The rapidly growing trend of pop-up competitions for overcompensating men reached Northwestern over the weekend, in a competition to label the “most performative man.”
The collection of men in sweaters with chipped black nail polish gathered in Cornelia Lunt Park Saturday afternoon. Participants who brought novels like “The Feminine Mystique” and “My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness” sipped on matcha lattes and hung plush-doll keychain Labubus from their belt loops.
The performative male contest was originally scheduled to take place Sept. 20 on Deering Meadow, but it got cancelled.
After the initial setback, Medill junior Sarah Lin, who helped to organize the event, used Fizz, a social media app for college students, to generate interest in the contest off-campus. After searching for a new location, the organizers settled on Cornelia Lunt Park, which is an eight-minute walk from The Rock.
The contest boasted a small but mighty crowd of around 20, including eight contestants.
Medill freshman Alex Geyser said he purchased a new outfit for the contest and sported a hefty collection of props, including instant-matcha packets that he threw into the crowd mid-competition.
“Me and (my friend) went to Crossroads to pick out a few things,” Geyser said. “I brought the Clairo vinyl from home and borrowed the Labubu on my hip.”
Communication sophomore Brooks Lansana, who said that his friends consider him to be “slightly performative,” did not believe that he had a good chance of winning the contest.
Lansana arrived carrying two matchas, holding the book “Atomic Habits” and sporting a key-adorned belt chain. However, he said the outfit — black pants, a dress shirt with a tie, a white jacket and headphones around his neck — is something that he would normally wear.
Once the competition started, each contestant was asked to talk about the different aspects of their outfit. Many took the time to highlight their wired earbuds, Labubus, matchas, tote bags and feminist literature.
Medill freshman Inaaya Firoz, who hosted the contest, said she had a set list of criteria to judge the contestants on.
“(They) have to have a matcha, wired headphones, some of the typical traits,” Firoz said. “But also (they have to be) someone who isn’t performative in the sense that they’re showing it off that much. You gotta be a little bit nonchalant with it, too.”
After Firoz chose the four finalists, they were each asked to state their favorite woman, which produced answers including everything from “my mom” to “Michelle Obama.”
The winner was then chosen based on who got the loudest applause from the audience. In the end, Firoz named Lansana the winner, and he received a $20 Paris Baguette gift card.
“I was not expecting this,” Lansana said. “I walked outside today and saw this event, and I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll at least come by just to see how it is.’ I was not expecting to win.”
Even after the contest ended, many of the competitors stuck around to compare novels, outfits and other props. There was a general air of community among the performative men and the spectators.
Despite his victory, Lansana remained humble.
“The other contenders were all very considerate, very kind, and also it was a very, very interesting and well-thought-out contest,” he said.
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
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