Clavicular and the Cost of Beauty Ideals

By: Parisa Nosrati, Staff Writer Edited by: Tessa Reiner

Photo credits: The New York Times

It seems like an inherently moral standpoint to say that personality matters more than appearance. It is this value that most have been raised on, and it is this value that fosters kindness in society by avoiding physical judgment. Braden Eric Peters, known more commonly by the nickname “Clavicular,” is a popular online influencer and streamer known for promoting the concept of “looksmaxxing. “Looksmaxxing” means to achieve the highest level of physical attractiveness, based on objective dimensions. Peters’ content consists of rating women’s appearances and “mogging” other men in public, meaning he proves he is physically superior to these men based on his formulaic definition of beauty. Peters’ messages have raised concerns about his influence on his primarily young male audience. 

Peters was recently arrested in Florida on a battery charge for instigating a fight between two women at a bar and posting about it on social media. Police found an underage ID on him, as well as an adderall pill and oral steroid. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, however, did not give him a sentence, and Peters attributed his lack of punishment to his looks, saying it was because of his handsomeness.

Peters believes it is virtuous to try and obtain perfection in any natural or unnatural way, and urges audiences to feel ashamed of how they look unless they are up to his standard of perfection. In many livestreams, Peter has said he has been injecting himself with substances since he was fourteen years old. Rather than breaking the harmful beauty standards of today, Peters instead feeds into the cycle that wants adolescents to feel ashamed of their appearance.

Peters expressed his belief that American actor Matt Bomer has the most perfect face, according to his New York Times profile. Peters uses a specific formula that decides conventional attractiveness, and neglects the idea that beauty is subjective. Peters’ standard is impossible to achieve, and does not allow for any type of diversity. White, chiseled, symmetrical men are favored, and those who do not fit this standard are shamed. Stephen Imeh, a Black man wanting to enter the looksmaxxing community and create a space for people of color, was instantly harassed through racist comments on Tik Tok, proving that looksmaxxing is detrimental to any type of equality in society—and Peters’ content enforces this.

Not only is the looksmaxxing community racist, as it creates a space for only white people to maximize attractiveness, but it is also prejudiced against women. Online influencer Mia Kirk also practices looksmaxxing, and was a fan of Peters even before his rise to fame. However, Peters told Kirk through an Internet feud that looksmaxxing is a “male space,” and that she cannot be part of the community. 

The way Peters talks about women in his videos is appalling.  He ranks their appearance through his formulaic standard, judging their hair, facial features, and body types. Women are already treated terribly in the media, and there is no need for more superficial value to be placed on their appearance.

In recent years, women have become much more open to talking about growing up with such unattainable standards. However, men have been less vocal about the insecurities they face. They are trained to see vulnerability as weak, and equate manhood to dominance. This encourages men to suppress their emotions. As an influencer who grew up very insecure, Peters became interested in looksmaxxing and urged other insecure young men to improve themselves. Peters had the opportunity to speak from a male perspective about his experience and urge his young male audience to embrace themselves, but he instead chose to create a space of impossible standards and hostility.

The looksmaxxing community is incredibly harmful, as it reinforces unrealistic beauty standards and creates a one-size-fits-all idea of beauty that neglects any kind of uniqueness. No one should feel less than because they don’t fit a certain mold. Perhaps society as a whole is to blame for placing so much pressure on appearance, and Peters simply fell victim. 

© 2026 by FETCH COLLECTIVE