Joint Study by Our Academics Published in a Q1 Journal

A collaborative study by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ece Ünür from the Department of Public Relations and Publicity at the Faculty of Business Administration, and Research Assistant Melisa Pirol has been published in The Journal of Men’s Studies, a Q1-ranked journal indexed in Scopus. The article is titled “TikTok’s ‘Princess Boys’ and the Concept of ‘Sharing Masculinity’: A New Masculinity Formation?”

The study explores the “princess boys” trend that has emerged on TikTok, focusing on how it is positioned within contemporary debates on masculinity. Based on an analysis of TikTok content, the research shows that men who openly express their emotions, advocate for the sharing of emotional and financial responsibilities in relationships, seek emotional support from their partners, and do not conform to conventional masculine norms are commonly referred to as “princess boys.”

The findings also suggest that gender norms are reproduced not only by men but also by women. In the context of romantic relationships, many female TikTok users were found to uphold traditional expectations of masculinity and to respond negatively to men who advocate for shared responsibility.

The study further argues that the concept of the “princess boy” extends beyond a social media label, reflecting an emerging form of masculinity that challenges traditional gender norms. Given its pejorative connotations, the authors propose the term “sharing masculinity” as a more constructive conceptual framework, offering a new perspective to masculinity and gender studies.