Jools LeBron 'decent' meme, explained: Why George Kittle and other athletes are joining the TikTok trend

Meet social media’s new favorite word.

Popularized by TikTok creator Jools LeBron in early August, “demure” has become one of the most used phrases on the internet in the last month. It doesn't discriminate – anyone and anything can be demure.

Get coffee? Modest. Go shopping? Modest. Play football? You guessed it: modest.

Everything is demure these days, but what does that even mean? Sure, there's a dictionary definition, but there's always something more behind every viral Gen-Z slang.

Here's everything you need to know about LeBron's low-key meme, including why George Kittle and other athletes are joining in on the trend.

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Jools LeBron’s ‘low-key’ trend, explained

Anyone can be reserved in any situation, so it's no wonder the trend has made its way into the sports world. Kittle, the USA volleyball team, and other athletes and teams have posted content using the word “reserved” to emphasize their reserved, mindful behavior in different situations and to describe different things.

Simply put, those who use this expression are neither doing too much nor too little – they are confident, calm and modest. In other words, they are reserved.

George Kittle…VERY CHASTE.

Very attentive.

😂 (in Venice Beach Kobe 🌊) pic.twitter.com/gkLyMH2wem

— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) 17 August 2024

@todayshow @USA Volleyball went out of their way to be very low key, very attentive and very OLYMPIC when they came to the #TODAYShow! #ParisOlympics #Demure @Jools Lebron @Chiaka Ogbogu @Taylor Averill @Kelsey (Robinson) Cook @Jordan ♬ Original sound – TODAY Show

@howardvolleyball We are being very vigilant… #lowkey#viral #volleyball #howarduniversity #ncaa #collegesports #college #howard #foryou ♬ Original sound – Howard Volleyball

@nhlblackhawks very reserved. very attentive. #chicagoblackhawks #reserved #blackhawks ♬ Original sound – Jools Lebron

@fccincy Very reserved, very attentive #reserved #mls #athlete #fashion #fccincinnati ♬ Original sound – 2poor4prada ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

Meaning of “Demure”

“Humility” is an adjective typically used to describe someone or something that is reserved, modest, and shy – typically women. But according to LeBron, there's more to the phrase than just the dictionary definition.

The TikToker has turned the word into a statement of self-confidence and self-assurance, emphasizing that nothing is as serious as it seems. In her videos, she often combines “moral” with words like “cute” and “mindful,” which have also become part of the trend.

“Your restraint means it to you. It means being mindful and considerate of the people around you, but also of yourself and the way you present yourself to the world,” she told CBS Mornings.

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How Jools LeBron's “low-key” trend started

The understated trend began in early August when LeBron, known on TikTok as @joolieannie, posted a short video showing off her makeup look for work.

“See how I do my makeup for work? Very understated, very attentive,” she said. “I don't do too much. I'm very attentive while I'm at work. See how I look? Very presentable.”

@joolieannie #fyp #demure ♬ Original sound – Jools Lebron

The clip, which now has nearly 6 million views and 3.2 million likes, went viral – and so did Demure. Due to the success of her video and subsequent popularity on social media, LeBron, who identifies as a transgender woman, said she is now able to fund the rest of her transition. She went from a humble cashier to a viral sensation in less than a month, and it's changed her life.

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Is Jools LeBron named after LeBron James?

It's probably safe to assume that LeBron and LeBron James aren't related and their shared name is nothing more than a coincidence. However, as long as neither party explicitly states that they don't share a common ancestry, it's a legitimate question worth asking.