Understand what sexism is and how it affects women in society

Machismo is a form of prejudice that directly permeates the experience of every woman. The sociology professor, who makes up the Néias Laboratório de Feminicides, the Feminist Health Network and the Casa das 13 Mulheres, Meire Moreno, explains in a didactic way how it is present in our society and how to fight it.

What is machismo?

Moreno informs that machismo can be defined as a “prejudice, which can be expressed in behaviors, actions and opinions, denying equality between women and men and reinforcing gender inequalities”. She details that “such prejudice is based on the idea that women and men are naturally different, in which the masculine gender is valued at the expense of the feminine”.

This sexist idea, present in society, that women are naturally inferior, fragile and delicate, was often posed as a biological issue and defended by thinkers like Aristotle, however, they are not true.

The teacher highlights stereotypes that are created by machismo about women, placing them as “naturally sensitive, weak and destined for caregiving tasks. In other words, activities linked to the so-called private sphere are attributed to women and, on the contrary, it is said that men would be naturally rational, strong and able to participate in the public life of society”.

The philosopher and writer Simone de Beauvoir concluded that these ideas are socially created and used to subjugate women. Thus, women were seen as more fragile and prone to domestic tasks as this was taught to them, as a way of keeping men in their dominant role.

Simone wrote the book “O Segundo Sexo”, published in 1949 and which remains current in explaining the gender oppression suffered by women. Her phrase “You are not born a woman, you become a woman”, refers to this situation and is one of the most remembered quotes when talking about the social construction of women.

This differentiation is also present in the way society refers to the world, as it is common for humanity to use the word “man” to include the whole. About this, the philosopher wrote “he is the Subject, he is the Absolute: she is the Alterity”, explaining the perception of genders in society, the idea from which she took the name of her book.

The causes of machismo

When talking about the causes of machismo, the teacher explains that it is difficult to say that there is an origin or a cause for this form of oppression. In this sense, she details that “the prejudiced idea that perceives women as inferior to men, machismo, is a reflection of historical, social and cultural constructions”.

As a result, this form of prejudice “collaborates so that women are disadvantaged in various fields of social life, such as participation in economic and political life”.

Despite advances in the anti-macho struggle, Moreno points out that he is still very much present in society. In this sense, she draws attention to the fact that “the patriarchal society, that is, the form of social organization based on the subordination of women in relation to men, is very old”.

She explains how this social formation, still very present in society, “is based on the idea of ​​a single family model (made up of men, women and offspring) and division of tasks between men and women that collaborate to create and reinforce gender stereotypes. . This means that social expectations about the attributes and behaviors that women and men must express nullify all possibilities of expression of femininities and masculinities that do not conform to the model”.

But, after all, can women be sexist?

A common question on this subject is whether women can be sexist. The teacher explains that it is difficult to say that the oppressed part has sexist attitudes, as women are not benefited by these stereotypes.

However, she emphasizes that “women reproduce and collaborate in the perpetuation of machismo”, this is because they reproduce behaviors and prejudices that exist in society and that are taught to them from childhood.

Is machismo structural?

The ideas of machismo are present in a structural way in our society, “since such ideas structure the different social organizations, defining expectations regarding the behavior of men and women, as well as limiting their actions”.

In this sense, she exemplifies that economic structuring continues to be linked to the sexual division of labor “and this reflects on the lives of women who end up, for example, occupying less prestigious positions and receiving lower wages”.

This prejudice is also present in the organization of politics, because “it is not by chance that we perceive the precarious participation and representation of women in decision-making spaces”, highlights the professor. Generating, still, in these environments, the political violence of gender.

Even in spaces that aim to collaborate with feminist struggles, structural machismo remains present, which collaborates with the reproduction of sexist logics that “hamper the organization and autonomy of women in their actions and decisions”.

