TRENDS

What does ‘rat boy summer’ mean? Hot rodent men trend: New type of handsome explained

‘Rat boy summer’ and the ‘rodent boyfriend’ trend explained... the features that place someone in this category.

MIKE BLAKEREUTERS

The new viral trend of TikTok is ‘rat boy summer,’ a concept similar to ‘hot girl summer’ and ‘short king spring.’ The difference is that this time, the rat boys are getting their moment in the spotlight. Though the trend aims to give some love to men with less conventionally attractive features, the celebrities listed often include men who are rodent-like or not would be considered attractive. For instance, the Bears’s Jeremy Allen White and Succession’s Kieran Culkin are just two examples of men commonly listed who would have no trouble in the dating market.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: (Exclusive Coverage) (L-R) Emma Stone and Kieran Culkin attend The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )Matt Winkelmeyer/MG22Getty Images for The Met Museum/

So, what is a rat boy? Well, according to those who have posted about the trend, it describes a type of man that is lankier than most, with sunken eyes and angular facial features. These more rodent-like features are what Gen-Z are going crazy for online. Other celebrities in this category include actors Timothee Chalamet, Tom Holland, and The 1975′s frontman Matt Healy.

Timothée Chalamet, in all his supposed rodent-like glory.MAJA SMIEJKOWSKAREUTERS

While many people find these men attractive, their features do not always fit conventional standards of male beauty. Many don’t have a big muscular frame, for instance. Betsy Reed at The Guardian pointed out that though the trend is mostly harmless, all of the examples given are of white celebrities.


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