Chad (slang)

The slang term Chad originated in the UK, where it was used to describe a particular humorous ad-hoc cartoon,[1] and later in Chicago it was used as a pejorative term for young, upper-class, urban males.[2] In modern internet slang, the term can be similar to "bro" and generally refers to an "alpha male"[3] or otherwise obnoxious hyper-masculine yuppie male.[4]

Not to be confused with Chav.

Origins

The slang term "Chad" originated in the UK during World War II and was employed in a similar humorous manner as "Kilroy was here".[1] It later came into use in Chicago[2] as a derogatory way to describe a young urban American man, typically single and in his twenties or early thirties.[2]

In Chicago, the term was covered by a satirical website dedicated to the Lincoln Park Chad Society, a fictional social club based in Chicago's upscale Lincoln Park neighborhood.[5] A Chad was originally depicted as originating in Chicago's affluent North Shore suburbs (Highland Park, Evanston, Deerfield, Northbrook, Glenview, Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette, or Lake Forest), receiving a BMW for his 16th birthday, obtaining a law or business degree from a Big Ten university, belonging to a fraternity, moving to Lincoln Park, marrying a "Trixie", and then moving back to the North Shore suburbs.[6]

Manosphere
Main article: Manosphere

The term later came into use in incel forums to refer to sexually active "alpha males".[7] Within the manosphere, Chads are viewed as constituting the top decile in terms of genetic fitness.[8] In online animation drawings in the manosphere, a Chad is further tagged with an explicit last name and is often depicted as a muscular blond man and with very pronounced masculine features. One such depiction, in the "Virgin vs. Chad" internet meme of the late 2010s, contrasts an introverted and insecure "Virgin" with a muscular and egotistical "Chad".[9] Chads are sometimes portrayed as the opposite to "omega" or "beta" males, and as physically attractive. The term Chad is sometimes used interchangeably with slayer.[10] Due to their characterisation as being genetically gifted and privileged—though sometimes depicted as shallow, air-headed, arrogant, and overtly sexual[11]—the term Chad is used in both a pejorative and complimentary way on incel forums.[12][13]

The female counterpart to the Chad, in slang, is the Stacy,[14][15][16][17] or originally, the Trixie.[18]

See also

References
  1. Crystal, David (2018). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-1108423595. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  2. Welch, David (2012). New in Town Chicago. New in Town Chicago. p. 16.
  3. Hines, Alice (May 28, 2019). "How Many Bones Would you Break to get Laid?". The Cut. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  4. Ali, Rasha; Oliver, David; Haneline, Amy (November 15, 2019). "What is a VSCO girl? OK, boomer. A parents' dictionary to teen slang words, sksksksksk". USA Today. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  5. Tracy Swartz (April 24, 2008). "Talk of the town". Chicago Redeye. Retrieved 2 April 2014. But there are terms within this Chi-alect that are specific to the North and South Sides.
  6. "» Lifecycle". 15 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  7. "Virgin vs Chad Meme Is Taking Over the Entire Internet". The Daily Dot. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  8. Nagle, Angela. "The New Man of 4chan". The Baffler 30 (2016): 64. Archived 16 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. Hathaway, Jay (January 26, 2021). "Why the Virgin vs. Chad debate is taking over the internet". The Daily Dot. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  10. Marwick, Alice, and Rebecca Lewis. "Media manipulation and disinformation online". New York: Data & Society Research Institute (2017).
  11. Beauchamp, Zack (April 25, 2018). "Incel, the misogynist ideology that inspired the deadly Toronto attack, explained". Vox.
  12. Jennings, Rebecca (April 28, 2018). "Incels Categorize Women by Personal Style and Attractiveness". Vox.
  13. "The 'incel rebellion': did sexual frustration trigger Toronto rampage?". South China Morning Post. April 25, 2018.
  14. Thomas Dane (23 August 2019). "People Who Know Chads and Karens Admit How They Feel About Their Names Becoming Insults". George Takei. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  15. Rebecca Jennings (2018-08-28). "Incels Categorize Women by Personal Style and Attractiveness". Vox.
  16. "What is incel? Examining the 'rebellion' praised by Toronto van attack suspect". Global News. 2018-04-25.
  17. Arianna Jeret (2018-04-25). "What Does 'Stacy' Mean? The Odd Way Incel Men On Reddit and 4Chan Use It to Describe Certain Women". Yahoo! Lifestyle.
  18. Clay Risen (August 20, 2001). "Lincoln Park Trixie Society". Flak Magazine. Archived from the original on September 10, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
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