Abby Connolly
If you’ve been on TikTok in the last year, chances are you’ve come across one of the app’s most beloved creators, Drew Afualo.
Drew (@drewafualo) is best known for her videos where she responds to men who say obnoxious and awful things about women and minorities on the internet.
Her internet audience adores her as she holds nothing back when reacting to some of the things these men have said. She has an iconic giggle that she lets out as she digs into those who have said some of the most ridiculous things.
Since her early days of TikTok, Drew’s success and popularity have grown tremendously. Drew also has a podcast, has been invited to various award shows and pop culture events, and has even collaborated on a clothing line.
Despite all of her additional projects, Drew keeps doing what makes her millions of followers happy – dragging men online who just have mean things to say about women. Recently, she opened up about why she talks or responds to these men the way she does. The message is pretty powerful.
“Everything I say is intentional and on purpose,” says Drew in her TikTok video. “Everything I say to them specifically is meant to be mean.”
Drew reminds her audience that she knows what she says to these men is mean or rude. But the difference between her and the men that she responds to is that she says these mean things for a reason. The men that she duets on TikTok are being hateful “just for fun.”
Drew states she is aware that her comments make men uncomfortable but then counteracts that with just two examples of the many times that men have made her feel uncomfortable. She recalls being harassed by an older man at her gym. He followed her around the entire afternoon and even took pictures of her on his phone.
“I did everything within my power, so I didn’t have to be mean,” recalls Drew. “I moved, I stood behind people, I cut my workout short because that’s how much I was trying to avoid being mean.”
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