“Performative Male”: Gen Z’s Soft-Boy Red Flag or Just A Vibe? 😬👜 Is the guy with the tote bag and the matcha your long-awaited green flag, or a walking red flag in vintage corduroys who memorized bell hooks quotes for date night clout? The internet has a new character on the timeline, and he is everywhere at once. He is cradling a vinyl, quoting feminist theory, wearing tiny shorts with oversized brainy confidence, and appearing in city park “competitions” like a hipster drag show without the drag. TikTok calls him the “performative male,” a label that launched contests, memes, and entire public conversations about sincerity, aesthetics, and the thirst-trapification of politics. Depending on who you ask, he is either a refreshing reboot of masculinity or a wolf in thrifted clothing. The question is not simply whether he drinks matcha. The question is why the matcha is always in the shot. Let’s get our terms straight. “Performative male” is not about gym-bro swagger or action-figure ...
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