DEEP DIVE

The connotations and definitions of the terms fuccboi, fucc boi, f**kboy, and f**k boy vary depending on context and their origins are contested.

Another definition of f**kboy connotes a boy or man who is disrespectful to women and a womanizer. This is correlated with stereotypes of obnoxious frat boys and “man wh*res” – men who are cavalier with their sexual relationships and do not care for their partners’ feelings. As this is one of a small set of male-specific insults, some women find the word to be a powerful counter to some of the many terms that can be used to degrade women. 

As Kara Brown argues in an article published in Jezebel, this definition is a misappropriation of black slang by white people. She explains:

“F*ckboy is a term that most will agree was first introduced publicly by the rapper Cam’ron and later became of the larger hip hop lexicon…To call someone a f**kboy is to insult them. It falls into a similar category of terms like b**ch-a** or scrub. A f**kboy is a man who is lame, who sucks, who ain’t s**t.”

According to Brown, in 2015, the term captured the interest of white journalists who wrote about the term solely in relation to its whitewashed definition, thus perpetuating the erasure of its origins in black slang. She argues:

“Whatever the reason, it must stop. In the latest wave, the term ‘f**kboy’ has unnecessarily been put under the microscope by confused white people, unaware that this language was never for them in the first place.”

“To be clear, white people can use black slang—provided they know what it means. But what you cannot do is appropriate words that we’ve established to mean something and change the language because you feel like it or, more likely, because you’re confused.”

F*ckboy and fuccboi are commonly used in online stan culture, following a larger trend of the appropriation of black slang and AAVE by white and non-black people of color in various fan circles.

While the different spellings: fuccboi and f**kboy are sometimes used interchangeably, there are also specific meanings for each stylization.

The term fuccboi is specific to mens fashion from around 2013. This version refers to a hypebeast-type who is obsessed with streetwear and expensive sneakers.

F*ckboy can have homophobic connotations and has different variations within the LGBTQ+ community including the “gay f**kboy” and “lesbian f**kboy.”

If you’re still confused about the definition of this term, know that it is usually (but not always) used as an insult.