Weaponized Incompetence: What is it and How Do We Deal With It?

A man feeling overwhelmed and hesitant to tackle household chores.

In the world of work and domestic chores, a term has been gaining popularity - “weaponized incompetence” But what exactly does it mean, and why is it crucial to understand and identify this phenomenon? Let's break it down.


What is Weaponized Incompetence?

Weaponized incompetence, also known as strategic incompetence, refers to a purposeful and manipulative tactic where someone pretends to be incompetent at a task to avoid responsibility. By playing the 'helpless' card, they dodge their obligations, leaving others, often women, to pick up the slack.

This phenomenon can take place both in a professional environment or at home. In the workplace, a colleague might say they're 'just not good' at using the new software, leaving you to finish the project on your own. At home, your partner might claim they 'just can't figure out' how to do the laundry, leaving you with another task on top of your already full plate.

In Latine culture, a historical prevalence of machismo and marianismo can feed into this tactic. Machismo, characterized by an emphasis on masculine pride and the domination of men over women, often results in traditional gender roles being strictly maintained. Under this societal expectation, men might feign helplessness or incompetence in domestic tasks, thereby perpetuating weaponized incompetence. By doing so, they reinforce harmful stereotypes and unequal distribution of responsibilities, leaving women to shoulder most, if not all, of the domestic burden.

Weaponized incompetence not only burdens the person left to do the job but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes that some tasks are inherently 'too difficult' for certain individuals, often based on their gender, ethnicity, or age.

How to Spot Weaponized Incompetence

It's important to differentiate between weaponized incompetence and a genuine lack of skill or understanding. The former is a manipulative behavior, while the latter can be addressed with training and patience. Here are some signs to watch out for:

  • Pattern of Avoidance: The person consistently avoids certain tasks or responsibilities, claiming they're 'just not good' at them.
  • Lack of Improvement: Despite guidance or training, the person doesn't show any progress or improvement.
  • Selective Incompetence: The individual can perform complex tasks but suddenly becomes 'incompetent' when it comes to specific duties or chores.
  • Excuse Making: The person often gives vague, non-specific excuses for not doing a task, or they over-dramatize the complexity of the task.

In the domestic sphere, a classic example is a partner who claims they don't know how to cook or clean properly, leaving these duties primarily to their partner. This is particularly prevalent in households that follow “traditional” gender roles, where domestic chores are stereotypically assigned to women.

In the professional realm, an example could be a colleague who perpetually evades a portion of their duties by claiming a lack of technical skill or understanding, leaving you or others to carry their workload.

How Can you Stop Weaponized Incompetence?

Overcoming weaponized incompetence involves addressing it head-on, setting boundaries, and promoting a culture of shared responsibility.

  • Communicate: Open a conversation about the issue, expressing your concerns without attacking the person. They may not even realize they've been utilizing this tactic.
  • Train and Support: Offer to train them in the tasks they claim to be incapable of doing. If they genuinely lack skills, they will improve over time.
  • Set Expectations: Make it clear that everyone is responsible for certain tasks. If it's a colleague, discuss the issue with your supervisor. If it's a partner, talk about shared duties and equal contribution to household tasks.
  • Set Boundaries: Be firm in not taking over the tasks they are avoiding. It may lead to short-term discomfort, but it could bring long-term change.

Weaponized incompetence is a manipulative tactic that not only adds to the burden of those who pick up the slack but also reinforces harmful stereotypes and is part of a larger conversation about gender equality, shared responsibility, and dismantling harmful stereotypes.

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).