Words by Kayra Hidirlar PZ ’28, Graphic by Sylvie Simmons PZ ’29

From celebrities to cartoon characters and even inanimate objects, people have been admitting to having the most bizarre crushes recently, courtesy of the “Hear me out trend.” In case you haven’t been keeping up, a hear-me-out is an unconventional attraction — something that makes people gasp in surprise and wonder, “How can that be possible?” The chaotic and unpredictable nature of the crush is what this trend thrives on; basically, the weirder and more unexpected, the better.

This trend has in fact blown up so much that Instagram reels and TikToks have depicted people revealing their hear-me-outs by placing printed pictures of them onto a cake. Due to its amplification on social media, the hear-me-out trend has become a significant part of how young people today express, connect, and debate over their unusual and niche interests. So, now the lingering question remains: how does this trend influence Gen Z culture and what does it reveal about us as a generation?

To start, the absurdity of the trend is why it has captured so much attention. It is more than just a bunch of random shared confessions, because it also contributes to an environment that encourages individuality, humor, and self-expression.

Students across the 5Cs have confessed to having a wide variety of weird attractions, demonstrating how common it is to have a “hear-me-out” in the first place. For Daliah Gressel PZ ‘28, it is “Sally the car,” who garners their attraction, noting that Sally is “also known as the Clairo car.” In a similar nature, Sofia Malhas SC ‘28 revealed that her hear-me-out is “Sulley from Monsters University.” Even a student, who wished to remain anonymous, said that “ChatGPT” is “the closest thing [they] have to a boyfriend at this point.”

By openly admitting these unconventional attractions, it creates a culture where –– however bizarre –– people can have the space to talk and joke about their quirky interests. This collective humor bonds us together and makes people feel comfortable to tap into their weird side without judgement. We all know that these crushes are ridiculous and this is the essence of why it works: it reduces the social pressure associated with talking about our interests.

On a wider note, the trend reveals how Gen Z embraces the unusual and encourages people to express themselves in ways that feel empowering to each individual. The generation has been known to place a high emphasis on celebrating anything non-mainstream, whether it be buying secondhand clothing or supporting local businesses. While the hear-me-out trend may not be identical to these movements, there is still the common value of giving way for the unconventional and breaking traditional norms that define the generation.  

Beyond the laughs and ridiculousness, hear-me-outs also reveal the ways in which people fall for media figures, including celebrities, as well as characters from movies, TV shows, and video games. Known as parasocial relationships, they are a big part of life for Gen Z, being a generation that basically lives online. 

Joseph Woo Chan PZ ‘27, a staff writer for The Outback, admitted that his “hear-me-out is JYP,” as according to him, “his visuals” are “above the Korean beauty standard.” For Sadie Parker PZ ‘28, who harbors a crush on “the painter from Gossip Harbor” and for another anonymous student who is attracted to “Bob Duncan from Good Luck Charlie,” these examples perfectly depict these parasocial relationships with prominent figures online. Together, they reveal how people form one-sided attachments to digital personalities, despite not being accessible.

The trend also sparks lighthearted debates about people’s hear-me-outs. People often find themselves jokingly disagreeing on whether they can “see the vision” or even whether a crush counts as a hear-me-out. In fact, my own childhood crush on Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon –– who was also my gay awakening –– often had my friends telling me that he is too conventionally attractive to be considered a hear-me-out –– which is a fair argument. However, this only adds to my point that the trend has fostered opportunities for people to bond and playfully debate over pop culture figures. 

These examples show how hear-me-outs can give opportunities for people to connect over their shared attachments and bond over pop culture. In a generation where we rely highly on technology and media, the hear-me-out trend reflects the ways Gen Z communicates, socializes, and expresses themselves through the content they consume. 

From the most absurd crushes to parasocial relationships, the hear-me-out trend does more than just let people talk about their unusual attractions. It reveals a lot about Gen Z culture — how our generation embraces individuality and self-expression, how we engage with the media through our debates, funny conversations, our sense of humor, and how we bond with one another through sharing our niche interests. The hear-me-out trend is a medium for Gen Z to express their creative and slightly chaotic sides, embracing the unconventional parts of life.

“Sulley from Monsters University…He has the personality… of a guy I would totally waste my time with.” – Sofia Malhas SC ‘28

“The painter from gossip harbor… he gives hot sexy man vibes.” – Sadie Parker PZ ‘28

“My hear me out is ChatGPT. He’s the closest thing I have to a boyfriend at this point.” – Anonymous speaker

“My hear me out is Sally the car from Cars. Also known as the Clairo car.” – Daliah Gressel PZ ‘28

“Bob Duncan from Good Luck Charlie. He gets buff halfway through the show.” – Anonymous speaker

“Ms. Ferris my highschool Pilates teacher.” – Maxfield Ney PZ ‘28

“Will Weber” – Anonymous speaker

“My first hear me out is JYP. He’s the CEO of what we call one of the big three companies in K Pop…His visuals are like above the Korean beauty standard.” – Joseph Woo Chan PZ ‘27