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A friend of mine told me recently about a conversation she once had at a cocktail party. She was introduced to a stylish young man who was otherwise very charming, and they began chatting about a number of topics. Somehow the discussion made its way to politics and they began to disagree. The young man asked my friend what ‘side’ she was on and when she told him she was a Republican, he gave her a blank stare. “But you’re attractive,” he said in amazement.

The poor guy’s disbelief that an attractive, fashionable young woman could also be Republican is not uncommon. I have to admit that I am very much an attractive young man and get the same blank stares when people learn that I’m a Republican. Evidently, most believe that there is something wrong with Republicans, genetic or otherwise, that disallows them from being fashionable, stylish, or what has become an all-encompassing term for appeal and acceptability, sexy.

Granted, political affairs in general are pretty dull and rarely mesh with the highly social or cultural. But in the rare cases when they do mix, it is with the left side of the political spectrum, not the right. Take the movie industry for example. When Hollywood, which is pretty much the wellspring of modern trends, recently chose to dabble in politics, its message was anti-Bush, anti-war, and anti-big business; in other words, typical liberal claptrap. Much of what the fashionable George Clooney had to say could easily be mistaken for 1970s Soviet military communiqué.

In today’s culture, all it takes to be sexy is edginess, a commodity that liberals seem to own a monopoly on. By trashing tradition and institutions of authority (such as the president as in the case of Clooney), they get the big thumbs up from critics and the public alike. These days, anything new and revolutionary is considered to be sexy, and amusingly we watch as ‘new’ and ‘revolutionary’ become synonymous with ‘liberal Democrats.’

But what does the word ‘sexy’ really mean anyway? Is something sexy just because it’s radical? Why is a sickly-looking girl sitting in a pornographic position with frizzed hair, clown-like makeup, and ripped clothing, next to a guy donning his own clown-like makeup and a mullet, considered fashionable? Must one be completely devoid of respectability to be attractive these days? The absurdity of the question implies its answer.

Current trends and conceptions of sexiness are based in a very liberal—that is to say socialist—concept: that everyone should be equal and that no one is better than anyone else. The premise behind the idea is good—all people should be treated equally and given the same opportunity. But, in large part, the left sees it as a mandate for leveling every aspect of everyone’s life. For most Americans, as is the case for all Westerners who have ultra-high standards of living, leveling has meant that people must appear poor, unhealthy, and androgynous in order to be attractive to others. In order to do this, they must deprecate themselves.

Pretty much all that is fashionable and trendy these days comes from this deprecation. From runways to music videos to reality television, the trendiest people, places, and events are all based in this central theme. New fads that pop up here and there might seem different, but they are just variations on the same principal concept.

Acceptance is what is really at stake here. The left want to accept everyone and think that lowering oneself to meet another is a perfectly good way of doing that. They say, ‘see, you’re okay with me because I dress and act like you.’
The right, meanwhile, want to accept everyone as well, but understand that lowering oneself to another’s level is not really accepting them. Trying to fit in with other people is actually an attempt to be accepted by them, not a way to show approval of them. One who imitates the styles of others is lost and searching for a place in the world. He finds it in other people. Once he imitates their style and manners, he feels as if he is a part of something.

But one cannot find his place in the acceptance of others—it can only be found within. Attractiveness is based, not in what the observer gets or how he is satisfied by looking at the observed, but rather in a person’s ability to stay true to himself.
The need for acceptance, especially when it is so strong as to compel self-deprecation, is complete nonsense to conservatives and Republicans. Acceptance is fine, but it is not necessary, and certainly shouldn’t be pursued to the extent that one loses integrity. Conservatives and Republicans believe that humans have an innate dignity and deserve the best life has to offer, a conviction that can be seen in their consistent religiosity as well as in their expectations that other people behave properly—or else. They have high expectations and will not accept the self-defeating ethos of a decadent culture.

To the left, this is nothing more than self-righteous snobbery. Anyone who thinks that he is better than others is arrogant, dangerous, and automatically wrong. The left see the right as wholly self-centered, a notion that is reflected in the stereotypes of conservatives being heartless, greedy, and arrogant egotists who drain the world of its resources and punish third-world countries.

While these claims tend to get blown out of proportion, they actually have a fairly accurate source. Self-centeredness is at the core of conservatism and many who adhere to the doctrine will happily admit it. Simply, conservatives aren’t thinking much about what others want from them and, generally speaking, only serve themselves. Success of the free market, which is the centerpiece of Republican economic policy, is dependent upon a population of self-reliant, self-interested citizens. And, as most Americans can attest, self-respect is crucial if one hopes to be an upstanding, productive individual.

Republicans love themselves, and frankly, that’s not all that bad. In fact, considering the kind of productivity and innovation it offers, this intense self-respect is good. Most importantly, though, and more relevant to the matter at hand, self-respect is sexy.

Knowing that they have an innate significance in life, Republicans take care of themselves, they act intentionally, and they are constantly moving in an upward direction, socially, professionally, spiritually. These are irresistible qualities no matter who possesses them and people are drawn to them. Self-respect is the parent of confidence and no one will deny that confidence is sexiness par excellence.

Naturally, self-respect and confidence manifest themselves in many ways, so it is not a surprise that Republicans come in different shapes and sizes too. The fact that both Lisa Kennedy (of MTV) and Faith Hill are conservative illustrates the diversity that the ethos comprises. Republicans are intellectual and mild-mannered like Darcy Olsen (of the Goldwater Institute) and entertaining and unabashed like Jessica Simpson. They are passionate and religious like Mel Gibson and can be brainy and distinctive like Dennis Miller. They all share the characteristic Republican self-respect and confidence.

My personal favorite of the various conservative styles is reflected in the stereotypical, old-fashioned librarian sort who isn’t afraid of wearing something that actually covers the neck. The fashion is restrictive and often seen as cold to others, especially in the Viagra decade, but when one doesn’t rely on showing lots of flesh or peddling one’s sexuality, one must be creative and thoughtful with one’s dress; one must find artistic ways to express one’s femininity or masculinity, and that creativity is what is truly attractive.

It is understood that not all Republicans dress and act like Victorians. Some of the sexiest Republicans out there are in the entertainment industry and don’t hesitate to flash skin when the situation arises. Those celebrities can be so brazen in their sexuality as to push the term old-fashioned out of the dictionary. But even with these types, one will recognize a level of confidence and even self-respect characteristic to conservative Republicans. No more than a proud acknowledgement that one is handsome and genuine is what gives impetus to the Arnold Schwarzeneggers and Bo Dereks of the set.

Mostly, though, Republicans are pretty average when it comes to appearance. We wear what looks good, what’s in style, and is reasonably priced. We maintain an amiable veneer because we are generally happy with life and with the people we know. We don’t dress and behave in a way that shocks or startles the people we come into contact with because in the end it is not about them. Attractiveness is about oneself, and intentionally focusing on that gives one the chance to grow and improve toward what is right.