Everybody has heard of Andrew Tate — podcaster, influencer and the internet’s resident alpha male. A few weeks ago, Tate was banned from social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook for his offensive content. Unfortunately, this means that another podcaster just like him has taken his place. Pearl Davis, known online by her username JustPearlyThings has expressed some extremely conservative and misogynistic views on her podcast and TikTok account. Some users online are now calling her “the female Andrew Tate,” while expressing their distaste for her views on women.
Who is JustPearlyThings?
JustPearlyThings has amassed a following of nearly 1.3 million subscribers to her podcast on YouTube. On this podcast, she invites guests who debate her on topical political or public issues. She uploads videos with titles such as “DELUSIONAL Feminist Says False Accusations Are Rare” or “Modern Women TRIGGERED By What He Wants In A Wife.” JustPearlyThings has taken the YouTube community by storm, and many are not so pleased with the message she is spreading online. In her videos, this podcaster expresses her disdain for the “modern woman” and other feminist concepts. While her opinions are baseless and harmful, JustPearlyThings has sparked some interesting conversations online.
An online debate takes place.
A popular social media mogul online chimed in with her opinion. TikTok user Laura Danger, known online as “thatdarnchat,” took a stand against JustPearlyThings. Danger responds to a TikTok in which JustPearlyThings states that sometimes men cheat because of their wives’ behavior. She states: “A lot of you guys are shitty wives. You don’t cook for your man, you nag on him all the time, you don’t treat him like a man.” This comment insinuates that women need to be the ideal 1950s housewife, and anything else is unacceptable. Danger responded: “Here’s the thing. If your wife makes you so miserable […] you’re not doing her a favor by staying […] especially if you’re treating her like she’s a burden.” The argument is that cheating is not an appropriate response to turbulence in a relationship. It is unjustified to cheat on someone, even if they don’t make you happy. In that case, the mature response would be to leave. The burden cannot entirely be placed on women to act like a grown-up in a relationship. It further demonstrates the gap between what is acceptable for a man to do versus what is acceptable for a woman to do.
What can we learn from all this?
Popular YouTube commentator Salem Tovar uploaded her response to JustPearlyThings in a video titled “Modern Women Need To Be Put In Their Place!…Apparently.” In the video, Tovar responds to claims made by JustPearlyThings, such as the modern day men not wanting to marry the modern woman these days. She even goes so far as referring to these women as “hoes,” while arguing that a woman should be both pure and youthful if she wants to be a good wife. Tovar states, “The main problem is that both women and men in these podcasts are so enveloped and obsessed, and their whole world revolves around social media […] I really do think the solution for these people is to stop focusing on social media, turn off your phone, and go out into the real world.”
What Salem Tovar is arguing is that this kind of misogyny and outrage against it is all happening online. The only reason people like JustPearlyThings have power is because the internet gives it to them. She recommends that people spend less time on social media because, in Tovar’s words, “you’ll be very, very pleasantly surprised in what you will find.” While there is no doubt that social media has made people around the world more connected than they have ever been before, there are inevitable downsides to every good thing. Extreme people, such as JustPearlyThings, will eventually find their way online and may create a platform. One of the best ways of coping with this kind of person is simply putting your phone down and refusing to give them power.
Is social media giving the wrong people too much power? Follow us on Instagram @VALLEYmag and let us know what you think!
