Beyond Macho: The Representation of Generation Z's Soft Masculinity in the Fineshyt Trend on Indonesian TikTok
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25008/b722sr66Abstract
This study examines the representation of soft masculinity among Indonesian Generation Z males through the “Fineshyt” trend on TikTok. Based on the theories of hybrid masculinity, gender performativity, and multimodal discourse analysis, this study aims to deconstruct how this digital trend produces and normalizes non-aggressive masculine identities. Using a qualitative approach and multimodal discourse analysis methods, 15 TikTok videos with the hashtag #fineshyt from the period July–October 2025 were purposively selected and analysed. The findings show that soft masculinity in this trend is characterized by reflexive protective gestures, emotional control (nonchalance), and the strategic use of point of view (POV) narratives. Collectively, these elements construct an image of masculinity that is calm, situational, and empathetic-protective. However, the analysis also reveals ambivalence: while offering an alternative to hegemonic macho masculinity, this soft masculinity subtly reproduces gender power hierarchies by consistently positioning men as active protectors and women as the protected. This study concludes that the Fineshyt trend represents a rearticulation—not a rejection—of masculine power into a form that is more acceptable in Gen Z's affective-digital culture. This study extends the discourse on affective-digital culture in Indonesia by demonstrating how soft masculinity operates as an affective and algorithmically mediated strategy that rearticulates masculine power through emotionally resonant and multimodal performances.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Firna Sayyidatul Qurroh 'Aini, Nur'annafi Farni Syam Maella, Zulaikha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Jurnal Komunikasi Ikatan Sarjana Komunikasi Indonesia agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
