Drew Affalo is She never minces words, and she actually doesn’t shut up when it comes to talking about stupid men who take offense at shaming women online, micromanaging their weight, their clothes, how often they have sex (in terms of who they’re having sex with), and so on.
It’s why fans and detractors alike keep coming back to her account. In the years since Afaro first began calling out men’s egregious anti-feminist behavior on TikTok in 2020, she’s become a household name among Gen Z for her quality, pointed, Shakespearean diatribes.
As a host Comments section In her Spotify podcast, Afuaro is vocal about where she is and who she is with. Her platform, she says, is not a place for men to sit. “As someone who makes a living ridding the internet of human cockroaches, I’ve always said I have the most positive job security,” she writes in her new memoir-cum-manifesto. Loud: I won’t accept anything less than the life I deserveOn sale July 30th: “Men will always do horrible things and I will always blame them. I can sleep soundly at night on the mattress those women paid for.”
The formula is working: Affalo is now everywhere: 8 million followers on TikTok, 1 million on Instagram. And, perhaps proudest of all, she’s living rent-free in the hearts of Logan Paul-loving podcast fans who feel threatened by female empowerment. Over the phone from Los Angeles, we spoke about her family’s influences, her humor system, and why she’s not too worried about getting banned from TikTok.
Jason Parham: Let’s start with the biggest news story of the week, if I may. Vice President Kamala Harris has announced her candidacy for president and is likely to be the Democratic nominee. How do you feel about that?
Drew Afuaro: I feel hopeful. Having women in positions of power feels like a win for women all over the world. It’s very exciting.
I have heard a lot Kamala can’t do that. He’s not ready yet. Why do you think it’s so hard for some people to believe that a woman could become president?
Maybe it’s the same reason that patriarchy has led most people to believe that women can’t do anything without men’s help, but if you trace all the problems in the world back to their origins, it always comes from men. I don’t know why people think women are incompetent when men are the ones creating all the problems in the world.
I am working on a similar topic. noisyIn the chapter “It’s Okay to Be Mean,” you write, “Since the advent of social media, the internet has been a minefield for anyone who isn’t a cisgender, heterosexual, white man.” A friend and I were joking recently that we sometimes wonder if social media’s original lie was that everyone has a right to speak online. Too many platforms have become breeding grounds for hate.
The people I stitch with[on TikTok]are an example of, “Well, maybe not.” To me, the internet is a beauty and a curse. It’s amazing how many people have found community and connection through it and have been able to connect with so many people, including myself.
