Have you ever looked back at your dating history and noticed a pattern? More specifically, that your track record is filled with men who look unnervingly similar to Roddy St James, the rodent from Flushed Away? Or perhaps they all bear the qualities of a bumbling golden retriever? If so, you are not alone. In fact, your type probably has a name—and a bank of fans on social media.
While women have had to deal with having our bodies compared to fruit for decades, thanks to TikTok the tide is changing. When it comes to non-human references, men have arguably fared better. Instead of being a pear, apple or something else obscure and edible, the lads are being categorised into different animals.
This all hit the zeitgeist in May 2023 thanks to a tweet that proclaimed “men are either eagle handsome, bear handsome, dog handsome, or reptilian handsome,” referencing Ryan Gosling, Henry Cavill, Heath Ledger, and Timothée Chalamet as respective examples.
Then in December, Travis Kelce put ‘golden retriever’ boyfriends, more specifically, on the map when a crop of his old tweets resurfaced… which made him out to be little more than a gentle, wholesome guy (who incidentally happens to be into squirrels). In case you need help visualising, according to the clock app, ‘golden retriever’ boyfriends are the type to search worriedly for their partner in an airport.
This then spawned even more canine offshoots, with users claiming their partners to be Rottweiler (bad boy energy—but a big softie at heart), Doberman (protective and intimidating), German Shepherd (sweet and loyal but standoffish when necessary) or even Borzoi (aloof but intelligent) boyfriends.
Suddenly, working out which animal your—real or internet—boyfriend was became of paramount importance. Now, a new niche of man has emerged from the weeds of the internet: the sexy rodent. While the rat association may not exactly sound complimentary, we promise, it is. In fact, some of the year’s most sought-after A-list men have been filed under the ‘rat boyfriend’ category, including Challengers co-stars Josh O’ Connor and Mike Faist. Of the latter, one Twitter user likened him to “Stewart Little if he was human and hot.”
Other examples of the ‘rat boyfriend’ look include Kieran Culkin, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Allen White and Matty Healy. In fact, Healy even claims that Roddy St James’ look was based on him, which makes complete and total sense.
According to (surprise, surprise) TikTok, rodent men bare similar qualities to golden retriever boyfriends: they’re kind, trustworthy and dote on their partners. However, they tend to be more sensitive and have a touch more edge than their pooch-like comrades. In plain terms, they’re a little weird—but in a funny, quirky way.
Take O’Connor, for example, who mentioned his fondness for Ratatouille multiple times during the Challengers press tour. Having met the man, this writer can confirm he is incredibly charming, albeit in a slightly awkward way, in real life. Why exactly this trend has taken off, no one seems to have the answer for (perhaps it’s a sign we’re all spending too much time on the internet). However, it makes for a great Hinge prompt so who are we to complain?
Check out the Original Article At ELLE Australia