Moreno also emphasizes the importance of remembering “that machismo intersects with several other social markers of difference and inequality, such as racism, capacitism, capitalism, among many others”. As a result, some women end up suffering more violence and oppression, by adding machismo to other forms of prejudice present in society.

consequences of machismo

As for the consequences of machismo for women, Moreno lists a series of ways in which it affects daily life, which include the devaluation of women in the social sphere, because of the “mistaken idea that we are incapable, the perception that housework and care should be performed by women alone and not divided”.

Even its devaluation in the labor market, with “the multiple working hours, the less prestigious positions in economic life, the lowest wages”. According to a study carried out by the IBGE, women earned, on average, 20% less than men in 2018, reinforcing how machismo has practical consequences that affect women’s economic lives.

The consequences of machismo also include situations of direct violence, such as “domestic violence, political gender violence, psychological, patrimonial, sexual, physical violence, among many others, whose maximum expression is femicide”.

In addition to being victims of these forms of violence, machismo is expressed in blaming the victims, women, in cases like these. According to the 2014 System of Social Perception Indicators (SIPS), 58% of respondents still fully or partially agreed that “if women knew how to behave, there would be fewer rapes” – reflecting the intensely connected rape culture. with machismo.

This was the last edition carried out by the survey carried out by IPEA, a household survey aimed at understanding the perception of Brazilian families on public policies that are implemented by the State, regardless of whether or not they are beneficiaries of government programs and actions.

The study also pointed out the persistence of the vision of a patriarchal nuclear family, among Brazilian families, showing, even though the situation may have improved in recent years, that stereotypes part of a sexist culture are still present in society.

Machismo X Feminism

In the fight against machismo, the teacher highlights that “it is difficult to expect men to move to put an end to the ideas and practices that place them in a privileged position”. Thus, feminism appears as an important force to combat this form of prejudice, about which she emphasizes that “women need to assume the leading role in the struggles for gender equality and for the construction of their autonomy”.

In this sense, she explains that feminist struggles denounce the consequences of machismo for both women and society in general, by creating toxic stereotypes of masculinity. In addition to acting as a denouncer of these practices, feminism seeks to find ways to put an end to these oppressions.

On the other hand, those who seek to maintain machismo can falsely argue that feminism is a form of “reverse machismo”. In this regard, the professor explains that “feminism is not the reverse of machismo, as it does not seek to invert the logic of oppression”.

She details: “We feminists do not fight for women to be superior to men. It is a struggle for the recognition of differences and the construction of equality or equity between men and women”.

Machismo x sexism x misogyny

Machismo, sexism and misogyny are three concepts that are related when it comes to violence against women. Sexism refers to discrimination or prejudice based on gender or sex. Therefore, machismo is a form of sexism.

Meanwhile, “misogyny is hatred, aversion and contempt against women and is manifested in different gender violence”, explains the professor. The aversion to the feminine present in misogyny can be expressed by those who carry this feeling, through machismo and other forms of gender violence. So, machismo is a practical manifestation of misogyny.

It is important to highlight that not only sexism and misogyny, but all types of violence and prejudice against women, have machismo as a basis. This means that forms of oppression can be expressed in different ways, but they always start from the same principle.

How to deconstruct machismo in your daily life

Avoiding and deconstructing machismo is not a task that will be carried out overnight. This prejudice is rooted in society and, therefore, needs more than individual actions that can be done on a personal level. So, here are 5 tips to fight sexism in your daily life:

• Denouncing machismo: it is important to denounce cases of machismo so as not to let these behaviors continue to be naturalized and perpetuate in society. It is only in this way that society will understand that there is punishment for this type of behavior.
• Avoid sexist vocabularies and expressions: often sexist phrases are so present in the vocabulary that even women can repeat them without thinking. Expressions like “you can get married now”, for a woman who cooked a delicious dish, is an example. When hearing a sexist statement that perpetuates stereotypes, try to explain why it is wrong to use this expression. Not repeating these expressions is a way to combat the naturalization of machismo.
• Deconstructing gender stereotypes: helping people to choose what they want to be and do, regardless of culturally constructed gender stereotypes, is another way of combating machismo. Let children freely choose games, colors, clothes, without placing value…