The “Performative Male,” TikTok’s emerging hashtag that has garnered over 128 million views, describes a new archetype of male toxicity. He wears wired headphones (with Clairo, Lana Del Rey, or Laufey playing), a tote bag, and a Labubu on a carabiner, while sipping matcha and reading feminist literature. Politically, he identifies as a progressive advocate for women’s rights, even going to the lengths of denouncing menstruation.
The rise of performative male contests
Despite the superficiality associated with the aesthetic, “Performative Male” contests—stemming from the Pedro Pascal and Jeremy Allen White celebrity look-alike contests—are surging. These contests draw in large crowds throughout metropolitan cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and most notably Seattle, home to the first contest in Cal Anderson Park.
Event organizers and announcers, Lanna Rain and Guinevere, dispersed flyers throughout Seattle and hosted the event on August 1.
The first stage of the competition began with the crowd judging the contestants with roars and boos on their performative outfits and props (books, records, and dogs), then proceeded to questions submitted by the community. The questions ranged from “What is a diva cup?” (in which Alonzo, a contestant, responded, “Thank you.”) to “What year did women receive the right to vote?” (in which another contestant said, “In my heart, women had always had the right to vote. The year was too late.”).
Their answers are, essentially, a testament to how performative men “wear feminism and softness and certain music as a guy to allure women without actually knowing anything about what they’re putting on or talking about,” said Lanna to a Seattle news station.
The eventual winner, Marcus Jernigan, and band member of Good Enough, when asked about his thoughts on the stereotype, responded, “I don’t think much of it. It’s just a joke about boys, but some people are running with it and turning it into something more serious than it is.” He added, “The competition was absurd, fun, but light-hearted; no one was taking the competition too seriously.”
To secure the win, Marcus brought a portable record player, a Maria’s vinyl in his tote, and responded, “Yes,’’ when asked if he voted in the local election. The prize was a Lububu, a pearl necklace, and “The Will to Change” by Bell Hooks.
On his win, Marcus said, “I had no faith I was going to win. So many elements had to go right, but at the end of the day, everyone else and the runner-ups just weren’t performative enough.”
We also discussed tips and artists to listen to to become more “performative.”
Here are his tips: “Read only in public spaces, wear the baggiest pants you can find along with the tightest shirt, and wired headphones only.” In regards to music, “Listen to artists who have a predominantly female fanbase. They have to be absurd enough that a man would listen to them.
“Those artists include Clairo, Chappell Roan, The Marias, beabadoobee, Faye Webster, and my band Good Enough,” he continued, with their new single “I Wanna Know You” out now. These artists, and more, appear on the playlist he curated for the perfect “performative male.”
“Juna” by Clairo
Clairo’s “Juna” sporadically intertwines a drumbeat with horns. When paired with her soft pop voice, it makes you “wanna go dancing.” It’s the perfect melody to sway and complete work to. Yet, her music is considered performative, due to her unintentional artsy appeal to bisexual men from Brooklyn.
“Bags” by Clairo
In an interview with Genius, Clairo delves into the meaning of her song “Bags.” She said, “[It’s about] one of my first experiences with a girl. Despite the lack of relatability to men, they have claimed the song with the trend, ‘Clairo is for the Boys.‘”
“Kingston” by Faye Webster
Similarly, Faye Webster includes soft ballads with upbeat R&B tempos. Her song “Kingston” reminiscences on the “day” that she met her boyfriend. The vibe compares to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.
“Back to Me” and “Heavy” by The Marias
The Marias to “performative men” is equivalent to Travis Scott to “hype-beasts.” While their songs, including “Back to Me” and “Heavy,” are not of the mosh pit quality, they’re mellow with a blend of synthetic pop about relationships and loneliness.
“the perfect pair” and “Glue Song” by beabadoobee
Along with the Marias, men who like beabadoobee are considered “secretly evil“—a similar description of performative men—per various women on TikTok. Apparently, it’s acceptable for women to like her, but when men do, they have a tendency to over sexualize her. Reflecting back to the songs, “the perfect pair” is about heartbreak, while “Glue Song” is about love. She, too, incorporates a blend of grunge and pop alongside her mellow tones.
“Promise,” “Bewitched,” and “Falling Behind” by Laufey
Both “Promise” and “Bewitched”—the name of her studio album and single—as well as “Falling Behind” are angelically graceful. Her jazz style and melodies intertwine pop with lyrics about relationships and finding love.
“HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan
The Chappell Roan song “HOT TO GO!” is a staple for women and now a staple for performative men. It’s fun, upbeat, and maybe even enticing enough for men to go along with its signature YMCA-style dance.
“Show Me How” by Men I Trust
Following Chappell Roan is Men I Trust. In their song “Show Me How,” the lead vocalist Emmanuelle Proulx sings about tenderness and being in the moment with your partner. It’s mellow with a mix of downtempos.
“Stranger,” “anything, anything,” “Started,” and “I Wanna Know You” by Good Enough
Finally, Marcus Jernigan and Ash Aphale’s band Good Enough make the perfect duo. They have upbeat tempos, not like those of Clairo or Faye Webster, but those that make you want to rock out. It’s original and vibrant. They’re bound to be a future mainstream band: a must for all “performative men.”
When does the performance end?
Among each song, there are many parallels: most of the songs fall into the indie/alternative genre. Thematically, they’re about yearning, first love, and desire. While it’s enticing to gravitate toward the concept of a “performative male” from his interests in music and aesthetic, he embraces feminism and other interests of women to abuse it. He pretends “he’s not like other guys” when he is.
Even Marcus Jernigan believes that embracing the “stereotype does attract women,” though “it does have to end eventually.”
But when does it end? Is it when a women falls head of heels for a man that he reveals is true self? Or is it during the beginning stages of a relationship? Nonetheless, if he listens to any of the above mentioned artists, watch out-he’s likely a red flag.
