Girls give the 'fear my father' trope a wholesome twist with adorably dorky dad reveals
He's not mad, he's just disappointed.
Girls are "warning" guys not to get on their dad's bad side, with a wholesome twist.
We all know the stereotype: there's the beautiful girl with no shortage of suitors, but there's just one problem—her dad is a menace. He's large, burly, cold as ice, and usually sitting on the front porch with a shotgun. If you want to date her, you better be ready to impress him (and he's impossible to impress). Worse, if you hurt her, he'll hurt you even more.
It's a common trope seen in movies, TV shows, and country songs. And while, as a dad myself, I respect being protective of our daughters in a world that can be really dangerous for them, the stereotype and attitude behind it probably does more harm than good.
Luckily, a new viral trend is putting a wholesome twist on the "fear my father" trope, and people are gobbling it up.
Girls on TikTok and Instagram are making videos warning anyone who might hurt them that they'll have to deal with Dad. Tense hip-hop music sets up the dramatic reveal of these intimidating father figures, only...they're all the sweetest, most lovable dorky dads you ever did see.
In Madeleine Byrne's take on the trend, she reveals her sweater-wearing father as he giddily discusses all the things he loves about shopping at Costco. Watch out, bad boys!
"Stay away if you hate a good deal i guess," she joked.
@madeleinebyrnee Stay away if you hate a good deal i guess
User Jackie McLoon ups the ante, showing off not one, but two threatening dads. They're promptly shown dancing around, wearing silly outfits, and even blowing bubbles outside for fun. Scary!
"mess with me I dare you," McLoon writes.
@loonymcloony mess with me I dare you. #lgbtq #fyp
Definitely don't mess with Eunice Cycle, whose dad will make you a mean cup of his famous Chinese soup.
Cycle loves to torture her adorable dad with these videos. In another, she teases, "Cheat on me? This is my dad," to which he responds with a peace sign, a laugh, and a "Yes, cheat on me, too."
Oh, Dad. Never change.
@eunice.cycle TikTok · Eunice Cycle🧋
In another spin on the meme, a girl reveals her smiling dad dancing goofily in an apron. Yep, definitely don't want to mess with her! If only because you could never live with yourself if you broke her sweet father's heart.
@sweetmemesaremadeofgeese #meme #memes #funny #funnyvideos #dad #daughter #cheat #cheater
The trend has been going strong for five years now, evolving slowly over time. By now there are hundreds of videos of girls and women doing their own take on the joke, and commenters continue to eat it up.
"having a dad like this was my dream growing up.," one commenter wrote about Madeleine Byrne's Costco-loving father.
"They will hit ya with 'I’m not mad, just disappointed' and we all know that hurts the worst," someone wrote about Jackie McLoon's double dads.
"your dads the loveliest man ever i would never mess with you for fear that it would upset him," a commenter told Eunice Cycle about her soup connoisseur dad.
The violent and threatening overprotective father archetype comes from a place of love, really, but it's really not the best template for what a positive male role model should look like.
I mean, who wouldn't be worried for their daughter in a world where domestic violence, sexual assault, and even infidelity are so prevalent?
But the answer to that violence is not more violence. Worse, the looming, terrifying father trope infantilizes woman and suggests they can't be trusted to make their own decisions. It treats them like property, something to be guarded and given away by men. And, believe it or not, it unnecessarily demonizes young boys and men.
Truth be told, there are other and better ways to protect your daughter. The dads in these videos may not be physically imposing or even have a mean bone in their bodies, but making your girls feel safe and loved, modeling gentle and positive masculinity, and being an active and affectionate presence in their lives—now that's how it's done!
Side Eye Dog Meme GIF
Meme Reaction GIF by Tokkingheads
SOURCE: TWITTER
