What is the Chad meme?
THE CHAD meme originated on the anonymous online discussion board 4Chan but has since become a popular joke.
Many internet users are confused by the meaning of phrases like "you're such a Chad" and want to know more about the meme.
What does the Chad meme mean?
The term 'Chad' is used for a sexually active and attractive man.
However, the term is typically used as an insult, as it came from involuntarily celibate (incel) groups online.
Connor Beaton, a podcast host, spoke with Men's Health about the phenomenon.
He said: "Incels are angry at life and society for not being structured in a way where they are closer to the top of the sexual hierarchy and have made a villain out of the archetypal man who they believe is inhabiting this rung of the social/sexual ladder.”
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A Chad represents the qualities in a man that an incel may not feel they possess, causing them to use it as a dig.
Is the Chad meme a real person?
Since the idea of a 'Chad' is based on general qualities, it isn't about a real person.
However, the meme was given an official face in 2017 when a Russian photographer named Krista Sudmalis uploaded photos of a man named Ernest Khalimov.
The photos are believed by many to have been manipulated by the photographer to show what she imagines an ultimate Chad looks like.
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Still, others believe he is an actual person.
Who is Ernest Khalimov?
Ernest Khalimov is a model believed to live in Russia, where he works with Sudmalis on a project called SLEEK'N'TEARS.
They sell photos of her work on NFT sites like OpenSea, where some of the photos are listed for up to 20 Ethereum (ETH), equivalent to $32,845.00.
Ernest also posts photos of himself on his Instagram, with more than 1million followers.
His Instagram can be found at @berlin.1969.