For men, there has always been this standard of whether they were ever “manly enough”. In ancient Greece, comedies and tragedies alike often had strong, fierce male leads. In the Victorian era, schools began to have more physical activities for young boys so they could develop more masculine qualities from an early age. Even in the bible, a man is described as someone who controls his emotions.
Recently, the desire to be a “traditional” man has been fading quickly. Rather than aiming to control their emotions, many men are being encouraged to share and accept their emotions.
Along with men embracing their feelings, many men are embracing other feminine qualities like particularity, and sassiness. Some men even go as far as aiming to be househusbands, looking for a woman that can provide financial stability. This quick shift in attitude has led to many women on Tik Tok referring to these men as the “sassy man” that is a part of the ‘Sassy Man Apocalypse’.
While some women are alright with this change, many others aren’t as thrilled. What seems to be the majority of women find the ‘sassy man’ to be too sensitive and emotional. Some feel that there should be a balance between the ‘traditional man’ and the ‘sassy man’.
“Some men think they are entitled to a lot of things,” said junior Lina Ajaj, “But the second a woman does it’s like the world is ending for them.”
With the rising popularity of the modern, ‘sassy man’ there is another group that is starting to talk about returning to the ‘traditional household’ and the ‘traditional man’.
“I think that traditional gender roles, nuclear family, and all of that stuff is important to society maintaining itself and functioning the way it’s supposed to,” said senior Samuel Muniz.
The popularity of the ‘sassy man’ persona has been increasing for quite some time. But there is one man that has been responsible for a lot of the attention that has now turned towards the ‘Sassy Man Apocalypse’.
Prayag Mishra is a content creator who makes TikToks based on the ‘sassy man’ stereotype. Mishra’s videos usually consist of him talking to his fans, whom he commonly calls “pookie” or “pookie nation”. Due to his ever growing influence on the internet, Mishra has declared himself the leader of the ‘sassy man apocalypse’.
“I think it’s clearly an exaggeration of a lot of people nowadays,” said senior Brain Ardolf, “I like to think that I am a little bit sassy but I don’t think I’m at that level.”
The sassy personality that Mishra, along with many other men, displays is often compared to toxic masculinity and how each stereotype affects those around them.
“Toxic masculinity is still a thing but it’s definitely less prominent than it was before,” said Ardolf. “I believe it is derived from the stereotype that men should be big and strong. But I think that stereotype has died down a little bit.”
The effects of toxic masculinity have been studied by many feminists, most of which say that the mindset can be detrimental to a child’s psyche.
“Toxic masculinity being influenced by father figures can negatively impact their children by making them feel as if they need to be in control,” said junior Mason Grech, “This can even make young girls feel like they are below men.”
Similarly, some are starting to wonder about the influence some ‘sassy men’ have on their children.
“Fathers influencing sassy behavior should be mindful and ensure they are expressing a positive role model for their children,” said Grech.
Even though we have now reached what might be known as the era of the ‘sassy man’, the definition of masculinity will be ever changing, regardless of whether it takes a few years or a few centuries.
“I don’t know if men or women have a set role in a relationship,” said sophomore Miranda Olivares. “If a man wants to work, do it. If he wants to stay home to cook and clean and take care of the kids, then you do you boo.”
