With its laser focus on what it calls reproductive rights and normalizing of victimhood through diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the Democratic Party has made it clear that men are not favored among the 16 groups it claims to serve.

That may explain why young men have been leaving the Democratic Party in numbers too big to keep ignoring.

The American Enterprise Institute has tracked the exodus and reports that in 2016, 51% of young men between 18-29 years old identified as Democrats, as of 2023 that number has dropped to just 39%.

Erika Sanzi is the director of outreach for Parents Defending Education and she writes that the steady drumbeat of denigration about “male privilege” and toxic masculinity isn’t just emanating from the stage of the Democratic National Convention.

Sanzi says, the anti-male worldview has found its way into our educational institutions where teachers are trained to see girls as victims and boys and men as victimizers.

As young men increasingly distance themselves from the party that blames them for the world’s problems, it could spell opportunity for the Republican Party which has softened its platform stances on abortion and same-sex marriage to appeal to younger voters.

Daniel Cox from the Survey Center on American Life says, if the Republican Party remains competitive with young voters, it could spell real trouble for Democrats in November’s election and have political and cultural ramifications that will extend far beyond the current election cycle.

One takeaway for both parties is that if they treat a particular demographic with derision and contempt, they shouldn’t be surprised when that demographic chooses to walk away in search of something better.