U of A the site of Edmonton’s first Performative Contest
At the Performative Contest, contestants may have looked the part but there was nothing performative about their support for feminism and other social issues.
Dylana TwitteyOn September 26, approximately 150 participants and attendees — equipped with matcha, Clairo records, and feminist literature — gathered on the University of Alberta’s main quad to witness Edmonton’s first “Performative Contest.”
While the contest was open to all genders, the concept originates online with so-called performative males. Performative males are men who superficially adopt certain hobbies, interests, modes of dress, and progressive politics in the goal of appealing to women. The joke quickly left the confines of the internet, with contests to find the most performative male (or person, in many cases) taking place across North America.
This contest was hosted by Brish Goorimoorthee, a third-year media studies student at the U of A. After witnessing Performative Contests at other Canadian schools, Goorimoorthee thought hosting an open competition at the U of A “would be a nice way to bring people together.”
“It is about supporting women in a way and empowering people and just giving people a voice, honestly,” Goorimoorthee said.
The stereotypical performative male is known to co-opt feminist ideas for his own benefit. Participants frequently poked fun at this, but not at feminism itself. Denouncements of the patriarchy and statements in support of feminist issues — such as the cost of period products — were met with loud and genuine cheers. More than one participant came equipped with pads or tampons, which they distributed to crowd members.
Goorimoorthee noted the conduct of male participants as standout moments, with more than one contestant voluntarily conceding in favour of female participants.
“I think that was very commendable. It’s not about winning, it’s not about the prize. It’s about sending a message and I think we definitely sent a message.”
“Men can dress more in a feminine way as well, not just dictated by societal judgement,” semi-finalist says
The original definition of Performative Males is undeniably negative. The performance is not just insincere, but manipulative. However, as the concept of being performative has gained in popularity, what it means to be performative has evolved and taken on new meaning.
For semi-finalist Eric, he defines it as an interest in self-improvement and the genuine enjoyment of activities and artists that are considered to be feminine.
“Essentially, I love those things and I don’t associate those things with any sort of gender.”
When semi-finalists Eric and Sean chose their outfit, they didn’t have to look much further than their own closets. Eric noted his Doc Martens, which he bought in high school, and his leather jacket, which he thrifted. For Sean, the contest was a way to push back against toxic masculinity around dress.
“Men can dress more in a feminine way as well, not just dictated by societal judgement,” Sean said.
Contestants showed off their record collections and engaged in a Performative Off
Pre-judging began at 2:00 p.m.. Prospective contestants approached Goorimoorthee, who decided whether or not they’d be allowed to compete. Then, it was time for the runway portion.
Contestants strutted down the runway, showing off not just their outfits but various accessories. Labubus — a popular monster-like plush keychain line — were prevalent, usually hanging off tote bags or belt loops. From those tote bags, contestants showed their record collections, often including albums by Laufey and Clairo.
Of course, reading — or at least, pretending to read — is an integral part of Performative Culture. Sally Rooney’s Normal People, Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Slyvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, and various works by Jane Austen all made an appearance.
After the runway portion concluded, the continuing contestants were chosen by the cheers of the crowd members. Goorimoorthee then asked these contestants a series of questions, with the first to answer correctly being allowed to proceed. Questions included: how do you spell beabadoobee, what is the name of Laufey’s twin sister, name a feminist, and what is the length of the menstrual cycle. From this, eight semi-finalists were selected.
These semi-finalists then faced off one-on-one in the gladiator portion, which Goorimoorthee called a Performative Off. Contestants went to every effort, including reading feminist poetry and calling girlfriends in to vouch for them. Four contestants continued on in the competition.
After a brief interlude where the crowd was led in cheers for women, women of colour (WOC), and feminism, the four finalists faced off. In the end, contestants Tina and Raven were found to be the most performative. They each left with a CD, a blind box figurine, and the knowledge that in all of Edmonton, they are the most performative.
