Long gone are the days when teenage boys idolized the mythical Alpha Male; kids these days like to think outside of traditional masculine boxes, and better identify with something they call a sigma male. This idolatry is portrayed in different forms, whether it be sigma edits, something called a sigma stare or the dedicated "Sigma Theme Song".

Moreover, the latest turn in sigma culture is something called the sigma face. But what does this word soup mean? Here is the sigma face meme, explained.

What Is The Sigma Face?

The sigma face originates from Patrick Bateman, a figurehead of the Literally Me Guys meme. It's a peculiar expression, one that mimics the sigh or "phew" emoji (😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨) followed by a bemused, even pained-looking smile. No one does it better than Christian Bale himself, and here's the original clip it all emerges from.

There is one person many credit for popularising Bateman's expression and dubbing it the "sigma face." It is Kyrgyz TikToker @argenby who first delivered an impeccable rendition of the face in November of 2022, reacting to a social snafu some may call sigma behavior.

@argenby #sigma ♬ оригинальный звук – argenby • sigma

@argenby #sigma ♬ оригинальный звук – argenby • sigma

Who Is The Sigma Girl?

Sigma girl is a term sometimes used to refer to female creators that can make the face, and do it well. Other times, the phrase sigma girl is used to describe a stoic woman that embodies sigma tendencies. A creator popularly known for being a sigma girl is Korean TikToker @greapaxcherri. She makes videos alongside her partner, who is referred to as an "omega guy."

@greapaxcherri Sigma ❤ Omega #sigma #sigmagirl #틱톡순삭 #파트너크리에이터 ♬ WORTH NOTHING – Fast & Furious: Drift Tape/Phonk Vol 1 – TWISTED

@greapaxcherri Sigma girl과 게임하면… #sigmagirl #sigma #파트너크리에이터 #틱톡순삭 ♬ WORTH NOTHING – Fast & Furious: Drift Tape/Phonk Vol 1 – TWISTED

Where Did All These Sigma Memes Come From, And What Does Sigma Mean Anyways?

The origin of the sigma meme tracks back to a strange shift in the alpha male manosphere, where hustle culture content creators began peddling a new aspirational male archetype to strive towards. Sometimes called the "rarest male type," the sigma male is defined as one who is equal to the alpha male, but chooses to play by his own rules and live outside of the social hierarchy. Make of that what you will.

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For the full history of the sigma face, be sure to check out our entry on the slang term here for even more information.