Weaponized incompetence is feigned inability.

Weaponized incompetence is a manipulative tool.

Weaponized incompetence creates a deeply inequitable division of labor in relationships, at work, and more.

A relatively newer term, weaponized incompetence has gotten a lot of attention over the past few years. My students love to discuss it, especially in the context of gender, as it most often points to conventions and excuses that keep labor inequitably divided.

Husbands and boyfriends just can’t fold the laundry right. They just can’t get the correct items from the store. They just can’t remember the kids’ doctor’s appointments. And when they do try, “Oops, I messed it up. I guess you’ll just have to do it.”

The list is endless but the suggestion of abject incompetence leads my students, mostly women, to having to take over these tasks. Over time, feigned inability creates a mountain of tasks that builds along with resentment.

It extends beyond relationships

Weaponized incompetence isn’t just a phenomenon in relationships. It applies to almost any situation in which a seemingly competent person inexplicably just can’t do something right, work environments included.

That co-worker just can’t seem to do a task correctly, so you end up doing it for them every time. Your fellow student just can’t figure out how to format the citations........

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