The meaning of Slay Queen

What is the meaning of slay queen?

The term slay queen or slay mama is quite popular these days. Slay queen refers to young ladies with lavish clothing and expensive possessions.

Ladies who seem to be overly materialistic regardless of their background and upbringing are those that society calls slay queens. 

Slay queen popularity

In recent times, with the aid of the Internet and social media, being a slay queen seems to have become a trend. Society seems to applaud the behavior of such young ladies with an overly materialistic view. This trend is especially common in Africa, and many individuals can testify to the fact that young ladies these days seem to have become much more flamboyant and extravagant than the young ladies of old. This behavior has slowly crept into society, becoming the norm.

Today, we see posts on social media and other media outlets of slay queens displaying their flamboyant outfits and lavish possessions, and these contents seem to garner the most engagement. Individuals seem to love attractive content and many young ladies aspire to become the subject that attracts attention. However, what could have led to this apparent beatification of slay queens which seems to have crept up on our society?

Below are a few reasons why I believe many ladies seem to embrace the endemic called 'slay queen'

1. The need to belong

The desire to fit into a particular set of individuals is instinctual to every person. This behavior is a normal human characteristic, however, if not controlled properly, it could lead to low self-esteem and depression. 

Many young people often fall into the trap of wanting to belong to a certain group of individuals, for acceptance- usually their peers- hence, end up making bad decisions that may have negative effects. This could also be said for young ladies who want to be accepted into the "slay queen" clique. 

Because of the need to belong, many of these young folks become needlessly materialistic, even when they come from a background that is not as well-to-do as they may appear to be. They are driven into the pursuit of extravagant possessions in order to fit into the clique.

2. Discontentment

This is another common factor that drives ladies to become slay queens. Many times, young individuals feel dissatisfied with themselves, hence, they look to external materialistic things to replace their lack of satisfaction. Some slay queens believe that acquiring these external possessions would help fill in the void within. 

Materialism usually tends to relieve us of our dissatisfaction, however, it is only temporal. Because of this, young ladies who seek the thrill of buying new things and showing them off, often tend to become slay queens. Although this behavior may have negative effects, society today sometimes seems to praise such deeds.

3. Favor from society

It is common knowledge to everyone that in our society today that the rich and well-off are always granted more attention than the less privileged. Society treats rich individuals as high and mighty, while the poor are neglected and often ignored. 

With this type of societal prejudice, it is no wonder why many young ladies who desire love and attention are driven to pursue a high status within society. Even if their wealth is make-believe, young girls don't mind as long as it gets them the desired results.

This is often a mentality amongst those popularly referred to as slay queens, and with good reason. Because the society we live in never fails to glorify them.

4. Greed 

Greed is the desire to have more of something that is not really needed. This selfish desire is very common amongst young individuals. This greed is usually driven by the desire to have what their peers have. Those who are overcome by this greed would do everything necessary to obtain fame, fortune, or attention. 

Because this greed is good for economies, those that benefit from it would tend to encourage those who are greedy for more possessions. Slay queens often fall into this category, and that is another reason why society would continue to encourage them.

5. Social media content

The world today has placed a lot of attention on social media. Businesses, artisans, organizations, and many others stand to gain a lot from this attention. However, attention seekers and those who desire fame also stand to gain a lot from the attention placed on social media.

Because of this desire for fame and attention, young ladies- especially those who aren't so well-to-do -often fall into the trap of creating a false image of themselves on social media by becoming slay queens. Their content often tends to attract engagement, hence, the need for a slay queen lifestyle.

6. Media promotion

It is common knowledge that whatever you feed the mind is what the body would automatically tend to gravitate towards. We often see many of our favorite celebrities, influencers, and even commercial ads, promoting the lifestyle of flamboyance. Due to this reason, many young ladies tend to emulate the attractive image promoted on screen. They believe that this behavior is encouraged by society, hence, the need to meet up to the standards placed by society. 

There is no doubt that the world today beatifies those who equip themselves with the lifestyle of flamboyance. Those with extravagant lifestyles are idolized, hence giving birth to an endemic of slay queens.