A teenage boy called me a 'sigma', but what does that even mean?

Urban Dictionary just doesn't cut it with this new generation

Me and Gen Z

Earlier this month I was buzzing to be asked to do a #AD for CeraVe. As you know, I only work with brands I love, but to work with a brand that is such a part of your daily routine, feels that bit extra special.

My brief was a 15 second video on TikTok, that would have “paid media” behind it. This means that L’Oréal (the owners of CeraVe) pay to promote the video on social media.

Now, I actually prefer having a brand put paid media behind a TikTok ad. That’s because when you declare an ad on TikTok, it almost always bombs.

Seriously, if you’re a creator and you thought Instagram was bad for hiding your sponsorships, TikTok is even worse.

Which means, influencers rarely declare their ads correctly on the platform and you know how much that infuriates me.

However, paid media, means your advert will go far and wide. Which, yes, is great when the brand ask for your insights post collaboration, but not so great for your confidence.

On Saturday morning, I opened my TikTok notifications folder, to be met with a series of horrible comments. I knew this could only mean one thing, the teenage boys had been served my video.

I had actually started reeling the various insults off here, but I ended up posting them all in an Instagram stories rant instead.

Honestly, I wasn’t planning it, I just had this wave of anger come over me and wanted to publicly shame them online. A taste of their own medicine if you will.

All of course while removing their usernames, because I’m not out to be malicious.

Now that’s done, I honestly feel a weight off my shoulders. Honestly, keeping all that in, isn’t good for you. So, rather than focus anymore on them. Let’s turn our attention to the one teenage boy who came in to defend me/possibly insult me further?

After one irritating Andrew Tate simp commented, “Hit gym woman”. I ended up in a short back and forth with him:

Alpha bro: “Hit gym woman”

Me: “Just leave me alone and try and be a decent person”

Alpha bro: “I am helping you go to the gym”

Me: “First of all, I don’t want your ‘help’. Second of all, do you think people like you make people feel welcome in a gym?”

Then, from out of nowhere enters my knight in shining armour aka ‘Fragrance Boy Real’.

“Leave her alone! She’s a normal sigma person who’s posting healthy life videos!”

I truly appreciate the defence, but what does a ‘normal sigma person’ even mean?

Clearly I’m very familiar with the ‘alpha’ term. It’s basically what every Andrew Tate wannabe thinks they are. I also know that ‘beta’ is used as an insult to anyone who respects women, but sigma is a new one to me.

The top result on Urban Dictionary tells me a sigma is, “What all 10 year olds think they are”. Upon further scrolling, it’s suggested a sigma is a self-reliant person or, “A guy with a small penis who makes a living mowing lawns”.

You know you’re getting old when even Urban Dictionary can’t translate something for you.

Google then gave me a Reddit thread from a teacher who was called a sigma by his students.

“I asked what that meant and they said an alpha male, but they way they giggled and laughed, I knew that could not be the case.”

I’m with you, anonymous middle school teacher.

Once again, no one really answered the question and instead suggested that it related to wolf packs.

A google of Sigma wolf tells me that, “A sigma male, also known as a lone wolf, is a man who exists outside of a social group's traditional alpha-beta hierarchy.”

It also came up with this impressive graphic from theadultman.com

I mean, I’m not gonna lie to you, this infographic is telling me that being sigma is actually very cool, but how does that relate to my CeraVe video?

So, I come to you, my Substack subscribers, for help in translating the youth. Is being called a ‘Sigma person’ an insult or is it actually a compliment?

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Side note, apologies for the lack of posts last week. I spontaneously took a week off the Substack. Sometimes it’s needed when you post Monday-Friday. Normal service has resumed.