Modern cheerleading was invented around the late 19th century, and for the first hundred years of its existence, it was considered a complex and elite sport that the female body was incapable of performing [1]. During the foundational era of computers—around World War II—and up until the late 1960s, computer science was considered a simple and feminine career [2].
When isolated, these historical facts may seem trivial or even funny, but when paired with the hundreds of other examples of gendered expectations and stereotypes changing, it becomes clear that—contrary to common belief—there is no such thing as a hobby or skillset that one gender is inherently better at. In reality, the things that are considered either masculine or feminine are viewed the way they are because of socio-political misogyny. By analyzing the current treatment of “feminine” stereotypes, the degradation of “feminine skills,” and society’s overall disdain for any hobby or skillset an individual woman has, it is clear that skills are only considered valuable based on their dissociation from women.
The Irony of Feminine Interests
In and of themselves, stereotypical feminine interests—makeup, pumpkin spice lattes, the Pride and Prejudice movie—are generally accepted by and as mainstream culture. However, once a woman actually likes any of the above, both the interest and the woman are ridiculed. This scrutiny can be seen every time a male comedian makes a career off mocking women for fitting these stereotypes, or in every eye-roll a girl receives when mentioning an interest in these subjects. Iliza Shlesinger [3] pointed out the irony of men who rampaged through India and Southeast Asia for a taste of cinnamon mocking women for their occasional Instagram post featuring a pumpkin spice latte. This irony can be found every time a man is praised for keeping up his appearance and is called “well-groomed”; meanwhile, if a woman is caught putting effort into maintaining the flawless appearance expected of her, then she is vain.
While not as ironic, another double standard appears when men revere The Godfather and the film is immediately regarded as a cinematic masterpiece, but when women praise Pride and Prejudice, it is dismissed as a stupid “chick flick.” Society expects women to have feminine interests, but once they actually do, they are shamed. There is no inherent issue with effeminate things; they only become a problem when they are embraced by women.
The Reality of Feminine Skills
On the flip side, women are both allowed and expected to have what have been deemed feminine skills. Cooking, a sense of style, teaching—but these skills are considered fundamentally less skilled and important by society. This perception changes, however, when a man shows interest in these fields. For instance, the burden of cooking falls disproportionately on women because it is considered a natural feminine skill, yet men make up 94% of Michelin-star chefs [4]. Although fashion and physical appearance are considered natural feminine interests, men hold 86% of leadership positions within major fashion companies [5]. Even though teaching is considered a feminine job, men constitute 56% of college professors [6].
These dissonant facts prove that once separated from women, these skills become redeemed in society’s eyes and become high-paying and well-respected industries. The worth of these skills is not determined by their actual complexities or their impact, but rather by who is performing them.
The Trap of Femininity vs. Masculinity
Even though women will not get recognition through feminine interests or skills, they will receive an equal amount of mockery when engaging with “masculine” interests and skills. If a woman likes to play video games, she will be accused of doing so for male attention. And she may even be harassed out of the gaming community [7]. A woman who plays sports will not simply be called an athlete, but rather, “too aggressive” and “unladylike” [8]. A woman who engages with high fantasy literature or comic books will be dismissed with the assumption that her interest is based on attraction to a male character. And likewise, she may be harassed out of a fandom [9].
On the other hand, men’s interests are always presumed to stem from a place of genuine passion and talent. By embracing femininity, women are subjected to mockery. By embracing masculinity, women are ostracized; either way, this is a system in which women are designed to lose. Society created femininity and then ridiculed it and the women who participate in it. But society betrays women who do not participate in it. This begs the question of whether it is femininity that society dislikes or if it is just women.
How to Win
When passions and talent are judged not by merit but by the subject, the real reward is not working for the praise you will never receive but allowing yourself authenticity. In a system that will judge a woman whether they conform to the system or rebel against it, then the only solution is to ignore the inevitable judgment of others and make yourself who you want to be. A world that will not validate you is not a world that should be allowed to control you.
Works Cited
Janik, Erika. “The Masculine Origins of Cheerleading.” WPR, 7 Sept. 2016, www.wpr.org/history/masculine-origins-cheerleading.
Little, Becky. “When Computer Coding Was a “Woman’s” Job | HISTORY.” HISTORY, Sept. 2017, www.history.com/articles/coding-used-to-be-a-womans-job-so-it-was-paid-less-and-undervalued.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Iliza Shlesinger.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliza_Shlesinger.
Staff, Chef’s Pencil. “Share of Female-Led Michelin Restaurants Is Only 6%.” Chef’s Pencil, 20 July 2022, www.chefspencil.com/female-chefs-6-percent-reach-the-top/.
Guest Contributor. “Women Are Finally Leading Global Brands. So Why Is Fashion Still Failing Them?” FashionUnited, 2025, fashionunited.ca/news/people/women-are-finally-leading-global-brands-so-why-is-fashion-still-failing-them/2025100742019.
KLACZYNSKA, MIRIAM. “Gender Demographic Disparities between Teachers and Professors.” Berkeley.edu, 27 Apr. 2024, econreview.studentorg.berkeley.edu/gender-demographic-disparities-between-teachers-and-professors/.
Fishman, Andrew. “Women in Gaming: A Difficult Intersection.” Psychology Today, 2022, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/202201/women-in-gaming-a-difficult-intersection
Women’s Sports Foundation. “Do You Know the Factors Influencing Girls’ Participation in Sports? – Women’s Sports Foundation.” Women’s Sports Foundation, Women’s Sports Foundation, 2024, www.womenssportsfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/
Juliet Kahn. “Why Women in Comics Don’t “Just Report” Sexual Harassment.” Comics Alliance, 23 Sept. 2014, web.archive.org/web/20141210174642/comicsalliance.com/sexual-harassment-women-comics-games-fear-way-of-life/?trackback=tsmclip
