So your teenager keeps using this phrase "gyatt", but you have no idea what it means or where it came from. As a parent trying to keep up with the lightning-fast world of Gen Z digital slang, it can be extremely confusing!
This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about the viral TikTok term "gyatt" in simple terms. We‘ll look at what it means, where it originated, why teenagers use it, and most importantly – the controversies around some of its questionable connotations.
Overview: "Gyatt" Expresses Excitement Over Attractive Women
The slang term "gyatt" is predominantly used on TikTok these days as an exclamation to convey excitement or approval, usually when male users see videos or images of curvaceous or sexy women. It‘s deployed to compliment women‘s appearances in a very objectifying way.
The term went hugely viral in 2022, amassing over 300 million views rapidly under the #gyatt hashtag on TikTok. But while many teenagers are using "gyatt" casually as popular online slang, some serious controversies exist around its usage.
Origins on Twitch Turned TikTok Sensation
While "gyatt" appeared across TikTok last year, its origins can actually be traced back to the live streaming platform Twitch.
In 2022 the popular Twitch gamer and internet personality "YourRAGE", real name Rageon Alston, was streaming himself playing video games live when he reacted excitedly to a female video game character on screen.
In this moment, Alston spontaneously exclaimed "God damn!", but drew the phrase out for emphasis as "gyaaaaaaaaatttt".
This exaggeration struck a chord among his loyal fanbase and "gyatt" became an inside joke and viral meme. Later that year, TikTok users latched onto the term and ran with it even further, flooding the platform.
Controversies: "Gyatt" Sparks Accusations of Sexism and Racism
The widespread adoption of "gyatt" on TikTok as a reaction conveying approval of women‘s bodies has sparked extensive controversy though on multiple fronts:
Sexist Sentiment
Using the term to sexually appraise videos and images of women has been called out for perpetuating reductive gender attitudes.
Advocates argue it amounts to casual everyday sexism, teaching teenage boys to view women through a sexualized, objectifying male gaze.
Racist Appropriation
Mimicking pronunciation and slang styles associated with Black culture while using an expression tied to sexualization has also attracted accusations of insensitive cultural appropriation.
As TikTok creator Breada James condemned about "gyatt" usage in a popular video:
"Y‘all are not Black…you just want our aesthetics".
Illogical Grammar
Critics also highlight that taking an exclamation like "God damn!" and turning it into an adjective or noun simply doesn‘t make grammatical sense.
Yet despite extensive debate around these issues, "gyatt" has still spread like digital wildfire and remains deeply ingrained in TikTok culture.
What The Rise of "Gyatt" Reveals About Gen Z Slang Innovation
So given all its controversies, how exactly did this slang term gain such momentum? And what does its viral spread signal about today‘s teenagers on TikTok?
In many ways "gyatt" reflects wider generational shifts – Gen Z are creating and propagating their own coded language online among their peer networks faster than any previous youth culture in history.
Slang as Power
Sociolinguists emphasize that adolescents use slang to assert independence, signal transitions towards adulthood, elevate social relevance and identify within their cohorts.
Coining new terms is about cultural innovation signaling the rise of a new generation. From "groovy" baby boomers to "radical" Gen Xers, the youth of every era have developed slang that older groups subsequently degrade as nonsense or dangerous.
Of course as digital natives with global interconnectivity, Gen Z wield vastly more power and pace to spread new lingo instantly to vast audiences. Platforms like TikTok provide the perfect springboard for driving explosive virality.
While concerning issues exist around promoting reductive gender dynamics or appropriating language improperly, observers argue policing youth expression often breeds more resentment.
Teen slang frequently holds up a mirror to social undercurrents needing unpacking. Perhaps "gyatt" reveals online platforms require better codes protecting women from objectification or marginalized cultures from appropriation.
Either way – like it or not – "gyatt" won‘t be the last teen slang stir TikTok cooks up! This young digital generation will definitely continue dropping new viral terms at a dizzying pace.
