I Faced Micro-Misogyny in the Weirdest of Ways
It happened twice to me, and the second time, I called out his misogyny
With the growth of awareness and action, the times of “macro-misogyny” are ending. Micro-misogyny, however, still prevails.
Micro-misogyny can be defined as everyday sexism, which has been socialized and internalized.
It slips from our notice easily, but encouraging it has adverse impacts.An incident concerning micro-misogyny comes to my mind and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
The boys were proud to demean one gender and left me wondering which century I was living in.
You will be dismayed when you read about it too.
The incidents
After four years of waiting, the season of FIFA was on again.
It was the retiring years of several GOATS, and even the uninterested had switched on their televisions to watch the swan song of such players.
Even though I suck at football, I enjoy tearing through the air and juggling the ball. I adore getting all sweaty and grimy.
There’s this boy who rarely comes down to join us in the evening when we are playing.
When I met him after a long stretch, I excitedly asked him about his favourite team and the most deserving player in FIFA.
He began laughing. His words are still entrenched in my mind.
“What do you (as a girl) even know about football?”
I took it as a joke and laughed.
But he continued, “Can you explain to me the offside rule?”
I played into this trap. Even after hearing my correct explanation, he wasn’t satisfied.
He couldn’t digest the fact that women could comprehend what “sports” is — that’s micro-misogyny.
He named random players and some more rules, ready to grab an opportunity to prove that women didn’t have the calibre enough to watch, understand and play sports.
My blood boiled.
Because that boy came from a respected and rich family. Because he had been raised in an urban area with progressive people around, only to ruin the mood by passing such misogynist comments.
A few days later, I got into a conversation with another male friend. The topic landed on football again.
A sense of Deja vu grappled me when his first question was,
“Do you even know what “offside” means?”
Yeah, it was an innocent joke to push aside no longer.
This time, I did not bother to waste my energy in proving that yes, women can have a deep bond with sports.
Rather, with my female friend, I called out his misogyny by quoting several similar incidents that happened to us girls.
We left him to reflect.
We didn’t engage with him anymore until he apologised.
It was another such day which left me wondering about how misogyny still exists quietly around us.
My appeal
Misogyny is declining. Yet, sport is an area where women often get undermined. The comments passed by those boys proved that.
I didn’t realise it was an act of micro-misogyny in the first go; their attitude and actions that followed displayed how they didn’t consider women at par with them, even though they were raised in a modern upbringing.
However, the boys don’t do all the harm and girls aren’t any less accountable at times.
I hold myself guilty as well.
If you had asked me about any football tournament for women or the top female football players then, I would have been clueless as a rat.
The realisation struck like lightning.
Who was I to lecture people about their misogynist behaviour if I myself wasn’t supporting women in sports?
I write this on an excellent occasion.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup draws close.
It will be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August 2023.
Here’s my appeal to people who are all for equality and sports.
Watch and promote every women’s event with as much zeal as you would do for the men’s tournament. It’s time to support all genders than suppress any.
There will be no dearth of talent, skills, and intense moments, I promise.
Speaking cannot accomplish everything.
Change starts with a bold resolve inside you and proactive actions on the outside.
It’s when you will make conscious efforts to promote women in sports that the much-needed love and support will be felt by the players — that girls like me won’t be left to prove our understanding of sports.
Let’s make this world more equal, one cheer at a time.
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