U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 20, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
In right-wing media and on Manosphere websites, a MAGA theory known as "The Great Feminization" is receiving a great deal of attention. The theory argues that the more influence women have, the more business, government, law and education deteriorate.
Many feminists are calling out the "Great Feminization" theory as blatant misogyny, but the criticism isn't limited to liberals and progressives. In an opinion column published by The New York Times on October 23, Never Trump conservative and evangelical Christian David French lays out a variety of reasons why he finds the theory painfully flawed.
French points to an essay by Helen Andrews that was published by Compact Magazine on October 16 and headlined "The Great Feminization." And he takes issue with the reasoning of Andrews and others who are promoting the theory.
"The supposed feminine commitment to 'empathy over rationality, safety over risk, cohesion over competition' manifests itself as the dread wokeness and ultimately destroys institutions and professions — that's the core thesis of an essay by Andrews that was based on a speech she gave at the National Conservatism conference in September," French explains. "Both the essay and the speech are generating an immense amount of conversation."
French takes issue with the argument that men are inherently logical while women are inherently emotional.
"When you encounter the young men of the new right — their faces all too often twisted in rage — 'rational' is often not the first word that comes to mind," the conservative columnist laments. "Andrews vastly understates the role of emotion in masculinity…. As the workplace has become more inclusive, Americans have become more prosperous. As women have gained more political power, our nation has become more just. Consider the immense and positive social changes in the United States since women won the right to vote in 1920."
French continues, "That's not because women are better than men, but it is a consequence of bringing half of humanity, with all of the gifts and talents of countless millions of women, into full and equal participation in our national life. In many ways, Andrews' piece is an essay-length argument for the old Ben Shapiro line, 'Facts don't care about your feelings.' Facts, in this telling, are rational and masculine. Feelings are irrational and feminine. Facts can be trusted. Feelings cannot. That's an impoverished view of moral reasoning."
French argues that MAGA's "right-wing gender wars" of 2025 "are committing the very sins they attribute to the enemies they detest."
"Their emotions have gotten the best of them," the Never Trumper writes. "In the name of masculine toughness, their fear and insecurity lead them astray."
David French's full New York Times column is available at this link (subscription required).