Women in male-dominated fields used to conjure images of oil rigs, hard hats and coding marathons, but leave it to TikTok to give it a messy glow-up.

Now, it’s less about smashing STEM barriers and more about mastering the perceived “male arts” of gaslighting, lying and cheating.

Forget the wrench, women on the internet are wielding emotional manipulation like it’s a power drill, because who needs software engineering when you're proficient in ghosting people instead? Here's a recap of the "#WomenInMaleFields" trend.

Where Did The 'Women In Male-Dominated Fields' Joke Come From?

The "Women in Male-Dominated Fields" meme first gained traction in May 2023 when Twitter / X user @Puff_Iya shared a post about a woman attending two different baby showers in the same dress for two different men.

The tweet joked about how the woman's failed effort at juggling multiple relationships is actually her making real headway in a typically male-dominated field. The joke plays off of corporate jargon typically used to commend women breaking the glass ceiling.

More Twitter users repurposed the joke in subsequent months, with notable examples being posted in January and November 2024. The latter post saw X user @gidanthe quoting a post that read, "Working out so I can beat my future husband," with the catchphrase "Women in male dominated fields ❤️."

How Did The 'Women In Male Fields' Joke Spread To TikTok?

Jokes comparing women gaslighting, cheating or otherwise being mean to their partners to "women in male-dominated fields" continued on TikTok in the fall of 2024, with TikToker @kjnny writing, "When she played you so good you gotta give her a round of applause because its rare to see women in male dominated fields."

@kjnny hats to you honestly (cant relate tho) #foryou #foryoupage #relatable #fyp #joke #trending #viral #ihatemybf #funny #relationships ♬ Rain On Me – Ashanti

The trend took off in November under the hashtag "#WomenInMaleFields," with TikToker @ava_shwayhat posting a slideshow that read, "He sent me a paragraph explaining how he felt and I replied with "idk what do u want me to say rn." The post gathered over 6 million plays and 1 million likes in three days.

The trend also inspired a "#MenInWomenFields" trend, as seen in a TikTok from @andylau24 that read, "She asked me what's wrong I said nothing." The video gathered over 400,000 plays and 90,000 likes in a day.

@andylau24 #meninfemalefields ♬ Anaconda – Nicki Minaj

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For the full history of Women In Male-Dominated Fields, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.