Social media has taken over a large part of our lives. From sharing our exciting news to expressing sadness to revolting and protesting over social causes, social media has become a major tool of communication for humans. Connecting people from all across the globe and giving a common platform to people from all walks of life who share a common interest, social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook have given the public a space to express themselves more freely.
In the most recent times, a lot of social issues are also being protested against and in favour of on social media platforms. With online trends like World War 3, Me Too, people are enabled to voice their opinion on certain issues.
In a recent change trend, another hashtag has become largely viral over the internet, especially on Instagram. The trend is a sarcastic approach that women have taken up to point out toxic modern day-dating behaviours in the current day. The viral trend, which was initially started on TikTok and is making its way on Instagram, allows women who have been treated horribly by their respective male partners to voice out their concerns and be seen by other women who have been through or are still going through the same.
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The TikTok trend “Women in Male Fields” has taken the platform by storm, amassing over nine million views and sparking countless conversations about toxic relationship behaviors. This satirical trend flips the script on common negative traits women have encountered in relationships with men. By reimagining these behaviors from a woman’s perspective, the trend highlights their absurdity, all set to the unapologetic beat of Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda.
Flipping the Script
At the core of the trend are videos where women role-play toxic behaviors often attributed to men, exposing the disparity in emotional accountability. For instance:
- “He sent me a paragraph explaining how he felt, and I replied with, ‘idk what you want me to say rn. #womeninmalefields’”
- “When I started punching the ground and bawling my eyes out because I cheated. #womeninmalefields”
- “He was crying in bed, so I said, ‘Here we go again,’ and turned around and fell asleep. #womeninmalefields”
- “When he tells me exactly what I’ve done wrong, so I say, ‘I’m sorry you feel that way. #womeninmalefields’”
These examples strike a nerve, with viewers flooding the comments to share how eerily familiar these scenarios feel. “ARE WE ALL DATING THE SAME MEN?” one user quipped, while another noted, “This trend makes me realize I’ve never had a unique experience.”
A Moment of Reflection for Women
For many women, the trend has created a sense of solidarity. As one TikToker aptly stated, “[The] women in male fields trend is teaching women that it’s not our fault. It’s the subtle guide to red flags.” By humorously flipping the narrative, the trend not only allows women to poke fun at their experiences but also validates their feelings of frustration and invisibility in relationships.
The Mechanics of the Trend
Each TikTok video follows a similar formula, with women showcasing scenarios in which they adopt the very behaviors they’ve observed in their male counterparts. Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda serves as the defiant anthem, amplifying the trend’s message.
One video, for example, portrays a woman ignoring a series of texts from a man trying to explain their relationship issues, only responding to the final, least relevant message. Another shows a woman humorously rejecting a brilliant business pitch from a male entrepreneur, claiming she’d “check with her husband,” only to ghost him and invest in a rival company run by a friend.
A Counter-Trend: Men Respond with ‘Men in Women’s Fields’
Unsurprisingly, a counter-trend dubbed “Men in Women’s Fields” has emerged. In this version, men parody behaviors they attribute to women, turning the lens on female attitudes in relationships. These videos also use Anaconda as the background music, mirroring the original trend.
One video features a man explaining how he refused to block another girl on social media when his girlfriend asked, describing the girl as “nice” and claiming he didn’t want to “be mean.” Another shows a man mocking a scenario where his girlfriend questions why he has so many female friends, with him responding, “Men are too dramatic to be friends with.”
A Trend That Highlights Deeper Issues
Despite its humoristic approach, at its heart, the “Women in Male Fields” trend is way more than just a comedic viral online trend; it has largely taken a turn to become a cultural commentary on relationship dynamics and emotional labor that women, today, endure on almost an everyday basis. By bringing to light the universally shared experiences of women from across the globe, it invites even more people to participate and to question toxic behavioral patterns that often go unchallenged or even unnoticed.
While the counter-trend may add a humorous layer to the conversation, the overwhelming response to the original videos indicates that these experiences resonate deeply with women belonging to all walks of life, irrespective of the different countries or ethnicities. It has become a representation of how modern dating has transcended geographical boundaries, impacting one in every ten women similarly.
Even though the trend was started as a sarcastic comment on the toxic dating behaviours and employs humor or reflection, the trend has nonetheless sparked a discussion amongst the people witnessing the trend and aims to increase accountability, empathy, and emotional fairness in relationships.
