(At the top of the cartoon, large cartoon-style letters spell out “NECKBEARD.” Each letter is growing stubble hairs out of its lowest third.)
(Behind all the panels is a large drawing of a fat person, mostly in darkness. The person has an exaggerated neck, and has stubble covering their lip, chin, and neck.)
Panel 1
(BARRY – a fat white man with glasses, pulled-back hair in a ponytail, and a t-shirt with an exclamation point on it, is speaking directly to the reader. Barry’s face has a lot of stubble.)
CAPTION: What’s a “Neckbeard?”
BARRY: Maybe you’ve never heard the word “neckbeard.”
But in some corners of the internet, it’s a common insult.
Panel 2
(A close-up on Barry’s neck shows a lot of stubble growing there.)
BARRY: Taken literally, neckbeard just means someone with beard hairs growing on his neck.
Panel 3
(The word “loser” appears floating in the air around Barry’s head, with Barry’s head taking the place of the “O.”)
BARRY: But what’s inplied is that he’s a fat loser, lives in a basement, never had a girlfriend, and so on.
Panel 4
(A full-color drawing, drawn in a different style than the rest of the comic, is shown in this panel. The drawing depicts a fat, unshaven, shirtless man sitting in a windowless room that feels like a basement, laughing as he types on his computer. A poster in the background says “Internet Arguments Won” and has fifty handdrawn checkmarks; other decorations include a picture of Richard Dawkins, a fedora lying on the desk, a My Little Pony figurine, and a few atheist logos.)
BARRY (off-panel): Here’s a popular drawing – I don’t know who the artist is, sorry – of a “neckbeard.” You get the idea.
Panel 5
(Barry stands between a bald man with a van dyke beard and a young woman with fashionable hair; they appear to be yelling at each other.)
BARRY: I find it fascinating that both lefties and right-wingers use “neckbeard” to insult the other.
It’s like the only thing that unites us is our shared contempt for fat, unkempt guys.
Panel 6
(Barry, now alone, addresses the reader directly, with an “asking a question” expression.)
BARRY: When feminists call someone a “neckbeard,” it’s usually a guy who just said something misogynistic.
I’m all for criticizing misogynists, but I have to ask – why use that word?
Panel 7
(Barry is holding up a suitcase. The suitcase is labeled “neckbeard.”)
BARRY: Let’s unpack neckbeard and see what’s inside!
Insults like “neckbeard” work by associating the target of the insult with something understood to be repulsive.
Panel 8
(A close-up of the “neckbeard” suitcase shows it standing open. Four blobs, labeled “fat,” “loser,” “ugly,” and “dork” are emerging from the suitcase.)
BARRY (off-panel): It’s not satisfying to call people “anti-feminists,” because some people like anti-feminism. Instead, we use words that suggest things almost no one likes: “loser,” “fat,” “ugly.”
Panel 9
(A close-up of Barry, drawn to exaggerate his unshaven neck.)
BARRY: In short, “neckbeard.”
Panel 10
(Barry spreads his arms wide to make a big point.)
BARRY: But in a better society – a society most feminists want – none of the things neckbeard implies would be insults.
Panel 11
(Barry speaks to the viewer, but his neck – and only his neck – is now covered by a thick beard.)
BARRY: We shouldn’t insult people for being fat, or for not being able to afford their own place, or for being single.
Or for not conforming to society’s arbitrary grooming standards, for that matter.
Panel 12
(Once again we see the popular drawing of a “neckbeard” that appeared in panel 4. But this time he’s been drawn in a style that matches the comic strip. Three arrow captions point to him.)
BARRY (off-panel): There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of that. Good people can be all those things.
ARROW CAPTION 1: Donates to feminist causes.
ARROW CAPTION 2: Always kind.
ARROW CAPTION 3: Loves kittens.
Panel 13
(Barry leans over to look into the inside of the “neckbeard” suitcase.)
BARRY: If we keep unpacking “neckbeard,” we’ll find three more things in here…
First, the “neckbeard” stereotypes are also stereotypes used against autistic people.
Panel 14
(A shot of two jigsaw puzzle pieces, which fit together perfectly. The pieces are labeled “autistic” and “neckbeard.”)
BARRY (off-panel): In fact, when I was researching this cartoon, some autistic people told me they’ve observed “autistic” and “neckbeard” used together as insults.
Panel 15
(Barry addresses the reader directly, his hands in front of him in an “explaining” gesture.)
BARRY: Some (not all) autistic people have difficulty with things like earning a living, dating, and navigating arbitrary grooming rules. “Neckbeard” targets exactly those traits.
Panel 16
(A person with dark, springy hair jumps back from a sign which says “keep out!” in big letters.)
BARRY (off-panel): When we use “neckbeard,” it sends a message to autistic people that they’re unwelcome. It’s ableist as hell!
Panel 17
(A grinning white dude is wearing a “poor person” costume, which consists of a sleeveless white shirt with a pillow shoved under it to make him appear fat. He has makeup on his face and neck to simulate heavy stubble, and is holding out a cup with “give” written on it.)
BARRY (off-panel): Second, insults about grooming are clearly linked to ugly stereotypes about class.
GRINNING DUDE: For Halloween, I’m dressed as a poor person!
Panel 18
(A smiling, confident-looking woman with a full beard and her hair in a bun puts her hand on her chest in a “I am awesome” gesture.)
BARRY(off-panel): Third, even though some women do grow face and neck hair…
WOMAN: And look awesome with it!
Panel 19
(Barry is drawn to be a circle-and-arrow “male” symbol.)
BARRY: “Neckbeard” is still intended as a gendered insult, and that’s a problem.
Because people’s sex or gender shouldn’t be insults at all.
Panel 20
BARRY: Do I think “neckbeard” is as bad as gendered insults that “punch down,” like b**** and c***? Definitely not.
But consider this: Men who like conventional gender roles aren’t usually bothered by gendered insults.
Panel 21
(Barry now has a huge arrow symbol piercing his chest. The arrow is labeled “neckbeard.”)
BARRY: Guys who are hurt by anti-male insults are often guys who are already wounded by toxic masculinity.
Why add to that?
Panel 22
(An unshaven fat man with a dorky grin, wearing a fedora hat and a sleeveless white shirt, points to himself with his thumb.)
BARRY: (Off-panel) One final point: When we stereotype misogynists by saying they look like this….
Panel 23
(A conventionally handsome man, with “good” scruffy stubble and a neck tattoo, smiles out at the viewer.)
BARRY: That implicitly lets misogynists who look like this off the hook.
Panel 24
(For the final three panels, Barry speaks directly at the viewer. In this panel, he looks a bit angry)
BARRY: Maybe it would be better if no one resorted to insults… But let’s get real. Everyone loses their temper sometimes. That’s life.
Panel 25
(Barry, no longer looking angry, shrugs.)
BARRY: But let’s at least avoid insults that devalue people for their appearance… and that can make fat people and autistic people feel unwelcome.
Panel 26
(Barry, smiling, lifts his left hand to feel his cheek.)
BARRY: Thanks for listening!
(Hmmm… Do I need a shave?)
