10 Simple steps against sexism that we can all take

Sexism is so firmly rooted in society that it is sometimes difficult to identify. It is present in many areas: the idea of ​​the ideal woman and man, the level of wages and even jokes. There’s also reverse sexism, where a man is automatically seen as a master of everything, capable of fixing a faucet and a crane, when in reality he doesn’t necessarily need to know how to do it.

O awesome.club analyzed how sexism can manifest itself in everyday life and what can be done to reduce its spread.

Watching the news on social media and laughing at memes is a good way to clear your head and take a break. But sometimes images and jokes, innocent at first glance, hide sexist connotations, or even incite cyber harassment. Is it worth supporting them with a “Like” and sharing them if what we are looking for is mutual respect? The same applies to jokes when talking face to face with someone.

Explain to children that they shouldn’t start a conversation by assessing someone’s physical aspects. Teach boys to correctly perceive possible rejection. Tell your younger sisters, nieces and daughters that they don’t need to feel ashamed for saying “no” to a man, and that they shouldn’t feel guilty about it. In addition, any attempted harassment must be stopped.

The style of communication with children and the phrases of adults leave a mark on their views and future actions. When you talk to a son or nephew, he abandons stereotyped and dangerous expressions like “you are a girl”, “boys don’t cry”, etc. Try to affirm that there are no “female” and “masculine” fields of activity, but things like vocation and skills.

Carefully read the job offers. Restrictions like “we are looking for applicants under 35” and questions like “Are you planning to have a child?” talk about discrimination. There aren’t always many opportunities to find work, but it’s still important to pay attention to other options. Or mentioning to the employer that he is violating labor laws.

Sometimes the girls behind the wheel meet people with a somewhat derogatory or frivolous attitude. However, this does not mean that women will get worse or that they do not need to respond if they have violated traffic rules.

Discrimination can take a milder form called “benevolent sexism”, for example, small privileges, such as the possibility of not paying bills, or phrases that refer to the “weaker sex”. In the end, this imperceptibly deprives a woman of her independence.

Often, when looking for an apartment, you may encounter restrictions such as: “I only rent to female students”. But gender says nothing about how a person will behave in a rented room. To level this attitude of the owners, one can consciously ignore these advertisements or, by their example, demonstrate to the apartment owners that their position is wrong.

Sexism often appears in advertising or becomes its tool. Such cases can be reported to specific bodies. There are activists who look for similar advertising campaigns and spread information about them. As a result, this negatively affects the reputation of the company that launched the ad.

Sometimes parents are seen ambiguously at school meetings, and teachers seem to have no confidence in them, saying that they might forget something, not pass on information to the mother, etc. This is also a form of sexism that must be fought. In this case, with facts: demonstrating to teachers and other parents the responsibility of raising a child. This will earn them respect and set an excellent example for your child.

There are situations in which the aggressor rudely invades the other person’s personal space and is capable of causing at least moral suffering. About 20 people per minute are subject to domestic violence, and in these cases, it’s not worth resisting. Divorce is a hard fact, but living for many years with an abuser is even worse.

Strangers can also violate personal boundaries: Some bosses trust their impunity, allowing themselves more than the office culture dictates. These things can be silenced for fear of being fired. But if we want to improve society, it is important to inform law enforcement authorities.

Try to control what is said not only during official communication, but also during friendly conversation. Comforting a friend or girlfriend, don’t blame your appearance. Focus on qualities and behavior. For example, clothing is a personal choice that must be respected and must not affect the attitude towards a person.

How often do you encounter situations of sexism? Are you trying to face them? if so, in what way?