Over the years, certain identities have become a trend.
In 2019, the ‘VSCO girl’ aesthetic became popular, highlighting the girl who drinks from a Hydro Flask because she’s all about reducing plastic and advocating for the sea turtles.
But she still gets a venti Starbucks pink drink every day, which comes in a plastic cup.
From VSCO girls to the now trendy ‘performative males’, these people are identified by their popular products that have turned consumerist ideals into their whole personalities.
For performative males, items like Labubus, Stanley cups, matcha and wired headphones are not just a trendy products, but a lifestyle.
The current performative male trend is a term used to describe a male who changes his aesthetic to appeal to what he thinks feminist women like.
A performative man’s main goal is to appear moral, but he never actually aligns himself with those values. They can be seen as desperate or ‘down bad’ for a relationship with women.
“It’s a guy that wants to pull girls so bad that he starts adopting the interests of girls,” senior Sophia Yin said.
A common factor students see from these performative males is that they are identifiable by products. Students mention Labubus and matcha when they hear the word “performative.” To be considered one of these people, it’s vital to know the items that represent them.
The viral vinyl plush, Labubus have created a high demand over recent months because of their cute, possibly unsettling appearance, and the difficulty to acquire one.
Since then, toy company Pop Mart transformed the Labubus into a collectible item. A single Labubu can cost up to $500, depending on the seller.
Most times, the Labubu a person gets is based on luck because the viral toy is a blind box, which is a sealed package containing the toy.
Others debate that Labubus don’t deserve their popularity or hype because of their ugly appearance. Their sharp teeth and wide smile may seem unappealing to others.
“I can’t understand how that thing is considered cute,” sophomore Megan Chiu said. “It’s so ugly it looks like it could bite me.”
Labubus are considered performative because their owners are trying to project themselves as fashionable and progressive, breaking the stereotypes of masculinity because women are seen owning these dolls.
“I think it’s kind of a waste of money at this point,” senior Alyssa Bondoy said.
Senior Ryle Neo agreed.
“I think people should start saving [money]” Neo said.
A performative male can also never be seen without matcha, a type of Japanese green tea now incorporated in lattes, ice cream, and basically every other kind of dessert.
Making the perfect matcha is not as simple as adding hot water to a bowl. It calls for a specific whisk to mix it and a precise temperature for the water. Seeing people with homemade matcha says they are eco-conscious and aware of the current internet trends.
“If I was performative, I’d drink matcha,” senior Nathan Maglalang said. “[There’s] a lot of health benefits with it.”
The next best performative product are wired headphones, which are viewed as retro and vintage, signaling one does not care about being mainstream.
To performative males, new does not always mean better. By rejecting mainstream media and bringing back old technology, one can be projected as different or less common to some.
“The new trends are pretty boring in my opinion,” junior Mia Hong said. “I wouldn’t say they’re bad, just not for me.”
The performative male trend is just another silly internet joke and is never meant to be taken seriously.
The performative male joke has gotten so popular that last May, many individuals gathered at Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood to compete at the Performative Male Contest, which even caught the attention of The New York Times.
From Starbucks to Stanley cups, consumerism has come to our generation at full force. Performativism has not only taken over social media, but also individuals day to day lives just to meet public expectations.
