The 'Real Men Don't Buy Girls' meme originates from a 2011 awareness campaign launched by the DNA Foundation (now Thorn), founded by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, to combat child sex trafficking. The original images featured various male celebrities holding a handwritten sign with the slogan to redefine masculinity through social responsibility. Over time, the internet adopted the template, frequently using Photoshop to swap the text on the sign for humorous, absurd, or niche messages. While the meme can be used for its original advocacy purpose, it is most commonly seen today as a versatile 'celebrity holding a sign' format used to express opinions or lighthearted demands across social media platforms like X and Reddit.