Microsexism
There is one social issue that exists in almost all cultures, affects all ages and all people regardless of social status and wealth. It is deeply rooted in the structure of our system, so much so that we have learned to accept and live with it instead.
Many of us are familiar with the term, “sexism”, but very few people know how many more ugly forms this behavior can manifest itself in. Sexism does not only exist in the wage gap, domestic or sexual abuse. It’s in the ways we raise our children, teach our students and talk to our friends, and falls under microsexism, which is defined as the subtle behavior that underestimates a gender to another.
The student in the engineering course that gets bullied and discriminated against by her male classmates. The young girl who is forced to balance all the household chores while her brothers slack off. The athlete who is made fun of for being too bulky and large. The boy who is teased for disliking sports. If you are a woman yourself, chances are you’ve experienced subtle sexist behavior.
Notice how most sexist jokes are excused as “boys will be boys” or “locker room talk” where we don’t hold individuals accountable for their mindset.
“Women are housekeepers because they’re good at it.”
We need to realize that we are what enables this kind of mentality. Women are housekeepers, only because we teach them to. Only because their housekeeping ability is a standard for women, and an admirable trait for men. Women know how to keep themselves clean, only because it’s gross if they’re filthy, and normal for boys.
Do not misunderstand — men now, men born into these generations that exist currently, are not the reason why sexism exists, they are the reason why it prevails, exists, still. Sexism existed for before their birth, and is often masked as absolute or factual, hence, men alone are not the problem. Many men see this as a justification for their neutral position regarding the problem. However, they could still be held accountable, because as individuals in society, they need to actively challenge sexism as well. “Sexism only persists because our actions maintain and reinforce patriarchal power structures.” (Thompson, 1995)
My point being, we have lived and advanced for far too long to tolerate this kind of microsexist, and practically, sexist, behavior. Behavior that normalizes a culture that upholds beauty, elegance and daintiness more than what it’s truly worth, more than intelligence, bravery and the diligence so many women have that just isn’t recognized. She is praised for her ability until she surpasses that of a man’s.
Fighting sexism is more than the implementation of rules. The only concrete solution to this problem is genuine change, and to actively fight against much of what is taught through socialization with other people. Identify and single out actions and day to day conversations that further proliferate this problem. We need to stop using gender as a defining characteristic that inhibits the appreciation and opportunity for certain people’s accomplishments. As Thompson concludes in his article, Men and Anti-Sexism, “The common humanity of men and women can be a platform from which we reject patriarchy and its dehumanizing tendency to make us men or women first and people second.”
References:
Men and Anti-Sexism. (1995). The British Journal of Social Work.
doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjsw.a056201
Stella Crisologo is a 16-year old Senior High School student from the Philippines and contributor to the of the people publication. If you’d like to have your work featured in our platform (whether visual or text), you may send in a submission to our email here.
