Non-Threatening Boys*: Giggling And Kicking Their Feet

"It’s incurable, adorable, and might be exactly what we need to fight against a more dangerous phenomenon: the patriarchy. I’m talking about the giggles."

Words: Morgan Carey

There’s a contagion spreading. It’s hysteria-induced, affecting men across the world. It’s incurable, adorable, and might be exactly what we need to fight against a more dangerous phenomenon: the patriarchy.

I’m talking about the giggles. An uncontained emotional response that can hit at any moment and without warning. We’re seeing it more and more online: the desire to coax out a guy’s giggle is everywhere. In TikTok trends, YouTube series like “Chicken Shop Date,” and podcasts like “The Basement Yard,” giggles are celebrated and deeply satisfying. But no giggle feels as good as the tee-hees from the surliest of dudes.