(Henna for a Cause / Fourth Estate)

Henna for a Cause hosts the GMU performative male contest

BY EMMA G. SCHAIBLE, OPINIONS EDITOR

Feminist literature, matcha, Laufey vinyls and free tampons are only a few of the niche accessories that Mason students flaunted at the performative male contest open to competitors of all gender identities. 

Following the 2024 trend of look-alike contests, Mason joined dozens of universities hosting contests to see who can give the best performance of a man in pursuit of the female gaze.  

Despite the idea for the contest starting as a joke between the organizers, the final competition invited  almost 50 performative males to show off their commitment to the feminist display with crowds overflowing the amphitheater next to Horizon Hall. 

The contest started with participants standing in a line, waiting for their time to woo the crowd. Competitors were required to give a description of their outfit in front of the audience and answer questions to test their adopted persona, ranging from “What are the phases of the menstrual cycle?” to “What are your top four films on Letterboxd?” 

The winners were decided by a panel of judges who rated each competitor based on their outfits and answers on a scale from one to 10. 

The first place winner, Khue, won Ravyn Lenae concert tickets. Second place winner  Jaylin received a vinyl player and third place winner Raz got free matcha; all things that a male-identifying person needs to be performative. 

Henna for a Cause, a new registered student organization on campus, hosted the event. Although new to Mason, the group was originally started at Katherine Johnson Middle School in Fairfax by some of the current officers. 

Fatima Jimenez, the president of Henna for a Cause, said the organization was built on the value of “be the change you want to see in the world.”

The contest had a $5 entrance fee, with 75% of the profits going towards Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Henna For a Cause raised over $300. 

As part of their mission, the organization chooses different charities to donate to, all while elevating voices in the cultures they support. They fuse popular culture with activism to create a community on campus welcome to all.

With bi-weekly meetings on Mondays in the Johnson Center, Henna for a Cause invites anyone interested in philanthropy, culture immersion and community-building (all while improving art skills) to join.