What Is A 'Soy Boy?' The Emasculating Insult Favored By Internet Trolls Explained

The phrase soy boy has been used as a pejorative by trolls for several years now, with the term pointing to a specific brand of men that some would say is hard to describe but easy to identify. The insult was created in conservative internet circles as a means to target men that may not align with traditional ideas about masculinity.

But what role does soy play in this characterization? Here's how soy products came to be associated with estrogen and led to the creation of the phrase soy boy as a unique insult levied against socially liberal men.

Where Does The Term 'Soy Boy' Come From?

According to a study by Canadian researchers published in November 2009, soy products contain the second highest relative phytoestrogen content after nuts and oilseeds. The presence of such "phytoestrogens" in soy led some people to believe that soy has feminization properties that can affect the testosterone levels or sperm qualities of men.

Such theories have been reviewed and debunked by various scientific bodies, but the association of soy with estrogen stuck around with internet users hyper-concerned with idealized notions of masculinity. Such beliefs led to a 4chan user posting the earliest archived use of the term on the /tv/ board in April 2017.

How Is The Phrase 'Soy Boy' Used?

The phrase "soy boy" is often to insult men who have no particular attachment to soy products at all. The term is used less as an indictment of one's health, and more as a way to indicate that someone is less masculine, more submissive, and more socially liberal overall. "Soy boy" as an insult is often favored by conservative men who think that socially progressive ideas erode traditional notions of masculinity and create "softer" and weaker men.

The graphic shown above was originally shared by a conservative commentator who took the support various late-night talk show hosts extended to the 2017 Women's March as indicative of their "soy" qualities.

What Are Some Characteristics Of A Soy Boy?

As with many internet slang terms, the use of the phrase "soy boy" spilled beyond conservative circles and into general internet vernacular. A soy boy in this renewed context can be identified by one main characteristic, their capacity to perform the soy face.

The "soy face" typically involves taking a selfie while making an expression of faux surprise. The wide-eyed mouth-agape expression was taken as a sign of weakness by 4chan users in 2017, who questioned the reason why "nu-males" or beta males love taking photos with their mouths agape.

For the full history of the Soy Boy, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.