National Simp Day
Are you someone who longs to shut down toxic masculinity and, instead, honor the kinder, more empathetic aspects of very real men? In that case, National Simp Day is just for you!
Celebrate emotional intelligence and kindness in relationships by positioning affectionate gestures (flowers, gifts, experiences) as culturally progressive and desirable.
- Reframe 'simp' as a compliment: gift guides for thoughtful partners
- User-generated content: women sharing how they appreciate affectionate men in their lives
- Influencer takeovers: male creators defending emotional vulnerability and kindness
- Grassroots campaign: 'Toxic masculinity is out, genuine care is in'
National Simp Day was started just a few years ago, in the early 2020s.
It’s part of a movement that started online, specifically promoted by a Twitch user, to draw attention to the kind activities and good behavior of men who actually show affection to the women they care about!
Because it has been started as a grassroots effort, some different dates have come up for National Simp Day. This includes one in mid-April and even one on Valentine’s Day. But the most common date found around the internet is in early June.
The term ‘simp’ may be technically defined as a person who is silly or foolish, but in more modern times it has turned into something more along the lines of a person who shows excessive sympathy to another. This could include someone who is especially attentive or complimentary, especially to a woman.
‘Simp’, which may have evolved as a shortened form of ‘simpleton’, is a derogatory term that is used to insult men who have “gone soft” because of feminism.
The term made its debut over a century ago, but it evolved over the years and then came to the fore again in 2020 through the TikTok hashtag #SimpNation.
Simp can be used as a noun or a verb, but it may be used to indicate when a man goes overboard trying to gain a woman’s affections that have been previously ignored.
Show Affection
Get past the derogatory comments and remember that building a relationship requires affection, attention and compromise. Take this day to send flowers, cook a meal or make some other gesture of affection to the person you care about.
Thank a ‘Simp’
A person who has an affectionate man in their life can use this day to show gratitude back to him! Tell him how good it makes you feel to be cared for by him and be sure to shower him with some affection too.
Speak Out
National Simp Day works to raise awareness about the positive impact of being a “gentleman”. And it’s also an opportunity to speak up and out against the toxic vibes of masculinity that tend to underline our culture. If you hear a person being negatively called a ‘simp’, come to their defense and remind the accuser that it is admirable to treat other people well! National Simp Day Timeline1919“Simp” was recorded in early American slangThe word “simp” appears in early 20th-century American slang dictionaries as a clipped form of “simpleton,” referring to someone foolish or soft-minded. 1975“Simpleton” and related slang in major dictionariesLarge English dictionaries, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, document “simpleton” as a long‑standing term for a foolish person, providing the linguistic root from which “simp” derives. 1987Masculinity and dominance studied in psychologyPsychologist Donald L. Mosher publishes research on “masculine gender role stress,” exploring how rigid, dominance‑focused male roles can harm both men and their relationships. [1]1995“Chivalry” and the modern gentleman reexaminedScholars in gender studies and history analyze medieval chivalry as a code that mixed courtly respect for women with hierarchy and control, shaping later ideas of the “gentleman.” [1]2008“Toxic masculinity” enters wider discourseGender scholars and journalists begin using the term “toxic masculinity” more widely to describe culturally promoted male behaviors like emotional suppression and aggression that damage mental health and relationships. 2013Twitch popularizes parasocial “simping” for streamersAs Twitch grows, viewers increasingly spend money and attention on streamers they admire or desire, and community slang evolves to label some of this behavior as “simping.” 2020#Simp and #SimpNation trend on TikTokOn TikTok, hashtags like #simp and #simpnation explode in popularity, turning “simp” into a mainstream term that can mock perceived excessive devotion but is also reclaimed playfully or positively.
“Simp” was recorded in early American slang
The word “simp” appears in early 20th-century American slang dictionaries as a clipped form of “simpleton,” referring to someone foolish or soft-minded.
“Simpleton” and related slang in major dictionaries
Large English dictionaries, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, document “simpleton” as a long‑standing term for a foolish person, providing the linguistic root from which “simp” derives.
Masculinity and dominance studied in psychology
Psychologist Donald L. Mosher publishes research on “masculine gender role stress,” exploring how rigid, dominance‑focused male roles can harm both men and their relationships. [1]
“Chivalry” and the modern gentleman reexamined
Scholars in gender studies and history analyze medieval chivalry as a code that mixed courtly respect for women with hierarchy and control, shaping later ideas of the “gentleman.” [1]
“Toxic masculinity” enters wider discourse
Gender scholars and journalists begin using the term “toxic masculinity” more widely to describe culturally promoted male behaviors like emotional suppression and aggression that damage mental health and relationships.
Twitch popularizes parasocial “simping” for streamers
As Twitch grows, viewers increasingly spend money and attention on streamers they admire or desire, and community slang evolves to label some of this behavior as “simping.”
#Simp and #SimpNation trend on TikTok
On TikTok, hashtags like #simp and #simpnation explode in popularity, turning “simp” into a mainstream term that can mock perceived excessive devotion but is also reclaimed playfully or positively.