Comedian Ashley Hesseltine, the brains behind the Instagram account 'Bros Being Basic' is well aware of the irony that has grown around the concept of being 'basic.' What began as a snooty insult that poked fun at middle-class, basic white girls who blindly follow mainstream trends, it took on a life of its own as more people became familiar with it.
Over time, girls who love pumpkin lattes, pouty selfies in Instagram photos, leggings and all the other things associated with being mainstream decided simply not to care and started to celebrate their basicness instead. And because one of the main characteristics of being basic is not knowing that you are basic, this self-awareness took the sting out of the insult completely. Because why should anyone be looked down upon for the things they choose to like?
“The reaction has been nothing but positive,” Ashley told Bored Panda. “It almost feels more like paying homage to women instead of mocking them. I'm a female and a feminist, so I'm naturally able to create content that's not going to be offensive to women, and on top of that, our awesome female followers can laugh at themselves and their own "basic" tendencies.” “Parodies done in the right way are always funny, and the content is just so relatable to both sexes. And at the end of the day, a lot of the content isn't even guys mocking girls or reversing the gender roles -- it's them being themselves. Guys can be JUST as basic and thirsty as girls on Insta!”
Ashley got the idea for the page back in 2014, when the 'basic' trend started to take off. “I had an idea for a post on my blog, What If Guys Acted Like Girls on Instagram?” she told us. “I recruited all my guy friends to create the Basic Bros photos for me, and when the blog started going viral, the idea for the funny Instagram account was born. I (with the help of my friend Travis May) launched the account on Thanksgiving Eve, and it blew up immediately.”
Such is the popularity of our Basic Bros (865k followers on Insta and counting), we have previously featured them here and here. But now we've decided that it is high time for some more! Scroll down below to check the funny photos out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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This is sort of off topic, but whoever took these photos is an amazing photographer!
I'm gay so I know what I'm talking about .... Calling them "girls" is a sign of respect in a kitchy sort of way.
Lovin the santa skirts And that guy in the corner in front of the lamp...
Guy in the blue seems the only one comfortable grabbing another guys a*s.
the pensive pose, contemplating the universe, when really thinking about dinner tonight
All of these "#notallgirls" posts are kind of a bummer. Ladies...they are kidding. Lighten the hell up, it is good-hearted fun and I am sure they are smart enough to know that not all 3.8 billion females on Earth act this way.
And there it is, the #NotAllGirls crowd who cant just take as light-hearted humor.
They don't wear pants?? * goes to get college kid out of bed to make sure she wears pants on campus *
I actually have done this with couple of my classmates at the same time in massage's class 😂 other's were looking at us like wtf
Honestly Belle and Snow White are slaying! All the other ones are too! We need a gender bent version of Disney movies ASAP.
What sort of advice is that? Pretty sure I can't make money off of eating food and looking at pictures of cats
I'm taking votes: Who wants to see a parody of the pics men post on dating websites and probably instagram and bombard women with via private message? Smooching my did-i-just-get-out-of-jail biceps, trying to look slightly clueless in the hope someone will take care of me, or maybe a more menacing expression to try and look 'hard', an in-car selfie to show that I have a car, selfie lifting a big weight at the gym, now i'm wearing a vest that shows of my tats, i paid for them myself you see, now in this one i'm wearing a suit to imply I should command respect, now sucking in my beer belly or maybe on my expensive bicycle wearing excessive amounts of lycra for the distance travelled, cuddling a dog that isn't actually mine in order to seem more approachable, pretending to play a guitar because I only know 3 cords, and last but not least, here's a grotesque closeup of my hairy flaps that you definitely did not ask for!
Great idea, would that be parody including woman dressed up and posing for that? I'm up to take a part in it. Also I had an idea of doing "tinder rates" like for a trip advisor rating this types of guys.
Load More Replies...I think they're adorable. While clearly they're parodying a certain female stereotype, most of them look to me like a bunch of guys having fun with their friends, breaking down gender roles.
Load More Replies...I like it. But to be fair, I can as well imagine a collection of photos "women acting like men" ;)
I'd be interested to see that too. But I don't think they'd have as much material to work with since guys generally don't take as many photos. At least no one in my group do. I can't speak for others.
Load More Replies...I'm taking votes: Who wants to see a parody of the pics men post on dating websites and probably instagram and bombard women with via private message? Smooching my did-i-just-get-out-of-jail biceps, trying to look slightly clueless in the hope someone will take care of me, or maybe a more menacing expression to try and look 'hard', an in-car selfie to show that I have a car, selfie lifting a big weight at the gym, now i'm wearing a vest that shows of my tats, i paid for them myself you see, now in this one i'm wearing a suit to imply I should command respect, now sucking in my beer belly or maybe on my expensive bicycle wearing excessive amounts of lycra for the distance travelled, cuddling a dog that isn't actually mine in order to seem more approachable, pretending to play a guitar because I only know 3 cords, and last but not least, here's a grotesque closeup of my hairy flaps that you definitely did not ask for!
Great idea, would that be parody including woman dressed up and posing for that? I'm up to take a part in it. Also I had an idea of doing "tinder rates" like for a trip advisor rating this types of guys.
Load More Replies...I think they're adorable. While clearly they're parodying a certain female stereotype, most of them look to me like a bunch of guys having fun with their friends, breaking down gender roles.
Load More Replies...I like it. But to be fair, I can as well imagine a collection of photos "women acting like men" ;)
I'd be interested to see that too. But I don't think they'd have as much material to work with since guys generally don't take as many photos. At least no one in my group do. I can't speak for others.
Load More Replies...