UC Berkeley’s football team, the Golden Bears, has embraced the label of being “woke” as a rallying cry this season after joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, where they are faced with criticism from rival fans who mock them as far-left radicals. A meme saying “You just lost to the woke agenda” has gained popularity online, with Cal fans creating memes that poke fun at the stereotypes associated with being woke, such as supporting hot-button issues like climate change, gender identity, and pronoun use.
The meme culture war has led some Cal fans to hope that through exaggerated and absurdist humor, they can dispel stereotypes and bridge the political gap with rival fans. One fan, Nam Le, a 33-year-old high school English teacher, believes that by interacting with fans from other schools at games, they can show that Cal fans are polite, normal people who can represent themselves well.
Despite facing criticism and mockery, Cal fans are not fighting back against the labels imposed on them but rather, embracing them on their own terms. The team is set to face the Florida State Seminoles, with fans eagerly anticipating the matchup and using humor to hopefully break down barriers and encourage understanding among fans from different backgrounds and beliefs.
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