#UnpopularPopularOpinion: Why do we find stereotyping women on social media so entertaining?

You’ve probably seen those videos where people turn the most basic experiences of women into memes. While they might seem lighthearted, they often slip from relatable humor into tired clichés, making us question where to draw the line.

Have you seen those videos on Instagram where men dress up or act like women, usually as a joke? I recently came across a video of a male content creator dressed in Indian traditional wear, complete with a fake wig, titled “How girls' take pictures during Diwali". While the person's effort to dress up as a woman is duly noted, I honestly couldn't understand the humor. 

We all appreciate parody and satire, but no matter how much you try, you cannot bring yourself to laugh at such videos. And it's not about calling out a specific creator but the content format where a man impersonates women mocking their basic, everyday behaviors. It has become a popular comedy style, and that's what makes it awful. It's sad because this kind of content relies on outdated stereotypes that reduce women to caricatures. It plays on undermining their actions and appearances as a punchline, reinforcing a culture of mockery that is based on low-level, lazy jokes at the expense of others, particularly when it involves gender stereotypes. It's disappointing to see such a large part of online comedy thriving on this, rather than doing comedy in a more thoughtful or constructive manner.

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A content creator, Vedangi, recently shared a video on Instagram where she pointed out a particular video where a male creator dressed up in a saree and danced to a currently trending song. While we would have loved the video for how he was rocking the outfit and the dance, the caption accompanying it undermined the entire thing. Instead of simply celebrating the dance, the caption mocked how women have been dancing to the same song, implying that there was something inherently ridiculous about it. Vedangi rightly questioned, "Why do you have to bring what women like into this?" She emphasized that the dance could have been enjoyed for what it was, but instead, the creator’s insecurity over his fragile masculinity led him to belittle women in the process.

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A post shared by Ved 🌴 (@vedangi.x)

Another troubling aspect of this trend is how it affects genuine content from women creators, who often use social media to celebrate and express themselves in positive ways. For many, platforms like Instagram are a medium for self-expression. However, when these forms of self-expression are repeatedly turned into jokes, it creates an atmosphere where genuine behavior is trivialized or dismissed as inherently silly. Unfortunately, this isn't the only video of its kind. There’s a whole trend of videos where people mock women’s behavior in specific situations like how they act on mountains, how they pose for pictures, how they eat in public gatherings, and, saddest of all, women trying to sound modern. It’s especially disheartening to see the dedicated audience that these videos attract, laughing at women who may have a bit of a "desi" accent or mannerisms when trying to fit into a different culture or speak a new language. What’s often missed is the understanding that these women put in a genuine effort to adapt, to fit in, or to learn something new, even if they’re not fluent. We feel sad because we all have seen such women in real life and we know why they do it. Rather than celebrating their attempts, these videos turn them into punchlines, mocking the courage it takes to step out of one’s comfort zone. And it’s even more painful to see women creators joining in to mock such women. It feels like there is lack of empathy for the challenges people face for taking these efforts.

People often create these videos because the algorithm pushes them to the top. Apart from these videos of men mocking women’s basic experiences, you've probably watched videos on pick me girls, that one middle-aged aunty we all know, or the girl best friend of your boyfriend. Sometimes these videos can be funny, but they often feel one-dimensional. I’d be lying if I said that the "pick me girl" videos don’t remind me of someone, or if I didn’t feel seen when someone mimics that one mean teacher we all had in school. While there’s a certain relatability to these videos, the real question on ‘where one should draw the line?’ still stands. At what point does humor become stereotyping? These types of videos, though entertaining at times, can easily slip into cliché, reducing complex characters to shallow caricatures. The balance between lighthearted fun and feeding stereotypes is so delicate, and it's important to consider when the joke stops being funny and starts being annoying. 

This mockery not only oversimplifies women’s experiences but may also discourage self-expression as it sends a message that certain behaviors are only “acceptable” when exaggerated for laughs. These simplistic portrayals in the name of humor become tone-deaf.

What are your thoughts on this ongoing trend? Tell us in the comments below. 

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