In this episode, I sit down with Charlie Sabgir to unpack the "unprecedented gender gap" facing Gen Z. We dive into new research concerning the economic and social behaviors of young men—from the "gamification" of their finances through crypto and sports betting to their surprising nostalgia for unions and traditional stability. The conversation explores why the "manosphere" is winning the narrative war by offering concrete (if sometimes toxic) life advice, and how a positive reframing of masculinity—centered on serving the community—might be the key to re-engaging a generation that feels politically apathetic and economically "screwed."

Charlie Sabgir is the Program Director for the Young Men Research Project, a research organization that studies the political and social trends among young men. He also writes for the Young Men Research Initiative Substack.

Follow their work and read their research here: https://www.ymrp.org/polling

Subscribe to the substack here: https://youngmenresearchinitiative.substack.com

Key Topics & Takeaways:

• The Crypto Paradox: Why holding crypto and sports betting isn't just for the "basement dweller"—it’s becoming a "middle finger to the system" for employed, high-earning young men who feel traditional wealth-building tools (like 401ks) are too slow.

• The Craving for Stability: Unlike the "hustle culture" pitched to Millennials, Gen Z men are showing a strong preference for the stability of unions and apprenticeships over the uncertainty of internships and college debt.

• The AI Gender Gap: Men are approaching AI with excitement and frequent use, while young women report significantly higher levels of anxiety regarding the technology.

• Redefining "Toughness": Message testing reveals that young men respond much better to masculinity defined as "fighting for your community" and "uplifting those around you" (+21 points) than they do to "anti-woke" grievance rhetoric.

• Political Apathy vs. Engagement: Why young men are less likely to vote than women, and why successful campaigns are using "fun" community events (like scavenger hunts or UFC watch parties) to bridge the gap.

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📍 Produced by The Difference Engine

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It's likely that Democrats will retake the House this fall. But the most important question for a new majority is this: what will they use the power for?

This conversation is part of an ongoing series of interviews and explorations I plan to do this year trying to answer a slightly modified version of that question - what should the power be for?

One answer to that question is paid leave for all. In 1993, the Clinton Administration and a Democratic-controlled Congress passed FMLA - the Family and Medical Leave Act, protecting workers with unpaid family leave. Since then, paid leave has become steadily more and more popular, and very nearly passed during the Biden Administration.

Our guest this week is Dawn Huckelbridge, the founding director of Paid Leave for All and founder of Paid Leave PAC. With a career spanning gender policy, political organizing, and communications, she has successfully built and led campaigns to advance paid leave and gender equity across the country.

We discussed what's at stake, their approach to getting The Family Act passed, what they've learned in their polling about support for paid family leave from across the socioeconomic spectrum, how states are leading, and what the movement is up against.

Our Guest

Dawn Huckelbridge is the founding director of Paid Leave for All, a position she has held since 2019. With a career spanning gender policy, political organizing, and communications, she has successfully built and led campaigns to advance paid leave and gender equity across the country.

Previously, Dawn served as Communications Director for Supermajority during its launch and Senior Director of the Women’s Rights Initiative at American Bridge. During the 2016 election cycle, she served as Coordinated Program Director for Community Outreach Group at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, where she directed a team to execute the organization’s largest coordinated campaigns in battleground states. Dawn has also held senior roles with People For the American Way, the Center for Women Policy Studies, and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and Political Office.

She holds a master’s degree in gender and social policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from Northwestern University. Her background in political and issue communications includes work with GMMB and various political and public interest projects. Dawn founded the Paid Leave PAC in 2022 and has served on the boards of several organizations, including Emerge Massachusetts, Family Values @ Work Action, and the DC Abortion Fund.

Dawn’s expertise and leadership have earned her publications in outlets such as Newsweek, The Hill, The Nation, Glamour, and Marie Claire, and she has appeared on radio and network and cable TV.

Further Reading

"Americans Widely Support Paid Family and Medical Leave, but Differ Over Specific Policies" via Pew Research, March 2017

"New Poll Finds Strong Small Business Support for Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies" via National Partnership for Women & Families and Lake Research, October 2024

1. More poll findings here:

Cross Tabs End Notes

The hardest thing to do in polling it seems is to accurately guess who the voters will be. Pollsters get better and better at weighting samples to more accurately reflect observable characteristics of voters, which is why the forecasts keep getting close to the center of the bullseye. But there are still these harder to observe characteristics that it's almost impossible to model... unless you can figure out what they are.

So here's an idea - what if, instead of just throwing up our hands, we found a way to poll people who don't want to be polled?

Kabir Khanna of CBS News did just that - and he came on to talk to me all about what they did, and what they learned.

About the Guest

Kabir Khanna, Ph.D., is Director, Election Analytics & Technical Systems at CBS News. He produces stories on elections, polling, and politics, making sure they are based on best practices and innovations in quantitative social science. He ensures surveys and statistical estimates are representative and accurate, and breaks down results on air. On election nights, he projects races for the network and manages the Data Desk, generating insights into the electorate in real time, as well as estimates of turnout, how ballots are cast, and key voter groups.

Stuff We Talked About

"The voters Mamdani added to the Democratic coalition in New York: CBS News analysis"

"1 year in, Americans call for more inflation focus from Trump, CBS News poll finds"

Polling at a Crossroads, by Michael Bailey

Stay in Touch

📬 Subscribe to our newsletter at crosstabspodcast.com for new episodes, insights, and behind-the-scenes content.

📹 Watch video episodes on YouTube @CrosstabsPodcast

💬 Follow us on BlueSky: @crosstabspod.bsky.social and @farrahbostic.bsky.social

📍 Produced by The Difference Engine

📨 You can also email me directly at farrah@crosstabspodcast.com