Wokefishing

What is wokefishing?

Pretending to have progressive political views

Wokefishing is the act of pretending to hold progressive political views, typically to attract potential dates on online dating apps. It is a portmanteau of woke, which means "to be aware of social issues," and catfishing, which is the act of assuming a false identity.

Where does wokefishing come from?

In July 2020, writer Serena Smith published a VICE.com article titled Have You Been 'Wokefished' While Dating? Here's How to Tell. In the article, Smith defined wokefishing as being "when people masquerade as holding progressive political views to ensnare potential partners." Smith went on to detail her own and others' encounters with wokefishing. According to Smith, wokefishing's prevalence has increased as social injustices become more apparent and important to more people.

How is wokefishing used?

Wokefishing can be used to describe any instance in which a person (typically a man) pretends to be progressive to snag a date or chase clout. Wokefishing is similar to performative activism, but is more often performed on a 1-to-1 basis.

Example

I went out with this guy Bill who said he was an SJW 12 times in his profile ... I should've known he was wokefishing
Watch out for those wokefishers
Watch out for those wokefishers

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Updated April 1, 2021

Wokefishing definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the slang term "Wokefishing" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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