The most flamboyantly feminist man at RPI has been found

A “Performative Male” could be explained as a male pretending to be overly in touch with their feminine side or who acts excessively interested in things such as matcha, female indie musicians, reading feminist literature, and other stereotypically feminine interests in hopes to appeal to the female gaze.

Inspired by the popular rising internet trend, RPI’s first student-led “Performative Male Contest” was held on Freshman Hill, attracting a crowd of hundreds of students and numbering up to almost 50 contestants. What started as a Fizz post announcing the event ended up amassing a lot of support online, and sooner than later posters sprang up advertising the contest. Word of mouth also helped publicize the event, and when the time came, the rowdy crowd itself drew in even more people.

The crowd roared outside Commons Dining Hall, excitedly awaiting the anticipated competition. The show was divided into several sections: the Runway Round, the Performative Round, and Interviews. During the first 15 minutes, each participant catwalked their way to the panel of judges, modeling their outfits and accessories such as cups of matcha, tote bags, books, jewelry, and vinyls. A participant’s showing of an album vinyl continuously sparked mayhem from the largely female crowd. Albums included French Exit and Who Really Cares, and artists included Chappel Roan, Tyler the Creator, and Sabrina Carpenter. Several participants bore the infamous Labubu collectibles and instruments such as guitars and violins. One contestant, steadfastly devoted to the female appeal, even carried a plushie of a uterus while another carried with him an entire record player. Funny enough, many objects utilized by the contestants were not even their own belongings and instead were items borrowed from their female friends and neighbors, only making their presentations even more performative. As told by Sydney Ng ’29, “My friend Stephan was planning on entering the contest and texted me, asking if he could borrow my tote bag.” At one point, the swarm of contestants gathered at the center of the “stage” on one knee, chanting for a moment of solemnity in honor of and in celebration of women. The crowd roared with amusement and only became further invested.

Once the contestants concluded their modeling, they made their way toward all the women in the crowd, desperately trying to impress them with their antics. An uproar of mansplaining came from the contestants about the menstrual cycle, gender equality, literature, and women’s rights. The crowd asked the contestants questions about their readings, their opinions on gender pay gaps, and what music they were listening to. Many performers offered the audience the feminine hygiene products stored in their bags. The judges strolled among the crowds, listening intently to their performances and narrowed the participants down to a select few finalists who they then interviewed. The winner was ultimately decided amongst three final contenders by both the judges and the enthusiasm of the crowd, who were asked to cheer the loudest for their favorite performer. After a fierce and tight competition, Sam Barr ’29 was declared the winner. For his success, Sam was awarded a “diploma” that read “Most Performative Man” and, suitably enough, a Starbucks gift card.