20+ Gen X Women Unite to Debunk the Myth That They Have No Hobbies, Revealing Their Favorite Wholesome Pastimes

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Sep 2, 2024 10:00 PM EDT

Ah, the intimidating world of hobbies. There are so many; how do you choose one? It can also be an expensive world to explore, and sometimes, it feels easier not to have a hobby at all. But don't you hate it when someone unexpectedly asks, "What do you like to do for fun?" And you have to stand there, rattling your brain for something fun you do that doesn't involve spending all of your free time relaxing.

This conversation was sparked by a Gen X woman who claimed from her life experience, she's noticed that women in her generation generally don't have hobbies. She even claimed that women have vastly fewer hobby pursuits than men, especially at their age. Other women in the comments agreed, saying that while raising kids, hobbies were off the table and that they still hadn't grown from that mindset. But other women jumped into the conversation and couldn't disagree more, sharing all of the various hobbies they've had throughout their lifetimes and the ones that they still enjoy today. So, to avoid the next inevitable dreaded icebreaker question, read through this list to get some inspo for the next hobby to pick up.

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  • 01
    • r/GenX 7 hr. ago Nocturnal Permission GenX women, can I ask you about hobbies?
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 02
    Something came up recently with my partner that really struck me. She said that women really don't get to have hobbies. We got to talking and her point, albeit broad, was rather astute and reflected her own lived experience and observations.
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 03
    She and her friends never really had any "hobbies" in the classical definition. I guess for the purposes of this conversation I should qualify what constitutes a classical "hobby." Things that can occupy your free time and mental energy, can often require quite a
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 04
    bit of money, and are considered recreational or restorative. Her mother was really into genealogical research for awhile after she got her PhD, but that came later in life. My own mother really didn't hobbies.
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 05
    She did a cursory amount of gardening and loved reading, but that was about it. She never spent the time and energy on recreational things like my father did. I took an informal mental inventory of everyone I knew and indeed the women seemed to have vastly fewer "hobby"
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 06
    pursuits than the men. If anything cooking was top of the list followed closely by sports and physical fitness when there were recreational activities: tennis, hiking, etc. I don't consider travel a hobby but that's open for discussion. I myself have several hobbies, but they are all more or less aligned with my professional
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 07
    world or a broader application like DIY home repair and restoration. Ok..fine...I spend a stupid amount of time and money on tools and acquiring skills in that arena. Now, I have noticed that much younger women around me indeed have hobbies. Things like gaming have crossed the gender
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 08
    barrier awhile ago and I've seen many more STEM-related pursuits showing up as what I'd consider hobbies as well. Also stuff like building costumes and doing cosplay seem much more represented, and I've really enjoyed nurturing those interests because they are not only restorative but also something IMHO that can really boost self esteem.
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 09
    But back to her thesis: women from her generation really didn't have hobbies. Can ya'll comment on this from your own lives and observations? EDIT: Wow. This sorta blew up. Thank you everyone for such thoughtful discussion. It is something I've been wondering about and I appreciate the different viewpoints.
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 10
    To clarity, my partner DOES have pursuits, but none that she would classify as "hobbies" in the same way men around her seem to think of them. We love cooking together, travel as much as we possibly can, she devours books, play all sorts of card games and she's without a doubt the smartest woman I know and her larger circle of colleagues brings powerfully interesting conversation to any gathering or dinner.
    via u/NocturnalPermission
  • 11
    MaximumJones • 1d ago Whatever From my great grandmother all the way down the family line. women had cross stitching, needlepoint, quilt making, witchcraft, gardening... the list goes on
    via u/MaximumJones
  • 12
    • bspanther71 1d ago I didn't have hobbies other than reading before kids were grown really. Didn't have time.
    via u/bspanther71
  • 13
