Moira Donegan, co-host of 'In Bed With The Right,' and Adrian Daub, a fellow co-host, dive into the complexities of current right-wing sexual politics. They dissect Elon Musk's controversial relationship with influencer Ashley St. Clair, questioning women's roles in a patriarchal framework. The discussion further explores evolving standards of masculinity and the contradictions within conservative values. With insights on the impact of influencer culture, they reveal the tensions between traditional expectations and modern expressions of femininity.
Ashley St. Clair's situation highlights the clash between conservative family values and personal realities within right-wing narratives on sexuality.
The concept of a 'patriarchal bargain' illustrates the pitfalls women face when trading reproductive and emotional labor for security in male-dominated spaces.
Contemporary right-wing sexual politics reveal a tension between hyper-masculinity and women's agency, challenging authentic expressions of sexual freedom.
Deep dives
The Controversy Surrounding Ashley St. Clair
Ashley St. Clair, a right-wing social media influencer, recently garnered attention with her announcement concerning the birth of her child with Elon Musk, marking his 13th child with multiple partners. St. Clair’s public persona, particularly through her anti-trans children's book, raised questions about the paradox of conservative values and personal actions, especially given Musk's silence on the matter post-announcement. The response to St. Clair's revelation online varied widely, from congratulatory remarks to sharp criticisms pointing at her tactics and her perceived quest for security and status by aligning with a powerful figure. This situation exemplifies the tension within right-wing narratives about traditional family values and the actual personal circumstances of those espousing them.
The Patriarchal Bargain in Conservative Politics
St. Clair's situation highlights the concept of a 'patriarchal bargain,' where women believe that by offering their reproductive and emotional labor to powerful men, they can gain security and status in return. Experts suggest that the reality often falls short, as exemplified by St. Clair's post-birth experience, where expectations of support did not materialize from Musk. This dynamic can reflect broader trends among right-wing women who navigate the male-dominated landscape, often at a cost to their own agency and values. The critique is not purely moral; it also points to the practical failures of these bargains, leaving women feeling exploited without receiving the promised protections.
Shifts in Right-Wing Sexual Politics
The conversation underscores a profound shift in the sexual politics of the right, moving from traditional family value frameworks to a focus on crude, transactional relationships masked as sexual freedom. Today, right-wing narratives often celebrate hyper-masculinity, yet reveal contradictions in their stance on women's rights and moral behaviors. This new sexual politics frequently revolves around domination and control, disguising itself as empowerment while limiting true sexual freedom, particularly for women. Notably, these shifts also lack the ideological sincerity of past conservative values, opting instead for a more performative approach that seeks to provoke rather than engage meaningfully.
Contradiction in Modern Right-Wing Feminism
The tension between traditional and progressive views of femininity among right-wing influencers illustrates the evolving landscape of women's roles in politics. Figures like Classically Abby represent a return to old-fashioned values, yet they struggle to attract attention in a culture that increasingly rewards more exaggerated or provocative portrayals of femininity. In contrast, the popularity of influencers who openly embrace vulgarity or hyper-sexualization points to a desire for empowerment that transcends traditional morality, albeit rooted in a male-dominated context. This contradiction reveals an underlying struggle for women to find authentic expressions of agency within right-wing ideologies, which often hinge on unrealistic and restrictive standards.
The Challenge of Freedom in Sexual Politics
Ultimately, the exploration of women in contemporary right-wing politics raises critical questions about genuine sexual freedom—one that is not merely a reaction to patriarchal demands or societal expectations. The discussions point toward the necessity of envisioning a realm of personal agency, where individuals can define their sexual experiences free from coercion or danger. Both experts emphasize that neither punitive sexual politics nor hyper-sexualization leads to authentic liberation; instead, women must navigate spaces that allow for personal choice in saying yes or no to sexual relationships. This nuanced understanding of sexuality reflects a need for a paradigm shift in how society conceptualizes pleasure, agency, and expectations surrounding gender and sexuality.
Elon Musk just (allegedly) had his thirteenth child with a fourth woman — a 26-year-old “conservative” influencer named Ashley St. Clair. In a past version of the “traditional family values” party, this might’ve been a career-ending event. Today, it hardly generates coverage. In this episode, Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub (of In Bed With The Right) help me make sense of the right’s impossibly contradictory code of sexuality: is MAGA the movement of the hot, virile new youth, or is it the movement attempting to ban contraception and abortion? Are women supposed to spit on that thang or dress modestly? And what does Elon’s public humiliation of Ashley St. Clair reveal about a woman’s place in the New Right?
