Talahon Trend: “If she can’t cook, then she has to go, I’m sorry”
A new phenomenon has spread on TikTok: Boy Men from mainly migrant communities present themselves confidently as so-called "Talahons". This term stands for a certain lifestyle and clothing style that is characterized by petty crime, counterfeit branded goods, e-cigarettes and certain laptop bags.
In Nuremberg's pedestrian zone, TikTok user "Niki" regularly interviews young men and asks them questions about their attitudes, especially towards women. The answers are shocking: "If she has armpit hair, that's not OK," says one. Another explains that he wouldn't let his girlfriend go to the outdoor pool because other men could see her body there. These surveys, uncommented and often satirical, show a depressing reality of German pedestrian zones.
The views presented about women are particularly worrying. A woman should not be allowed to dress provocatively and at the same time cook for her husband and provide for him financially. One young man even says: "If she can't cook, then she has to go, I'm sorry." These views fluctuate between "embarrassing" and "a serious social problem."
The Hagen rapper Hassan provides the soundtrack to this group's TikTok posts, with lyrics like: "Talahon / I'll give you a stab, I'm the boss." Talahon supposedly means "come here" (taeal huna) in Arabic. The trend shows the self-confident display of a kind of lostness, which is nevertheless consciously and proudly accepted and presented.
The impact on society
This new youth culture, which defines itself as Talahon, is having a profound impact on society. It poses a challenge to integration policies and the social fabric. The propensity for violence and the chauvinistic views of these young men are particularly alarming.
What appears on TikTok as a fashion trend and self-definition reveals deeper social problems: a failed integration policy, a lack of social support and a lack of positive role models. These young people urgently need support from social workers and strong, self-confident female figures in order to develop a better understanding of respect and equality.
What measures could politicians take?
To counteract such developments, politicians could introduce preventive measures aimed at education and integration. Here are some suggestions:
- Education: Introduction of programs that address cultural diversity and equality at school.
- Social support: Providing multiple social workers and mentors to disadvantaged youth.
- Promotion of leisure activities: Creating positive leisure activities that strengthen cohesion and togetherness among young people.
Through a targeted and comprehensive strategy, politics could help young people develop other, more positive identification patterns and not take refuge in dangerous subcultures.
The Talahon trend is therefore more than just a digital phenomenon. It is a reflection of social ills that urgently need to be addressed in order to prevent violence and promote a climate of respect and equality.
Source: nachrichten.ag