DEEP DIVE

What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room… or does it?

The Avengers: Endgame spoiler ban has been lifted and in addition to the expected surge of Marvel memes, there’s been a surprising uptick in locker room memes on Reddit.

These memes roast the experience of being in a locker room as a teen or young adult. In most cases, the memes are specific to the “boys’ locker room” and/or “girls’ locker room” and play off different gender stereotypes and nostalgia.

[yeeted] from r/dankmemes

Boys’ Locker Room Memes

Some memes focus specifically on ideas and behaviors associated with the boys’ locker room. Like this one which features a screenshot from a controversial Gillette ad.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmx2n1/people_like_locker_room_memes_now_right/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmv71v/you_know_im_right/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmxbyb/it_do_be_like_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

More often than not, “boys’ locker room” memes portray males to be rowdy, combative, and physically dirty.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmxjkz/im_bad_at_photoshop/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

What Millennial could forget the overwhelming smell of Axe body spray in the locker room circa mid-2000’s? #Overit

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmwgih/a_different_take_on_the_locker_rooms/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmvbn7/objective_survive/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Boys’ vs. Girls’ Locker Room Memes

Perhaps the most popular take on the meme involves a comparison between the genders:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmwdbj/reach_for_that_axe_body_spray/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmuccj/complete_chaos/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Many of these memes drag girls for being basic.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmu3j1/hmmmmm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmxajw/the_original_battle_royale/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

While some of these gender comparison memes appear to be made in good fun, others come across as sexist judgment.

Several of the memes involving the girls’ locker room convey the message that women are less focused on athleticism and more concerned with petty gossip and dating.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmv849/a_classic/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

This image macro from Dank Memes exemplifies the power struggles between men and women which go far beyond the locker room.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmua2u/after_pe/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Several versions of this meme use various activities associated predominantly with men to show the difference between the girls’ and boys’ locker rooms.

For example, these memes which utilize screen grabs from the video game, Minecraft.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmu9ri/buzzfeed_bad/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmupol/the_original_battle_royale/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

It’s clear that the majority of these memes were created by men to be shared with men. Despite the fact that the United States is split 49% male to 51% female, over two-thirds of Reddit users identify as male.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmtwzu/locker_room_memes_are_funny_right/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmwy62/omg_becky/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

To be fair, several Redditors avoided any attempts to capture the female locker room experience.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmxrb8/honestly_sick_of_the_meme_already_after_a_hour/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmw6ux/you_have_5_seconds_to_ban_this_meme/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmxofi/n_o_p_e/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

After all, it’s safe to say that most people probably have not experienced both the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms in their lifetime.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmz2jo/something_real_whack_goin_on_here/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Anti-Locker Room Memes

What’s interesting to note is the confusion associated with these memes.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmvjrl/they_are_funny_and_i_really_understand_them/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmv8cs/im_missing_something/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmvze2/outta_no_where/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

What with the recent release of several blockbuster films, even meme-makers seem to be shocked by the surprise stream of locker room memes.

Whatever happened to Endgame memes?

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmx9zv/how_was_your_guys_day/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmvxnv/seriously_though_stop/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmvcvg/every_time_i_wake_up/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

While it’s unclear where locker room memes came from or why they’ve suddenly gone viral, it’s looking like anti-locker room memes are proving just as popular.

Talk about ironic AF.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/bmyugb/i_too_am_extraordinarily_humble/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x