Sexism is about more than someone feeling a bit hurt by a slightly insulting 'joke'.
Ever made a joke that didn’t get the laughs you thought it would? The fact that everyone has different tastes, standards and experiences can blur the line sometimes.
While some standards might not be easy to judge, when it comes to gender, actions or words that single people out because of their gender are not only going to insult about half the population but also push the idea that women are somehow inferior to men.
Everyday Examples That Cross the Sexism Line
1. Sexist ‘Jokes’ and Stereotypes
- Using sexist stereotypes and gender to insult somebody, like telling them to ‘stop acting like a girl’ when they’re sad or anxious or don’t want to do what their mates are into.
- Using gendered insults that reinforce sexist attitudes like ‘what’s the matter, mate, got your period?’ or ‘who wears the pants in that relationship?’
- Criticising individuals for breaking sexist gender roles because of their appearance or actions like ‘she dresses like a bloke’ or ‘what kind of guy becomes a nurse?’
2. Excluding People Based on Their Gender
- Leaving people out, or assuming they don’t want to be part of situations or conversations because of their gender, like ‘we’re talking about sport here, girls – maybe stick to what you know’.
3. Claiming Guys Or Girls Are Supposed To Do Certain Things
- Assuming guys are going to pay for something, like your froyo or movie ticket, just based on their gender.
- Thinking that women are less likely to be leaders, sportspeople, or take up a job in a field like science or engineering, just because they’re women.
- Calling women in power ‘bossy’ or ‘power-hungry’ but men in the same positions ‘leaders’.
4. Having Double Standards Based On Gender
- Judging people by different standards depending on their gender, like if you hear somebody say, “not bad for a girl” or “boys will be boys”.
- Claiming it’s poor judgment or morals for women to have a higher body count, but that it just shows that men have good charisma.
5. Sexism At Your Job
- Men talking over women at meetings, presuming they should get more airspace, or assuming they are the best pick for promotion, just because they are a guy or because a woman may choose to have a child.
6. Sexism In Relationships And At Home
- Presuming a partner should drop their friends to spend time with you and your mates.
- Someone presuming it’s down to them what they do as a couple.
- Telling a partner to dress in a certain way to impress others.
- Men are leaving the housework to women and taking more than their share of leisure time.
- Assuming women should be the ones to do all the childcare.
7. Objectification Or Harassment
- Wolf-whistling, catcalling, making sexual remarks or comments about people’s appearance.
- Men presuming a sexy outfit means a woman has agreed to sex with whoever makes a move.
8. Dismissing Sexism & Victim-Blaming
- Telling people that sexism doesn’t exist or that they’re being oversensitive about being unfairly treated because of their gender. For example, saying things like ‘oh she’s just being a feminist…’.
- Questioning what women who’ve experienced sexual assault were wearing or where they were and at what time of night, instead of asking why the perpetrator committed the crime.
- Claiming that women don’t experience disrespect, or saying things like “what about men?” when the discussion is about women.
- To make the sexism line clearer, ask yourself: ‘Is what I’m about to say or do stereotyping or treating someone unfairly because of their gender?’
What does sexism have to do with violence against women?
Research tells us that one of the main things contributing to violence against women is our attitudestowards women and women’s roles in society.
For example, the idea that women and men should act in certain ways or are better at certain things based on their gender is an attitude that can lead to violence.
Sexism is about more than someone feeling a bit hurt by a slightly insulting joke.
When harmful words and actions are part of what we consider acceptable in our culture, some people – most often women – get a raw deal.
Constantly being the brunt of jokes, or less worthy/equipped to do or know about certain things, constantly being judged on attractiveness or sexual appeal, being told to be careful about dressing or behaving in a certain way to avoid being harassed, attacked or raped – all these things add up to diminish a person’s self-worth and confidence.
And that prejudice against women is just not fair.
Fairness is the essence of ‘equality’ – giving everybody equalopportunities and respect.
And of course, sexism means different things to different people.
Depending on someone’s sexuality, religion, ethnicity or cultural identity, disability status or age, these aspects of a person can intersect and ‘stack up’ to create a unique experience of sexism.
No, holding a door open for someone is not always sexist
But think about why we do these things.
Just being polite? Would you do exactly the same for a man or woman?
We have a long cultural history of believing 'women are the weaker sex' and that a 'gentleman honours women' by, for example, pulling out their chair at a restaurant, paying for meals, holding doors open for them.
'Ladies first' and all that.
So, before you make that sexist joke or comment, before you catcall or mention how hot someone looks, before you feel like someone is ‘yours’ and you can control what they do, before you assume someone is less qualified to be in a particular job or have an opinion on a certain topic, think about how you’re crossing the sexism line.
