Sexism
The term sexism can be derived from the word sex, which is also used as a term for gender, sexus (see Duden, Sex). Sexism is perceived and defined differently, with terms such as gender, feminism, and discrimination being assigned to the definition.
Definitions
Forms of manifestation
Sexism can be divided into five forms of manifestation, most of which can be perpetrated by both men and women. In addition, sexism can be distinguished in its appearance based on whether it is a negative or positive form of sexism:
1.“Traditional overt sexism (Benokratis/ Feagin 1995) is based on three criteria: „(a) stereotype-conforming emphasis on gender differences, (b) inferiority of women (relative to men), and (c) endorsement of conventional gender roles“ (Eckes 2010, 183)“ (Thiele).
2.“Neosexism is defined as a conflict between egalitarian values (women and men should be treated equally) and negative emotions toward women.“ (Becker 2014). This form is expressed in „1) denial of continued discrimination […] 2) resistance to perceived privileges of women […] and 3) rejection of demands for equal treatment“ (Becker 2014).
3.Ambivalent sexism does not understand sexism as exclusively negative, but also names some positive aspects. Ambivalent sexism includes both hostile (hostile) sexism and benevolent (benevolent) sexism.
4.Hostile sexism involves the view that men should have a higher status than women. This is accompanied by a fear that women will gain more power and control over men. This form „is therefore primarily directed against nontraditional types of women, such as feminists and career women.“ (Becker 2014)
5.Benevolent sexism refers to the aspect of protectiveness and chivalry in the relationship between men and women. According to this, the man wants to help the woman with tasks that might be easier for him, for example, and justifies his actions by saying that the woman does not have to deal with the activity (cf. Becker 2014).
Sexism today
Man people do not perceive sexism as strongly today. They assume that equality is already fully accepted and implemented in our society. When looking at statistics on this (cf. Tagesschau, Gender Pay Gap, 2019), it becomes clear that although the position of women in society has improved, it is still not equal to that of men. This is evident, for example, in the fact that women earn less than men in leadership positions or in the dissemination of gender stereotypes through media and advertising.
„[T]his kind of objectifying, hypersexualized, and degrading advertising [also] poses a great danger. For the devaluation and dehumanization of a population group leads to direct discrimination and physical violence against them becoming more tolerable.“ (Domscheit-Berg 2015, 48)
It is often assumed that only women are affected by sexism. Contributing to this misconception is the association with feminism. In fact, more women are affected than men, but not exclusively. In advertisements and in everyday life, sexist depictions or actions affect all genders.
Cultural context
Sexism is one of the biggest areas where countries and cultures differ. Awareness of this has many different levels. In Germany, feminism and equal rights have been an issue for a long time. Women can now be granted almost all the rights and options that men have. In contrast, a look at Saudi Arabia is interesting: there, women have only been allowed to drive since 2017 and do not enjoy the same privileges as men. The image of women corresponds to a role model that is outdated for us.
In Mexico, being poor, female and indigenous means being a person of little relevance, „even though Article Four of the Mexican Constitution speaks of equality before the law for all those born in Mexico. But ethnic populations are by no means equal before the law, nor are genders and social classes – practice gives the lie to this claim.“ (Montes 2004)
Countermovements
Sexism increasingly leads to sexual harassment, rape, and catcalling. There are movements and campaigns against these assaults that seek to support those affected and educate about these issues. One example is the metoo campaign, first launched in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke. In 2017, the hashtag #metoo spread through social media and many celebrities also spoke out about their experiences with sexual harassment, assault and rape. Feminism is also a form of movement against sexism. Feminists fight for equal rights for women and girls.
Literature
Becker, Julia C. (2014): Subtile Erscheinungsformen von Seximus. https://www.bpb.de/apuz/178674/subtile-erscheinungsformen-von-sexismus#footnode1-1.
Domscheit-Berg, Anke (2015): Ein bisschen gleich ist nicht genug. Warum wir von Geschlechtergerechtigkeit noch weit entfernt sind. Ein Weckruf. Berlin: Heyne.
Duden: Sex. https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Sex.
Duden: Seximus. https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Sexismus.
Tagesschau: https://www.tagesschau.de/thema/gender_pay_gap/index.html.
Thallmayer, Claudia/ Eckert, Karin (Hrsg.) (2014): Sexismen und Rassismen. Lateinamerikanerinnen zwischen Alter und Neuer Welt. Wien: Promedia.
Thiele, Anja (2013): Sexismus. In: Gender Glossar. https://gender-glossar.de/glossar/item/13-sexismus.