What's A Labor Digger And Why Does The Internet Think They're Worse Than Gold Diggers?

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The internet has identified a new genre of man: Meet the “labor digger.”

In a viral TikTok video, Shay Walker, who goes by @shaythethey online, said a labor digger is someone ― usually a straight man ― who digs for ambitious women. While gold diggers look for a partner whose wealth is already established, the labor digger plays the long game instead, Walker explained.

“Men will see a woman who maybe doesn’t have everything she wants in life but she has a drive that will get her there,” Walker says in the clip. “A lot of women who are driven ... will be very expressive about sharing their dreams, their skill set and intellect.”

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To the right audience, a woman who’s disciplined and hardworking would inspire them to invest in a relationship. “To the wrong audience, that will show them that they can exploit from you,” Shay says.

In an interview with HuffPost, Walker said they made the video because they got tired of seeing video after video of men on TikTok complaining about women who only want them for their bank account, or if they’re “high-value men.”

But these days, most women contribute, too. Walker thought it was high time to give a name to the type of man who seeks out that labor, whether consciously or unconsciously.

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Some of that difference comes down to men’s opportunities: Men do tend to have access to higher-earning industries. But it’s their wives at home who give them the peace of mind and household support they need to earn that p