Discourse - Bubblegum Club

What Is Looksmaxxing And Why Does It Matter?

Memes like Yes Chad and GigaChad are epically hilarious, but there are places on the Internet where young men genuinely idolize these supposedly unserious icons of exceptional male attractiveness. The TikTok trend “looksmaxxing” promotes an almost identical “ideal” male look, characterised by chiselled jaws, “hunter eyes”, bulky muscles and ultra-masculinity. While it is said to…

That’s Not My Dad, That’s My Man // Age-Gap Relationships in Society

This article focuses on age-gap relationships specifically within the context of younger women in relationships with older men. The terms ‘intergenerational’ and ‘age gap’ are used interchangeably.  With modern dating dynamics becoming less rigid, Age-gap relationships have become a topic of widespread discussion, extending beyond mere celebrity gossip. Across different cultures and generations, age disparities…

Addressing The Power Imbalance Between Africa And Her Diaspora

The persistent impact of colonialism’s “Divide and Conquer” strategy on the relationship between Africa and her Diaspora, necessitates the addressing of entrenched power imbalances and confrontation of shared struggles against economic exploitation and systemic oppression. While acknowledging the historical scars of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, this article challenges the notion of an overly…

Tradwife // The Homemade Bread Controversy

**Disclaimer: The primary context of this article is Tradwifes, therefore the disinclusion of Nara Smith is intentional as she has expressly stated that she is not a tradwife. This is not ironic.  While the world at large may have cemented a profound synergy with social media influencers and content creators, its cooperation with the rising…

Sprinkle Sprinkle: Talking to TikTok’s Transactional Love Trend

Let’s be honest, the boy-meets-girl trope is a thing of the ancient past. In today’s dating world, it’s more like dog-eat-dog. With the inevitable decline of marriage and traditional gender roles, it’s no wonder people are finding new ways to win in the game of love. Contemporary relationships have seen transactional love become prevalent, evident…

Gen Z and the Social Media Dating Game 

Situationships, bites, talking stages, and sneaky links. Gen Z has invented every term to describe a relationship that is not an actual relationship. Scrolling through TikTok, my algorithm has thrown me into the failed relationship side of the platform. From life coaches to single girlies, to random finance bros all giving their unmediated advice on…

An Updated Understanding of Femcels

Almost as soon as it began, hookup culture began dying a slow and painful death. Globally, sex rates are declining, which could be connected to bad sex, a lack of communication in sexual relationships, and inadequate sex education. Hookup culture centred the male orgasm, ignoring the importance of genuine human connection, and conflating sex with…

Memeology: A Brief Foray Into the Language of Now

Memeology could be defined as the study of memes—a cultural phenomenon that has used the momentum of the Internet to change the world. Transcending barriers, borders and generations, memes allow people to express opinions, frustrations, or observations and have become essential tools for those born into social media, spawning a whole new form of communication….