It’s December 1792, and notorious feminist and rebel Mary Wollstonecraft packs up her bags and moves to Paris, France, determined to witness the French Revolution firsthand and to document the unfolding events as a writer. Unfortunately for both her and the French, after just one year of her living in Paris, the reign of terror had emerged and was at its full force. Suddenly, Wollstonecraft found herself in love with an American by the name of Gilbert Imlay. Imlay, for his part, was a con artist, who fled America to avoid paying debts. And he conned Wollstonecraft just the same, putting on a fake persona and convincing her that he, too, was a feminist, filling her head with notions of love then running off with other women. Wollstonecraft ended up attempting suicide twice out of a broken heart.
To me, Imlay is the first example of a performative male. The concept of a “performative male” is today defined as a male who stereotypically adopts sensitive, progressive values- like feminism- for the sole purpose of appearing more attractive to women. Lately, I have seen discourse online about whether or not the “performative male” trend is harmful to men. And personally, while some of their points hold meaning, I think this is absolutely ridiculous and completely casts aside the original criticism that was being presented.
What started out as women calling out men for feigning feminism for the pure purpose of appearing more attractive, completely misinterpreting the centuries long movement, has- once again- somehow turned into another source of pity for men. And while I can’t say I am surprised, I am certainly disappointed.
Since it’s original emergence, the performative male trend has blossomed into something so much more. Now, the performative male that is most familiar to us is the matcha-drinking, quarter zip wearing, Clairo listening one. The fake feminism is still there, though. This version of the performance has, over the past few months, presented itself in the form of viral “performative male” contests. Most notably appearing at Yale University, Seattle, San Francisco, and New York City.
And despite the fact that everyone was laughing at the men, as I noticed “The Future is Female” shirts and so-called feminist literature (Michelle Obama and Sylvia Plath) I couldn’t help but think that the real gag was feminism. And yes, while the matcha, labubu, and wired headphones aspect of the trend are slightly exaggerated, and filming men in public is problematic- focusing on this too much when the real discussion should be about men faking feminism as a performance is misogyny at its core. And to address the point about people filming perceived performative males in public, filming people without consent has been an issue since far before TikTok existed, and the fact that it’s only gaining widespread attention now, when men are the primary culprit, says everything you need to know.
If you are a woman, consider that one person you would say is a stereotypical performative male; the one who calls themself a feminist and condemns period cramps. I ask you this: has this person ever once asked you about your own experience being a woman? About your own thoughts on feminism?
And if you are a man who feels victimized by the performance allegations, and view yourself as a true feminist, have YOU ever asked such questions? Or even shown an interest in the answer?
In times like these, I find it comforting to remember that Wollstonecraft has become a feminist sensation. Her daughter, Mary Shelley, whom she had far after her love affair with Imlay had ended, is also considered one, writing the classic novel “Frankenstein.” Her works will always live in the hearts of real feminists, both women and men. Parallel to Wollstonecraft’s success, Imlay’s irrelevance has become increasingly potent, as his misogynistic performance alongside his memory has slowly faded into oblivion.
