Big Dick Energy

2018catchphraseclassic

Big Dick Energy (BDE) is an internet slang term for quiet, effortless confidence that doesn't need to announce itself. The phrase went viral in June 2018 after Ariana Grande appeared to confirm details about her then-fiancé Pete Davidson, sparking days of Twitter debate over who did and didn't have it.

slang memesinternet slang origin memescelebrity nickname memes2018 memesdouble entendre memes

Overview

Big Dick Energy, often shortened to BDE, is an internet slang term for quiet, effortless confidence1. The Verge defined it as an idea that both references and moves past the old association between penis size and masculinity, since actually having a penis is not required1. Twitter user @priya_ebooks summed it up as 'confidence without cockiness,' the definition that stuck through the days of debate that followed3.

The label gets applied to people, characters, and vibes rather than a specific image format. Vice ran examples of who qualified, arguing that figures like Bob Ross, Carmen Sandiego, and Oscar the Grouch had BDE while Marvel Cinematic Universe characters did not6. Rihanna, Cardi B, and Cate Blanchett were also floated as public figures with it1.

How It Spread

On June 22nd, 2018, Ariana Grande posted a since-deleted tweet that appeared to confirm her fiancé Pete Davidson had a 10-inch penis1. That same day, Twitter user @babyvietcong used 'big dick energy' to explain why Grande had gotten engaged to Davidson after only a few weeks of dating, pulling in over 24,000 retweets and 162,000 likes3.

Over the next few days, Twitter turned into an open debate about the definition. Users generally agreed BDE was not about anatomy, with @rey_z pointing to Rihanna and Cardi B as examples of women who had it3. Coverage came from The Verge1, Daily Dot5, and Vice6, with each writer publishing their own taxonomy of who qualified.

By late July 2018, a companion term called Horse Girl Energy spread as a feminine counterpart. Mashable defined Horse Girl Energy as being 'blissfully clueless about the world' and argued that, like BDE, it transcended gender2.

How to Use This Meme

People typically apply BDE as a verdict on anyone giving off calm, self-assured energy, without needing them to actually be male. Common convention is to tweet a person, character, or scenario followed by 'big dick energy' as the label, or to debate whether someone qualifies. Cate Blanchett, Bob Ross, and Rihanna are frequently cited examples1. The weak flip side, per Urban Dictionary, is 'chode' or 'chode energy,' used for the opposite vibe4.

Frequently Asked Questions

Big Dick Energy

2018catchphraseclassic

Big Dick Energy (BDE) is an internet slang term for quiet, effortless confidence that doesn't need to announce itself. The phrase went viral in June 2018 after Ariana Grande appeared to confirm details about her then-fiancé Pete Davidson, sparking days of Twitter debate over who did and didn't have it.

slang memes internet slang origin memes celebrity nickname memes 2018 memes double entendre memes

Overview

Big Dick Energy, often shortened to BDE, is an internet slang term for quiet, effortless confidence1. The Verge defined it as an idea that both references and moves past the old association between penis size and masculinity, since actually having a penis is not required1. Twitter user @priya_ebooks summed it up as 'confidence without cockiness,' the definition that stuck through the days of debate that followed3.

The label gets applied to people, characters, and vibes rather than a specific image format. Vice ran examples of who qualified, arguing that figures like Bob Ross, Carmen Sandiego, and Oscar the Grouch had BDE while Marvel Cinematic Universe characters did not6. Rihanna, Cardi B, and Cate Blanchett were also floated as public figures with it1.

How It Spread

On June 22nd, 2018, Ariana Grande posted a since-deleted tweet that appeared to confirm her fiancé Pete Davidson had a 10-inch penis1. That same day, Twitter user @babyvietcong used 'big dick energy' to explain why Grande had gotten engaged to Davidson after only a few weeks of dating, pulling in over 24,000 retweets and 162,000 likes3.

Over the next few days, Twitter turned into an open debate about the definition. Users generally agreed BDE was not about anatomy, with @rey_z pointing to Rihanna and Cardi B as examples of women who had it3. Coverage came from The Verge1, Daily Dot5, and Vice6, with each writer publishing their own taxonomy of who qualified.

By late July 2018, a companion term called Horse Girl Energy spread as a feminine counterpart. Mashable defined Horse Girl Energy as being 'blissfully clueless about the world' and argued that, like BDE, it transcended gender2.

How to Use This Meme

People typically apply BDE as a verdict on anyone giving off calm, self-assured energy, without needing them to actually be male. Common convention is to tweet a person, character, or scenario followed by 'big dick energy' as the label, or to debate whether someone qualifies. Cate Blanchett, Bob Ross, and Rihanna are frequently cited examples1. The weak flip side, per Urban Dictionary, is 'chode' or 'chode energy,' used for the opposite vibe4.

Frequently Asked Questions