You don’t have to be a progressive or agree with every argument ever made by feminists or transgender activists to recognize the danger of the path we’re on. Much of the MAGA movement is a rejection of the simple idea that all people have human rights; that every individual deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Instead, it champions a childish, insecure vision of manhood, one that thrives on putting others down to create the illusion of personal elevation. This mindset is embodied by Donald Trump and you should not imagine yourself to be immune from its dangerous just because you or your group hasn’t come under attack yet. This tropical storm swirling over the ocean, might yet hit land where you live, and with a greater force, than you dare to imagine.

The SPLC and PERIL’s guide, Not Just a Joke, offers a necessary response to this troubling moment. First and foremost by acknowledging that this is a troubling moment that needs to be responded to. The winds may yet shift and this current storm may never make landfall but its effects are already being felt and we cannot stop hurricane season from returning. “Freedom is not free,” you know? And, its price is “eternal vigilance.” Standing against hate is not just an act of progressivism, it’s an affirmation of the universal principle that all of us are created equal, and Not Just a Joke is a resource in this fight.

The full guide is available for free and I encourage you to thoughtfully consider it for yourself, then share it with others.

Recommended Reading: CIA Document 1035-960, Real Christianity