Clad in a button-down, baggy jeans and a Labubu-adorned tote bag filled with feminist literature, he sets out to acquire an iced matcha latte (and your attention). The sweet sounds of Clairo blare from his wired earbuds, ready for a passerby to inquire, “What are you listening to?” You know him, you love to laugh at him: The Performative Male.
In the wake of the recent “UConn Performative Male Competition,” I’ve taken some time to reconsider my perspective on this growing phenomenon. I initially denounced the Performative Male movement for its artifice. Making a point to loudly advertise the fact that one enjoys female artists and collectible minifigures seemed, simply put, obnoxious. Upon deeper reflection, I’ve had a change of heart. Pretending to read a book to spark a relationship is obnoxious and pathetic. However, the internet has gone too far. We’re amidst a virtual witch hunt, flaming any man who simply enjoys a matcha latte. The criticism of the performative male stems from bigger issues; namely, the growing epidemic of anti-intellectualism and stigmatization of traditionally feminine interests.
The masses find humor in the concept of a man reading “feminist literature.” God forbid a man read a book and help us all if that book centers on feminist ideals. Too often, college students find a lighthearted boast in the fact that they haven’t read a book since middle school. When did it become normalized for those pursuing higher education to refuse intellectual stimulation and advertise that fact as a positive thing? Enter the “performative male,” who always has a book on hand. That’s far from problematic, especially in a country where 54% of adults read below the sixth grade level. Even if a man reads a book solely to seem attractive, at least the country’s literacy rate is going up. Normalizing reading in public places promotes it as a valuable pastime. If books become “cool,” they can compete with cell phones for our attention. Reading over doom-scrolling brings intellectual stimulation, diverse perspectives and increasing attention spans. The performative male has the right idea. Educated, well-read people are interesting.
On another note, the growing intrigue in stereotypically feminine interests should be nurtured rather than gatekept. I’ll admit, I’m one of the first people to claim that no man could understand Fiona Apple the way I do. Everyone has different perspectives and experiences, so naturally, no two people will interact with a work of art the same way. I’d never want to stop someone else from enjoying my favorite artists. Bashing the interests of the performative male makes life harder for the men who genuinely enjoy them. As it is, men are ridiculed for liking crochet or the pop princess of the week. Why is it celebrated for a girl to like Formula 1, yet the second a man praises Taylor Swift, he may as well be crucified? We’re entering a repackaged era of hypermasculinity disguised as a pushback against performativity. The driving force of this hatred is the notion that traditionally feminine hobbies and the work of female artists is somehow inherently lesser than that of their masculine counterparts. If women can be expected to learn about sports to seem more desirable to potential partners, why isn’t that the case with men? By bringing feminine interests to the forefront of the pop culture sphere, female artists can get the recognition they deserve.
This aspect of the erformative male situation echoes the mythical “Cool Girl” of the 2010s. Forgoing her own personality, she completely centers her life around men. The performance that goes into curating a falsified self to appear more desirable is exhausting. Now, the tables have turned. Gillian Flynn, author of “Gone Girl” (the origin of the “Cool Girl”) puts it perfectly:
“I waited patiently—years—for the pendulum to swing the other way, for men to start reading Jane Austen, learn how to knit, pretend to love cosmos, organize scrapbook parties, and make out with each other while we leer. And then we’d say, Yeah, he’s a Cool Guy.”
A decade later, the famed “Cool Guy” finally stands before us. Feminine hobbies and female artists are becoming basic requirements in cultural literacy. Why don’t we make use of that? The key to dealing with the rise of performativity is finding men who genuinely put time into exploring new interests. Turn stereotypes on their heads and ask a man to name his top three Laufey songs. Ask him for a detailed explanation on whether he’s team Edward or team Jacob. Holding men accountable for the interests they identify with clearly separates the manipulators from those who simply enjoy “girly” things.
To put things simply, I’m all for the growing celebration of literature and female artists. Hopefully, the performative male movement will reduce the stigma for the men who genuinely enjoy these things. Once the sun sets on the “Cool Guy,” I have faith that we’ll realize that it’s easiest to simply be ourselves, no performance necessary. In the meantime, to all the performative men out there: keep reading, stream Clairo and try not to spend your life’s savings on matcha lattes.