Influencer Drew Afualo Reveals 'Knee-Jerk' Clapback She Uses Against Misogynists Online: 'I Laugh Every Time' (Exclusive)

The content creator, known for her viral TikTok takedowns, is releasing her first book 'Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve' on July 30

Drew Afualo is loud and proud.

The content creator and host of podcast The Comment Section has taken TikTok by storm with her viral takedowns of misogynistic men — something she started in 2020 when she became fed up with the sexist, racist and otherwise bigoted speech she saw on social media.

“I've gotten very creative, but what hits every time is hairline and height. Men really care about those. So one of my knee-jerk [clapbacks] is I'll say something to the effect of, ‘I'd think that too, if I was under five-eight,'” she tells PEOPLE.

“They hate that. They get really mad when you say that. Every time you say that, they're like, ‘I'm not five-eight, I'm six-three.’ Even if they look tall, just say they look five-eight. It's hilarious. I laugh every time. So, that's a winner,” she says.

Now, the 28-year-old is preparing to release her first book, which she describes as “part manual, part manifesto, part memoir,” on July 30, and she hopes Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve really speaks to people from all walks of life (including to those who aren't online).

Related: Drew Afualo, Viral 'Crusader for Women,' to Publish Debut Book — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

“I would love for this book to be picked up by people who maybe have never heard of me. They can see that they don’t have to be silent or quiet. They can stand up for themselves and speak up for themselves when they need to,” she says. “Freeing yourself from the shackles of male validation will open you up to a life that is full of beauty and color and love and support.”

To be clear, however, Afualo isn’t wholly anti-man. As she details in the book, she’s in a happy and healthy relationship with boyfriend Pili, which she sees as proof of what can happen when women focus on self-love, inner confidence and "de-centering" men.

“I think I draw power from multiple things. I think part of it is the community I've built, not just online, but in my personal life. My family and friends and my boyfriend,” she says. “I also think a huge part of that is just accepting and understanding that no one is ever going to love me more than I love myself, and that's how it should be. That's the only thing I want people to take from the book, if nothing else.”

Afualo remains incredibly close with her family, which includes her father Tait, mother Noelle, sister Dieson and brother Donovan, and she says that her parents are “super supportive and are genuinely so okay with anything I want to do.”

In fact, the author says, “I think they're just really, really proud of me and not surprised at all that I created a platform off being mean to awful men. They're not shocked by that even a little bit.”

Afualo is also a proud Samoan, and her heritage features heavily both in the book and in her upbringing.

“Samoan people in general love to make fun of each other. I really built my survival tactics in a roast session, just growing up in the family I did because everyone in my family is funny and witty,” she says.

“I think I’m most people's first exposure to Samoan people online because there's so few of us in the world, and I wish more people knew how funny, loving and talented we are," she continues.

"We’re artistically inclined, too. Every Samoan can play instruments and can sing and dance really well. I’m the only Samoan on the planet who can’t sing, and that’s upsetting," the content creator says, adding, "but at least I’m funny.”

Afualo has been named one of Forbes’ Top Creators of 2023 and one of Time Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders. She served as the official red carpet correspondent for the 2023 Academy Awards, and, in addition to The Comment Section, she also hosts the podcast Two Idiot Girls with her sister, Deison.

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve will be published on July 30 by AUWA Books, the imprint founded by musician Questlove and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

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