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Penn students crown Philly’s most ‘performative male’

More than 100 University of Pennsylvania students gathered in front of the Split Button sculpture to watch 14 contenders out-cringe one another. The “performative male” is Gen Z’s version of the poser. It’s a pejorative for a man who curates his style and hobbies based on what he believes progressive women will find attractive, despite not having an earnest interest in any of it. Norah Rami, the editor-in-chief of Penn’s arts and culture magazine “34th Street,” which organized the competition, said the contest drew inspiration from the celebrity look-alike competition craze started by influencer Anthony Potero, who was fined by the New York Police Department while searching for Timothée Chalamet’s twin. Philly’s contests were far tamer, with crowds gathering to see who would emerge as Miles Teller‘s or Jalen Hurts’ doppelgänger.
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