The GigaChad meme has taken the internet by storm, representing the hypermasculine ideal and the ultimate alpha. But what exactly is a GigaChad jawline, and how did it become such a phenomenon? This article delves into the origins of the meme, the associated trends like "mewing" and "Chad Face," and the real story behind the chiseled face.
What is a GigaChad?
GigaChad is the ultimate Chad-the hypermasculine ideal, the alpha, the most confident meme of a man you’ll find on the internet. The GigaChad meme takes the Chad moniker-that of a big dumb confident man-and ramps it up by a billion (giga). Some still see him as the ultimate alpha who can never be wrong. And to some, being a real GigaChad just means being positive and trusting in yourself.
Kids are saying the slang word “Gigachad” to mean “the ultimate man,” according to Urban Dictionary. Put differently, he's a handsome, alpha dude with swagger. “Gigachad is based on this concept of being a ‘Chad’ which means you’re just this typical gym bro that’s focused on your physical appearance,” Lindsay said in his video. “And then the word ‘Giga’ means extreme or doing something to an exceptionally high level.”
Everybody knows that if you post a GigaChad picture, your opinion is correct.
The Origins of the GigaChad Meme
The image that became known as GigaChad is the fruit of an art project called sleekntears, created by the artist Krista Sudmalis. The artist Krista Sudmalis later (unwittingly) gave a face to the name with her photographs of the model Ernest Khalimov. At the time, the person wasn’t known as GigaChad. Khalimov became known as the “GigaChad,” and his photos inspired memes on Reddit, 4Chan, and Tumblr throughout the 2010s.
Read also: Unpacking the Asian Giga Chad Phenomenon
It’s likely a coincidence also in 2006, Sudmalis photographed Khalimov with the smile seen today in the GigaChad meme, as named by a 4chan user in 2017.
“Years of Bogdanoff research into genetic augmentation has finally yielded fruit,” reads the post, referencing the Bogdanoff twins, a pair of French celebrity brothers who became memes themselves for their extreme, plastic surgery-altered features. “Behold, the Gigachad. The perfect human specimen destined to lead us against the reptilians.
But while Khalimov has become the public, chiseled face of GigaChad, the real story is more complicated than that. Evidence for that idea (aside from his cartoonish, bicycle-pumped muscles) includes the fact that there are no behind-the-scenes photos of GigaChad’s model like there are for the other models in Sudmalis’ series, as pointed out in an article by Dude Products.
Artur Farad, a fitness model, is a likely candidate for being the real inspiration. A look on his Instagram account shows he does bear a real resemblance to the impossibly square-jawed model.
Ernest Khalimov’s Opinion on the Memes
Despite the unlikelihood of Khalimov being a real person, the ruse has been maintained over the years. After the GigaChad picture initially went viral, berlin.1969 responded to the attention with a friendly post thanking his fans for the attention.
Read also: The GigaChad Phenomenon
“Must admit I’m shocked that there are so many of you and that you are not negative … I have nothing to say to you, probably because I look much more interesting from your words,” he wrote. “It’s very flattering and overshadows my commonness. Thanks for the kind words. Thank you for the positive energy. don’t doubt guys I mentally return it to you. Take your time and keep calm. Take care of yourself and your loved ones … Yours faithfully.
“gigachad is real, and humble and he seems like a pretty nice guy. he’s an actual Chad,” wrote one redditor in response.
The Chad Face Trend
The Chad Face (also referred to as the Gen Z lip sync face), is a social media trend in which men emulate the facial structure of the hyper-masculine GigaChad. To achieve the legendary Chad Face, one doesn’t necessarily need extensive cosmetic surgery.
To achieve the legendary Chad Face, one doesn’t necessarily need extensive cosmetic surgery. First, arch one eyebrow as if you’re Dwayne Johnson being told something dubious. Second, slim your nose by sucking in air. Third, bite the sides of your cheeks to create two chiseled divots. Finally, flex the muscles around your shoulders to appear more beefed up.
Whatever the name, the trend reflects a shift among men from the playful (soy face) to the severe (chad face), and suggests that the idealization of the chad has escaped the confines of the incel forums and begun to saturate the wider male community.
Read also: Cultural Impact of Giga Chad Jesus
Mewing: The Quest for a Defined Jawline
If you’ve been looking into how to make a Chad Face, you’ve likely come across the concept of “mewing.” This refers to a facial exercise that requires keeping the mouth closed and pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. This included “mewing,” which is a tongue and mouth exercise meant to help with the type of jawline definition seen on the GigaChad.
Gen Alpha amended traditional mewing to include a “shushing” gesture and a tracing of the jawline with a finger, indicating they wanted to remain silent.
How to Get A More Defined Jawline - In Only 5 Minutes!
The “looksmaxing” movement has churned out Gen Z trends like “mewing," in which teens stick their tongues on the roofs of their mouths, believing it firms up their jawline (it doesn’t, according to the American Association of Orthodontists). But wait, there’s more: If you attempt to engage a teen in conversation while they are "mewing," they “shush” you, then drag their finger along their own jawline. I’m mewing. Still here?
“They have achieved ultimate alpha ‘sigma’ status due to their prominent chin and their good looks which they got from ‘mewing.’ So, a Gigachad is just the next iteration of being ‘sigma’ which just means that you’re the best of the best of the best - the ultimate gym bro.”
The Sigma Face
The related Sigma Face comes from the idea of the “sigma male” and emulates the expressions of the character Patrick Bateman from the 2000 film American Psycho. Pair this with a slight nod, and you’ve achieved the look of a charismatic murderer.
Average Fan vs. GigaChad
Riffing on the idea that posting an image of GigaChad automatically makes everything you say correct, a smiling devil-may-care version of the meme was integrated into the popular Average Fan vs. Chad meme, with users making what they considered to be ugly faces to represent something bad and then making the Chad Face to represent its opposite.
GigaChad's Attractiveness: A Matter of Perspective
Despite GigaChad being held up as a masculine ideal, this photoshopped take on an allegedly highly attractive specimen actually doesn’t seem to be all that appealing to women at all.
According to a survey of both men and women done by DatePsychology.com, women ultimately rated the GigaChad images as “below average” looking. In fact, men rated him notably higher-a 4.88 average on a 7.0 scale, compared to women’s 3.58.
| Gender | Average Rating (out of 7) |
|---|---|
| Men | 4.88 |
| Women | 3.58 |
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