    CK1277 • 1d ago I am a serial hobbyist. Sometimes it will be a sport like martial arts or hockey, sometimes it will be a particular craft like when I decided I was going to master crochet. I randomly decide to start sewing, and then promptly lose interest again. Mine are more like mini hyper fixations.the one thing that I have consistently loved and thrown myself into is camping, outdoorsy things in general, and the Girl scouts.
    via u/CK1277
  • 14
    kittin • 23h ago my mum (silent gen) had lots of hobbies while I was growing up. knitting, reading, crafting, sewing. she was always into something. I'm the same way. serial hobbyist. painter, sculptor, embroiderer, potter, weaver... it's an endless font of to keep my brain happy. learned from my mum!
    via u/kittin
  • 15
    hornybutired 1d ago • I'm Gen X and I have hobbies. Always have. All the women my age I know have hobbies, everything from gaming to gardening to crochet to photography to painting etc etc etc etc. I don't know if that means I have a weird social circle or if your partner does. I will say that my mother, a Boomer, doesn't seem to have hobbies in the classic sense and never did, but she's kind of weird in general.
    via u/hornybutired
  • 16
    OkHour2314 • 1d ago Why should a hobby require a lot of money to pursue? My maternal grandmother was a birder and a gardener. My paternal grandmother did fiber arts. Every mom/grandma growing up was into either plants, wildlife, or fiber arts :)
    via u/OkHour2314
  • 17
    I've been into fiber arts since childhood, and I've also brewed, baked, gardened, done martial arts, and a smidgen of woodworking. My chief hobby is fiber arts though.
    via u/OkHour2314
  • 18
    WanderingArtist_77 . 1d ago I do pole dancing, I practice flowarts with different flow toys (fans, lightwhip, ribbons), I rollerskate, and I love penciling in those adult coloring books.
    via u/WanderingArtist_77
  • 19
    FuggaDucker • 1d ago My Gen x wife has many hobbies. She gardens, scrapbooks, plays piano, hikes, and many other things as part of her regular regimen.
    via u/FuggaDucker
  • 20
    Dogzillas_Mom . 23h ago I didn't marry or have kids, so I've had time and money for hobbies. Sometimes it's been home improvement. Mostly creative stuff: dancing, writing, drawing, photography, attending concerts....
    via u/Dogzillas_Mom
  • 21
    NicInNS • 1d ago 51...in my younger days I cross stitched (okay, I just started another one for a gift after years of not doing it), made wreaths/other things with dried/fake flowers, love taking photos (still do). I also was going to take up scrapbooking, but swerved into card making instead
    via u/NicInNS
  • 22
    And since I (early) retired a few years back, I took up cycling (every morning unless it's too windy/foggy, or it's winter), puzzles, paint by number, and this year I was making book. nooks (and want to try my own from scratch)...oh! And fanfic writing! I started that when I was 47 and am still at it. Podcasts. Audiobooks.
    via u/NicInNS
  • 23
    Fit_Subject_3256 • 1d ago 53 yo, nearly 54 and no current hobbies. I'm a single mom to a 9 yo (biggest, best surprise of my life!) so I guess my current hobbies include trying to keep our house from falling apart and scrounging to pay bills.
    via u/Fit_Subject_3256
  • 24
    mossbrooke • 23h ago When life is crazy, and who has time to breathe, who has time for hobbies? That state of mind comes into gear, but if it lasts too long, screw it. I'm blowing off whatever endless list I'm working on, and making jewelry, and coloring, and all the hobbies that bring me joy.
    via u/mossbrooke
  • 25
    yerederetaliria • 23h ago women really don't get to have hobbies I have a separate room, work counter, pantry and small refrigerator for my herbs. This all began after I married and abuela (grandmother) encouraged me to play with herbs. "Now that you have your man, you must keep him! Food, Pilar. Now let me teach you about marital apples." I
    via u/yerederetaliria
  • 26
    made a "love potion tea" that he has been drinking for 25 years. I have about 20 other tea recipes as well, all homemade. His Dr. recently told him that, "the science is still out but the periwinkle tea you've been drinking for so long may have kept your blood pressure stable." I have two herb gardens in our home in the States and a porch garden in Spain. So I guess I'm a bit like u/MaximumJones with the "spellcraft" and gardening. I grow
    via u/yerederetaliria
  • 27
    most of my own herbs but I do have to order special things like cardamom, saffron, ashwaganda and so on. My oldest hobbies are journaling and Bobbin Lace (I'm Spanish and the school's encouraged every student to pick a cultural art). I made this I also swim and some other stuff.
    via u/yerederetaliria
  • 28
    Cheezburger Image 10397213184
    via Karolina Kaboompics

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wholesome women empowerment askreddit hobbies inspiring gen x 1970s reddit thread Reddit girl boss 1980s
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