egirl and eboy
or e-girl, e-boy, eGirl, eBoy, E-Girl, E-Boy
[ee-gurl, ee-boi]
What do egirl and eboy mean?
The terms egirls and eboys are slang terms for young women and men, respectively, who are active internet users, often stereotyped as emo-styled anime and gaming fans trying to get attention on social media.
Examples of egirl and eboy
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Examples of egirl and eboy
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Where does egirl and eboy come from?
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We can find a variety of one-off senses of egirl and eboy in the 1990-2000s, variously referring to types of young men and women online (E for “electronic”).
By the 2000-10s, egirls and eboys began more specifically characterizing young people online who are interested in an emo (E for short) or other alternative (e.g., goth, skater) aesthetic, especially involving dark clothing, hair, and makeup. They also were increasingly described as interested in gaming and anime, with their looks and behaviors judged as attention-seeking.
egirl: *breathes*
eboy: pic.twitter.com/kco9JHh9iU
— Shadow ☆ (@shadows) March 26, 2019
In early 2019, a meme spread on the video-sharing app TikTok, known as the E-girl Factory. In the meme, users record a parody video where they enter a “factory” that transforms (typically often emo/anime makeup and clothing) into a stereotypical egirl, i.e., a sort of goth-anime-gamer look.
These videos are set to a remix of the electronic music track “ME!ME!ME!” by TeddyLoid, which is why these videos are sometimes dubbed the ME!ME!ME! meme.
nick and i accidentally stumbled across the “e girl factory” tik toks and after watching one nick jus looks at me and goes “i think they just called you out”
— 𝔢𝔪𝔪𝔞 ☹︎ (@bonechilled) April 1, 2019
In a parody of the parody (it’s the internet after all, folks), the E-girl Factory meme soon after spawned the E-boy Factory meme. In the E-boy Factory meme on TikTok, boys go through a transformation (also stereotypically involving emo/anime looks) and come out an eBoy.
Who uses egirl and eboy?
Egirl and eboy can be (reclaimed) compliments or insults on social media. Both are closely associated with the TikTok “factory” memes.
As an insult, eboy/egirl implies such people are dressing in an emo way or who like anime for attention, not because they really like either subcultures. Similar terms are gamer girl and fuckboy.
keep ur head up eboy the cigarette u bummed off the 25 year old at the skatepark is gonna fall out of your beanie folds
— kurt cocaine (@angelfuck__) March 30, 2019
As a compliment, eboy/egirl might accompany posts where people share pictures (often pretty, flirty, or otherwise self-flattering) of themselves sporting some kind of emo, goth, skater, Kpop, or anime look. They may be considered cool, clever, and ironic.
i can be your egirl 💞~ pic.twitter.com/1grjM4DUzJ
— Peach (@PeachxsBaby) April 1, 2019
Fans of these subcultures might use the terms when crushing on others, especially Kpop stars, like Jungkook from the popular group BTS.
this eboy energy pic.twitter.com/zrW9F8HYMx
— alana ★ cheol day ! (@rjorbit) April 2, 2019
i found an eboy factory pic.twitter.com/GBrVEV3Ppt
— 𝕕 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕤 (@ddenisjordann) February 18, 2019
Egirls and eboys are not to be confused with eBoy, a group founded in the late 1990s that makes pixel art, or E–girls, a Japanese girl group formed in the 2010s.