That's Sexist

Sexism. We’ve all heard this term get thrown around a time or two, but what are we actually talking about? As we discussed in class, not all forms of sexism are negative. Holding a door open for a woman or pulling a chair out for her is actually a form of sexism since there are actions done specifically regarding only one of the sexes. But this seems to be a kind of sexism that people don’t tend to get heated up about since it’s a positive action and is usually even taught as etiquette. Hostile sexism is most likely the form of sexism that people are talking about when they say, “That’s sexist.” Hostile sexism is the discrimination and/or stereotyping of somebody based on their sex or gender and the type of sexism that I am referencing when using the word. Our stereotypical American gender roles play a huge part into how we treat others in our culture. Our media even backs up these ideas, constantly reinforcing the gender “norms” in our society. If we are being told over and over again how men and women should act, these differences are eventually going to creep into our minds and stay, reminding us how society thinks we should act and behave and warning us to stay within those guidelines.

One of the easiest and subtle ways that sexism seeps into our lives is the use of humor. Making sexist jokes in commercials or advertisements may be funny, but by using these jokes we are making light the topic of sexual discrimination and showing that it’s socially acceptable. With advertisements being so blatantly sexist, it’s obvious that their sexual innuendos are jokes, which is perfectly fine, right? Wrong. These ads are not making fun of sexism; they’re just flat out doing it. Here are just some of the ads and memes that I have found that reinforce the gender stereotypes, discrimination, and sexism that are present in our media:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most sexist ads are against women, as we see here, but this doesn’t mean that sexism against men doesn’t exist because it most certainly does (it is just not as prevalent). And some of these images we may laugh at in a social setting, but what are we really being told here? We’re being told that women are materialistic, they constantly need to be making their bodies more appealing, they’re only here for sexual pleasures, and (according to the pizza picture) are only worthwhile of keeping around if they can cook.

On a side note, I found the pizza picture on the WOMEN’S HUMOR FaceBook page….c’mon ladies.

 

What can we as a society do to stop sexism?

Honestly, as much as I wish it was possible, I don’t believe that there is a way to completely abolish discrimination against any one group. There are always going to be individuals that are just not going to like other people, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But this doesn’t mean that anyone ever deserves to be degraded or discriminated against based on something like their sex or gender, or any other aspect of their life for that matter.

 The key to gender equality lies within our nation’s youth.

If we give children the opportunity to be who they are, rather than tell them who they should be, boys and girls will understand that they are on the same playing field as one another. Letting them bond and share common interests will also instill equality. Instead of making boys do outside chores like mowing the lawn, and making girls do domestic chores such as cleaning the kitchen, let them both work together. Taking the example of chores, children also need to see their parents taking part in these roles as well. We can’t just tell a little boy that he needs to do the dishes when he has never seen his own father touch the dish soap, especially if he identifies with his dad.

It’s not only our actions that are being judged by our children, but also the language we use (or don’t use) and our reactions to situations or other people in general. For example, a couple years back, JC Penny released an ad for Mother’s Day which featured a family with two moms. After receiving much criticism for the bold move in their advertisement, JC Penny responded with this a month later. This pro-gay attitude is not only important in support of the LGBTQ community, but also is important for parents to get the conversation started with kids about gay relationships and families so that they can also come to an understanding and avoid the stereotypes that have been present in our culture.

Where we stand now is a long way away from solutions to sexism; especially since I can’t even drive with my windows rolled down without getting yelled and whistled at by a group of guys. But nothing is going to change unless we stand up and believe that the change starts with us. Studying anthropology has taught me that we humans are capable of amazing feats. We have made some incredible accomplishments in our life history, just proving that we are able of basically anything that we set our minds to, with each and everyone one of us, past, present and future, making a contribution to the changes that we have experienced and the changes that lie ahead of us. Nothing ever changed or will ever change by sitting around hoping that someone else takes the steps to get us to where we want to be.

 

As an endnote, I thought this video was hilarious so I had to share. And I love Ellen.

 

 

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