Ayra Starr’s reveal of the cover art for her forthcoming album StarrGirl has ignited a cultural moment: male fans across Nigeria are donning the gele, a traditional headwrap typically reserved for women, and sharing the results widely on social media.
The purple-themed artwork, which pays homage to the 24-year-old singer’s Yoruba heritage, quickly inspired a wave of creative responses, including animations, paintings, and a dedicated purple star filter. Among the most visible reactions is a trend of young men styling and wearing the gele, a headpiece historically associated with femininity in Nigerian society.
A Trend Takes Hold
On platforms such as TikTok and X, male supporters of the artist have posted videos and images of themselves tying the gele in various styles. The trend has drawn attention not only for its visual flair but also for its implicit challenge to rigid gender expectations in a country where expressions of femininity by men are often met with harassment or violence.
Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), signed into law in 2014, is frequently cited as reinforcing a climate of hostility toward gender non-conformity. In this context, the willingness of young men to publicly embrace a traditionally feminine accessory marks a notable cultural shift.
Ayra Starr’s Message of Non-Conformity
The trend aligns with the artist’s stated ethos. In 2022, while discussing her single “Cast” from the debut album 19 & Dangerous, Ayra Starr said the song was “for anyone tired of living life by a template made by society” and “for anyone who dares to be different.” Her work has consistently championed boundless self-expression, both lyrically and through her fashion choices.
For some fans, that message has had a personal impact. Modesayo, a visual artist who created a viral purple StarrGirl filter, said the singer’s music influenced his self-perception. “I listen to them and subconsciously emulate that attitude towards how I approach life. I’m more confident in my skills, designs, and myself,” he said.
Fans Speak Out
Jasper, 22, who participated in the trend by wearing an intricately styled gele in a Nigerian lecture hall, said he was unfazed by the scrutiny. “I was not afraid of anything. Listening to Ayra just makes you want to sing, and representing the young Nigerians in the international space is inspirational for me.”
Mark, another young supporter, noted that watching Ayra Starr break out in a male-dominated industry drew him in. “We only had Gen Z boys when she came; it was just so interesting to see a girl being so cool and still doing what she needs to do with music. I don’t exactly care what people would say. Putting on a Gele as a trend is not something I’ll [ever] be afraid of doing.”
Historical Precedents of Gender Fluidity
The notion that feminine presentation in African men is inherently un-African overlooks a more complex history. Across the continent, ideas about masculinity have varied widely. The Sapeurs of Brazzaville, a Congolese subculture that influenced Black dandyism, are known for incorporating pastel colors and silk scarves into their attire. The Wadoobe, a pastoralist subgroup of the Fulani dating to the 11th century, place great value on elaborate jewelry and bold makeup.
Lesiba Mabitsela, cofounder of the African Fashion Research Institute, noted that “we have to think about how much of our ways of being are attributed to the colony, and how we continue to perpetuate those acts of being in the post-colony.”
The Yan Dauda and Shifting Norms
In Northern Nigeria, the Yan Dauda group, once prestigious for their association with the Bori cult, an indigenous Hausa religion that gave status to otherness, represents another example of non-linear masculinity. Their declining social status and increased stigmatization illustrate how colonial legal systems and religious reforms enforced rigid gender categories.
An older-generation Yan Daudu, Saadaat (56), is said to wear discreet eyelashes and mild makeup in public to avoid trouble. His student, Nour, a younger-generation Yan Daudu, said, “At home, if I feel happy, I dress fully, with heavy makeup, and just dance,” referencing the restrictions imposed by Sharia penal codes enacted across 12 Northern Nigerian states in 2000.
