Multi-tasking Minxes on TikTok: A Modern Take on Toxic Masculinity
TikTok trend for females venturing into traditionally male professions: Women attempting to outmaneuver their male counterparts
Updated Nov 22, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Reading time: 3 minutes
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As 2024 winds down, true gender equality remains an elusive dream. However, the year brought forth numerous trailblazing women making inroads in male-dominated realms, such as science, tech, and engineering. But it's not just the workspace that's seeing a shift—the dating scene has gained a new wind as well, all thanks to a trendy, playful, and ironically clever TikTok movement.
For decades, men have been the masters of the game, causing chaos and heartache with tactics like ghosting, breadcrumbing, love bombing, and others, leaving wreckage in their wake. This year, though, the ladies are flipping the script, embracing the dark arts of dating that men have practiced and posted their takes on TikTok.
A Modern Battlefield: The 'Women in Male Fields' TikTok Trend
At its core, the trend revolves around women embodying and subverting traditionally male behaviors to call attention to their own mistreatment. To set the stage, savvy TikTokers have selected Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" – a song choice that seems unintentionally perfect if you ask me. The tune serves as a remake of Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back," where Minaj plays with the male gaze by flipping the narrative and turning her curves into a symbol of empowerment and financial prowess.
As "Anaconda" put a new spin on the objectification of women, the 'women in male fields' trend adds sardonic and feminist undertones to toxic dating behaviors. The videos resemble the original masterpiece, allowing women to challenge and redefine traditional gender dynamics.
Typical posts within this movement feature phrases such as: "I haven't responded to his texts but liked his story," "Scheduled a date at 7 and turned my phone off at 6," "Noticed he was sporting a Nirvana T-shirt, so I quizzed him on the band's discography," or "Declared him mentally unstable afterwinning an innocuous debate."
Lest we forget the classics: "After he started complainingabout my behavior, I asked him why he was still dating me," "Caught him crafting a novel-length message and replied, 'I'm not reading all that,'" and "Tickled his fancy with affection, then lended him my sweater. Told himI could envision a future together, only to go MIA once he showed signs of growing attached."
The inspiration for these posts is a mixed bag. Some share their personal experiences of toxicity, using TikTok as a therapeutic outlet. Others, more daring ladies, admit to employing similar tactics themselves as a way to take control in their relationships.
The Rising Popularity of the 'Women in Male Fields' TikTok Trend
This amusing and snarky approach challenges masculinity head-on and calls out the lies, manipulation, gaslighting, and cheating that people attracted to men have faced for too long. By turning these toxic behaviors into parodies, participants take control and assert power over men.
A Question of Equality: Is the TikTok Movement Toxic?
Of course, the exuberant applause the movement receives in the comments section forces us to question aspects of feminism itself. Can gender equality really be achieved by matching the toxicity of men? Should we gauge progress by adhering to the same shallow, destructive practices men have historically upheld?
The answer, plainly, is no. Mimicking toxic masculinity may offer a temporary sense of power and empowerment, but it does little to dismantle the systemic issues that underpin these practices. In essence, the trend appears to be a Band-Aid solution, rather than a meaningful step toward true gender equality.
Trends like 'women in male fields' can unintentionally reflect notions of triumph over the "opposition." However, we should exercise caution and not confuse humorous generality with actual feminist progress or genuine equality.
Regrettably, dressing up reckless, insensitive behavior in a modern feminist narrative echoes "Lean In,"Sheryl Sandberg's simplistic empowerment mantra that prioritized individual success over challenging the systems that perpetuate inequality.
Let us not forget that our notions of power were shaped by men, who, unfortunately, have a long history of misusing it. As we strive for gender equality, we must shift our focus from matching male power to working together to break down the harmful foundations that have allowed toxicity to flourish. Only then can we foster a truly equitable world.
Related Reads:
- A Step Toward Equality: Meet the Pioneering Women Shaping Tech and STEM Industries
- The Power of Visibility: Why Representation Matters in the Sciences
- The Boyfriend Era: How Gen Z Women are Ushering in a New Chapter of Audiophilia
- Men Reaping the Benefits: Investigating the Success of 'Ask for Angela' and its Critics
By Abby Amoakuh
Social-media platforms like TikTok have become a place where women are embracing and subverting toxic dating behaviors, previously dominated by men, through a humorous and ironic trend called 'Women in Male Fields'. This trend, characterized by posts mimicking manipulative and deceptive tactics, seeks to call out these harmful practices and assert power over men, but it raises questions about the approach to achieving gender equality.
In the realm of entertainment and pop-culture, the 'Women in Male Fields' trend parodies toxic masculinity by reenacting and mocking traditional dating tropes, such as 'ghosting', 'gaslighting', and 'love bombing'. However, its long-term impact on genuine progress toward feminism and gender equality remains debatable.
