How to Find Causes of Sexism

Sexism is seen throughout many different cultures and societies around the world. Sexism refers to being treated differently and in an unfair manner because of one’s gender. Although women are the victims of sexism more often than their male counterparts, men can be victims of sexism too.

Instructions

How to Find Causes of Sexism

1. Understand the different types of sexism. Misogyny is sexism against the female gender and misandry is sexism against the male gender. Based on many stereotypical views on how men and women should act, those who don’t follow gender specific roles often face discrimination in the form of sexism.

2. Research former laws and the make-up of old societies. In times past, men were always the head of the household, the breadwinner, the only people allowed to own property, and the overall boss of their households. Women were viewed as inferior to men and were expected to cook, clean, tend to children, keep the household in order and obey their husbands. Many beliefs of older times have not completely disappeared today and some still believe men and women should fit into the gender specific roles of males being masculine and manly and women being feminine and ladylike.

3. Look into the way society treats people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersexed. People who don’t fit into societal norms are treated differently because of it. Crimes against these people are now deemed hate crimes because people mistreat them out of hatred and not accepting them for the way they are. People within the LGBT community do not always fit into gender roles that society has put into place and looking at how the laws are set up you can see unacceptance as a cause of sexism.

4. Study the differences between men and women in the workplace. Women have always been viewed as the weaker sex and have had to fight for the right to get the same jobs as men do. Even though women are now a large presence in the workplace, there is still a gender wage gap so for the same work, they are not always paid equally as their male counterparts. Looking at sexism towards men, paternity leave is not usually given when a man becomes a father but maternity leave is almost always given to female employees. Some may view this as unfair to males.

5. Take classes in sociology and gender studies. You can learn about sexism throughout the ages and see how it has changed as society has changed. Local and community colleges often offer a variety of classes on the subject.

6. Look at how much sexual content is in the media. There is sex on daytime television, in music lyrics and videos, in magazines, on billboards and other advertisements. Many cultures believe that sex sells so more things have become sexualized. Women are often viewed as sex objects and are called disrespectful and degrading names due to the way they are often portrayed as scantly clad in music videos, in magazines, and on television. Women are usually shown as passive and perform degrading acts while men portray dominant roles and are seen as being masculine.