performative male
n
a man who engages in stereotypically “sensitive” activities to appeal to women
What does performative male mean?
Performative male is a disparaging or dismissive term for a man who engages insincerely in certain activities or behaviors to appear safe/sophisticated/feminist and thus appeal to women.
Examples of performative male
I didn’t think performative males ever knew what it means to be a man. I just hope the women see through this. You’ve got to walk the walk and talk the talk to be a true feminist.
—@FunFormal4451, Reddit, 24 Aug. 2025
The performative male: Are men reading books for attention?
—The “performative male” is somewhat of a Gen Z-born archetype that has become the center of a viral meme. The social media posts, from short-form skits to text-based memes, satirize certain behaviors “performed” by men in public spaces. Criteria specifically include activities like listening to Clairo, drinking Matcha Oat lattes, and reading intellectual books, among other things.
—Classic signs of the performative male include drinking matcha, wearing a Labubu, reading in public, or donning wired headphones.
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Where does performative male come from?
Performative is often used disapprovingly in other contexts to describe something that is made or done for show (as to bolster one’s own image or make a positive impression on others.
… a large part of the discussion surrounding the movement’s focus is on actually doing the work, rather than just keeping it a performative symbol of allyship.
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Performative male therefore suggests a man who is behaving disingenuously or with the ulterior motive of impressing others (especially women).
How is performative male used?
Disapprovingly and dismissively (perhaps more so than similar, older coinages such as metrosexual), although a lot of the online conversation involving the term is devoted to trying to decipher exactly what behaviors/hobbies/etc. qualify someone as a “performative male” (matcha comes up a lot). There are also “performative male” contests popping up around the country (and world) satirizing the concept and playing up the stereotypes associated with the term.
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