Far more Republican men say they’re highly masculine than Democratic men, poll finds

A new poll reveals views on masculinity in America vary widely based on partisan affiliation and gender — though there is some common ground.

The poll, conducted by the Pew Research Center, found 53% of Republican men considered themselves to be highly masculine, while a far smaller share of Democratic men, 29%, said the same.

Overall, 42% of men rated themselves as highly masculine, while 43% said that they lean masculine, and 14% said they either are equally masculine and feminine, lean feminine or are neither.

Carried out between Sept. 3 to 15, the poll found a plurality of respondents, 43%, have a mostly positive view towards masculine men. Thirty-one percent said their views are neither positive nor negative, and 25% said their views are mostly negative.

Despite this, nearly half of Republican men, 45%, said they believe society has a negative opinion of masculine men. Just 20% of Democratic men, on the other hand, said they thought people viewed masculine men in a negative light.

Small shares of Republican and Democratic women — 13% and 24% — said the same.

The poll, which sampled 6,204 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of 1.5 percentage points, also found most respondents believe society doesn’t place enough value on men who are open about their emotions and are caring, affectionate and soft-spoken.

Democrats were more likely than their Republican counterparts to say Americans don’t appreciate men who have these traits enough.

Republicans and men — on the other hand — were more likely than Democrats and women to say people don’t place enough value on men who are assertive, risk-takers and physically strong.

In contrast, there was agreement across partisan and gender lines when it came to views on behaviors that could be linked with “toxic masculinity.”

Majorities of men, women, Democrats and Republicans said it’s not at all or not too acceptable for men to throw a punch if provoked, to have multiple sexual partners instead of committing to a relationship and to talk about women in a sexual way with other men.