Introduction

The 'Baby Can You Touch Me Already' meme features a humorous exchange between a woman seeking her partner's attention while he is preoccupied with programming.

Background

The meme is derived from a panel in the SE manga series, where a woman sits in a man's lap while he engages with his computer. Initially popular among Spanish-speaking users in late 2020, it gained international traction by July 2021. The meme typically portrays the woman asking for attention while the man insists on finishing an online debate, allowing for various caption adaptations.

How It Began

The origins of this meme trace back to January 2, 2015, when chapter 36 of the ecchi manga series SE (System Engineer) was released. In this chapter, Takashima Momoka approaches Oka Shirou, who is busy programming, and invites him for 'pair programming.' She then sits in his lap, which became a popular panel for memes. Before 2020, the image was shared widely, often with cropped versions. The first notable meme appeared on January 16, 2021, when Instagram user @_veoanime replaced the original dialogue, humorously depicting the man's distraction due to his gaming. This format quickly spread, with Twitter user @LeagueOfWeas gaining significant engagement shortly after.

Online Popularity

The meme format saw moderate usage among Spanish-speaking users prior to July 2021, with various adaptations of the dialogue. For instance, on January 18, 2021, Instagram user democonchas garnered over 4,600 likes with a meme based on the panel. By March 6, Facebook page Zarco Shitposting accumulated over 800 reactions, and by June 24, Instagram user ooctoxicos had a version that gained 3,400 likes. The meme reached English-speaking audiences on July 23, 2021, when Redditor A_Normal_Otaku posted a version discussing the Monogatari Series, which received over 17,200 upvotes. The format later became viral in late July 2021, with variations such as 'Baby, can you touch me already' becoming common, leading to widespread engagement across platforms.