Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, is under scrutiny following a resurfaced Substack post where he criticized traditional masculinity and U.S. sports culture. The Midwesterner reports that El-Sayed, in a 2021 post, targeted football culture after former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden resigned over leaked emails. In the post, he argued that the toxic masculinity embedded in America’s popular sports and male sports culture is more profound than a few controversial emails or corporate pivots.
El-Sayed, who once played high school football at Andover High School, drew from his own experiences to assert that traditional athletics foster bigotry. He recalled feeling free on the field but recounted experiences of facing racist taunts on the sidelines and in locker rooms. He claimed that racism, misogyny, and homophobia are common in men’s sports.
The candidate didn’t spare the NFL, accusing it of harboring deep-rooted racism. Rather than uphold traditional notions of grit, he proposed a progressive vision for manhood inspired by the fictional soccer coach, Ted Lasso. El-Sayed admired the character for showing vulnerability, openly discussing problems, and creating a positive environment for his team.
In another 2021 post, El-Sayed linked his sports preferences to his political ideology, praising European soccer for its egalitarian nature compared to American sports leagues. These posts reveal a disconnect between his views on gender and his campaign efforts to connect with young male voters by referencing his own athletic background.
Now competing against Republican Mike Rogers in the general election after narrowly winning against Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, El-Sayed faces a challenge in appealing to working-class midwestern voters who favor traditional football culture.
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