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Definitely have mixed feelings on this issue, and it all stems from anecdotes, rather than any sort of facts. I'm asking forgiveness in advance for rambling:
My university is a very Poli Sci/International Affairs-heavy school. We're really, really good at that, that's what people come to my school to do, so when people say they're majoring in that (or something similar, like Political Communications), it's not rare, but it's definitely not viewed as just some soft major.
The university has also changed its admission requirements over the past few years to admit students without SAT scores and include more engineering students to finance our new engineering building. As a result, our admissions rates have gone up. So when PNMs come through recruitment saying they're engineers, I'm impressed because I would never be able to do that sort of math, but that is by far not the most impressive PNM. My sophomore year my little was an engineering major and after the first semester, she was placed on academic bad standing and eventually dropped. Very sweet girl, but just because she was admitted to the university did not mean she was adequately prepared for the rigor of university academics, no matter how impressive some might view her major, just because she is a woman in STEM.
Finally, I'm studying English and theater, which many will likely see as a totally easy course of study, and also point out how difficult it will be to find employment once I graduate. However, I have plenty of STEM sisters who look at the number of papers I write or books I read every week and they say they could never do it, just like how I could never do economics or study anatomy. I chose to pursue a major where I would both enjoy the subject matter and be good at it, because while I certainly could have chosen to be an International Affairs major and take econ classes, there's no way I'd ever make any sort of honor roll or dean's list.
So, whenever a PNM says she should get a pass for her bad GPA because she has a hard major, I always wish she'd think about whether she'll actually be able to participate in her chapter and manage her school work, or if she'll turn out like my old little, because it really is heartbreaking when a girl has to drop because she can't handle the commitment.
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