Alright, which pasty white boy are you guys thirsting after this time?
(Tom Holland on Lip Sync Battle / via @papermagazine on Instagram)
Like clockwork, it’s Twitter tradition to celebrate a new “White Boy of the Month”.
This title’s often awarded to celebrities who fit the Hollywood golden standard of being “boyfriend material”. Past recipients include Timothée Chalamet, Noah Centineo and Tom Holland — heartthrob-worthy faces that you’ve probably seen on Twitter headers.
So, what’s up with the weird white boy craze? Of course, teens are drooling over them. They’ve been conditioned to.
This genre of celebrity has been celebrated in pop culture and showbiz for ages. Tall and masculine white man with great manners, impeccable bone structure and a seductive charm.
Just take a look at all the Hollywood greats: James Dean, Marlon Brando, Sal Mineo, etc. Notice how they all fit the white boy criteria. Face it, it's in Hollywood's blood.
“White Boy of the Month” is nothing but a reiteration of the decades-long male celebrity standard. A standard that doesn’t allow room for any creative expression. So, which standard should we really be celebrating?
Look no further than TikTok at the start of the weekend.
White Boy Wednesday can exit stage left because Femboy Friday is here and showing these mediocre men how it’s done.
Now THIS has flavor!
Sporting nail polish and exuding IDGAF energy, this is a weekly trend we can get behind. Like tell me how these beautiful boys can sport skirts better than me. It’s *chef’s kiss* and puts Chris Pratt to shame. And it doesn’t stop there.
Meet Femboy Friday’s equally badass counterpart: Mascgirl Monday.
I don’t know about y’all but the power in this trend? The power that women have when dressed in masculine clothing? We got women in power suits, women in shoulder tees and combat boots. The energy is astounding and I can't handle it.
Completely destroying the expectations of the gender binary, femboys and mascgirls could teach the white boys of the month a little something about breaking away from the standards you are expected to maintain.
Granted, we must give credit where credit is due. Harry Styles is known to push boundaries when it comes to having a masculine image and uses clothing to express a more feminine side to him.
Clothing choice often leads to assumptions being made about one’s sexuality, especially when being constantly watched by the public eye.
In an interview with The Guardian, Styles said, “I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or it makes me look straight, or it makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool.”
Now, Harry Styles REALLY deserves white boy of the month.
Through fashion trendsetters such as Harry Styles, white boys of the month and other masculine figures can separate themselves from Hollywood’s restrictive standards and explore all facets of their identity.
The ‘White Boy of the Month” trend needs to go. It only continues to perpetuate this image that masculine white male celebrities are the blueprint for how men in the public eye should present themselves.
Male celebrities on all parts of the spectrum deserve praise, too. Seriously.
Christelle Pierre is an Online Writer at Rowdy Magazine. When not writing, one can find Christelle holding a YA novel in one hand and an iced coffee in the other. She can be reached on Instagram @x.hristelle