Yassification, the hilariously bizarre beauty meme that has taken over social media

Toni Collette being 'yassified' on Twitter.
Kamala Harris has turned into Kim Kardashian. Abraham Lincoln is now Angelina Jolie. Behold, The Great Yassification is here.
Jumping off of the LGBTQ term "YAS, queen," a phrase made mainstream by shows like "RuPaul's Drag Race" and "Broad City," to "yassify" means to drastically glam up an image using heavy editing, usually through FaceApp. Click that slay button for contoured cheeks, thick eyelashes and ultra-defined eyebrows, and voila, you are yassified.
As it turns out, the beauty-app-trend-turned-hilarious-meme-with-a-dash-of-queer-slang has about as many layers as a yassified photo.
The trend started to fly off the handle after Toni Collette got yassified in a still from the horror film "Hereditary." Her transformation is almost more eerie than the movie itself.
imagine explaining this to someone not on twitter pic.twitter.com/916DOJCEHg
— 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 (@AguillardTrevor) November 10, 2021
Denver Adams, an art student in Nebraska, really took things up a notch by creating @YassifyBot on Twitter. Receiving thousands of requests, the Yassify Bot applies filter after filter, careful to not lighten skin tones so that people of color don't appear more Caucasian, which the app problematically does. Still, that doesn't stop them from applying crazy makeup and gender swapping. Cause why not?
The Yassify Bot magically turned Joe Biden into the Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World," with esteemed Vice President Kamala Kardashian by his side.
We’re so lucky to have them in office 🙏 pic.twitter.com/UO38MemKTF
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 13, 2021
Mrs. Doubtfire is now QUEEN Doubtfire. All hail the queen.
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 14, 2021
Honestly I thought Abraham Lincoln was attractive before. But now THIS. Hello SLAYbraham.
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 13, 2021
British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood is dishing out looks instead of handshakes.
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 15, 2021
The Doll from "Squid Game" is ready to slay more than just the players.
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 14, 2021
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out of here with that glam
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 15, 2021
As a Maggie Smith fan, this one was my particular favorite.
The Yassification of Professor Minerva McGonagall pic.twitter.com/4HG5Baj3Cw
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 13, 2021
Sorry, Mark Zuckerberg. Even as a beautiful woman, you cannot sell me the Metaverse.
— Yassify Bot (@YassifyBot) November 14, 2021
As with any successful meme, yassification has now evolved into the wordplay stage on Twitter.
two factor yassification
— alex (@alex_abads) November 15, 2021
The Yassification of Emily Rose 💅🏽 pic.twitter.com/8OwHURhinP
— Xmas Kun 🎄✨ (@Eizenclown) November 15, 2021
The trend is now a strange hybrid between satire and celebration. On the one hand, it begs us to look once again at the bizarre beauty standards we place on ourselves with all the digital enhancements at our disposal.
Adams told BuzzFeed News, "This app is genuinely used by people. I think there's a conversation to be had about how unhealthy that culture is." No doubt we're used to seeing this undeniably warped sense of beauty flood magazine covers and social media. Yassifying just takes it to the nth degree.
On the other hand, this flamboyant embrace of camp also reflects the performance art spirit of queer culture. Think of the dramatic drag shows, theatrical fashion, the viral limp wrist movement … even the term "YAS queen."
The real difference between the two sides is awareness. One is hiding behind a mask, and one is expressing authentically through the mask. Or in this case, filters.
Whether it actually changes the public's perspective on either subject, the yassification trend is at least serving up some laughs, along with some serious face.
- 'Everyone is Awesome': Lego is celebrating Pride month with its first ... ›
- Watch these reactions of people seeing relatives come 'back to life ... ›
- FaceApp just added 'ethnicity filters,' and it's going about as well as ... ›
- TikTok's new too-real beauty filter is a dangerous experiment - Upworthy ›
- Axis of Awesome's 'Four Chord Song' - Upworthy ›
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.