The term “mewing” may sound related to cats, but you’d be sorely mistaken. Originally stemming from a facial exercise technique, the mewing meme has exploded on TikTok, with hundreds of users sharing jawline transformation videos.
In this article, we’ll delve deeper into the social media craze that has recently resurfaced, from when it first started to why it has faced a backlash from school teachers.
What Is Mewing?
The term “mewing” first appeared online when a British orthodontist, Mike Mew, began promoting orthotropics (dentistry branch correcting facial growth) as an alternative to traditional orthodontics.
According to WebMD, mewing is a tongue exercise in which you flatten your tongue so that it rests against the roof of your mouth (1). Holding your tongue in this position for extended periods supposedly alters the shape and structure of your jawline.
Although this technique has only been proven effective for children aged 5-10 whose jawlines are still developing, videos began surfacing far and wide with teens sharing Mew’s ideas for jawline improvement.
Online Spread
Mike Mew’s presentation appeared on YouTube channel 21 Studios on March 19, 2014. In it, Mew shared research comparing orthotropics to orthodontics.
The video then spread to the RedPillTalk Forums (previously known as S***hate), and on June 17, 2014, Mew uploaded a video in response on YouTube.
A post was added to the RedPillTalk Forums in October 2014, asking if any updates had been made on the subject, to which Mew did not respond.
On April 13, 2018, YouTuber Astro Sky uploaded a video titled “Why Mewing Is Important To All!” demonstrating how the mewing technique dramatically improved his jawline.
Later the same year, on September 22, a YouTube channel called Orthotropics featured a video titled “Doing Mewing,” in which Mike Mew demonstrated how to mew correctly.
On January 19, 2019, previously mentioned YouTuber Astro Sky uploaded another popular video titled “Mewing For Beginners,” explaining the basics of mewing for those new to the practice.
The mewing trend has spawned countless internet memes; we’ve compiled some of the most popular ones below.
Mewing vs. Conventional Methods
Image credits:
“I Ain’t NoGigachad”
Squidword’s Mewing Transformation
Image credits:reddit.com
Generational Struggles
Jota Kujo Before and After Mewing
Mewing Trend Spin-Off Takes Over Schools
There has been a recent development of mewing among school students. According to TikTok user @mr_lindsay_sped, teenagers and preteens are now using mewing as an excuse to avoid engaging with their teachers, showcasing the mewing technique as the reason for their inability to speak.
Replying to @Ohmygoodness Don’t let them hit you with the 🤫🤫🤫! 😂 This one is called#mewingand thisnis what it is!#genalpha#slang#genz#middleschoolslang#teach#teachersoftiktok#teacherfyp#highschoolteacher#middleschoolteacher#mewing
♬ original sound – Mr. Lindsay
What is the “mewing” gesture, why are students mewing their teachers, and why is it harmful and disruptive to the learning environment?#teacher
♬ original sound – Newman Music Academy is on YT
Newman believes the mewing trend aims to embarrass adults, especially teachers, and goes as far as to say that mewing “is probably gonna be the final reason I will decide to never to return to the classroom to teach ever again.”
Is Mewing Still Popular?
Mewing Tutorial ⚜️ App used for rating – TrueRateMe AI ✨🦅#fyp#jawline#glowup#glowuptips#mewing#mewingtutorial#foryoupage#gotoforyou#elegantboy✨🦅
♬ original sound – Mizerki Audios
FAQ
What does mewing mean in slang?
According to the Urban Dictionary, theterm “mewing” has more than one meaning in slang. However, the most relevant one to our story could be described as “the practice of using proper tongue posture to improve facial beauty and fix malocclusion of the teeth (4).”
Can mewing too much be bad?
In her article “Can Mewing Reshape Your Face” on Health, Carley Millhone suggests that you should avoid restructuring your face without consulting a healthcare provider. However, she also notes that as little evidence exists to show that mewing works, it’s unlikely to be a risky practice (5).
References
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