Midlife guide to... broflake
Is this some kind of misogynistic ice cream? Not quite. You’ve heard of the term “snowflake” (for the uninitiated, it’s used to describe oversensitive, narcissistic millennials who are lacking in resilience); well, millennials have hit back with this term to describe a particularly irritating brand of older man. So what kind of bloke qualifies as a broflake? The Urban Dictionary defines him as: “A straight male offended by any feminist or ethnic activity that is not directly designed for him.” Broflakes tend to be high-profile men who don’t like change, take criticism personally and, when wronged, can be relied upon to fire off impetuous and often hysterical tweets. How do I tell if I have accidentally begun engaging with one? Look out for anyone who is liable to ask questions such as: “What about the male pay gap?” or “I don’t understand why women are so upset – they’re doing all right.” Which high-profile men would meet the broflake criteria? President Donald J Trump, below, is, without a doubt, broflake-in-chief, while Piers Morgan can also be counted as part of the gang. Essentially, a broflake is any man who cannot cope with being contradicted. How do I handle a broflake? They will call you “emotional” if you overreact in the face of pigheadedness, so you must keep your cool. Their speciality is baiting their victims and then undermining them. Don’t give them the opportunity to say you’re over-sensitive. Instead, stay calm as they work themselves up into an embarrassing frenzy. Words: Eleanor Steafel