Drew Afualo Shares Why She Thinks People Have Been Drawn To Her TikTok Videos - Exclusive
Drew Afualo has gained a massive following on TikTok thanks to the videos she makes responding to misogynistic content. In her viral videos, Afualo pokes fun at the misogynists she responds to, making fun of their outdated opinions as well as belittling them with jokes about their height, hairlines, and more. Although some people may accuse Afualo of "bullying," her confident and humorous responses have earned her over 7 million followers on the app. Recently, she has also started a popular podcast called "The Comment Section," where she further explores feminism and other topics that interest her with weekly guests.
During an exclusive interview with The List, Afualo shared why she thinks so many people have been drawn to her content. Although she never expected to gain the following she has, Afualo is excited to keep making her videos and connecting with people through them. She said the work she does now is "truly like an honor and a privilege" that she hopes she can continue to grow.
Drew's viewers like to see her be 'mean back'
Drew Afualo has always been up-front in the video responses that she makes about bigoted content. Her TikTok videos making fun of misogynists are what has made her famous on the app. Afualo believes she started gaining so many followers from that content because "they really enjoyed how I respond to hate, especially hate that's inherently bigoted. They really liked how I was responding to it and how I was 'mean back.'"
Her fans like seeing her response videos so much that they often tag her in any bigoted content they see on the app, hoping that Afualo will make one of her take-down videos about it. At this point, she gets tagged in so many videos that she has to be selective in which ones she responds to. "My mentions are a cesspool," Afualo joked. "At this point, I basically prioritize men that I feel like need it more."
Her videos empower her fans
"My platform is a place where people can feel empowered and feel strong and feel confident," Drew Afualo said. At the same time she started making her viral response videos, she was also sharing stories about her boyfriend and how healthy their relationship is. "Those two things moving at the same time showed, especially women, that you can be as outspoken as I am about bigotry, about misogyny, in general, and still find a loving relationship with someone," Afualo said. "A lot of times, misogynists like to make you believe that you're never going to find love if you do that ... which is not the case. I'm living proof."
Since she started making her content pushing back against misogynists, Afualo said she's gotten lots of responses from women and other fans telling her that her videos have given them the strength to leave toxic situations and expect better treatment. "I get thousands of messages like that every single day and they inspire me. They pick me up when I feel like I don't want to do it anymore ... I feel like I'm constantly shoveling water out of a boat with a million holes in it, but people like that move me and inspire me and make me emotional, to be honest," Afualo said.
New episodes of "The Comment Section" podcast are available weekly on the "Past Your Bedtime" YouTube channel, as well as anywhere you get your podcasts.