DEEP DIVE

Wokefishing is a riff off catfishing that refers to someone acting woke to boost their attractiveness and credibility. The term’s first mainstream usage was in a Vice UK article by Serena Smith titled “Have You Been ‘Wokefished’ While Dating? Here’s How to Tell.” The article describes a trend of people, often men, feigning wokeness or an interest in social issues and progressive politics in order to gain the trust and interest of potential romantic and sexual partners. This behavior can be a manipulative tactic intended to lure someone into a relationship based on false pretenses. It can be used as a veil by people who harbor hateful beliefs.