BEAUTY
The 'It Girls' Of The Season Are Making NFL Boyfriends Cool Again
By BRIE SCHMIDT
"It girls," like model and influencer Alex Earle, singer Taylor Swift, and pro-soccer player Brittany Mahomes, are showing their pride for their "NFL man."
The soft boy concept has been around for a few years, describing men who use their intellect and sensitivity as a front to lure in women but lack the emotional maturity to commit.
While the soft boy seems like the perfect match for many feminist, mental health-focused women, trauma therapist Shannon Thomas says they're a covert version of a narcissist.
As more women get burned by soft boys, they may be more open to their antithesis. This beefy gym bro makes no mention of highbrow topics and faux emotionality.
If toxic masculinity had a mascot, it might be a muscly man who's competitive, aggressive, and violent, which, let's be honest, sounds a lot like your standard football player on the field.
The men of the NFL are increasingly modeling healthy masculinity and an authentic sensitivity that the soft boy lacks by speaking against misogyny and discussing mental health.
Today's NFL boyfriends embrace powerful women, unafraid to share the spotlight. The "it girls" aren't at the games to look cute; they're there as half of a power couple.