The Performative Male Competition
Picture this: the ultimate poser. Cropped tiny tee shirts, baggy pants, Labubus on carabiners and untouched Beebadoobee and Clairo vinyls. With a fresh iced matcha in hand, the "performative male" makes his way down Rue Oberkampf, thinking about how much he hates periods and how incredibly special women are. Does he actually care about women's feelings? Probably not.
"I hate performative males," states one senior at AUP. The term "performative male" gained popularity all over social media this past summer and initially became prevalent after the rise of the "Labubu"-- a collectible plush keychain sold by toy retailer Pop Mart. However, they quickly became linked with these kinds of men and their efforts appeal to women. Some other stereotypes pertaining to performative males include carrying a tote bag from an art gallery with a feminist literature book in it, wearing wired headphones and listening to female artists.
Why is this strange?
There is no issue with liking any of these associated things, however, when it is used solely to impress women, it becomes purely disingenuous. Young people have begun ridiculing these men, with many U.S. universities hosting "performative male contests," as seen at The University of Texas at Arlington, which took place a few weeks back. These contests encourage people to become their best performative selves, showcasing their Labubus and large vinyl collections, all stowed away in their tote bags. What makes these men so ridiculous is the sheer extent that they go to in order to try and prove themselves worthy and wanted by women, which is exactly what is being mocked in these competitions. Unfortunately, this is no new feat, as seen through the hipster movement of the early 2000s and just general "poser" culture throughout history. Many people feel that these men are so deceitful that they cannot tell what they are truly like. It is hard not to feel confused and upset by a person who is trying so hard to be someone that they are not.
However, Paris is most definitely not immune to the performative male. If you take a stroll through the 10th and 11th arrondissements, it is essentially impossible not to run into one of them. A Parisian performative male may be spotted laying back in the grass whilst reading a book or seated in a cafe in Le Marais. This district has always been seen as one that is more "bobo" and artsy as it is home to young Parisians. Therefore, it surely comes as no surprise to be the stomping grounds of the performative male.
The words of the public
In efforts of hearing other stories and opinions rather than my own, I spoke to two AUP students, asking each of them to state how they feel about performative males.
AUP student Rita D. gives these guys the benefit of the doubt. "Tropes like this are oversimplified, but they’re also in our human nature and kind of fun. I think the idea of the ‘performative male’ comes from women’s desire for intellectual, caring men, but it also reflects our historic disappointment in and mistrust of men."
In the Amex, I was able to speak to student Sasha H. She points out how she finds "performative males to be hilarious," and states how "although these men are dressing in more gender-fluid ways, it does not detract from their learned misogyny, even though they think it does."
Unfortunately, just going around and talking about how much you hate periods whilst pretending to read The Bell Jar will not cure misogyny. And this is, once more, why they are called performative males.
In the end, the idea of men trying to appeal to women in such extensive and deceitful manners is an instant no-go for many. So hold on to your Labubus, grab your wired headphones and be on the lookout for Paris' performative males.
