Who Is This Mysterious Hot Rodent Man Everyone Keeps Talking About?

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Published in
4 min readAug 1, 2024

Honey, call rodent extermination services! Oh way, never mind, it’s the new hot guys everyone is obsessing over.

Photo by where is pykh on Unsplash

What is a rodent man?

A rodent man is someone who is conventionally unattractive, or at least their likeability is very questionable. Yet, somehow, they manage to steal the hearts of everyone around them. They have this unspoken rizz, the it-factor that makes everyone go crazy about them.

The (hot) rodent man trend is relatively new and is a successor of the so-called babygirl man — someone who’s not afraid to show their feelings or wear clothes that toxic masculinity will never approve of. The rodent man has undone hair, their eyes may be too far or too close to each other, and the overall facial structure is somewhat puzzling and odd. Basically, they look like cute mice that have been yassified.

The trend went mainstream with the release of the movie Saltburn earlier this year, followed by Challengers with Zendaya and her two hot (rodent) boyfriends.

Hot rodent men list

Now, anyone can end up on the list, but the universally agreed mascots of the hot rodent man trend are:

  • Barry Keoghan from Saltburn and The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  • Adam Driver from Girls
  • Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor from Challengers
  • Jeremy Allen White from The Bear and Shameless
  • Timothee Chalamet from Call Me by Your Name
  • Matty Healy who is a singer and songwriter

What does the hot rodent boyfriend tell us about gender beauty standards?

The whole hot rodent guys trend has got the Once team thinking.

On one hand, it’s great that more people are being praised for their looks besides, even if they don’t resemble the classic golden Hollywood boys. The more we accept and adore people with non-traditional facial features, the more they are represented in pop culture and further normalized, and the better it is for humanity’s self-esteem and mental state.

On the other hand, when we look at women’s beauty standards, we are still nowhere near the same inclusivity and acceptance. We’ve made some progress for sure, but it’s still not enough.

A woman can’t openly celebrate her non-traditional looks without being ridiculed, and by no means will she be called a hot rodent woman as an endearment, but rather it will always be an insult. So while rodent men continue to climb the society ladder, perceived as a perfect match for any lucky girl they pick, and associating their rodent features with a cute boyfriend nickname, women do not get the same luxury.

The majority of women who look unconventional don’t get nearly as much attention when dating online as the women with more classical beauty. And when they do get matches, many times the dating chat is a battlefield where the person on the other side of the screen feels entitled to write nasty and wild messages. The hot rodent women are not, in fact, considered hot, and if they ever become a meme, it won’t be a flattering one.

And it’s not just the looks that highlight the disparity between what men and women are allowed. Aging, silver hair, wrinkles, being overweight — all that is a huge no-no for women, while men are often praised for the very things that repulse them in women.

However, while rodent-faced men are undeniably well-bested, much more so than women, it’s a good trend in general. It’s a small step towards more mindful dating where how conventionally sexy you are doesn’t determine your chances of finding true love. Let’s just hope it won’t be exclusively reserved for the male part of the population.

Rodent boyfriend summer is upon us

Yes, it’s happening, and there’s no way of stopping it, except for the next TikTok trend that will wipe away rodent boyfriends and replace them with something else.

So, what should you do? Embrace the rodents or wait them out? This is completely up to you, however, we’d personally recommend trying dating someone who resembles a hot rodent bf. Although there’s limited scientific data to back up those claims, many seem to believe that because of the way these men look and act, they’re more gentle and empathetic lovers. Mike Faist seems like the kind of guy who will support you through the tough times. And Barry Keoghan is surely not someone who’ll cheat on you and gaslight you.

Is it really true? If you’re a hot rodent man yourself, let us know your thoughts and how well this new trend is helping you attract women. For the ladies, definitely don’t overlook these men. Whether you’re dating for casual hookups, want to get married soon, or fancy slow dating — rodent men (and women) are great candidates to be your soulmates.

Does the rodent man trend mean the handsome guys are out?

Hot people with classic features and lean bodies will always be in demand. Both niche and mainstream dating trends can shift the public’s perception of who’s dateable, but we’re still going to be attracted to classic beauties. So if you don’t find rodent men handsome, and you’re not into experimenting, then stick to what you know and love! Dating trends are fun, but ultimately you should always listen to your heart and not go on dates just because of FOMO.

Originally published at https://www.getonce.com.

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