In a recent opinion piece, The Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell described Doug Emhoff as both a “modern-day sex symbol” and a “progressive sex symbol.” Rampell’s article opens with a playful comparison to actor Ryan Gosling, referencing the “Barbie” movie, and suggests that Emhoff, who could soon become the first First Gentleman, embodies the “modern female fantasy.”
Rampell’s main argument is that Emhoff’s appeal stems from his confidence in his masculinity, particularly in how he sometimes prioritizes his wife, Kamala Harris’s ambitions over his own. This, according to Rampell, makes him a “hunk.” She draws a parallel between Emhoff and NFL player Jonathan Owens, who supported his wife, Simone Biles, during the Olympics, portraying both men as embodying the “fantasy man” ideal.
The piece continues by likening Emhoff’s relationship with Harris to romantic comedies where male characters prove their love by putting their partner’s success above their own. Rampell coins this dynamic as part of the “Emhoffian ‘wife guy’ fantasy,” a modern ideal where men are comfortable with shifting gender roles in a post-industrial society.
However, the article does not mention Emhoff’s alleged affair during his first marriage, which reportedly resulted in the pregnancy of his children’s nanny—a pregnancy that was not carried to term. Despite this, Rampell’s portrayal of Emhoff remains positive, casting him as a symbol of what many women desire in a partner today.
Rampell also contrasts Emhoff with political figures like Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance (R-OH). She criticizes Trump for exploiting men’s insecurities about their evolving roles in society and takes aim at Vance for what she views as his “retrograde views on gender,” despite Vance’s wife having a successful legal career.
Rampell concludes her piece by suggesting that Emhoff represents a “dreamboat” figure for modern women, embodying the qualities they seek in a partner.
