Conservatives are winning the culture war.
I know, it’s bold to say. Just typing out those words makes me as nervous as saying “BYU actually has a good football team this year.”
But this time I think I’m right, I truly believe conservatives are winning the culture war. In fact, I attribute the republican victory this November to a profound shift in the cultural undercurrents within the American body politic–one that is moving in our favor for the first time in decades.
If this trend continues, we young conservatives have a unique opportunity to shape the future. Now is the time to be both optimistic and proactive, as we have never had a better chance to set America on a better path forward.
To get a sense of where things stand in the culture war, we need to examine the ongoing battles and identify the progress conservatives have achieved in recent years.
- The Fight for Life
In 2022 Roe v. Wade was overturned and opened the door for the pro-life conversation to make real headway. Despite fears of a backlash against conservatives, the culture seemed to absorb the shock of the Dobbs decision rather well! As one political commentator recently stated: “For months I was assured by people on both sides that the overturning of Roe would prove to be disastrous for Republicans. Turns out it didn’t hurt them in the slightest. Most Americans are not rabidly pro-abortion. The pro-life argument is the winning argument.”
- The Fight for Fairness
So-called “anti-racism” has been on the rise in government, academia, and institutions for several years. But now it seems as though Americans are beginning to see through the progressive rhetoric, and are realizing that “anti-racism” is, in fact, quite racist.
Evidence of this comes from recent reports that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are on the decline within prominent American corporations. As Forbes put it, “Economic uncertainties, political polarization, and societal backlash against perceived ‘wokeness’ have made some companies wary of continuing their investments in DEI.” This year, at least 8 major companies, including Boeing, have completely abandoned their DEI programs. Several educational and government institutions are following suit.
Conservatives are unequivocally the champions of Martin Luther King Jr’s dream of a world that judges individuals by their character, not their color. Despite the left’s attempt to undermine that dream, conservatives have earned another important victory by rallying Americans to restore it.
- The Fight for Family
After years of losing ground to the LGBTQ movement, recent cultural pushback has led to a noticeable decline of LGBTQ activism in the corporate world and in mainstream entertainment. In 2023, conservatives responded to corporate endorsements of trans activism with successful boycotts against Bud Light and Target. This sent a clear message to corporations that everyday Americans were unwilling to support the “woke” agenda and would adjust their spending accordingly.
According to GLAAD, 2024 marked the first decrease in LGBTQ representation in Hollywood projects, likely a response to declining revenue and audience disgruntlement in recent years. Even Disney has faced significant pushback from fans for its “woke” activism. CEO Bob Iger even publicly acknowledged that Disney had prioritized political messaging too heavily and announced plans to steer the company back to a more neutral stance.
Additionally, in 2023, the Riley Gaines controversy brought the debate about trans activism in sports to a new level. Championed by Gaines, more women are speaking up and taking a stand. This fall, four college women’s volleyball teams officially forfeited matches against a team with a male player identifying as a woman, indicating growing momentum for institutional support in protecting women’s spaces.
These developments are signals that despite years of leftism’s cultural dominance, a majority of Americans still wish to keep the focus on traditional family values and gender roles.
- The Fight for Free Speech
Lastly, after years of overplaying their hand, the left has gradually lost its grip on the information infrastructure it once dominated. Because of this, the meteoric rise of alternative media – which began in the first Trump presidency – continued between 2020 and 2024. Podcasts are supplanting 24 hour broadcast media to the extent that they are now a new battleground for presidential candidates to reach voters, with 2024 even being called the first “podcast election.”
Recall that during the first Trump presidency, conservatives frequently faced attempts at de-platforming and demonetization on Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook. Fast forward to 2024, and things have changed. When similar censorship attempts were made—this time by Media Matters, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, who made a coordinated attempt to silence conservative voices over claims of election misinformation—they fell flat. Platforms like YouTube are now resisting pressure to censor, marking a significant change in the battle for free speech.
Perhaps even more telling of the way things are heading, Jeff Bezos announced that The Washington Post, which he owns, would break its 50-year tradition of endorsing Democratic candidates, choosing instead to withhold endorsements entirely. In an Op-Ed, Bezos explained that restoring public trust required incorporating conservative voices into legacy media, promising to hire them himself. USA Today parent company Gannett followed suit, also opting not to allow any of its 200 American outlets to endorse any candidate in 2024.
Meanwhile, Twitter, now overhauled by Elon Musk and rebranded as X, no longer serves as a tool for leftist censorship. Because of this important–and perhaps historic–development, the conservative movement finally has the level playing field it needs to start winning cultural debates once again.
We Are Winning, Now What?
If, back in 2019, you had told me that Trump would lose the 2020 election yet the years between 2021 and 2024 would still see a substantial decline in the left’s hold over American culture, I would have laughed. But here we are, witnessing a return to a more traditional America, with “woke” politics increasingly sidelined in sports, the workplace, and even Hollywood.
And while Donald Trump’s reelection may signal progress, it must not be seen as the finish line. This is just the beginning of a new era, and while the momentum seems to be moving in the right direction, there are no guarantees it will stay that way. Our generation stands at the threshold of leading the conservative movement into a world where the playing field is more level than it has been in decades. We now have a unique opportunity to reach out, win hearts and minds, inform and persuade, promote American values, and bridge divides. I worry that we may miss this opportunity.
It should be the goal of our generation to become the conservative warriors who can confidently carry this newfound momentum into the still raging battles of the culture war. We need to become a generation of academics, artists, entertainers, writers, journalists, business professionals, professors, and visionaries—leaders who will reclaim the institutions that conservatives our age have never truly had on our side. If your passion lies in one of these fields but you’re uncertain about being one of the few conservatives in it, remember: the left’s grip is weaker than it appears, and it’s loosening. You have the power to be part of the change, to help lead the revolution.
But if you’re just a normal, everyday conservative, you will have themost important role. First, educate yourself; read and listen widely, engage in civil discourse, and gain a deep conviction of your values. Second, get married and raise the next generation of strong and well-educated children. Third, become an example of your values and a leader in your community, church, and family.
After years of ceding ground to the progressive left, we’re finally seeing proof that their dominance is vulnerable. But if we stand idle now, the tide could easily turn back, and America’s gradual decline will continue. Let’s enter the world with confidence—grounded in our values, undeterred by opposition, and ready to shape a future where character, faith, and freedom matter more than ever.
Written by: Kimball Call
Contributor at the Cougar Chronicle
The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Cover Photo Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/unc-fraternity-brothers-defend-reinstated-american-flag-campus-mob-replaced-palestinian-flag
Good read. Let’s remember that even with the recent successes in the cultural war; we are still losing overall. The changes we want will only occur when we do our civic duties & live Christ like lives daily.