Teens today often show a blank look called the "Gen Z stare" that can signal discomfort, not disrespect. Experts say social anxiety, pandemic isolation, and growing up online may shape how Gen Z connects in person. Even if it looks like attitude, this stare may just mean your teen feels misunderstood or overwhelmed.

Learn why the "Gen Z Stare" is more than a blank, disengaged expression, why employers can't afford to misread it and what its deeper more serious meaning really holds.

Tatum explained that people mocking and bullying Gen Z for their constant staring and seemingly disconnected way of communicating and engaging are ableist. She claimed that calling Gen Z "stupid, incompetent, [and] rude for being nonverbal or having poor social interaction skills or not understanding social interactions" is part of the problem.

Doug Weaver experienced the so-called "Gen Z stare" while teaching college students. He says it's a symptom of a larger problem.

There’s a new term circulating social media, and it’s dragging young people for their perceived lack of social skills. Dubbed “the Gen Z stare,” this blank-faced look is allegedly how many young people are engaging with the world around them — by, well, simply not.

Banarsë compared it to the "Millennial Pause," a brief moment of silence before speaking in a video, adding that today's social quirks go viral more quickly. Banarsë added that the stare is part of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

A silent stare from Gen Z is triggering rising tension and burnout among managers, many of whom are reconsidering their roles. Seen by some as passive