“Bring back fun; bring back whimsy,” Emilka Puchalski ’28 said. On Sept. 13, Puchalski and Yara Almoussa ’28 — in collaboration with TigerMag and WPRB — gathered matcha drinkers and Clairo listeners alike on the steps of Blair Arch for Princeton’s very own Performative Male Competition.
“Everyone’s doing it. We saw a banger one in San Francisco and a banger one at Yale. And we could do better because we’re the number one school in the world,” Puchalski said.
Combating the misconception that every student lives in the dungeon of Firestone’s C floor, Almoussa said she wanted to spread the message that “having fun is not something that is separate from Princeton.”
To understand this event, however, one must first understand the performative male: matcha addict, baggy pants three sizes too big, “ultra-feminist,” tote bags, and loafers. These highly specific characteristics embody the “performative male,” a term born on social media to describe men who superficially curate their interests and appearance to appeal to women.
Although the competition’s title included the words “performative male,” the event’s flyer expressed the event was open to everyone.
With tampons flying and audience members piling onto Blair Courtyard’s grass, the competition created a unique background for visitors taking photoshoots.
While some audience members waited eagerly for the competition to start, most of the crowd trickled in as the competition gained traction. Creating a stage for Princeton’s undeniably mighty performative population, nearly 30 contestants joined the competition. The event’s coveted prize was a $50 gift card to Small World Coffee, a popular student hangout and homebase of Princeton’s performative male population.
From a full-size painting easel to a chawan bowl and whisk for making matcha, the contestants presented strong visuals from the very beginning. Members of the crowd donned collectible Labubu figurines, hanging the plush toy from their jean loops. Two attention-grabbing signs rose above the others — one stating “No uterus, no opinion” and another saying “I hate period cramps.”
Four judges from TigerMag and WPRB roamed around, interacting with the contestants. They narrowed the contestants down to 10 people, who each gave an “elevator pitch” to the crowd. These contestants were then reduced to five based on the intensity of audience cheering. In the final round, the five finalists shared short speeches about women’s rights, ethical milk types, and beabadoobee songs, ending their campaign with a runway walk down the hallowed steps of Blair Arch.
After a tough-fought battle, Princeton’s top performative male was Benicio Vanichpong-Barbosa ’29. His attributes — which included his love of Laufey, his passion for thrifting, and his jeans’ ability to fit as many feminist paperbacks as possible — were ideal for the competition.
In an interview with The Daily Princetonian, he stated he was unaware of the competition and had stumbled upon it. Vanichpong-Barbosa credits his performative style to his sister. When asked if he believes he caters to the female gaze, he shared that “I don’t think that’s up to me, you know? I think that’s up to all the women out there.”
Princeton’s premier Performative Male Competition was a massive success, drawing newfound attention to the performative scene. Despite his short time on campus, Vanichpong-Barbosa’s victory has already brought him name recognition, leaving the Princeton community on notice to see where his performative male-ism takes him from here.
Upon receiving the honor of carrying the weight of Princeton’s performative population on his shoulders, Vanichpong-Barbosa shared a message to the rest of his performative community: “Keep being you. Don’t let the words of others discourage you. Be yourself.”
Monica Zepeda is a contributing writer for The Prospect and a member of the Class of 2028. She can be reached at mz9063[at]princeton.edu
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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