“Performative” describes something made or done for show, especially to bolster one’s own image or make a positive impression on others. Recently, however, this term has evolved to describe matcha, Labubus and “performative men.”
This summer, performative males have gained traction on social media. They’re often synonymous with trends like Labubus, Asian-inspired collectible keychains made by the Chinese company Popmart; matcha, a finely ground green tea originating from China and popularized in Japan; female musical artists like Clairo, Laufey, Faye Webster and Beabadoobee; and works of feminist literature.
Online, the phrase has come to describe a particular aesthetic associated with men who adopt a soft, curated or self-aware persona that aligns with “the female gaze:” what women perceive to be attractive.
Initially, “performative” was used to humorously call out perceived inauthenticity in female spaces. Since then, however, the term has evolved into a broader cultural phenomenon and the associated aesthetic is becoming increasingly common.
Many students at West fit into the aesthetic, whether they identify themselves as performative or not.
Sporting four Labubu keychains on his backpack, Will Boback ’29 fully embraces the lifestyle. “It helps me represent myself through the day, and show people that I am performative, and I’m there if they need support,” Boback said.
“The pink one represents my love, because it’s very strong, very bright, very colorful. The white on that’s in my car represents that I’m cool to know when I’m driving because I’m speedy. And then the brown one, that’s my most performative one,” Boback said.
Although they seem simple and sweet on the surface, performative displays like Labubus receive mixed reactions. While some enjoy their cuteness, some don’t like what they represent. Konnon Chen ’28 said, “A performative male is someone who does these things and performs these actions and has all these items with them in order to impress girls….It definitely takes away some of the originality and personality.”
While Labubus vary in price, the average doll costs around $30 to $40. Despite this, people on TikTok and Instagram posted hauls and collections of blind boxes and “the one and only 24 karat gold Labubu.”
Those who don’t want to drop five hours of minimum wage on a doll turned to “Lafufus,” a knock-off of Labubus that exploited the already saturated market with low-quality dupes. What was once a cute doll became a collector’s item, a symbol of overconsumption and a textbook example of microtrends that blow up only to inevitably end up in landfills.
The trend has similarly dominated the matcha market in the wake of a record global-market revenue of $2.13 billion in 2024, according to Grand View Research. However, this increase in global demand is putting pressure on matcha production and creating a shortage.
Matcha is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, but in the past decade, it’s become a global phenomenon. The global market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% and reach a value of $3,267.3 million by 2030.
Still, ceremonial-grade matcha is sourced from tencha fields in Japan, which are suffering from lower yields due to climate change and other bad weather. Farmers are reporting a 20% decrease in harvests as compared to last year, according to Hannah Habes, founder of Matchaful.
Taking advantage of the growing gap between soaring demand and decreased production, outsourced matcha provides consumers with a cheaper yet lower-quality alternative. With neither the quality nor heritage of traditional matcha, they offer a poorer color and texture that leaves a bitter taste in one’s mouth.
“It’s also worth noting that while Korea and China are rapidly scaling matcha-style production, traditional Japanese matcha remains distinct in quality and heritage,” Habes said.
With roots in traditional Japanese ceremonies, matcha is more than just an outsourced, overpriced latte. “I think there’s a lot of cultural appropriation that comes with the term, and they take away a lot of value from the traditional matcha ceremonies,” Chen said.
However, some argue the opposite. “I can see how that would be taking away from the cultural aspects, but at the end of the day, we are paying our respects to them, and we’re fueling and giving them money by buying it from them,” Boback said.
More than drinks and collectibles, performativism preaches feminism, whether it’s literature or music. From “The Second Sex” by Simone de Beauvoir to “Sexy to Someone” by Clairo, men are gaining interest in stereotypically “feminine” pursuits, whether they’re serious about it or not.
Listening to alternative music made by women, drinking fun lattes, buying cute dolls and educating themselves on women’s rights doesn’t just make men seem more desirable to women; it normalizes men embracing stereotypical femininity.
But with great performance comes great responsibility. “I think it’s actually misogynist, because feminist literature is meant to be taken seriously, obviously, and when you just take these valuable books around with you in order to impress girls, then that just takes the value away from them,” Chen said.
Like any trend, although there’s controversy, “performative men” aren’t inherently evil; they shouldn’t be demonized, but they shouldn’t be glorified either. Many are simply guys who enjoy indie music, cute collectibles and a sweet treat here and there.
“A lot of people think that it means we’re acting for female attention, but in reality, it’s just a lifestyle where we’re doing what we love the most, and if that is listening to Clairo or drinking ceremonial-grade matcha, that’s just who we are as people,” Colin Wehrle ’27 said.
