Editor’s note: This story was updated Sept. 22 at 2:12 p.m. to correct a quote from a source.
While schools across the country are hosting performative male competitions of men with their Labubus and matchas, UVM does it gayer.
After only a week of preparation, junior and self-proclaimed masc lesbian Roselyn Medina hosted the Performative Masc Lesbian Competition on Friday, Sept. 19.
Medina was inspired by other competitions she saw across social media.
“I was seeing it all around TikTok. And, you know, as a masc lesbian myself … I feel like bringing this to campus would be such a vibe, and would be an amazing time,” Medina said. “A lot of my friends are queer themselves so I felt like it was going to have an amazing turnout.”
As the Clairo background music stopped, Medina stepped forward and introduced herself before passing the microphone to the performative masc participants.
The audience waited in anticipation as the performative lesbians lined up.
“I’m really excited to see all the people in their costumes and props,” said senior Tali Mcmahon.
Mcmahon then explained what being a performative masc meant to her.
“Some aesthetics are pretty performative … how they cater to the female gaze,” Mcmahon said.
As the competition started, the participants were dressed as stereotypes in items such as bandanas, jorts, baggy pants and carabiners.
Some contestants hardly had to prepare for the competition.
“I forgot this was today and this is what I wore to class,” said junior Laura South, dressed in baggy, thrifted denim and a white t-shirt.
After the introductions, each of the contestants showed off their most performative traits. This portion of the competition included playing guitar for the crowd and sharing anecdotes of being in love with their best friends or still being friends with their ex-girlfriends.
Many other traits were shared throughout this round, such as being a gender studies minor and being part of the women’s Rugby team. Other people mentioned climbing or being baristas.
One contestant mentioned she minored in American Sign Language, which meant she was pretty good with her hands.
The last round of the competition was a panel of Medina and four other masc lesbians asking the contestants a few questions.
The first question was: “What was the last book you read?” Answers ranged from Jacqueline Harpman’s “I Who Have Never Known Men” to Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar.”
The next question was: “A flannel is nowhere to be found, there is no gas in your car. Your ex calls and says she needs to be picked up, how do you get there?” People responded by saying their bike had enough room for both of them or they would run to get there.
The last question was: “In the event of a U-Haul shortage, what else would you use to move in with your girlfriend of three months?” Many suggested the use of Subarus and bare hands.
To wrap up the competition, the audience got to decide the winner by cheering and clapping for each person as they were presented.
“I’m so glad that it was the audience’s choice as well. It’s like ‘We the people,’” Medina said.
The audience determined the winners as junior Paige Cohen and first-year Azzure Annacacis.
In a post-competition discussion with Cohen, she speculated on what got her the win.
“I think I fit the look, but it was beyond that,” Cohen said. “Everyone had the look. I think that going around and walking around the crowd and then ultimately playing ‘Riptide’ really sent me over the edge.”
Annacacis, the second winner, had to leave for class and was unable to be interviewed.
For the tour group that passed through the Howe Library in the middle of the competition, UVM’s campus culture was fully on display. Performative or not, masc lesbians are a core part of UVM.
