Whether you just love him or have a serious Gos-obsession going on, there’s no denying Ryan Gosling’s appeal. But what’s up with all those “Hey Girl” memes?

Apparently, they’ve been going on for years, with early versions appearing as far back as 2010. You’ve likely seen one: a photo of Ryan with some reference to cuddling, baking or cuddling while baking. They all start the same: “Hey Girl.”

Forget trying to figure out why they’ve stuck (But here’s a hint: women will take any excuse to glimpse The Gos for even a quick nano-second). What’s more important, is what they’ve become. Even Gosling himself acknowledges, “I don’t think it’s really about me.” The memes represent the ideal man: caring, thoughtful, sensitive, fun, crafty—and being superfine doesn’t hurt the messaging either.

Not to get all analytical about silly trends that become Internet sensations (Gangnam Style, I’m looking your way), but Hey Girl has become something much more than pure fun. By injecting this caricature of Gosling with admirable sensitivities, he has become a statement—a redefining of the masculine, if you will. We hear a lot about women’s rights and the gender imbalances that still cause women much grief, and those are important issues. So is helping our men reclaim their role, and reconnect with their sensitivities. In fact, it’s impossible to think the worldview of women will get any better if we don’t encourage our men to do that.

So these memes, they’ve journeyed from cute to statement pieces, and many have an eco undertone, too. It makes sense: the more sensitive we become impacts all the ways we relate with the world. Gosling’s initial cuddling and cutesy memes have evolved to include compassion for animals and the environment. To that, all we can say is “Hey Guy, You look real good speaking up for injustices and inequity on this planet. And after we sort all that out, it’s cuddle time.”

It was tough (and a tad addictive) but we narrowed it down to our favorite Gosling memes. Did we miss any?

1. Ryan actually wrote a letter to the National Milk Producers Federation about the mistreatment of animals, so it’s no shocker that PETA’s takes the top spot with this one.

2. He has kale! And a beard!

3. Yeah, greedy corporations are phooey.

4. A puppy. And Ryan. I can’t breathe.

5. Alone in the woods with Gos and fresh homemade soap? Yes, please.

6. DIY self-care aware!

7. He’s got a good point. But then again, in this case, we might not mind…

8.Okay, at first this one was kind of confusing. But now we love it. Composting is really important. And so is Ryan Gosling thinking about your feet.

9. No we don’t.

10. We love the kohlrabi reference. And glad he’s having safe sex, but not sure the two go so well together. Still, the crayons piqued our interest.

11. Amen. Let’s eat. (And then cuddle).

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Top image: PETA

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