Some media personalities and influencers, including Enioluwa, Steve Chuks and Bobrisky, have spoken out in support of effeminate men after a viral video sparked a debate over how men should dress.
-
Tboss criticised men who embrace expressive fashion, claiming society is gradually losing its men.
-
Steve Chuks called out Tboss over her comments, citing her own experience with public criticism over her appearance.
-
Enioluwa urged Nigerians to stop ridiculing effeminate men and warned against interviews driven by clicks and online outrage.
The video, which featured a compilation of stylishly dressed men, some of whom sported long hairstyles and backless dresses, divided Nigerians over changing perceptions of masculinity and fashion.
While some viewers argued that men were becoming increasingly effeminate, others felt the compilation was deliberately curated to provoke controversy and attract attention.
Reacting to the video, media personality and former BBNaija housemate Tboss expressed her displeasure with the fashion choices.
“This is not okay. We’re slowly losing our men all in the name of expressive fashion. This is truly sad,” she said.
Influencer Steve Chuks, however, criticised Tboss for her comments, describing them as insensitive, particularly given her own experience with public scrutiny.
“This babe had multiple piercings that our parents deemed immoral but a man being expressive with clothes is where she draws the line. It’s appalling that the said individual went on a reality show and faced a certain level of hostility from Nigerians for various reasons, but in the end, she got a platform (somewhat) and what you choose to use that platform to do is tell the world “we’re losing our men” based on how they choose to dress,” he said.
Bobrisky also weighed in on the controversy, urging critics to respect people’s individuality and allow them the freedom to make personal choices without unnecessary interference. The crossdresser stressed that people should focus on their own lives rather than dictate how others should dress or express themselves.
On his part, media personality Enioluwa condemned the deliberate targeting of men whose fashion choices do not conform to conventional expectations of masculinity.
“Stop deliberately singling people out, turning them into content and exposing them to public ridicule simply because they don’t fit your idea of what a man should be,” he said.
He questioned why critics focused on videos of men in unconventional outfits from a fashion show while ignoring the many others who appeared in conventional shirts and trousers.
“It’s interesting how people attend fashion shows, pick out videos of men dressed a certain way, put them together, and suddenly the conversation becomes, “We are losing our men.”
Meanwhile, that same fashion show has plenty of men wearing regular shirts and trousers, but those videos rarely get the same attention.
It is a FASHION SHOW. A FASHION SHOW! Nobody is losing anything,” he said.
Enioluwa also advised effeminate men to exercise caution when granting interviews, noting that some people are more interested in clicks, outrage and online engagement than in telling their stories with respect.
