Toxic relationships are prompting women to go ‘boysober’ and the internet is loving it

Long-suffering single people have had a lot to put up with: Attachment styles, red flags, beige flags, icks, negging, situationships. But now – finally – there’s a dating trend which doesn’t revolve around suffering— Going boysober.

Yup, you read that right. In 2024, the internet decided we were all going fully into relationship rehabilitation mode. So, in case that’s the kind of peace and tranquility you can get behind, here’s why everybody online is making a mass exodus from the dating game:

Erm, so why is everybody online seemingly going boysober?

@carlygalluzzo

I’ve never been happier #boysober #nodating #single

♬ original sound – Carls

To put it simply, 2023 was a hellscape year for dating. And, after getting absolutely no where with dwindling dating apps and pathological liars many women have simply decided to protect their peace and give up looking for love altogether.  “After the dates I’ve been on, I decided to be single forever,” explained one TikTok user. “The peace is unbelievable,” added another of the benefits.

Ok so, how do you actually become boysober?

@justhopinalong

The official boysober rules lmk if you had questions or feedback

♬ original sound – Hope Woodard

Hope Woodard, one of the pioneers of going boysober on TikTok outlined the regulations of the trend: “These are the 2024 boysober rules,” she said. “No dating apps, no dates, no exes, no situationships. My whole life I’ve been saying ‘oh, I’m single. I’m single.’ But no, I’ve never been single because you’re not single if someone is taking up your brain space. Okay?”

So, what exactly are the benefits of going boysober?

@grandma_droniak

these might make you live for too long i dont know #lifeadvice #grandma #relationshipadvice #lifehacks #notesapp #rules #tipsandtricks

♬ original sound – grandma_droniak

Look, I’m not saying that your situationship is taking years off your life – but I’m also not not saying that. Because, when asked for advice on how to live longer, one 109-year-old Scottish woman called Jessie Gallan told reporters: “Staying away from men. They’re just more trouble than they’re worth.”

“Made sure that I got plenty of exercise, eat a nice warm bowl of porridge every morning and have never gotten married,” she added. Sounds dreamy, tbh.

And what if I don’t want to be boysober for 2024?

https://www.tiktok.com/@conceitedfakeblonde/video/7319537787773013294

If you’re not jumping onto the boysober trend, then your only option really is to have 75 boyfriends instead. True love is out. Celibacy or surface level relationships are in. This is the gospel, according to TikTok. Amen.

For all the latest viral memes, music and reality TV and entertainment news and gossip, like Pop Culture Shrine on Facebook.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• A thread of men discussing how much they ‘hate’ their girlfriends has horrified the internet

• Let’s ride: Girls on TikTok are taking parts of their ex-boyfriends’ cars for revenge

• If you’re ready to not sleep at night, this car park puzzle has left everyone flummoxed