There are common non-negotiables we look for in a prospective partner. They should be kind, caring and thoughtful. Having a shared interest helps.
So does remembering important dates and anniversaries. But how much does it matter if they know how to pronounce the word “gnocchi”? Turns out that’s a potential dealbreaker, at least according to a (rather judgy) cohort on TikTok.
See: the “Illiterate Boyfriend” trend, which is testing some couples on the app. Users have compiled a list of what are essentially SAT words for women to ask their male partners to read. Many of these men – this is an overwhelmingly heterosexual activity – fail to finish the list unscathed.
They trip over entries such as “hyperbole”, “cynicism”, “diaphragmatic” and the oft-butchered French term, “hors d’oeuvres”. He gamely nails his first attempt, reading off the herb “thyme”. But he’s less successful with “epitome”, “challah” and “fuchsia”. (“Foo-chia?” he guesses).
He ends up with a score of five out of 17, or 29% – very much a failing grade. The couple laughed through the exercise, but viewers were not as charmed by an adult man struggling through what they considered basic vocabulary. Two of the words the man correctly identified were “colonel” and “regime”, which, to one user, was evidence of a red flag: “he’s obviously a Republican”. (Maybe he just has an interest in military history, a time-honored hobby of boyfriends everywhere.) Regardless of political affiliation, it seemed fair game to dunk on Mr Foo-chia.
One final quip from a viewer: “He’d be so upset if he could read these comments.” The test made its way around TikTok, with more young couples joining in, to similarly bleak results. Even those men who did well got caught up in the pop-misandry circus. One man zipped through the list, ending with a perfect score and a self-satisfied grin.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
